SAFARI EXPERIENCE

Coffee & Tea Tours in Rwanda

Coffee and tea tours in Rwanda are by far the best way to have an in-depth exploration about farming activities. A trip to tea or coffee plantations, estates or factories lets you discover some of the best coffee or tea Rwanda has to offer the world. This lets you explore the different stages of processing tea and coffee. This experience involves you exploring the harvesting stage in the garden, drying and processing till the final products that is consumed in cups. Amazingly, you may even have a taste of coffee or tea which will reward you with lots of lasting memories. Coffee and Tea tours are some of the best agricultural tour experiences you shouldn’t miss out on Rwanda safaris.

Coffee and tea are some of the largest export crops in Rwanda. This landlocked country is endowed with fertile volcanic soils plus a favorable weather and climatic conditions which make it an ideal place for coffee and tea growing.

Go Rwanda safaris with Mist Rwanda Safaris and have opportunity to explore how coffee and tea are harvested, processed to make the final product for consumption. Your experience will commence with a road trip from Muhanga or Gitarama Town then you get to the closest village. On arrival, get a warm welcome from the women who work at the cooperative. You will then be taken to coffee plants and also pick some of the cherries which may require you to wash prior removing the pulp.

You will also have a meal with the host community and share lots of experiences. This will be a great opportunity for you to roast, grind and sieve the beans prior to state best to take as a traditional coffee.

Where to go for coffee and tea tours in Rwanda

Coffee and tea tours in Rwanda are best conducted along the huge tea plantation. This will involve you taking a walk to the tea estate while enjoying the exceptional backdrop of the plantation. It is possible for you to incorporate your coffee and tea tours in Rwanda with chimpanzee tracking safaris, primate tours, bird watching tours in Nyungwe Forest National Park.

Gisakura tea estate is one of the extensive tea plantations in Rwanda that is worth exploring on coffee and tea tours. This tea estate is 2kms from Nyungwe Forest National Park and it is reachable along the NR6 route to Rusizi. From Huye, it is about 97kms away and its history dates back to colonial era when it was planted. The Gisakura Tea Factory was established in 1975 and over 2000 farmers work are employed mostly women. The tea farm is also famous for its breathtaking view which visitors get on helicopter trip.

Gisovu Tea Estates

This is situated in Karenge district about 4 hours’ journey from Kigali. Tea growing in Gisovu estates also began during the colonial era although its factor was set up in 1977. Visitors on tea tours in this tea estates can spend a night at Gisovu Guesthouse.
Sorwathe tea plantation

Tea planting began here in 1966 and later the factory was established which started running in 1978. They are all run by the SORWATHE factory and the closest cooperative. An estimate of about 4000 people are employed in this plantation and there us a Sorwathe guesthouse for visitors to spend a night.
Pfunda estates

This is found in Rubavu about 9kms off Rubavu just along NR4 route. The Pfunda Tea Company was set up in 1965 thus making it the oldest tea plant in Rwanda. Over 2000 people work here and it is operated by McLeod Russel family, the renowned largest tea producer in the world.
Coffee tour along Lake Kivu

A visit to the scenic shores of Lake Kivu lets you have an incredible coffee experience. This area is known for its unique landscape and favorable climatic conditions which support growing of high-quality coffee. A coffee tour in this area allows you enjoy remarkable view of the extensive farmland and surrounding areas including the Cyimbiri bay.
Kinunu coffee washing station

This coffee station lies along the shores of Lake Kivu, western Rwanda just at the border with the DR Congo. It is an ideal place to explore Bourbon coffee tree growing. Some activities are carried out manually with cherries keenly hand sorted.
Huye mountain coffee tour

This mainly grows coffee as a cash crop in Huye region. Later, they organize coffee farmers into profitable and saving groups. The coffee experience in Huye mountain coffee tour allows you purchase some souvenirs like handcrafts and fresh roasted coffee in addition to witnessing the whole processing of coffee growing till it is harvested, dried and processed to make a final product for consumption.