Puerto Rico Foray: Mushrooms on the Island of Enchantment
A Nine-Day Immersive Experience from the Rainforest to the Beach
January 15 - 24, 2027
Join mycologists & local guides in Puerto Rico for nine days and be immersed in the culture, food, rainforests, fun, and fungi of the Island of Enchantment for an epic experience.
YOUR GUIDES:
Aubrey Carter - Creator of Mushroom Monday & Stand-up comedian
Gabriela D'Elia - Creator of Fungi Talk & Board Member of the Fungal Diversity Survey (FUNDIS)
John Michelotti - Founder of Catskill Fungi
Kurt Miller - CoFounder of EcoScientific Network & Expert Mycologist of Puerto Rico
Yaritza Rivera - Cofounder of Ecoscientific Network & Puerto Rico Host
ITINERARY JANUARY 2027:
Day 1 - Friday, January 15th - Settle in on the beach & welcome dinner in San Juan
Arrive at Luis Muñoz Airport in Carolina, and get picked up and shuttled to Hosteria Del Mar, a beachfront hotel in San Juan’s Ocean Park neighborhood. We ask guests to arrive at the airport between 3 pm and 7 pm. A room will be available for luggage drop-off in case of early arrivals.
From the hotel, you can walk to Calle Loíza, known for its food trucks, restaurants, and mojitos, if you feel adventurous, or you’re welcome to just soak in the sun at the beach. In the evening, we will have a meet-and-greet with refreshments and a trip orientation. Dinner will be provided.
Day 2 - Saturday, January 16th - Old San Juan Farmers Market, PR cooking demo, & PR fungi presentation
After breakfast, we will drive to Old San Juan, a designated UNESCO World Heritage site surrounded by the tropical, dramatic Atlantic Ocean. We will have the morning to visit the many cafés, the Saturday farmer’s market, and we’ll look for ‘flamingo chanterelles’ as we stroll a mushroom trail behind the historic Spanish fortress ‘El Morro’. Lunch oyo (on your own).
In the evening, we will have a cooking demo and dinner together at the hotel. Buen provecho! Afterward, Kurt will present to the group about tropical mushrooms and ecologies on the island.
Day 3 - Sunday, January 17th - Mushroom Foraging Day: caves to beach to the mangroves
As a part of breakfast, we will prepare local fruits like papaya, mango, and banana. After breakfast, we will head to Parque Nacional Julio Enrique Monagas to look for mushrooms in the caves and forest of this park in the San Juan area, and one of the easternmost points of Puerto Rico’s limestone ridge.
We will have lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon in Piñones. There will be an option to hike and look for mushrooms in the mangrove forests, or you can unwind at the beaches and chinchorros (roadside kiosks with food and drink). Dinner will be on your own at the hotel or nearby restaurants in Ocean Park, San Juan.
Day 4 - Monday, January 18th - Travel to El Yunque Rainforest
After breakfast, we will depart San Juan and head toward Casa Cubuy Ecolodge, which is nestled in the southern portion of the El Yunque rainforest. On the way, we will visit El Portal, El Yunque’s visitor center, walk around the Interpretive Trail, and visit the rainforest café. Afterward, we will swim in a rainforest waterfall before driving to Casa Cubuy Ecolodge.
El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the US National Forest system and the area with the most fungal biodiversity on the island. We will be serenaded by native Coqui treefrogs and enjoy home-cooked Puerto Rican meals from our local guide, and Kurt’s better half, Yaritza.
Day 5 - Tuesday, January 19th - Rainforest Mushroom Walks
Sunrise/morning "Deep Imagination" Walk on an enchanting riverside trail led by Gabriela D’Elia. We will disengage from our analytical, categorizing brains and tap into the more spiritual side of ourselves. We will come back to Casa Cuboy for lunch.
In the afternoon, we will conduct a bioblitz on the property. Every group member will have the chance to contribute to vital citizen science efforts to better understand tropical fungi by making collections that will be preserved for DNA sequencing.
After dinner at Casa Cuboy, there will be a nighttime hike through the woods to experience the magical phenomenon of mushroom and insect bioluminescence/fluorescence. We will document insects by ‘mothing’, which involves setting up a UV light to attract moths and other insects that are active at twilight.
Day 6 - Wednesday, January 20th - Travel to the west coast sunset & sushi
After a final breakfast at Casa Cabuy, the group will head to Puerto Rico’s west coast. On the way, we will enjoy lunch at a local panadería (El Mesón) at Santa Isabel in the southern part of the island.
In the evening, we’ll arrive at Villa Cofresí, our home base for the next three days. We will have dinner together at La Sirena Sushi Restaurant sushi bar to indulge in delicious rolls and maki prepared with fresh, locally caught fish.
Day 7 - Thursday, January 21st - Snorkel & Rincon art walk
Breakfast oyo.
In the morning, we will visit Amy Louis, a local science teacher, who will guide our group on a snorkeling adventure to experience rich coral ecosystems and colorful sea life.
In the evening, we will visit the vibrant Rincón Art Walk in the local square with vendors selling handmade crafts, Bomba performances, and more. Dinner oyo, there are many restaurants to choose from in downtown Rincón.
Day 8 - Friday, January 22nd - Mushroom Foray. Permaculture residence tour & Dinner
Ease into the morning at your own rhythm, breakfast oyo.
For lunch, we will visit the Rincón lighthouse, where we can savor empanadillas while overlooking the beach. After lunch, we will walk directly from the lighthouse, and Kurt will guide us through the unique limestone-karst trails, or through the Guajataca state forest, depending on rainfall.
In the evening, we will visit Amy Louis’ permaculture residence, where we will learn about the plants and fruits of the island. We will also enjoy a home-cooked meal by Amy featuring local staples.
Day 9 - Saturday, January 23rd - Travel to San Juan via ecology & history tour.
Breakfast oyo in Rincón before we depart for San Juan. On the way, we will explore the unique geological region of Puerto Rico’s northern limestone hills, full of diverse plants and other organisms adapted to the porous rocks and sheer cliffs. Sandwiches for lunch will be provided from the iconic Ricomini Bakery. A local guide will show us a centuries-old Spanish colonial railroad tunnel surrounded by mature forest, where there will be many opportunities to see rare epiphytic plants and mycorrhizal mushrooms.
In the evening, we will arrive back at the Hosteria Del Mar and have our last group dinner.
Day 10 Sunday, January 24th - Depart
After breakfast, the group will depart for Luis Muñoz International Airport (or you’re welcome to keep exploring the island on your own – you don’t have to go home, but it’s time we all part ways). Check-out time at the hotel is 11 am, and participants will receive complimentary shuttles to the airport.
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BOOKING & DEPOSIT
An $800 deposit is required for each person on the trip. If you cancel, half (50%) of your deposit is held for administration fees.
Please note to fulfill your registration you must submit the Booking Form and pay for your trip deposit.
100% of the registration payment is required (paid in full) by November 1st.
TERMS OF BOOKING
Payment plans are available. Please contact us directly at gabrielacatskillfungi@gmail.com if you are interested.
Payment of deposit and registration represents your acceptance of our terms and conditions.
CANCELLATION
45 days or more to departure: you will receive a refund for half (50%) of your deposit plus a full (100%) refund on the registration cost.
45 days or less to departure: no refunds on any payment towards registration or deposit.
If the trip does not take place due to insufficient reservations, the deposit and tour price will be refunded in full.
VARIATIONS
Occasionally, circumstances beyond the control of our team necessitate changes to itineraries. Our team reserves the right, at our discretion, to make such changes if required.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
By completing the trip Booking Form, you acknowledge and accept the terms of our trip. You acknowledge and agree that there are general risks associated with traveling, which are beyond our control and therefore we cannot legally be responsible for any loss or damage you may incur as a result of these general risks.
Click here to fill out the Booking Form.
After we hear from you, we will contact you with details for the deposit.
