Gitega Coffee Country: Highland Arabica at Altitude
The highlands around Gitega produce exceptional Burundian coffee at altitudes between 1,600 and 2,000 metres — the combination of volcanic soil, high altitude, and the Bourbon arabica variety creates world-class cup quality
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Coffee farm visit
Smallholder coffee farms on the terraced hillsides around Gitega welcome visitors during the harvest season - the picking of red cherries, the family relationships and the highland scenery are all part of the experience
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Wash Station Process
The traditional washed process – where coffee cherries are pulped, fermented in water for 24 hours and dried on raised beds – is practiced at washing stations throughout Gitega Province
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Bourbon Arabica Variety
Burundi's primary coffee variety is Bourbon arabica — one of the world's most prized varieties, producing a cup with complex fruit notes and high acidity that specialty buyers prize
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Coffee and the farmer's income
Coffee is Burundi's primary cash crop — in a country where most households earn less than two dollars a day, the income from a good coffee harvest can be life-changing for a farming family
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Specialty Market Recognition
Burundian coffee has gained increasing recognition at specialty competitions — Cup of Excellence auction prices for top lots have reached $40 per pound, changing the economics of top farms
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Tea and coffee landscape
As you drive through Gitega province, the landscape alternates between dark green tea estates and coffee plantations with banana-shaded trees — agricultural specialization on different slopes creates a patchwork highland panorama