Coffee Farm and Highlands Lunch

From bush to cup

The volcanic soil and cool climate on the slopes below the crater are ideal for arabica coffee, and many of the farms around Karatu have been growing it for generations. A farm guide walks you through the rows of coffee bushes, shade trees and nursery seedlings, explains how the cherries are picked by hand and shows you each step that follows: pulping, fermenting, washing and drying in the sun. You then roast a batch yourself, grind it and taste the result. Lunch is served in the garden, often with vegetables and herbs grown on the farm, with views across the hills. It is an easy, unhurried break between game drives and a good way to see a different side of rural Tanzania.