Coffee & Tea
Description;
The world’s favorite drinks have their roots right here in Rwanda. Tea is Rwanda’s largest export.
Tea is Rwanda’s largest export. The fertile volcanic soil and temperate climate are perfect for growing the plants that create this popular drink.
Tea leaves can be seen covering the mountains creating a stunning contrast to the blue skies, dirt roads and sunshine. Visitors can discover how tea is harvested, processed, and even get to taste the results.
Tea plantation tours take place in a variety of locations across Rwanda, with the major ones being around Nyungwe National park: Gisovu and Gisakura. This is a great family trip and travelers of all ages are welcome.
Tea may be Rwanda’s number one export, but the lush, rolling hills of the Rwandan countryside are equally suited to coffee production, and the beans coming out of Rwanda today are in serious demand all around the world.
The coffee-covered hillsides shimmer bright green all throughout the year, but when the harvest is ready (usually between February and May), the coffee cherries themselves blush a deep cranberry red to say they’re ready to be plucked.
A patchwork of hundreds of thousands of small growers produce coffee all across Rwanda, but visits are primarily centered around Gisenyi, and a number of farmer’s cooperatives and washing stations near here offer tours explaining the coffee process throughout the year, and each one naturally comes with a generous tasting. The plantations themselves don’t liaise with tourists directly, so set up your visit with RDB or with us.