The 80 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, run by the Organization for Tropical Studies, contains one of the foremost collections of tropical plants in the Western Hemisphere. The ride takes about 1 1/2 hours. Guides lead you on a walk through the exotic gardens which attract many birds. After a local Italian lunch in San Vito (at an altitude of about 5,000 feet), you pass coffee plantations on the way back to the lodge.