Princeville Botanical Gardens Reviews

Sherry was amazing. She provided so much info on the plants and history of the foliage. The chocolate tasting was also interesting and tasty. The local honey was delicious as was the fruit samples.

This was a delightful tour and Troy was the absolute best guide! We enjoyed all of the details about plants that we learned, the fruit tastings were a lot of fun and it was beautiful.

Lovely way to experience Mother Nature beauty of Kauai! Very experienced guides gave interesting narratives re: plant species, history, propagation, uses, etc. Comfortable walking tour though recommend wearing closed toe shoes & not flipflops. AM tours great w/only a little sun, so not too hot! Lather on bug repellent & bring a bottle of water. Not a nature girl here, but w/right preparation found this 3 hour tour delightful! Chocolate tasting rich w/information! Perfectly planned mid-tour break under a shaded canopy - great 30 min to soak in tropical beauty. Guides provided edible plant treats along the way & answered questions knowledgeably. 5 stars here!

Thoroughly enjoyed the tour! Our guide was very knowledgeable and could name every plant and tree. Really enjoyed the chocolate tasing and some history on chocolate. An really plus on this tour. The grounds were easy to walk and enjoyed the many varieties of plants/flowers/trees.

Was very interesting, and beautiful. Grounds are much bigger than you think. The fruit and chocolate tasting was a lot of fun too.

Good three hour tour of nice garden. Highly recommended. Not suitable fo people with mobility issues.

Absolutely beautiful gardens and wonderful casual and interactive interpretative walk. Our guide Sherry was incredible knowledgeable and a delight to everyone. Love this place!

This was a winner! For reference- We had seniors and teens in our group- and a wide range of abilities to accommodate. This was a fantastic tour and very much worth the money. You see a lot and it is just gorgeous. In total you walk about a mile and the tour lasts about 3 hours. They provide umbrellas big enough for two and very nice walking sticks. The terrain is varied with steps, one brief incline, a few beautiful bridges. So if you have no someone with some mobility issues you way want to reconsider. You cannot bring on wheelchairs or walkers. You do sit for about 30 min half way through for the chocolate education/ tour. Also there is fruit tasting along the way. It rained hard halfway through but was not a big deal. Umbrella was perfect and there is so much cover from the vegetation it was not a problem. They have nice restrooms and provide bug spray. Book direct with them though! We booked w Viator and they over charged us by 30 per person. We didn’t even know that happened till the person checked us in at the farm told us, then said she was rebooking us direct so we could be issued a refund for the overcharge. That was so nice!

Awesome time. Very knowledgeable tour guides. This is truly a special property and so glad the owners allow public access!

Holy smokes this was my favorite part of the trip to Kauai. I could never imagine they could pack in so many beautiful plants in such a small space and in such a short time.

Troy was amazing, answering all of my many questions. The chocolate tasting, while amazing, was not nearly as exciting as looking at all the plants some of which I have never seen before. The vanilla bean orchid as well as the bat flower plant stand out as some real peak viewing.

I went here on my own while my husband played golf on the other side of the island and had three of the best hours of my life. I would recommend this to anybody that likes plants, chocolate, or just walking in beautiful botanical gardens. This was an incomparable experience and I feel inspired to fill my San Diego yard with as much as I can possibly replicate after seeing all of that beautiful flora.

Finding the location was a little bit challenging as there was no signage on the way in, make sure that you find the side street on the left when you get down by where it is located. That was the only hiccup in a beautiful day.

Lots of beautiful plants but also lots of long lectures with lengthy standing and some serious climbing. At one point we just stood for a long time with no clear reason why. I expected more flowers. Also, the chocolate tasting was a challenge because the pieces were so small.

An amazing tour. Beautiful grounds knowledgeable guides and a fun chocolate tasting experience. Highly recommend it.

Aloha….This is so worth the money. The staff is fabulous, knowledgeable and fun. The gardens are absolutely magical and the fruit and chocolates AMAZING!!!!!!!!! I have been coming to Kauai for years and will be moving here soon, this is most definitely a must do for visitors. Mahalo ❤️

Troy was an excellent and informative guide. His stories, tidbits of history and background on the plants helped us learn a lot. The fruit tasting and chocolate tasting in this gorgeous garden made for a perfect morning. Highly recommend!

We loved seeing and learning about all the plants grown there, including the sustainable and eco-friendly farming and forestry practices they implement in the garden. The tour guides and other staff were so welcoming and I could tell were so genuinely passionate about their work and wanting to share it with the visitors.

Really beautiful and well put together garden. The walk was easy but obviously could be wet. unfortunately I was hoping for me chocolate engagement, they talked about the trees and we tested some from various places around the world. But there was no looking at or taking apart chocolate plant pods. Some quite amazing plants flowers etc. our guide was informative, passionate and answered questions well. Worth it! Gf loved it and I really enjoyed it as well.

The garden was beautiful and the tour guide was very knowledgeable and did a great job sharing his knowledge of the various species of plants in the garden and their importance. One member of our group didn’t care for the bugs and had to return to the car and wait for the rest of us. Recommend wearing long sleeves and long pants.

How could you go to the Garden Island and not visit a garden? You shouldn't. Our choice on Kauai was The Princeville Botanical Garden. We were not disappointed. The garden was everything a garden should be. And the chocolate tasting gave us more insight into the 'melt in your mouth' confection. Our guide Troy was great! You won't be disappointed.

Don’t miss this adventure especially if you are not from a tropical climate. Troy was an amazing and very knowledgeable guide. The tour takes 3 hrs but it is only a mile and many breaks along the way including a chocolate tasting with information about chocolate processing.

We have been to other botanical gardens on Kauai, but this one is the best. Beautiful landscapes that are well maintained. Our guide, Lauren, was excellent and quite knowledgeable about the plants. If you can go to only one botanical garden on Kauai, I recommend this one.

A beautiful experience of taste, smell and sights for the senses! Our tour leader was very knowledgeable and made the whole tour educational for my kids. Oh course the chocolate was fabulous!!

Troy led a well-paced, informative and humorous tour of the beautiful gardens. There were a few stops to taste different fruits and also an engaging chocolate taste testing and educational mastery around chocolate-making. The immaculate grounds are a testament to the gardeners who maintain them. Beautiful mountain views. Highly recommend.

Rob was great and the entire experience was well worth it. Definitely one of the highlights of our week on the island.

The guide was very knowledgable during the tour of the garden grounds, the chocolate tasting was neat and flavorfully fun!

What a wonderful time! The tour guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and fun! The gardens are beyond breathtaking and provided a great learning journey. The chocolate and other Hawaiian treats made the trip even better!

This was fabulous and definitely unexpected. The staff and tour guide(paul)were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. We would highly recommend this for anyone interested in sustainability, environment and ecology

What a fun, informative tour. Our plant guide Shelly was terrific and we all had a great time. we loved the fruit and chocolate samplings and learned a lot about Kauai plant history as well.

Added lots of knowledge to the old brain. Heidi was our tour leader and she is definitely passionate about the flora and fauna found in the garden. With her 40 years on the island as an adult she also brings valuable insight into island life and places to visit. The approximate 1 mile walk included multiple stops and is done at a leisurely rate. The elevation changes were easily navigated. Plenty of rest stops where you have small tastings. Midway though is an outstanding discussion on chocolate with tastings of 6 different varieties.

Excellent experience- amazing collection of plants and trees - not to mention a few spiders.. ! The chocolate tasting and outdoor ‘ seminar’ was much appreciated and better than expected.

So glad my friend and I booked this tour while our husbands enjoyed a day of golf. It was a wonderful experience, and our guide was extremely informative. The walk in your gardens was beautiful and the tasting stations were a hit. Loved finding out about the sugarloaf pineapples (delicious).

One beautiful trip to the Princeville Botanical Gardens. Enjoyed the tour and the Chocolate. Zoey our guide was fantastic and very knowledgeable. We are very thankful for having her lead us. The entire staff here is super nice and very proud of their grounds.
I also added this to my instagram account with some pictures under hashtag #PrincevilleBotanicalgardens

We took the 3 hour tour of the Princeville Botanical Garden in early October. Heidi was our guide and full of knowledge and passion for the garden! We got to try various fruit samples, honey sample, and saw/smelled a variety of botanical flowers and plants. In the middle of the tour, we took a break to learn about making chocolate while trying several chocolate samples.

I love tropical flowers and was especially impressed with the variety of flowers in the gardens. I saw flowers/blooms I had never seen before such as the Bat flower (both black & white varieties), Scarlet Jade, & night blooming Cereus flower.

I also love photography and took several photos during the tour - though I would have liked more time for photography. I suggest considering a longer "photography tour" tour of the garden so those really into photography can spend additional time to setup, compose, and use a tripod to capture the amazing plants and flowers.

Thanks again to Heidi for an excellent experience. The Princeville Botanical Garden is a hidden gem and I highly recommend!

There is not enough space to write about all the incredible sights, sounds and tastes of this tour. Our guide Heidi was probably the most knowledgeable, entertaining botanist I have ever listened to. She has the energy of a 10 year old and the most miraculous way of seeing simple leaves as art!! Sharing that with us was a true gift. The Chocolate tasting was awesome, I was very glad I videotaped it so I could play it for my granddaughter when I got home, so she could share in the tasting. (We saved a small piece of each sample for her) even the my 17 yr old granddaughter was very appreciative of the vast knowledge that Heidi shared with us. I told our friends who were coming the to island about this tour and hoping they also took it. I would do this again if given the opportunity. Thank you to the Family for lovingly crafting this beautiful garden and for sharing it with the world. Thank you to Heidi for your time, knowledge and enthusiasm. Mahalo and much Aloha to you all.

Absolutely amazing experience! Didn't realize the garden was by reservation only, but managed to get in via a cancelation. Highly recommend. Such a wonderful experience full of great fruit/plant samples and a truly beautiful garden. The scale is massive. Definitely worth the drive up to that side of the island. I only had my phone; regret not bringing a nicer camera

We weren't sure how we would like the tour but after it was over, we said we would go back again. Lots of varieties of nature in one place.

We had a party of five. We had a fantastic time. From start to finish everyone was very friendly and helpful. Our guide Troy was amazing and very knowledgeable. He made it fun. The fruit and chocolate tasting were great. And when we had a problem with our rental car they jumped right in and helped us with getting us going again. Amazing people. Such a beautiful place.

Whole party (two 30yr olds, two 70yr olds) loved this tour! There were some steep parts that were a little difficult for my 'mother in law', but they were extremely accommodating to her mobility needs (in the past five years, broken femur and both hips replaced), and she was able to do like 98% of the tour with flying colors.
Our guide, Lisa, was excellent! She was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic - you could really tell that she loved and was forever fascinated by the flora of the island, all of it's uses, and the history of their origins. Most of the tour focused on 'canoe' plants that were not endemic to the island but brought by the first Polynesian settlers, and how they used them, and what we still use them for. I loved having the connection to history and the ancient peoples of the area, and of course the garden was stunning.
It is on the rain-forest-y side of the island, so expect there to be some drizzles(+) during the tour. I find that the little bits of rain we had were refreshing, and just enhanced the beauty around us. The layout of the terrain showed lovely variations, and there were little streams and hills and valleys to enjoy. We also tasted fruits and honey they made on site.
Of course you want to hear about the chocolate tasting - well, it was delightful and interesting and conscientious and delicious. The only thing I think I would've liked was to taste the actual cacao fruit, but I get that it's too precious of a commodity with the production size they're at to do that. All the chocolates we tasted were fair trade, varied from different regions, were mostly single origin (if I remember correctly) and had the same ingredients. What was mind blowing, other than the delectable flavors, was that they all had very different flavors; terroir man... Their in house chocolate was f-ing amazing and it's criminal that you can only get it as part of this tour. Reason enough to make certain this is on your itinerary!

Amazing tour. They had walking sticks, umbrellas and insect repellent available for you to use. Such a unique experience to try some fruits and spices right off the trees

The entire experience was informative interesting and very friendly. It rained almost the entire time we were there, but the entire environment and the team made the experience amazing.

Book now! A lovely interactive and informative tour of gardens that have been tended with love and respect.
Tour Guide Rob gave us so much information and history of everything we saw along the way. We tasted various plants during the tour, and the chocolate tasting was phenomenal.
Highly recommend this experience.

Wonderful morning spent in a beautiful setting. Troy was a knowledgeable and entertaining guide. Would highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in learning more about Kauai’s plant life and chocolate.

Wonderful walk through gardens. Guide was very knowledgeable and nice with our group. Amazing flora seen. Took Ponchos and worked perfectly with the rains.

This was an interesting and informative tour filled with fruit and chocolate tastings. Very unique. Friendly tour guides.

The Gardens were beautiful and our guide Sheri was the best. Her knowledge and stories she told were interesting and fun to hear. We loved the tasting stops too. There was a lot of walking but it was moderate terrain. It was a great tour and would recommend this tour when visiiting Kauai.

Wonderful surprise! Tour guides were friendly, gardens were beautiful, chocolate was tasty! Tour company provided umbrellas and walking sticks for guests. Where good walking shoes. This tour is a YES!

Loved this tour! The grounds were absolutely beautiful and so well maintained. The tour guide was friendly and informative. Loved tasting the different chocolates as well. A must visit.

Had a wonderful time at the Princeville Botanical Gardens Tour and Chocolate Tasting! The staff is very knowledgeable and the gardens themselves are outstanding. I would highly recommend this tour!

What an amazing way to spend 3 hours! Beauty and knowledge and a precious tour guide. The best botanical garden I’ve ever been to!!

What could be better? Walking through a beautifully created botanical garden, learning from knowledgeable guides and tasting treats throughout the tour. All our senses were engaged during this wonderful experience. Mahalo nui loa to Abigale, Heidi and Paul for their welcoming and educational tour.

The gardens were gorgeous! The walk was amazing and fairly doable. I wish the guide had maybe a speaker phone so if you were a little behind you could hear and wait till all catch up before talking, as we missed some things. But it was a beautiful area for sure.

Terrific tour! The guides were fantastic! Very knowledgeable. The scenery is also incredible! We loved it and would do it again!

The trip to the botanical gardens was definitely not a disappointment despite a few short rain showers. Between sampling different fruits and chocolates to seeing all the beautiful trees, flowers and shrubs, it was well worth the money and time. They supply umbrellas on a first come first serve basis to use as well as walking sticks and bug repellent. The walk itself has a few inclines but is easy for those that don't do much walking or hiking. We also stuck to a pathway . It is not advised for anyone with walking disabilities or handicaps. Sherry was our guide and made the 3 hours very enjoyable with her knowledge about all the ground. I would definitely recommend this tour and would go again when visiting the island.

Have stated in Princeville numerous times and never done this tour
Can not say enough about how great it was very planned out and very well laid out and just enough time. The grounds are beautiful and the guides know so much the chocolate tasting was a very cool plus too highly recommend it. You walk down then you have to walk up. Not bad of hills but def be prepared lots of walking.

This is our second tour of the gardens! The first time was amazing but we just couldn’t get enough in 3 hours! We decided to visit again a year later on a return trip to Kauai. The more we tour the gardens, the more we discover and learn. And we absolutely love our guide Sheri! Her passion for the plants and gardens are quite evident. The tour is impressively well organized. All of the staff are friendly and accommodating. We WILL be back again!

Visiting the Princeville Botanic Gardens with my family on our visit to Kauai was an absolute highlight. Not only are the gardens a stunning escape and packed with horticultural marvels, but the guided tour from Sheri left us with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the garden and island. The exotic fruit tastings throughout and chocolate tasting in the middle of the tour were a lot of fun. We would recommend a visit to the Princeville Botanic Gardens to all of Kauai’s visitors.

WoW, talk about that warm feeling. When you enter the gardens, everyone is very welcoming and kind. The gardens were beautiful! Troy from Illinois is a special person - he is extremely knowledgeable and an incredible storyteller, he even kept our teenagers engaged! We loved the tastings that broke up the slow exploring. It's a little slippery so I would wear closed toed shoes but you can also get by without them IMO. The tour was a touch long for our group but it was still super enjoyable.

I’ll start with the positives - Troy was a knowledgeable and friendly guide and pointed out plants of interests and explained everything asked in a clear way. The paths were taken at a slow pace so you never felt rushed, with breaks throughout. If you are not steady on your feet, there are some steep hills, “garden staircases” and bridges you have to cross that could be challenging for some, but it wasn’t a problem for us. The tour offered bug spray, umbrellas, and walking sticks which was nice as there are plenty of bugs, and we did experience a mild rain shower at the end of our tour as is the nature of Kaua’i.

There was a segment of “unconventional fruit” tasting, and a long segment to taste bites of chocolate as a group, honey, and cacao nibs (and a banana). As such, in our opinion this should be seen as a garden tour, with some fruit tasting, and some chocolate education via the guide talking and holding photos (you won’t have a Willy Wonka tour), and some chocolate tasting. We did select this over other popular gardens as our main garden tour on this trip, expecting it to hit a little harder on the chocolate side, and for the price paid are not sure this was the best use of our time and money. This is a 3 hour tour, which we felt was unnecessary, and of course if you are staying on the other side of the island this really means a half day commitment especially with traffic and construction at time of visit.

The garden currently doesn’t have the capacity to produce chocolate for sale, you will get a piece about the size of a nickel of their chocolate to compare with a few other similar size portions and that is it. In total you may consume 1-2 ounces of chocolate, a few bites of fruit, and a smear of honey. The group they split us into (17 people) was fairly large and if you aren’t at the front of the pack or if you are hard of hearing, I could see how you might not get as much out of this tour. We stayed at the front but we saw some parties fall behind or go off on their own.

In summary, it is hard for us to recommend this as your only garden OR chocolate tour. If you have already visited the more well known gardens and the chocolate focused tours on the island, enjoy a very leisurely tour, don’t mind the price, and have a lot of spare time, maybe consider this.

We had to cancel our tour the morning of due to a death in the family. The tour operator was astoundingly tone deaf when we asked if a refund was possible - did not even bother to acknowledge our loss - quoted their policy and had the nerve to ask us to visit again in the future. I would not recommend giving your business to this tour as they lack basic human decency.

Definitely worth the visit! I’d say this was my favorite activity when visiting Kauai! The guide was knowledgeable and informative about the garden which was absolutely beautiful. The pace was easy and casual. We stopped occasionally to taste different fruit samples and the chocolate tasting was amazing! I never knew that it could taste so different from around the world. I highly recommend this tour to give you a more rounded experience of the island!

We couldn’t stop taking photos! Beautiful grounds with a true treasure of a guide.(Sharrie ?) Our first day on Kauai, and it really made us feel the Aloha spirit. Hawaiian honey tasting was very interesting.

My wife and I toured the garden a couple of weeks ago. The garden was beautiful, and the fruit and chocolate tasting were an added benefit. Our guide was knowledgeable and her presentation made the tour really enjoyable. I highly recommend taking the tour.

Beautiful gardens with a very informative tour! Loved learning about and tasting chocolate too! Lisa was our great tour guide!

Beautiful gardens and lovely hike with tour and tastings. The variety of flora and fauna is amazing and was very thoughtfully designed by the master gardener. The guides are highly knowledgeable. I highly recommend this tour.

The garden was beautiful and our host was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. We learned a ton about the first plants brought to Hawaii and their uses. Overall it was a great experience!

Excellent experience. Our guide, Troy, was fantastic. The gardens were impressive, and the chocolate tasting was informative and delicious! Absolutely worth it.

We really enjoyed the main garden tour. It was informative, fun, and engaging and we would highly recommend that portion. The main garden is absolutely beautiful. Our guide was obviously very knowledgeable and passionate and it made it easy to enjoy. The chocolate tour, while interesting - largely feels like an odd sidecar with very limited connection to Kauai or the Botanical Gardens. At about 2-2.5 hours we were largely done with the tour and it felt like it was dragged out simply to fill time (which is no fault of the guide). Additionally, at times this tour was close to a moderate hike with very steep steps and inclines. The description notes “moderate mobility” is needed, but a 20 year old and a 60 year old are going to have very different expectations for “moderate mobility”.

We lucked out with an absolutely beautiful day with abundant sunshine and no rain. Troy was our guide and he was phenomenal, full of information about the flowers, trees and fauna, with a few entertaining stories along the way. Overall, he was extremely respectful and professional throughout the tour. The chocolate tasting was a great addition as it was interesting to hear various perspectives on each piece of chocolate that we tasted, as well as how chocolate is actually made. Above all, I have tons of beautiful pictures on my phone that I can't wait to share with friends that I know are flower lovers and have probably never seem some of the species I took today. Well with every penny!

Ditto everyone else. EXCELLENT tour and well worth the money. 100% depends on the guide and ours (Troy) was superb. Only suggestions would be to perhaps speed it up to 2.5 hours from 3 and to beef up the gift shop.

What a wonderful place! The guides were great, and the garden is amazing. I recommend wearing closed toe shoes with good traction. The chocolate tasting was the highlight of the tour. Would definitely do it again.

Over $300 for a family of 5 to go look at some plants seems like steep price, but I assure you that the experience at the Princeville Botanical Gardens is completely worth it.

We've seen them all:
I thought someone would pull my man card the first time we went to a botanical garden on Kauai our first trip a little more than a decade ago. Not only will I admit to this at the sports bar, we've now visited all three on the island and have been impressed every time. Each has a different flavor and we've appreciated each one for their unique plants.

Thoughts on this one:
This garden is extremely well run and efficient with great facilities reflecting the price. The grounds are probably the most topographically fun with great vistas across the expanse and extensive bio-diversity throughout. The education about chocolate production was interesting however my kids were not fans of the chocolate which all tended toward the darker side.

What set this apart:
The staff and specifically our docent Trevor was spectacular. I've never met someone who is so clearly made for a particular job. He was so engaging and had a clear appreciation and excitement he wanted to share about every plant on the grounds. The first group of flowers we approached he said "when I go 'mmm' near a plant it is because you may want to take a 'jungle bath' in its essence", I thought "whatever you tall hippie, I'll take a normal bath when I bet back to our condo". By the end of the tour I was ready to ask Trevor if he knew anyone who would buy all my possessions so me and my family could break the bonds of our material things and we can all live together, start a drum circle, learn how to make our own clothes and enjoy daily jungle baths. He was phenomenal.

Conclusion:
You can't go wrong with any of the gardens on the isle. The chocolate specialty would make the drive worth it if you are a connoisseur. I would come back to this garden again to see Trevor.

We had a great time at the gardens. Zoe was our guide and was lovely and knowledgeable. We walked through the gardens and stopped at points to taste fruit, honey, and chocolate!!!

If you like plants and beauty, this is a must go on tour. Our guide was knowledgeable and pleasant. I would highly recommend this tour.

Pleasant and understandable horticulture lessons. Beautiful plants and setting. Totally recommend. Our guide, Heidi, was 1st class. She was extremely knowledgeable and a delight to be with. There were tastings throughout the tour, including different kinds of fruits. The chocolate tastings were some of the best and freshest dark chocolates I’ve ever had.
Five stars!!

What a wonderful experience! The beauty of the property was enchanting. The large variety of flowers and plants was wonderful to see. The stops for home grown/local snacks was a real treat. We enjoyed the chocolate tastings and the variety of items we got to enjoy. Troy and Ash were very knowledgeable and great guides. It was enjoyed by my hubby, my mom, and myself.

I love gardening, and especially tropical plants. This garden was amazing. A big piece of property with an amazing variety of plants, trees, shrubs and flowers that made it feel like you were on a different planet! I loved the different levels as we strolled up and down the terraces. The guides were very professional, knowledgeable and friendly. A great experience for couples and solo. I wouldn't bring small kids only because they will probably get bored.

The tour was a lot of fun. We enjoyed the many plants & different varieties of trees. There was a bit of challenging terrain, but it was well worth it.

The tour was amazing! The grounds were stunningly beautiful and our guide was very knowledgeable. The tour is several hours long but the tasting breaks come at the right time to allow for a bit of recovery before the next part of the walking tour. I would recommend that you put this on your must do list.

I’ve been to Allerton, MacBryde and Na Aina Gardens on the island of Kauai and initially didn’t choose this one because I thought it was a gimmicky chocolate tour. I was pleasantly surprised at the bountiful beautiful tropical plants and flowers narrated by Troy, who was so knowledgeable. We sampled local fruits on our 1 hr leisurely walk then in the next hour learned and tasted chocolates. We continued for another hour through the upper garden. The tour, walk and sampling was everything and more so glad my daughter and I did this. Highly recommend!

We recently took the Princeville Botanical Gardens and Chocolate Tasting tour, and while the guides were friendly and knowledgeable, this experience was not at all what was advertised. The title makes it sound like a chocolate tasting experience, but in reality, it’s a long, 3-hour garden tour with only about 30 minutes of chocolate tasting—if you can even call it that.

You get five or six tiny squares of chocolate to sample, and that’s it. You can’t even buy the chocolate afterward, which made the whole thing feel even more disappointing. For such a large price, this honestly felt like a rip-off. The tour could’ve easily been half the time and cost way less.

We left feeling misled and frustrated—and frankly, we wish we had asked for a refund. It just wasn’t enjoyable, and had the advertising been honest, we never would’ve booked it. We’ve seen other reviews that share similar experiences, so it’s clearly not just us. We strongly encourage the company to change the way this tour is marketed to reflect what it actually is: a garden tour with a tiny bit of chocolate.

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of these gardens. I thought the chocolate tasting might be a bit weird, but it was quite enjoyable. The only drawback is that it is quite steep in parts. Luckily, they have handrails on the steepest parts. The guides were excellent.

Very informative and pleasant walk through magnificent gardens with our guide Loren. The chocolate tasting was an added bonus. Learned alot about various plants, native and not.

From arrival to departure, it's a well run operation. Small and friendly, but super efficient. Fantastic guides (Heidi & Rob), rock star views and experience. Even the chocolate tasting was made into a fun experience, similar to a wine tasting, with guides and learning.

A must do Kauai experience!

One caveat, be aware there are some steep hills you'll be walking up. Nothing treacherous, and they pace them nicely, but if you are not comfortable with steep hills and stairs, then not for you.

We had a great time on this tour. Our guide, Heidi, was very informative and it was educational and enjoyable. If we come back in June we will book this again as our 17 year old will love this as well. Mahalo for a great time!

We enjoyed our recent visit. Even though it was raining part of the time they were well prepared for us with extra umbrellas and walking canes. I noticed some people in our group were wearing flip flops despite the urging to wear closed toe shoes. I'm glad that I wore some better shoes because there were some areas that were slippery along the way. Our tour guide Troy was funny and very approachable. They limit the group size which I appreciated and we enjoyed learning about the different kinds of plants and fruit trees on the Property. We enjoyed small samples of fruit and also the chocolate tasting. I bought several of the the bars to take home and I plan to do another tasting with some of my co-workers when I get home. I would go again when I come back.

My beautiful wife and I spent about four hours walking thru the paradise that has been created at the Princeville Botanical Gardens. The flora and fauna ecosystem is so perfectly balanced. Rob our guide was superb. He had such a gentle spirit and enlightened knowledge of all things green. He shared from his heart his depth of knowledge and provided an invaluable insight to the paradise created. Thank you one and all. It was truly amazing.

The owner went above and beyond to make our visit very memorable. Our guide was awesome. Wish I could give this more than 5 stars

My visit in April was the highlight of my week long trip to Kauai. The gardens are diverse and beautiful. They are easy to walk while enjoying the views and learning from the guide - yay Zoey! The midway stop for chocolate tasting and information was terrific. The 3 hours went by quickly but every moment enjoyed. I bought their honey (after a tasting) on my way out - best I've ever had!!

This place is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I was expecting to just sit at a table trying different chocolates but they take you on a tour through the entire grounds of plants, trees, flowers, etc. They give you a chance to try different fruits that are grown in house and about halfway through the tour you sit and try different dark chocolates made by different fair trade companies. Take lots of pictures but also remember to load up on bug spray if you are prone to getting bit like me.
All in all such a gorgeous and peaceful activity!
Thank you

So glad we chose to experience this place.. amazing gardens in paradise. The crew was so knowledgeable, kind & chocolate tasting? I mean, what more could a girl ask for?

Once turning off the main road on our way to the gardens, we were treated to a stunning panoramic view of Hanalei Bay. The gardens themselves were a real treat, as if we were visiting family friends. Very welcoming. Our guide, Heidi, was positively exuberant, thrilled at a new blossom, squeezing awapuhi for us to smooth on our skin or hair, watching our every step along the paths. She was quite knowledgeable and a joy to spend time with. We went for the gardens, so the chocolate tasting was a nice addition. We tried longan for the first time and have since purchased this delicious fruit again on island. We highly recommend this tour!

The gardens were absolutely stunning. This is a perfect outing for adults who enjoy spending time admiring nature (would not recommend for young children). Our guide was very knowledgeable about the plants and their origins. The dark chocolate tasting was also very enjoyable.

What a wonderful and informative experience as you feel at peace with nature. A beautiful time and Troy was a great guide, along with the whole team.

What a spectacular tour! The Princeville Botanical Gardens are so beautiful and the diversity of plants will amaze you! Love the fruit tasting stations & the chocolate tasting was delicious & informative. Our Guide Lauren was extremely knowledgeable about the Gardens, plants & history and chocolate! We would absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves horticulture & history. This is a must do activity when in Kauai! Very professional & organized tour! Everyone on staff here were very kind & helpful. We would definitely do this tour again!!! Thank you! J & G from NC

This is our second time there and it was as great as the first visit. Heidi was so much fun. Just a beautiful setting and of course - the chocolate. See you again. Mahalo.

Although I knew this experience would be a great one, I was astounded that this made it to the #1 spot for "what we loved most about our trip" with my entire family. I can't say enough about how magical, peaceful, engaging and interesting this tour was. Highly recommend it.

This garden tour was absolutely gorgeous. Tour guide was very informative and the views were beautiful. Mild walk through the gardens. Took so many pictures.

This botanical garden was gorgeous and a joy to explore, even considering that we weren't so fortunate with the weather. The staff were friendly and knowledgable. I still don't understand how the tour justifies the price. It's likely priced at that level to sustain the operations of the garden. The value of the tour falls considerably short of justifying it from my perspective.

Very interesting. Nice easy pace. Some steep parts but doable for an older lady. I would recommend this tour and would do it again.

We had a wonderful time doing the walking tour of the gardens with our guide, Robert. He was super knowledgeable and kept the tour fun and friendly and still gave us lots of information. I’m so glad we were able to do the tour!

Amazing views, beautiful folliage, amazing tour guides. Check it out! Very knowledgeable tour guides; friendly and entertaining. Ask for Paul! :)

This was one of the best botanical tours we have ever been on! Our tour guide was Lauren. She had our three hour tour go at a comfortable pace (stop and literally smell the flowers) where everyone got a chance to learn and take pictures, and she was very attentive so that no one was left behind. The tour was very detail oriented for the groups. There were stops along the way set up for the tastings of fruit (starfruit, sugar cane, pineapple, and many more), hydration, trash and rinsing of sticky hands. Walking sticks, umbrellas and bug spray were all generously provided for use. They really have thought of everything! Both Lauren and the other tour guide presented the chocolate tasting and they both have very good energy and passion for their work. Our family has quite a love for chocolate and we learned so much from them! During the walking segment of the tour, Lauren (she could be a human encyclopedia) covered many interesting facts about the flowers, leaves, and trees, including where they are propagated from or if they are indigenous, their uses both culturally and historically, and the seasons and years of bloom and how rare they might be/how difficult they may be to propagate or grow. She can also define them in both general terminology as well as their Hawaiian names. The feedback we gave at the end was mostly beaming and a hint of constructive thought, and all feedback was received with the greatest appreciation. These grounds truly are attended to with passion and love. This tour appeals to so many different interests that we could recommend it to almost anyone. Even the inclines on the trails are gentle, and the paths were clearly marked out. We did notate that it may present some difficulty for anyone that may have leg issues (we have a friend with a knee replacement that we thought would love it but may have too many physical challenges on the trek).
We would love to return at a different time of year to learn even more. This was certainly a personal highlight for us on this trip!

I don't know the names of the plants/bushes at my house, so i am totally NOT someone into plants that way. However, i am fascinated when we go on vacation at the unusual flora so different from home and this knocked it out of the park.

This is a 3 hour tour - 2 hrs in the gardens, 1 hr choc history & tasting in the middle. It had rained the night before so it was a bit muddy in places (some were not dressed for that with their nice white/pink pretty sneakers) and the mosquitoes are BAD. We put Sawyer Picaridin insect spray (amazon) on before we left hotel (mosquitoes LOVE my hubby) and didn't get a bite (and my hubby wore shorts & short sleeves), but some people got CHOMPED - like 15-20 bites on their exposed arms.

Our tour guide Robin was amazing! While there are sooo many unusual looking plants, it was her info that made it soo much more interesting. She enlightened us on how difficult it is to get that vanilla from a bean into the jar in my kitchen, what canoe plants are, how native hawaiians threw this one plants leaves into the water to stun the fish for 15 sec so they could swoop them out with a net to fish, etc.

I don't like dark choc so the choc tasting didn't do it for me but the history, how it goes from a bean to a bar, and the labor involved was very interesting.

It's expensive, not worth taking kids but adults will really appreciate.

My husband and I had a great time. Our guide was Troy, a very knowledgeable and interesting person. The gardens are beautiful and well worth walking around for three hours. My husband especially enjoyed the chocolate tasting part of the tour. Very good chocolate.

We had the best time. Weather was great and even the times it did rain it did not hinder us at all.
The condo was great. We stayed at Alii Kai - Sweet Water Kauai.
Nice easy drive to Hanalei.

I really liked how everything was provided to be comfortable, including umbrellas, walking sticks, the organic bug spray they wanted you to use there. There were several breaks to enjoy fruit samples and a bigger break to enjoy chocolate samples that made the walk very doable for the middle aged folks like myself. Beautiful trees and bushes everywhere to enjoy during the walk.

An excellent, entertaining tour on beautiful grounds. So well run - we really enjoyed our guide, Sherry (sp?) - such a pro.

We really enjoyed our morning at Princeville Botanical Gardens (even my husband who wasn't too excited to go!). It is a three hour tour with the first hour touring the lower gardens, the second hour is the chocolate tasting, and the last hour is a tour of the upper gardens. In total though, you only walk about a mile. The gardens were lovely and lush, and our tour guide Troy was very knowledgable and personable. Along the way, we also had some small samples of local fruits. The chocolate tasting was not only yummy but informative, since we learned how chcolate is harvested and produced. The chocolate samples were from all over the world and a sweet treat.

A very nice tour. The guide Sherry (Sp. ?) was very knowledegable and entertaining. The walk is quite easy with very little rough terrain. Probably not for small children.

What an amazingly beautiful place! The guided tour and chocolate tasting was fantastic. The guides are quite knowledgable and informative. The grounds were so lush and varied. We thoroughly enjoyed this. Grateful that they provide mosquito spray, walking sticks and umbrellas as we needed them all. Highly recommend!

This is about a one mile walk, with a lot of pauses, though out the grounds of the Princeville Botanical Gardens. It is very interesting and informative. The chocolate tasting made a nice intermission. Be prepared for mosquitos (wear long pants and sleeves if possible). They hand out walking sticks and, depending on the weather, umbrellas. There are a few areas with tricky steps and slippery gravel, so the walking sticks come in handy.

Really enjoyed our tropical farm tour. Troy was very knowledgeable about the plants, trees and Hawaiian history. Tasting our way through the tour was an extra bonus.

Beautiful gardens! Hard to believe they have only been open to the public for about a decade. The tour was very informative. It was fun trying honey and fruit at different stops along the way. The chocolate tasting was very informative, I will never look at chocolate the same way and am now better informed when I purchase chocolate. We really enjoyed this tour and highly recommend it!

This was a very disappointing tour. When I hear botanical gardens I think flowers. We saw two flowers and the rest was just tree after tree. There are large groups and the tour guide Zoey just starts talking and moving on once the first people arrive. Doesn't wait for all to hear. If you have any challenges walking THIS IS NOT FOR YOU. Extremely steep with 60 steps downhill which were very steep. Again, tour guide left without all who had a challenge with the steep steps. Zoey even laughed up the sttep steps saying they were done by gardeners not landscapers. The chocolate tasting was 30 minutes of chocolate bars outside Hawaii except one bar they make but never mind- you can't buy that one. She said come back in 2027 for that. If you want a great Chocolate tour go to Lydgate Farms
Excellent tour & they sell their chocolate.

Wonderful tour, very informative. Easy walking. Guides are very knowledgable. Many plants are blooming. Nice place to take pictures. The chocolate tasting was very intetesting. Will make me think twice when I buy chocolate again.

Amazing unique plants and terrain and very knowledgeable guides willing to answer all your questions while sharing their obvious passion for their environment. Highly recommend. We lucked out with sunny weather the whole tour but I understand their recommendation for proper footwear etc if caught in rain as the terrain could provide some slippery challenges.

A little more expensive than expected but a great experience overall. There many excellent botanical gardens in Hawaii that don't charge an entrance fee. The chocolate tasting was the main difference from the many other botanical gardens I have been to in Hawaii. Wish they had more flower plants and orchids on the grounds to exhibit. Tour guides are respectful, courteous and really knew their stuff.

Our tour guide, Helen, was fantastic! Very acknowledgable about all the flowers, trees,and ferns. The land was very well maintained. Beautiful!

The garden was so beautiful with many interesting plans and flowers the chocolate tasting also was exquisite, very informative and also fun.

Princeville Botanical Gardens is a must see. Heidi & Rob were wonderful guides/hosts. They were both extremely knowledgeable & personable. It is clear that they are passionate about their work. The gardens are absolutely stunning. It is like a walk through a wonderland. The fruit, honey & cacao tasting was not only delicious but educational.

Our time in the garden was amazing. We learned so much and took dozens of pictures. Heidi was fantastic and knowledgeable about everything. The tastings were delicious and unique. We took our 14 and 8 year old boys and they loved it! We would encourage anyone going to Kauai to go!

This was my last activity in Kaua'i before going home, and I am so glad I left it till last, to end on a high note. The gardens itself were amazing, the food and chocolate tasting was even better, but the guide was the best part! My tour guide Sherry was so passionate and full of knowledge, which made the tour very worthwhile and so much more enjoyable. Could not have asked for a better guide and tour. Definitely a must visit

I usually get bored at botanical gardens and made this visit for my wife. Much to my surprise I found this 3 hour walking tour and chocolate tasting event to be most interesting. Seeing and learning about the plants and then enjoying a wonderfully educational chocolate tasting and discussion was fantastic. Our guide was knowledgeable and entertaining. Various native fruit tastings along the way added to the delightful experience.

I highly recommend this place, especially if you are staying in the Princeville area.

This tour is an absolute must! I was hesitant at first, thinking it would be boring....it was anything but!!! Our guide was informative and fun! Although there is a bit of walking, we were eager every step of the way as our guide was always pointing out interesting information. Chocolate tasting was a treat also!

This was a highlight of our trip! The gardens are amazing and the staff were welcoming, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. Plan to spend the whole morning on the tour, but the time goes by quickly as the gardens are beautiful and the tour is engaging. We learned a lot and had a wonderful time. Heidi, our tour guide was awesome.
Be aware that there are some stairs and gravel paths to navigate and can be a little slippery when wet. However, even one person in our party who has some balance issues was able to complete the walk without too much difficulty. The have walking sticks to use if you like, our party member brought their own poles to use.
Be prepared for some rain if it’s the season. Shower can pop up out of seemingly nowhere, but don’t let that deter you from going. They do have umbrellas to borrow if you like.
If I were advising someone on what to do in Kauai, I would tell them this is a must do.

This tour was awesome. We arrived on the property and were greeted by the smiles and kind direction of staff. They offered all natural bug repellent for anyone who needed it as well as some for sale. In addition, due to the rainy forecast, they offered complimentary umbrellas and walking sticks for guests for the tour.
Our tour was with Sheri and she was wonderful. She was so pleasant and kind and was very knowledgeable on the history of the grounds as well as the flora and fauna. The grounds are STUNNING and so well kept. As we went along, we sampled bites of the various fruit from the grounds and it was delicious! Then after touring half the grounds, we all met under a tent and had the chocolate tasting which was also delicious. Sheri and a male counterpart, whose name escapes me, that took the other half of our group, shared in educating all of us on chocolate. From growing cacao, to harvesting, to processing and then on through the chocolate making process and what makes them all differ. We tasted samples from around the world and discussed all the various reasons for differences in taste and quality. We then continued our tour around the beautiful grounds, making our way back to the beginning where we were able to purchase honey, chocolate and other products that they offer.

We had a great time and learned a lot while spending the morning in an absolutely beautiful place. The mosquitos were bad in some spots and my husband did get bitten in spite of the use of repellent, so if you are that person that the bugs love, we do suggest stronger.
But we had a great time and would definitely do it again. We learned a lot, we tasted some amazing fruit and chocolate and had a great time with some great people.

The grounds are lovely. The guides are helpful, easy going and passionate about this blissful patch of paradise. The diversity of plant species is amazing. I found myself developing impatience with our group. A number of individuals were mobility challenged. The garden walk is not strenuous, but this is not for people who have difficulty navigating flat terrain without assistance. It’s not fair to them as their entire focus is staying upright. It’s not fair to the group either. 3 hours seems like an eternity when you are simply standing and waiting. The chocolate tasting was fun and informative. Kind of like wine tasting with exploration of how terroir impacts flavor profiles. I almost wish there was a self guided option through the grounds with well marked paths as well as informative signage about the plant species.

An absolutely beautiful garden with a wide variety of flowers, trees, and other plants. A lot of walking. Fair amount of fruit sampling. All staff were very hospitable. Our guide Lauren was pleasant, knowledgeable, accommodating, and very professional. The other guide, Zoey who gave a portion of the chocolate presentation was very professional as well. A well organized tour. As a garden enthusiast I rate this garden on par with the beauty of Holland’s Kuekenhof. As good as, if not better than the Butchart garden in British Columbia, and as lovely as Germany’s Mainau Island. Though it does not have as many flowers as the aforementioned, but it is deep green and oh so lush here.

My husband & I had a wonderful time touring Princeville Botanical Gardens. Our tour guide, Lisa, was fabulous & extremely knowledgeable. Your Botanical Gardens are truly an exquisite and tranquil place to visit. After about an hour in, I was lost in its magnificence. One of my favorite pastimes is taking pictures of birds and dazzling flowers. I was not disappointed. Your indigenous succulent fruit appetizers were delightful. The chocolate tasting tour was informative & delectable. One suggestion, maybe the guide could offer to take pictures of the guests, with their cameras, on the gorgeous garden foot bridges.

The guide was very knowledgeable about the garden and there was an incredible variety of plants and flowers to see. And the chocolate tasting wasn’t bad either - a great way to spend a day in Princeville. Highly recommended

This is truly an amazing and delightful tour. Guided by knowledgeable and engaging staff, it includes tasting of fruits and chocolate grown on the property, along with chocolates from around the world, all while journeying through the stunning landscape with informative narrative from our lovely guide. Our family of four, two teenagers included, were entranced by the experience. We've been to many botanical gardens in many places and this is a favorite. Definitely worth the time and cost!

We took our second tour in Sept 2024, after doing our first March of 2023… Both were amazing . The experience is beautiful, personal and very informative. Also the chocolate tasting was great as well.

This was a fun tour. We learned a lot about the various flora and fauna and the difference between native plants and "canoe" plants (introduced by the polynesian voyagers). Very interesting to learn about the various uses many of them have. Even though it was winter, everything looked pretty green and beautiful - can only image how awesome it would be in summer. Guide was knowledgeable and friendly. There are concerns about mosquitos but we got really lucky that day, not one bite.

One thing to note is that we had a huge group, so was hard to hear the guide some of the time.

Loved seeing the gardens and tasting the local chocolate and the local produce. Everything was very well planned and our guide was amazing

This tour is worth every penny. You think three hours is going to feel too long but it flies by. The gardens are one of the most beautiful sites I’ve ever seen, I could have stayed forever. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about every plant she discussed.

Lots of photo opportunities. The chocolate portion was also well run. Very close in to Princeville. The end. I’m

Truly an awe-inspiring, informative experience of absolute beauty to see! Our guide was especially wonderful sharing all sorts of facts about the plants, trees and flowers! The chocolate tasting was a lovely addition to the tour. There was some steeper steps and climbs and 1 or 2 had to drop out but if in good health and have no trouble with steps, you’ll be fine!!! I would go back to do this again if ever back in Kauai!!! First-rate attraction!!!

Tour guides are very knowledgeable and the gardens are beautifully maintained! The chocolate and little treats were excellent as well!

We had a great experience at the botanical gardens. The guides were SO knowledgeable and we learned a lot during our 3 hour visit. The chocolate tasting was informative as well! There is some rugged terrain and some climbing uphill so just be prepared!

Very informative! As a plant nerd, I loved the beauty and flow of the garden. The terrain was a little rocky, so wear foot wear approprite for hiking, I felt bad for the guy in flip flops.
We had an activity planned for later in the afternoon and I couldn't stick around to buy some of their delicious honey.
Our tour guide, Sherri, was funny and engaging and kept the flow of information at a level that kept us engaged and interested.
Overall, interesting, beautiful, and amazing tour of a gorgeous parcel of land on a beautiful piece of paradise.

Wonderful tour. Beautiful gardens. Knowledgeable staff. Fruit & chocolate tasting were fun. Thanks Lisa!

This was a fantastical garden near Kilauea. A pond, statues that blend so nicely into the garden's character, plants, trees and paths to the next wonder.

The tour was great! The guides (Rob and Sophia) were very knowledgeable and loved answering questions about Hawaiian farming and sustainable practices. We tasted many different fruits and chocolate. The gardens were beautiful! Overall, the whole experience was very informative and enjoyable.

What a fun experience! The gardens were so beautiful. Lisa and Troy were excellent guides and taught us so much about the different plants, the honey, and the way to grow and make chocolate. The tour was something like 3 miles, but slowly over 3 hours, and the walk was slowly placed and not difficult. I highly recommend it!

My husband and I have been on this tour twice. It is wonderful. The garden is gorgeous with beautiful flowers, trees and plants. It's a photographer's delight. The chocolate tasting is fun, delicious and informative. The tour guides are knowledgeable and very welcoming. I will go again on my next visit to Kauai.

So many beautiful plants & a good explanation of them by Zoe. Opportunities to taste fruit, chocolate & honey. Moved at a relaxed pace with time for photos.

What a gorgeous place!! Our guide was Sherri (I hope I spelled her name right) we also had a chocolate tasting with Lisa. Both of them were so incredibly knowledgeable. And Sherri was so sweet to slow down a bit for us. It was raining and we had our two year old with us so we were moving a bit slower than everyone else. But she made us feel included and answered all of our questions even if we were lagging behind. Would 1000% recommend doing this. Even if it’s raining!! It was stunning!!

We visited in September of 2023 and WOW, this tour exceeded all expectations! Not only are the gardens just absolutely wonderful, but everyone was so kind and informative! It was so cool to hear about all the plants/flowers that are in bloom, some history, and then of course, the chocolate tasting! Delicious, informative, and so fun! The cherry on top is that our guide expanded on various questions from the group and followed up on them later in the tour. They also provided local, natural bug spray at the beginning and throughout to make the tour more comfortable.

We started today with a trip to the Princeville Botanical Gardens for their “Chocolate and Walking Tour”, which included several fruit tastings (mango, lychee, langsat, papaya, apple banana, and more), some of the honey they produce on site, and six chocolates from around the world (including one made from the cacao trees on site, though the final production is done by Wild Kauai Chocolate in Kapaa).

Our guide Zoe was very knowledgable about the plants on property, as well as leading us through the chocolate tasting. She even convinced me to try the apple banana – I ate the whole (small) piece and enjoyed it, though I still don’t see bananas of any kind being part of my regular diet.

The weather was great – warm, dry, not too windy, and sunny with plenty of shade available.

I really enjoyed the tour; I learned a lot about chocolate and Hawaiian culture and ecology; I also took a ton of photos!

We walked thru their garden. There was a large variety of plants, flowers, fruits, and trees. The guide explained a lot about the different plants and trees.

This was a fabulous tour, and our tour guide, Heidi, was a wealth of information and inspiration! The gardens are spectacular. The information and chocolate tasting was wonderful! I highly recommend.

Was expecting something entirely different but was pleasantly surprised with the tour and how interactive the guides are. We were able to taste the many foods that the farm provides-fruit, nuts, peppers (legit peppercorn like salt and pepper!), a flower, more fruits, and of course, lots of chocolates! Rob was a fantastic guide and would recommend!

Troy knows his plants! Really enjoyed learning about all the different vegetation. Got some beautiful pictures. And the chocolate...yum! Also sampled some very delicious fruit.

We took the garden tour with a guide who may just know everything there is to know about every plant in the garden. It was beautiful and educational. We got to sample all kinds of edible seeds, fruits, leaves, and flowers, including cacao (yum) and noni (absolutely disgusting). It was a great way to see part of Kauai.

Such beauty. Tour was very informative. The chocolate tasting super fun. My Husband took over 200 beautiful pictures we will cherish forever. We will recommend this tour to all of our family and friends visiting the island.

Very pleasant walking tour and chocolate tasting with informative guides. The garden is a remarkable accomplishment.

It's a beautiful place...but I have bad knees and there is a lot of up and down hills and steps...I made it through 3/4 of the tour...Chocolate and Fruit tasting was fun and I learned new things.

I loved this garden walk! The guide made it interesting and fun, the diversity of plants was amazing, and the amount of time at each station or point of interest was adequate to both learn something new and take pictures. The fruit and chocolate tastings were a particularly fun addition. I would highly encourage anyone who loves learning about gardens (and chocolate!) to try this tour!

This place was absolutely stunning!! Such a beautiful place and Troy our guide was super knowledgeable. The chocolate tasting was informative. Only thing that was a bummer was the rain, but it was still amazing!! Would totally recommend this to anyone visiting the island.

Initially I wanted to do this tour for the chocolate however it turned out to be so much more. The tour was broken down to the sections Upper Garden, Chocolate Tasting and Lower Garden. Our guide was knowledgeable and gave us interesting insights. An AMAZINGLY beautiful tour. We also were able to taste fruit samples some of which I had never experienced before. Definitely a must do in Kauai.

This botanical garden is a delight to see. There are many picturesque plants/flowers. The walk through the garden is a little strenuous at times but not really a problem at all for my wife and I in our early 60s. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. We were able to taste various fruits, and honey from the garden. The best part was the chocolate tasting and education presentation. This included cacao grown in the garden. We definitely enjoyed the tour.

Everything from the check in, the information, the breathtaking beauty, the lovely walk, and the delicious tasting experience was all extremely enjoyable and so well presented. Such a beautiful property and people. Thank you for the opportunity!

Our guides were so knowledgeable and pleasant to be around. The tour is so much more than we ever expected. Easy walking into a forest of flowers, trees and facts which would never have crossed our paths!! Thank you so much for the warm feeling (and the chocolate)!!!!! We will be back.

Rainy day but the grounds are stunning. Unfortunately our experience was dampened for many reasons. Significantly due to our guide and her rudeness to 2 people in our party. Another issue was you could not hear her due to her staying in the front of the group and not walking to middle to share the specimen you are seeing. She walks to the plant and just stops regardless if the rest of the tour is there. Our tour mates ended up asking each other what the specimen was as guide walked on. Since you are now self guided due to the manner of the tour, perhaps a little sign as to what you are seeing would be helpful or a headset and she has a microphone, something so all receive the benefit they paid for the tour. Then at the chocolate tasting, she overtook the educational portion and tasting - we understand her passion - but the team concept is lost when the other guide is shut down and basically sits there while she goes on and on and on. In addition to the situation that transpired, we did not receive a full experience for which we paid in full nor any form of compensation for the missed fruit tasting at end since the guide made the decision that we weren’t participating in the final part of the event - wasn’t our decision and nor were we consulted. Since we paid same as everyone else it would of been nice to receive the fruit or even a candy bar due to the rude / insensitive treatment. Very disappointed. Overall the property is relaxing and stunning. Why 2 stars - all guide related. Owners receive 5 for their property and compassion

We had a wonderful day at the Botanical Garden. Our guide was very informative and the chocolate tasting with enjoyable and educational. All six in the group felt it was a great addition to our trip.

Outstanding--great tour with interesting background about native and non-native plants in Kauai. The chocolate tasting completed changed the way we eat chocolate (for the better). Very easy to get to if you are staying on (or traveling through) the north side of the island. It was raining pretty steadily during our tour--no problems for us but those with mobility issues could find the trails difficult as they will be slippery.

The botanical garden tour was one of the highlights of our trip. The gardens were amazing; our guide, Sherry (sorry if I spelled it wrong!) was knowledgeable, attentive, and had a great sense of humor. We got to taste some of the garden’s fruits along the way, and then participated in a chocolate tasting similar to and rivaling those you have with wine - fun and lighthearted comparisons of taste, terroir, etc. I definitely recommend this tour.

A visit to princeville botanical gardens is a visit to paradise. The guides an extremely knowledgeable and the variety,rarity and abundance of flora you will experience is life changing and the chocolate tasting brings it all to a whole new level. Not to be missed in this lifetime. Thank you so much for such an incredible visit to your paradise. Highly recommended!

Incredibly gorgeous, lush grounds. Our tour guide, Sheri, was delightful and did a great job showcasing the many unique plants and vegetation that make up this tropical rainforest. Well paced, including an hour long chocolate tasting program which was so informative, tasty and fun!

Really enjoyed this beautiful look at plants and fruit on the island. Learning about chocolate was just the icing. Sherry, Troy and the young lady at registration were amazing. They took care of my allergies and were just the best. Can’t recommend enough.

Troy was a fantastic guide. Kept a steady pace during the three hour tour, allowing for rest and information to be shared.

Such a beautiful property. Your guides are so knowledgeable about the flora and fauna. We really enjoyed the education on the chocolates, too. Can’t believe that this is a private property…a “must see”.

The gardens are stunning and so peaceful. Our tour guide did a fantastic job explaining the variety of plants and trees. The chocolate tasting was also a nice plus. Definitely recommend!

The Botanical Gardens are a fascinating zoo of plants from around the world. It's such a beautiful place, and Troy our tour guide - who also works as a landscaper there - is so knowledgeable and passionate about the place. He always had something to share and point out, and his energy was infectious. Our group really enjoyed our time there, and rhe chocolate tasting was pleasant and educational. Would highly recommend the experience.

The best experience you ever have! You just need to book it and enjoy! Our guid was so knowledgeable and had so much passion with his job I loved every second of it!

Liked leisurely pace. Guide mentioned that cart was available at one long hill on way back, but would have been better to have it there for elderly (2 women were having trouble.) Guide was exvellent, very informative about history, plants, and process of growing & processing cacoa.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the Princeville botanical gardens. Our tour guide, Paul, was so passionate about trees, plants, flowers, fruit, etc. It made the tour that much better because you could feel his love for his work. There were so many beautiful trees, plants and flowers to look at and it helped us to identify them while on the island. The chocolate tasting was delicious, BUT I also loved the fruit stations and tasting new to me fruit. I would highly recommend this tour- bring a rain jacket!

This was the best birthday present I could give myself! The walk was long but incredible! The chocolate tasting was so fun half way through!
If you’re in Princeville, make this happen!

Even though it was raining and the trails were wet, we thoroughly enjoyed the gardens. Our tour guide was very informative. We learned a lot about chocolate while enjoying the tasty treats. Be sure to follow the directions to the gardens which are given in your confirmation letter. They are located in a residential area and not where you would think they would be.

My husband and I went on the garden tour and we loved it! We saw so many beautiful and unique plants. It was our tour guides first group, and he did a great job! Him and his wife are so knowledgable and they truly care about the plants and the work they do with them! We highly recommend this tour for anyone looking to see learn more about many of Hawaiis beautiful plants!

"Troy from Illinois" and Zoe were excellent guides. The descriptions of the garden and chocolate-making process were fun and informative.

I wasn't planning on going to this garden until I read an encouraging message written in the notebook at our condo. I signed both my husband and myself up and nabbed the last two tickets for the only date we could attend.

It's a beautiful garden laid out by true garden loving owners who then sought help from professionals. The guides are excellent, enthusiastic, and fun. The chocolate and fruit tastings were really interesting and learning how cacao is processed was very educational.

This garden was so well designed with the most beautiful plants. It was so well maintained and arranged. Our guide, Heidi, was extremely knowledgeable about every plant sharing lots of interesting information. In the middle of the tour she and the other guide who led a group that day passed out chocolate samples and did a whole presentation on chocolate and how it’s made. This experience was well worth the time spent.

We had a great time doing the botanical garden tour. It was very informative. It was interesting to find that a lot of plants and trees came to Hawaii from different places of the world. The hike around was very relaxed and full of places to take great pictures. Troy, our guide, did a great job. We highly recommend the tour.

It was just lovely, the best combination of seeing a variety of colorful exotic plants, tasting local fruit and around-the-world dark chocolate samples, including one made from their own cacao trees. The garden is well cared for, the tour is well-organized and the guides were knowledgeable and very pleasant. There are bathrooms at the start of the tour and natural bug repellent. At the end, you can purchase a few items from their shop. Highly recommend.

Beautiful garden with a very kind, accommodating and knowledgeable staff. The fruit was amazing as well.

Wonderful experience. Absolutely beautiful and our guide Troy was very informative. So glad that we went on this fabulous excursion. Highly recommend wearing closed toe shoes. Wet in places, some climbing hills and at times wet stairs. Don't wear flip flops. Would definitely go here again. Chocolate and fruit provided was a welcome bonus.

Really enjoyed this tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the plants and the history of the Hawaiian Islands. They provided walking sticks, bug spray, and umbrellas. They fully informed us about the walking surfaces and the risks. The fruit and honey tasting were fun and the chocolate tasting was super fun too. There was a small medical emergency with one of the tour guests while we were there. This tour crew was very professional. They handled the emergency perfectly and continued the tour for the rest of the visitors.

An splendid gathering of the exotic flora of Kauai. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and took the time to explain what we were viewing and the chocolate tasting was just icing on the cake,

This tour was absolutely wonderful. The grounds were spectacular and our guide Sherrie was so knowledgeable. Highly recommend it.

Princeville Botanical Gardens are a 9 acre backyard garden terraced and designed in 2010. The check-in center has big golf umbrellas (they request 2 ppl/umbrella), walking sticks, rain ponchos ($2), bug spray, and snacks (for purchase).

The gardens are nice, even in the rain, but definitely not what the video describes. We did see many types of trees, a bridge, waterfall and stream. We didn't taste fruit off of the trees, see a beekeeper or beehives or swing on a rope swing. The fruit was purchased at the local farmer's market and was a small taste. The chocolate tasting provided 6 samples with an explanation of each sample and the tour guides talked about the steps involved in chocolate making.

I was very surprised at the up-charge after my reservation was completed. The tip was automatically included at 10%. They also asked for tips at the end of the tour which I thought odd since they billed it with the reservation.

I thought the tour guides were nice and moderately informational but definitely not the experts I expected.

This is an absolute must see experience. I am not into botanical gardens or plants, however, now I am! Troy was the best tour guide. We got to try fruits, chocolates and learned so much of plants and the history of Kauai.

We loved our tour of the Botanical Gardens with Heidi. She was knowledgable about so many of the plants, and about cocao growing and the process of making chocolate. We were given samples of chocolate to review, which was fun. The tour was for 3 hours, and it was a warm and humid day, but the pace was appropriate for the conditions and took safety into account. Be prepared for a few hills and stairs on the track, but it is worth the effort. Sanitiser, insect repellent and water was provided as well.

We had a fantastic experience at Princeville Botanical Gardens! The gardens are breathtaking, and the guided tour was informative and engaging. We especially loved the food tasting—sampling fresh fruits, honey, and homemade chocolate was a real treat! The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, making the entire visit truly memorable. Highly recommend this beautiful garden to anyone visiting Kauai!

Fun tour but make certain you can handle inclines & going down gardener steps sideways. The fruit tastings & chocolate discussion was great.

A well organized garden tour, knowledgeable (and fun) staff, chocolate and fruit tasting, unimaginable plant and tree collection…. We couldn’t ask for more! A must-visit when on the island of Kauai!

We learned a lot. It is a beautiful property and our guide was a wealth of knowledge. Overall a great experience

If you are a gardener this is a great tour. The landscape is gorgeous and the guide was very knowledgeable. We sampled several fruits along the way and did a chocolate tasting. We own a farm, I love flowers and plants and was very interested in learning about the plants of Hawaii so I really enjoyed the tour and would recommend if you are very interested in the flora. The rest of our group found it to be information overload and too expensive for a walk around the garden and they wouldn't recommend it.

Wonderful experience! The staff was very accommodating to help with the rain. Troy’s story telling & knowledge made it a memorable tour. Thank you! Folks do need to pay attention to their footwear & their fitness.

Excellent and educational tour on a beautiful estate. Our tour guides, Sherri and Lisa were awesome. We know so much about the history and process of cacao/chocolate process.

The tour was definitely more than I expected! The garden was full of beautiful plants from different parts of the world. We tried different fruits, honey, and chocolates throughout the tour that were all so tasty! I recommend for anyone from all walks of life coming to visit Kauai to enjoy its beauty!

What an amazing experience! Paul our guide and arborist clearly loves what he does. The garden is stunning particularly when you consider how young it it. The tastings along the path were a special touch and so well done. The chocolate tasting was lovely and you can purchase your favorite to support the artisan chocolate makes. It rained on and off but the were prepared with umbrellas and walking sticks. Don’t hesitate, reserve a spot!

My wife and I enjoyed this immensely! The ground are beautiful and our guide Sherry was fantastic. We both learned a lot about flowers plants and trees. Of course chocolate too! I highly recommend!

The Princeville Botanical Gardens were absolutely beautiful! We went in April 2024 & the tour was wonderful as well as our guide. Enjoyed all the knowledge she shared & how she interacted with us all. Highly recommend seeing this if visiting Kauai.

Interesting to see the plants our food and spices come from. Liked the chocolate tasting. Got to try some fruit I’ve never heard of.

I expected this to be a good tour but it greatly exceeded my expectations! Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and made this one of the highlights of this trip to Kauai. The gardens are stunning. There were heavy rains the night before and the creeks were running wild, adding to the already gorgeous landscape. Add this to your plans- so worth it!!!

A very wonderful and meaningful experience! Heidi was our tour guide.
Her knowledge and passion for the gardens was inspiring. She is doing her part to save our planet! Highly recommend this activity.

We had amazing experiences in Kauai and our visit to the Princeville Botanical Garden was at the top of the list given the beauty of the grounds, the professionalism of our guide and the interactive elements that were part of the tour.

The gardens are magical in their beauty, impeccable upkeep and variety of species. Our guide Zoe was really super; she was pleasant, present, knowledgeable and passionate about her work. She taught us so much about the plants, flowers and trees. Of note we learned that mosquitos are necessary to pollinate cacao – so they have a purpose! Sampling the fruit, honey and chocolate produced onsite added to the richness of the tour. We highly recommend this tour.

Totally worth the price of admission! A beautiful garden stroll full of interesting plants and views with an excellent chocolate tasting experience at the end.

The team is so nice and knowledgeable. We have so much fun and learned so much about what was native to the island and what was brought to the island. What purpose each plant had and why it was brought. The chocolate tasting was a great learning lesson about chocolate. Where it comes from and how it is made.

Our best friends traveled with us to Kauai to celebrate their anniversary and we decided to visit Princeville Botanical Gardens. What a great experience! We learned so much - about plants and trees, about cacao and honey too. Our guide Zoe was very knowledgeable about Hawaiian culture as well as all the very beautiful plants and flowers we saw. A very worthwhile and fun experience!!

This was our second time joining the Princeville Botanical Gardens tour. We have been researching a children's book for the last couple years, and made it a goal to visit all the botanical gardens on Kauaʻi. We were so pleasantly surprised by the tour - our guides were super knowledgable and informative, the chocolate was delicious. We enjoyed it so much, we brought family this time and joined again. Just as wonderful as last time! Especially a fun tour for gardeners/plant-lovers.

This tour was better than expected. Our tour guide Sherry was incredible as was her knowledge about the plants and flowers. She was very helpful after as well, giving us excellent food recommendations. The gardens are beautiful and the views were spectacular. The sampling of fruits, honey, and of course the chocolate were an added bonus.

Beautiful! Troy was a great guide! Just the right amount of walking! 1 hour of touring then rest while tasting chocolate! Then another hour of touring! It’s like paradise! So many interesting plants, waterfalls, trees and just gorgeous scenery!

One of the highlights of our time in Kauai. We went on a rainy day and it was absolutely lovely. Very informative, very funny guide. Highly recommend for anyone exploring Kauai!

Beautiful, lush and well taken care of botanical garden and chocolate tasting tour. Learn about chocolate and how it is grown and processed. Take about a mile walk over the garden, sampling fruits, honey and chocolate. Tour guides are very knowledgeable and nice. Will not be disappointed.

Troy was an excellent tour guide. We were able to try a lot of delicious fruit. The chocolate tasting was very unique. This was an excellent experience from beginning to end.

Highly recommend the tour at Princeville Botanical Gardens. The best place in Kauai to see all the plant life in one location and only place to see some near extinct plants. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and friendly. The chocolate tasting was a nice addition as well!

Group leader Troy was excellent and gave a thoughtful and insightful tour. This garden is exceptionally beautiful. This is a gem not to be missed. Hosts provided organic and effective insect repellent. Nice people.

This was well worth our time! Me and my wife chose this tour and are glad we did. Rob was our super knowledgeable tour guide and introduced us to several new types of plants and several tastings of their fruits on our ~ 2 miles walking journey. The cocoa / chocolate tastings as the end was scrumptious, informative and fun. We bought 1 of each as well as a cocoa tea made from their own cocoa trees which I love. We highly recommend this tour!!

What a fabulous tour! We took our daughter and teenage grandkids, and we all learned so much. Lisa, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable about the plants as well as the history of the island. The fruit, honey and chocolate tasting were all well timed throughout the hike to provide us a brief break, so we felt refreshed to continue hiking. The garden itself is filled with exquisite, unusual flowers around every turn. There is a stream that we crossed over several times which was soothing to the ears. We went on the tour in the morning, and we were glad we did, as by the end of the tour it was much warmer. During the trip, in the shaded garden, we were very comfortable temperature wise. Wear your hiking shoes, apply sunscreen and bug repellent…we saw mosquitoes at the beginning of the hike.
The chocolate tasting was a lot of fun and much more elaborate than we had anticipated, and we all enjoyed the experience comparing dark chocolates. We highly recommend this tour!

The tour was fantastic and a great way to spend a morning. With the terraced landscape, the pace was slow and easy, and there was lots of time for our tour guide, Troy, to explain how the garden was constructed. His knowledge of the plants in the garden was extraordinary. There were various snack stops along the way, and in the middle of the tour we stopped for our dark chocolate tastings. The sights of the garden were beautiful, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable morning. Highly recommended!!

The gardens were beautiful with many varieties of many of their trees (especially the Palm trees) and plants. A tasting of a piece of cinnamon tree was superb!
The hostess and guides were extremely friendly and very knowledgeable about the various plant species.
The chocolate tour (samplings and information about the chocolate making process) is a very nice addition to the overall experience.

What a fun way to learn about the rainforests of Hawaii and the logistics of chocolate.
Our tour guide was funny and knowledgeable.
10/10 recommend!

My wife and I enjoyed our time in the gardens during our stay in the Hanalei area. Troy was an excellent guide, clearly explaining plants and history as we strolled around the gardens. We tried fruits and chocolate during the tour with an in-depth description of the chocolate making process. It was a pleasant way to spend a morning before heading to lunch and the beach in Hanalei

Don’t let reception area fool you. This tour is very worthwhile. Sofia was new yet very knowledgeable. She was patient with a large group of us. Take one of their provided walking sticks or umbrella. Very helpful on the terrain. Really enjoyed the tasting stops as well as the lush gardens. Enough time is given to enjoy the serene ambiance

Our tour was very interesting and educational! Rob was our tour guide and his knowledge of the garden was impressive. We were able to taste several different fruits and edible tree flowers. The gardens are lush and beautiful! The chocolate tasting was eductional as well! I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting Kauai!

We enjoyed learning about the beautiful tropical plants. Our guides Rob and Heidi were very personable and the chocolate tasting part was very interesting and delicious.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. The tour was organized and the gardens are beautiful.

A fabulous place! Best part of my Kauai visit! Such lush plants and a very knowledgeable guide. Well with the money.

Sheri was our guide and she was informative, funny, knowledgeable. The tour was divided into 3 parts.
Exploring the gardens (steep terrain and muddy if just rained) a fantastic chocolate tasting, and more garden exploration. While walking there were a few stops, including tasting several fruits, honey, chocolate nibs with apple bananas.
They're fantastic at supplying bug lotion, as mosquitoes are everywhere. They are so organized.
Everyone. All around d excellent and encouraged.

The garden tour was a wonderful experience. The staff was so helpful even before we got there when we needed to reschedule. They were able to get us on a different tour later in our trip with no issues at all. Our guide Sherry was excellent, very knowledgeable about the garden as well as the island as a whole. She even offered recommendations for lunch and activities nearby if we wanted. The grounds are beautiful, we learned so much about the fruits and flowers, and the tastings were fun and delicious! It was a great addition to our honeymoon, and we would highly recommend.

This botanical garden was amazing. Our guides were very informative about all the trees and plants endemic to Hawaii or introduced from other countries. The walk around the gardens was incredible with so many beautiful plants and trees. The chocolate we sampled was also very good.

Lorine (sp?) gave us an excellent tour. Her knowledge of all the plant species was impressive. We loved the chocolate tasting and tutorial, also a thanks to Zoe. This please was amazing. I would recommend this tour to everyone.

I recently did the garden tour with chocolate tasting. The garden tour was good and very informative. You walk through only part of the overall garden with fruit and honey sampling along the way. Our guide Troy was one of the five gardeners. He was knowledgeable and friendly.

The garden terrain was uneven with some parts paved, some parts gravel and some parts dirt or grass. This is not handicapped accessible. I would not recommend for anyone who is not steady on the feet.

The chocolate tasing part of the tour included several different dark chocolate samples. Each sample was tasted in a similar manner to a wine tasting. We were asked to smell the sample then hold the piece of chocolate on our tongue for 15 seconds before eating it. We would then discuss the flavors as a group. There is no pressure here. No wrong answers. Only a discussion of the flavors and how chocolate is farmed and processed.

The tour was interesting. I learned a lot about cacao and the making of a piece of chocolate as well as the other plants and fruits locally available. The garden can only be accessed via reservation. There are no walk-ins for the garden or tour.

Very nice! The gardens are beautiful. Even though we went in September and Kauai has been having a drought, there were lots of flowers. The landscaping using tropical palms and plants was better than any other garden that we have seen on Kauai and most of the continental U.S.

The chocolate tasting and lecture were interesting and enjoyable. The garden owners are currently planting more cacao trees to increase their chocolate production.

The owners of the garden were present and greeted us when we arrived. I wish I lived on this property!

Excellent tour with knowledgeable staff. Robert was an excellent guide and had many interesting stories to tell. Had a great time and would love to stop by again.

This was our family’s first time here (two parents + 6yo) and the staff and tour itself did not disappoint! Lisa, our tour guide, was incredibly knowledgeable and was great at answering any questions from our group as we went along. The tastings were awesome, delicious, and informative. You could tell that the entire staff was so dedicated and passionate to the work they’re doing and treated the land with the respect it deserves. Highly recommend!

My husband and I enjoyed this tour. It was well organized, and the gardens were full of beautiful plants, flowers, and trees. Our guide, Troy, was informative and his passion for everything on the property gave great energy and laughter along the tour. We enjoyed sampling the interesting fruits and honey, and of course, learning about chocolate!

This tour was excellent. Very organized with friendly staff. Our guide Paul (self proclaimed plant nerd) was super knowledgeable and gave a great paced tour. The flora was amazing. Loved learning about all the plants, trees and flowers. The fruit tasting was also fantastic with a new fruit I had never tried (Longan). We learned about cacao and sampled local as well as international fair trade chocolate. We enjoyed this tour so much that we want to do it again in the summer! Highly recommend.

This tour needs some improvements in order to make it worth the price of admission.

Our guide was knowledgeable, but very shy and soft spoken. As a result, we couldn't hear much of what she said, especially when the group was walking single file. Headsets would be a great investment to add value to this tour.

It would also help if the leader had pre-planned talking points at certain areas where she could gather everyone into a group to discuss some key information about the plants and trees rather than overwhelming us with Latin names and minute details as we walked along. Often we didn't know what plant or tree she was discussing as we couldnt hear what she was saying.

On our tour, there was one man who monopolized the leader with a million questions and it often seemed as though she was only speaking to him. Leaders must be able to cut this short and tell people to ask questions at the end.

The chocolate tasting has potential but also needs improvement. Quite a few people in the group seemed to lose interest. The small posters that were held up were hard to see, and the explanations were too lengthy. It was also very difficult to hear what the leader was saying. This part needed to be kept lighter and more fun instead of making it seem like we were in a class.

In my opinion, the tour has potential if improvements are made but at this time it is not worth the price.

We enjoyed viewing of captivating landscaping with all sorts of exotic plants; tasting of several unusual fruits and different types of chocolates; learned a great deal about the different chocolate beans and growing regions, and more. It was well worth going to.

The grounds were breathtakingly beautiful and my guide Sheri was wonderful and very knowledgeable!
Fruit and chocolate tasting was the perfect addition to this tour! I'm so glad I came and will be recommending it to all my friends!

Beautiful grounds. Our tour guide Paul was fabulous! Highly recommend. Although there are a few somewhat steep inclines/stairs, really not as arduous as their description makes sound.

This was a fantastic tour. The gardens are beautiful, and the tour was engaging, educational, and fun. We tasted and learned about many tropical fruits, walked among the many different microclimates and learned about them, and tasted some delicious chocolate. Our guide, Tony, was fabulous. I am so happy we took the time to take this tour -- it was the best thing we did on Kauai.

Wonderful garden tour, more beautiful than another botanical garden we’d visited on the island a few days prior. So much beauty, numerous beautiful photo opps, and the guide was so knowledgeable and fun. The chocolate tasting was great, wish they sold the Princeville chocolate onsite. Used the bug spray as they advised and glad I did- they provide it and it’s made with natural ingredients, no deet. The people who run the tour are great. Well worth the money, we will take the tour again next time we come back to Kauai!

My wife, Bonnie, and I took your tour this morning. We were so impressed with your guide, Troy Damery, that I wanted to write you and thank you for hiring and training him to be such a superb and informative guide. After his first two discussions on plants, I asked him if he had a degree in botany. I worked for Mcgraw-Hill Higher Education and we publish some excellent botany books. He said he had a two year degree in the Arts and had learned so much about plants especially during his time as a guide with your organization. So thank you so much for not only hiring Troy but training him so well. He is also very engaging and friendly. We will be sure to recommend your tour and Troy to our friends when they visit Kauai.

Even with some rain it was still a wonderful tour. Our guide was engaging and knowledgeable. All the fruit and chocolate was amazing. Had a great time!

Excellent time. Very knowledgeable tour guides. Great fresh fruit and chocolate along the way. If u want a beautiful walk through a most beautiful garden with all the agricultural 8nfo you need, then this is for you. Great value.

This tour is great for botanists or those who are particularly knowledgeable about plants. My husband and I don't fall into either category but we both love learning and have enjoyed farm tours, museums, and being in nature. Unfortunately, neither of us had sufficient foundational knowledge to derive much benefit from this tour, other than that the plants were very pretty.

Part of the problem is that the tour lacked a cohesive narrative. It was like, "Here's a bunch of tropical plants from all over the world. Not all of them are native to Hawaii and we don't know anything about some of them and there is no rhyme or reason to why we are talking about certain ones over others." Additionally, the tour the included a chocolate tasting, during which it became clear that no one knew much about cacao processing. This was in stark contrast to the tour at Lydgate Farms, which we had attended the day before and was far superior.

It felt like they were trying to do too much on a superficial level rather than providing true expertise on a narrower subject. This, combined with the conspicuous erasure of Hawaiian culture (e.g., the repeated use of the word "explorers" when talking about colonization) made the whole endeavor feel pointless and kind of disrespectful toward native Hawaiians and those who truly grew up there.

We absolutely loved our visit to the gardens! Our guide was a delight and we had tons of fun! Loved the views and getting to try different fruits and chocolate. Thanks for the good times!

Great tour. Beautiful place, with a very informative tour guide. The chocolate tasting was lots of fun. Great way to spend a morning.

Absolutely beautiful grounds and gardens. The tour was informative and our guide was an amazing person and so knowledgeable! We mentioned several times this was one of our favorite things we did during our visit to Kauai. Thank you so much for such an amazing time!

I cannot say enough wonderful things about our tour director, Heidi. She was extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and a great teacher. She took us through the beautiful gardens explaining what we were seeing while interjecting botanical and historical facts. She had prepared samples of many tropical foods for us and lead an informative and interesting chocolate tasting class.

The tour was one of the highlights of our three-day stay on the North Shore. Troy was an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable and entertaining.

First of all, we were so fortunate to have a beautiful day. But this tour would be impressive regardless of the weather. The garden is absolutely stunning from one end to the other. Our tour guide, Sherry, made the tour so captivating. She seemed to know so much about all of the trees and plants and fruits. We loved tasting some of the garden’s produce along the tour. And, of course, you can’t go wrong with chocolate tasting. Again, the tour guides were so knowledgeable about the growing and harvesting of cacao beans. I’d recommend this for all ages although there are some steps and somewhat steep inclines along the tour.

was a good tour even in the rain they provided large umbrellas which helped lots of information plants were beautiful lots of great pictures taken.

Our guide Heidi was amazing! She was fun and so knowledgeable. Of course the chocolate samples were great too. The weather cooperated and didn’t rain, but it would have still been beautiful even if wet.

The lady’s were so kind! Went above and beyond to accommodate my dad with his bad leg he unfortunately couldn’t join us on the walk but the lady took him on a mini tour on her golf cart and even gave him some honey samples. After, she gave him a ride to where we were doing the chocolate tasting so he wouldn’t miss out. The lady’s were not only very kind but very professional. I was expecting it to just be a simple garden walk but it was much more! We all had a great time and definitely worth booking this tour.

The gardens were beautiful. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and interactive. We loved the chocolate tasting and information.

This place was a wonderful mix of seeing the beauty of Kauai and tasting yummy chocolate. Our guide was Cheri and she was really knowledgeable about all the plants that resided in the garden and the history behind the property. The guides explained how chocolate is made and we discussed the various chocolates from around the world during the tasting. You also get to taste some fruit the gardens offer throughout the tour. They also had a gift shop that you could buy the chocolate from if you decided to and various other items. It wasn’t that enduring of a hike throughout making it perfect for everybody of all ages. I highly recommend in going.

This was the perfect way to spend a lovely morning (4 hours) in Kauai. Beautiful gardens exotic trees, wonderful fruit and honey to try. Paul was both knowledgeable and entertaining. Learned so so much. Stopped for mangos and longan (dragon eye fruit) at a stand he recommended. Did not disappoint. Next stop will be for Kava! Oh and about the chocolate tasting….. to die for!

Really gorgeous tour. So many different types of plants! The terrain was hilly and a touch steep in places, but for the average person very doable. The guides stopped at regular intervals to share tastings of fruit during the walk and made sure to wait until everyone was close enough to hear before speaking. My mother was struggling a bit with the hills and stairs, so the staff was kind enough to bring one of the carts down to pick her up so she didn't have to walk the last hill. Halfway through the tour you get to take a break at a covered sitting area and taste chocolate, so plenty of rest spots.

The gardens were pretty and we enjoyed the fruit tasting, chocolate tasting and Troy’s chocolate history-he was very engaging and enthusiastic. Our guide, however, made the 3 hours seem a lot longer and slower than they maybe would have been with a more enthusiastic guide like Troy. It was also a bit expensive for what you get. Make sure to bring water and eat breakfast before you go-the fruit bites are delicious, yet small (it is a tasting). We would have been delighted in a tour half as long and half as expensive.

The views were amazing. This was a great spot to unwind I honestly wish I could go every day. Bring bug spray. The mosquitoes are real here. That's just nature for you.

Such a spiritual place!! Loved adding this type of activity to our vacation adventures!
Troy was fun and knowledgeable!!

I loved it. Highlight of my trip. Beautiful flowers and foliage. Very informative. The chocolate tasting was interesting too. Fruit and nut tasting along the way. Fun tour.

We have been to several botanical gardens in Hawaii. This was by far the best and an amazing experience. The garden is beautifully laid out with examples of “canoe” plants and native and new plants. Sheri was an outstanding guide, very knowledgeable and gracious. We sampled fruits (an unexpected treat) and had a marvelous overview of the chocolate making process accompanied by yummy samples. By far one of the most enjoyable 3 hours I have ever spent on a tour. Highly recommend if you have one choice for gardens while in Kauai and highly recommend if you have time for five.

The tour guide was very knowledgeable. We were able to sample diffrent plants fruit. She involved the kids which made it more fun! Chocolate tasting and explaining the process was an eye opener. It taste delicious too!

The gardens are beautiful. There were lots of flowering trees and plants. There are several stops along the way to sample fruits. The chocolate tasting was interesting and you sample chocolates from around the world. They talk about the chocolate making process from start to finish
Our guide, Sherry, was very pleasant and knowledgeable. She was mindful of making sure the group could hear what she was saying.

Our guide Elise (sp?) was awesome. She lives in Denali and is wintering here this year. She was so knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and the history. Very good tour. The chocolate tasting was fun and good to experience as well. A nice selection of different items to taste. Good balance with the tasting in the middle of the tour, a nice little rest.

Please visit here! It was a great small-group walking tour that included awesome information about the island’s history, plants, animals, fruit, and chocolate! We also stopped throughout the tour to taste native fruit, chocolate, and honey, which was lovely. The walking was not too strenuous and entirely enjoyable. Our guide, Troy, was great!

Wonderful tour. So many plants and trees. Unbelievable variety. Our guide was so knowledgeable and took time to explain. Only thing, she could have spoken louder as it was hard to ear at times unless you were right in front of the group. The chocolate tasting was a fin break in the middle of the walking tour

This was such a wonderful beauty-filled experience! It rounded out our trip to Kauai in a perfect way.
There is so much breathtaking beauty everywhere. The flowers, the trees, the plants, the land. And the chocolate-tasting at the education about chocolate was so so so fun and yummy. It was a fabulous complement to the garden walk.
Highly recommend this tour!!!

Absolutely amazing! Everything was very well presented and natural! This helped us better appreciate the tropical island beauty!

This is a private botanical garden, and we got to meet the owner and understand the history of how the garden began. The guides are extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. They answered every question. I had no idea that cacao is grown on Kauai! There was a very informative chocolate demonstration from dark chocolates around the world. They did an excellent job of explaining how it is grown, where it is grown, and why, and how it is processed to make into chocolate. I felt like I was at a wine tasting for chocolate lovers! We were taught to smell, to let it sit on our tongues and melt a little, to watch for textures and hidden flavors. It was fascinating! I brought my husband who knows nothing about plants or chocolate, and he had a really good time and learned a lot. I highly recommend it!

My wife and I came out on this tour and had a great time we learned so much and the property is beautiful. The guides are excellent and have so much knowledge we are extremely happy we went on this tour. I strongly recommend this for anyone.

Amazing! So with the drive to Princeville. We could have spent all day in the gardens. Our guide Sherri was engaging and full of knowledge. The fruit and chocolate tastings made the trip more special.

This was an excellent tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and everyone was super kind. And who doesn't like to eat snacks throughout a tour 🤗

Great experience, fair price, 3 HR tour,great atmosphere, Troy did a great job leading our group, with knowledge, enjoyment, and a leading experience.

We live on island and this is our favorite Botanical Garden so far. We loved the small group, the easygoing pace, the fun and informative guides and the scenery is spectacular.

We have been to Kauai twice and this is by far the best event we have been to. 10 acres of incredible plants, trees & landscaping. There is some climbing and tricky walking (especially silly if there is a little mud) but so worth it! Our guide Zoe was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. I was thrilled to be tasting their own grown fruits and tasting the best cocoa products (and one made by grown by them and processed locally) ! I would do this tour again!

This visit was part of our 47th anniversary. The gardens were beautiful, and the chocolate tasting was delicious and very informative! The tour guide was knowledgeable and shared many insights about the gardens. We really enjoyed the visit and would do it again. The weather was great and no rain :)

Beautiful Place! The staff was so knowledgeable, friendly and very passionate. I learned so much about chocolate, flora and fauna, and the culture of Kauai. Wouldn’t miss this awesome experience.

Rob was a superb guide with a fantastic personality! So informative & fun! We tasted so many different fruits, flowers & spices, as well as chocolates of course (yum). I am the plant nerd and was super excited about our upcoming visit here, although my husband was fully prepared to be less than enthused yet he really enjoyed it and was very complimentary about the entire experience. Definitely worth the trip for us both! :) Mahalo to the entire staff!

When we arrived it was pouring down rain. They had umbrellas to borrow and ponchos for sale (cheap! $2!). The staff was very knowledgeable and we got to try lots of different fruit treats in addition to the chocolate. Be sure to wear your bug repellent! They had some to use there but I still got bit.

We really enjoyed this tour. They break everyone into 2 groups and head out. The gardens are beautiful and only around 22 years old. Lots of tastings (both scheduled and ad hoc) and in the middle b9th groups meet and have a lesson on cacao and chocolate making with some great samples. The chocolate made from their harvest was awesome. Unfortunately, they don't yet have the volume available to sell. Heidi was knowledgeable and friendly and clearly loves the gardens.

I had no idea what to expect going into this. I saw chocolate tour and just immediately booked. It totally blew away my expectations and then some.

Tour: I forgot who our guide was our tour was on Jun 26 of this year and we werent part of the other giant family group. Our tour guide was awesome! She knew just about everything in the garden and gave a lot of cool and interesting facts about the plants in the garden. Me and my wife had a blast learning about the plants and chocolate.

Chocolate tasting: This was amazing. I dont usually like dark chocolate but it was very delicious. Me and my wife bought a few bars on our way out. You will very much enjoy this portion of it. If you arent a fan of dark chocolate i would still book it and keep an open mind. I was in a similar boat before booking and i ended up loving it.

Overall: This is a very fun excursion and i highly recommend it for everyone. I would make sure you bring some bug spray as there are bugs. They do sell some and provide some too but always bring some as a backup. Also sunscreen too.

Had wonderful experience at this garden tour lots of tropical plants and fauna very beautiful and peaceful it took 3 hrs but was well paced had a fun chocolate tasting also Troy was our guide very informative and engaging I highly recommended this for all ages

The garden is beautiful, the guide knowledgeable. However, if you’re looking for a “hike” or any appreciable amount of walking then this isn’t for you. We walked about 1/3 mile through the garden over the course of 2+ hours. Also, bring actual bug spray. We got destroyed by the bugs because we spent tons of time stationary while the guide talked. Also, the chocolate “tasting” is exactly that. You get a small square of 6 different types of chocolates only one of which is made on the island. Overall it’s a good time although probably not worth the price.

An amazing slice of an amazing Kauaian ecosystem. Our tour guide, Sherry, brought a deep and humorous perspective to our group and we learned many things! Thanks to the volunteers and employees of Princeville Botanical Gardens for making our last day in Kauai so special!

Couldn’t recommend the Princeville Botanical Gardens tour and chocolate tasting experience more to visitors of the Garden Isle. Our guide, Troy was such a joy. Unbelievably, breathtakingly beautiful garden. Can’t wait to visit in the future with my mother and mother-in-law! There is truly no place like this!

Such an informative and enjoyable experience. So much beauty. The guide was very experienced and the chocolate, honey and fruit were exceptional. Highly recommend.

Toby was an excellent guide. The chocolate information was very interesting. I expected to see more than one chocolate tree. I was surprised to find out that the snacks available were the ones given throughout the tour. I was anticipating a gift shop with more opportunities for different guides of gifts to purchase. I was also hoping to purchase a book about the plantation. I thought the price was steep for the experience.

Wonderful tour and chocolate tasting. We really appreciated the thoughtfulness of the tour plan and beauty of the garden.

$100? Chocolate portion of the tour not that interesting or tasty-eating cut up chocolate nibs from Massachusetts? Get tf outta here. Meh on plants and info.

One of the highlights of our time on Kaua’i! The entire place was breathtaking and our guide Elyse was one of the most knowledgeable persons I’ve ever been around! Her demeanor and style made it an absolute pleasure to learn about everything from the plant species to the history of how they got here! Also learned a lot about the history of the island!
Incredible!

Wonderful stories and facts about the historical plant life in the garden! Loved the chocolate tasting!! Beautifully maintained working garden with tasty samples along the way..

Amazing experience! Staff is very knowledgeable and friendly, a lot to see and to learn. Must do on this island

The gardens are gorgeous, but they make you do the tour regardless of weather. In our case, it was absolutely pouring. We were soaked, the path was muddy and slippery and you could not hear the guide over the rain. Not a good way to spend the morning.

The property was beautiful and the guide was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. It’s incredible what can all be grown on Kauai. Cannot recommend enough.