Coffee Tours in Sipi Falls
Sipi Coffee Tour is a useful and enjoyable experience. Trace the history of coffee from seed to cup on a small family farm. Sipi Arabica Coffee is a globally recognized coffee. Learn about its origins and how local farmers keep plantations organic. Learn traditional roasting techniques to make your own cup of delicious Arabica coffee. Cheers! The Sipi Coffee Tour takes you on a journey from seed to mug of coffee. Enjoy learning about the origins of this well-known Arabica blend. Learn how local farmers use organic techniques to sustain their plantations. Pick up some traditional roasting techniques to make the perfect cup of Arabica.
What to Expect on a Coffee Tour?
If you come to Sipi, you have the opportunity to join us on a coffee excursion with local cultivators. The farmers will take you on a journey from sowing in nursery beds to planting and harvesting coffee trees. You will receive an education on all aspects of organic arabica coffee.
During our coffee tour, you will see the gathering and drying of coffee beans. After removing the outer layer in a hulling procedure, toast the coffee beans over an open flame. When the legumes have been toasted to perfection, we will grind them and make coffee using various traditional methods. Finally, the highlight of the coffee tour is savouring your own freshly brewed coffee.
Facts About the Sipi Falls Coffee Tour!
• The tour begins in Sipi village, Eastern Uganda, on the slopes of Mount Elgon.
• The Sipi region is well-known for its high-quality Arabica coffee, grown organically by local farmers.
• Arabica coffee quality (smooth mouthfeel and added sugar).
• Altitude at which it is grown (1200-2500 masl)
• The tour can be booked ahead of time because some additional activities, such as a visit to a coffee plantation, are possible.
• Arabica coffee has significantly impacted the social and economic well-being of the Sipi region.
Uganda Coffee Tourism
Uganda’s position as one of Africa’s leading coffee exporters has created a massive opportunity for the first-growing coffee tourism sector.
Travellers, both domestic and international, have developed an interest in learning about the process that results in the freshly brewed coffee cups they enjoy.
The Sipi Falls Coffee Tour provides practical knowledge to those interested in learning about the Ugandan coffee industry.
The Activities also provide a sense of adventure to travellers who simply want to satisfy their wanderlust for coffee.
Coffee, on the other hand, holds a sacred place in many Ugandan homes because of its varied significance in more than one cultural practice, including a bonding ritual in which a dried coffee bean dipped in freshly cut blood of two people who wished to form a blood pact was feasted on by the two parties, signalling the beginning of a generational brotherhood. For years, the crop has been a major source of income for Ugandan households, contributing significantly to the country’s GDP as the leading cash crop and export.
Coffee History in Uganda.
There are two types of coffee grown in Uganda: Arabica and Robusta. Robusta coffee is native to Uganda and was grown before foreigners arrived. Arabica coffee was introduced to the country by foreign settlers in the early twentieth century.
By 1914, they had established Arabica coffee farms throughout the country, but this variety did not perform well in some areas. Sipi is one of Uganda’s most fertile areas, with great volcanic soils from Mount Elgon, heavy rainfall, and a high elevation. This promoted Arabica coffee growth, making it one of the most popular plants in the area.
The country experienced a massive coffee boom in the mid-1970s. Previously, Brazil was one of the world’s leading coffee suppliers, but the 1970 frost reduced production, resulting in a global coffee shortage. This was an opportunity for other countries, including Uganda, to increase their production.
The demand was high, so farmers increased output to meet it. Coffee eventually became a valuable export in Uganda. Unfortunately, global coffee prices fell in 1987, significantly affecting production in Uganda and other countries.
Arabica coffee is grown in the southwestern (Rwenzori Mountain region), eastern (Mount Elgon region), and northwestern (West Nile) regions of Uganda. Coffee farmers in the three regions process Arabica coffee differently, resulting in different tastes. For example, coffee in western Uganda is dry processed, whereas coffee in the eastern region is washed before processing, giving it a cleaner appearance.
Features of Arabica coffee plants in Uganda.
Arabica coffee plants thrive at higher altitudes of 1700-2500 meters above sea level.
Arabica coffee plants are perennials. If you take good care of them, they can last for years.
They can grow up to ten meters in the wild, but in Arabica coffee plantation farms, the length is regulated to make harvesting more convenient. Most farmers keep it between two and five meters.
Coffee beans are wrapped in ripened berries.
Coffee berries ripen at different times, so harvesting takes several months.
The Local Coffee Making Process in Sipi
They have introduced modern methods of coffee processing in Uganda. However, most local farmers in Sipi combine traditional and modern processing methods.
Coffee Harvesting
From October to February, farmers in Sipi harvest Arabica coffee. Coffee farmers handpick the deep-red ripe berries from the trees, leaving the unripe ones behind. If you take our coffee tour during harvest season, you will be able to participate in this activity.
Coffee Pulping
This involves removing the outer skin. They do this with a small machine known as ‘Tinget’ in the local language. Small-scale local farmers use these machines, whereas larger coffee processing companies use wet mills.
Washing
Farmers wash coffee beans with small baskets and sacks. Unshelled coffee beans contain a lot of mucilage. Farmers store the coffee beans overnight to make the mucilage easier to remove when washing.
Drying
Clean coffee beans are dried in the sun. The degree to which they are dried depends on when the farmer intends to sell the coffee. Although coffee is widely grown in Sipi Falls, the locals don’t consume much of it. They sell the majority of their produce to large processing companies. If the farmer plans to store the coffee for a long time, it is thoroughly dried.
Removing coffee husks and sorting
During the drying process, they separate coffee husks from coffee beans. The coffee is then sorted to ensure that only the cleanest batches remain. Some farmers use lower-quality beans to make their own coffee while selling higher-quality beans.
Roasting
Before grinding, the coffee beans are roasted until they are a dark brown colour. Large-scale productions are carried out using machines. In Sipi, the majority of farmers use traditional grinding methods. They pound roasted coffee beans in a mortar until they are powdered.
Packaging
During this stage, producers package the coffee in the desired form.
During the Sipi coffee tour, you will learn about Arabica and Robusta coffee, with a focus on Arabica coffee because it is grown in the region. However, because there are numerous coffee shops that offer unique blends, you will have access to both types.
Take a tour of an Arabica coffee plantation with our guides and farmers.
They will demonstrate how coffee is made and allow you to taste the finished product. Nothing beats a freshly brewed cup of aromatic coffee to keep you warm during your stay in Sipi.
