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Exploring the world through coffee: tours and ceremonies in Africa

Travel the world through coffee

By Giorgi MikhelidzePublished 2 years ago 4 min read
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Coffee and World

Since its humble beginnings in the Ethiopian highlands, coffee has seen remarkable growth and development. You may now find it is cultivated and consumed in every corner of the globe.

It's traveled far, been hotly debated, stolen, and the subject of obsessive devotion. Its origins in Africa provide depth to the narrative and serve as a timely reminder of Africa's shifting relationship with the rest of the globe.

The coffee beans are grown best at high altitudes, and this is where East Africa excels. Massive coffee and tea plantations are fully operational in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. A coffee tour is a great way to see the area after landing or before leaving. One of the best ways to end a day of sightseeing in Africa is with a night spent on a tranquil coffee estate.

The Bab-el-Mandeb strait, also known as the Gates of Tears, was a major trading route for centuries, connecting Ethiopia with western Arabia, notably Yemen.

The ancient Kingdom of Aksum was a pivotal actor in these trade empires. Its origins date back to 150 BCE and it was reportedly based in the area that is now Eritrea and northern Ethiopia. In this article, we’ll tell you more about the coffee tours and ceremonies in Africa.

Africa and Coffee

Mount Elgon's slopes are ideal for growing Arabica coffee, whereas the rest of Uganda, particularly the central and western areas, are better suited for growing Robusta. You can go on a safari through the Robusta coffee farms in Bwindi, as shown here, or the Arabic coffee estates in Mbale in Uganda. And while you're there, you can take part in some of Uganda's biggest cultural events, learn about coffee's cultivation and processing, and discover the positive effects on the local population.

Discover the "black gold" of Kenya, the country's coffee. Karunguru Estate Coffee Farm is a great place to learn about coffee's journey from the farm to your cup, and it also offers stunning views of the surrounding verdant countryside and rolling hills and valleys. Twenty minutes of driving time separates you from the heart of Nairobi. Taking into account your needs wants, and preferences, our expert staff will tailor the appropriate schedule, which may or may not include a coffee stop, just for you.

Understanding how the coffee ceremony came to be is fascinating. The tale, which has been passed down through the centuries, starts in the 10th century with nomadic goat herders in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian highlands were a common route for these herders and their goats. These highlands have a combination of mountain ranges and extensive forest cover. Here in these woods is where our story starts.

The protagonist Haldi is a herder in this tale. After a day of foraging in the wild, he saw that his goats were still active at night. He determined that the berries on a certain tree were responsible for the meal. At this stage, several hypotheses begin to develop. One account has it that Haldi shared his discovery with the abbot of a nearby monastery, who tried some of the berries and discovered they gave him energy during nighttime prayers. Haldi may have thrown the tainted coffee beans into the flames, according to another explanation. The ensuing pleasant scent, however, ultimately won his affections. Taking the charred kernels from the fire, he brewed some coffee for himself.

There is one thing that can be said with certainty, regardless of whether or not you believe in myths and stories. Invigorating, fragrant, and social, the Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony is a must-experience for every coffee lover.

It's no secret that Ethiopia has a longtime obsession with coffee. Oromo soldiers may have been wrapping ripe berries in pig fat and used them as travel food as early as the 10th century.

Ethiopians continue to include coffee consumption into their everyday routines. The ritual of roasting and brewing coffee for a ceremony is well rooted in many cultures. They produce more coffee than any other country in Africa and also consume more of it domestically than everyone else on the continent.

The value and significance of coffee were also recorded by European explorers who visited Africa. During his exploration of Uganda in the mid-1800s, English explorer John Hanning Speke wrote about the indigenous custom of collecting and eating the red cherries fresh off the bush.

Trafeka will take you to Gibbs' farm in Tanzania's Ngorongoro highlands, where you can see a real functioning farm in a beautiful environment near the Ngorongoro Crater. Visitors are free to do as much or as little as they choose during their time on the farm. Your foray into African coffee farming and processing will be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

The coffee ceremony is seen as a pilgrimage of sorts by many Ethiopians. This view expands on the Islamic tradition of drinking coffee. To indulge in one is to undergo a spiritual metamorphosis during the three phases of drinking.

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