The best coffee tour in Antigua, Guatemala
Looking for the best coffee tour in Antigua? Look no further.
Let me begin by saying that I am a coffee lover. By coffee lover, I mean that I cannot go a day without coffee. At every place that I visit, I always search for the best coffee spot. I only buy coffee beans freshly roasted from local and knowledgeable roasters. Some may think I’m a coffee snob, I’ll say I’m passionate.
My favorite coffee beans are harvested in Guatemala. So when I planned a trip to Antigua, Guatemala, I was obviously looking for the best coffee tour around the city. After some research, I stumbled upon De La Gente Coffee. Basically, they are a NPO that works to create economic opportunities for coffee producing communities. And they offer fantastic – the best – coffee tours in Antigua.
The best coffee tour in Antigua: De La Gente
De La Gente is a NPO based just outside of Antigua. They connect the coffee producers directly to consumers and roasters locally and around the world. The cooperative helps farmers receive up to 250% more for their coffee.
De La Gente means “from the people”. I think it described perfectly how they do business with the farmers, partners and clients. Their ultimate mission is to create economic opportunities for coffee producers. If equitability and inclusivity are important values for you, you will love this company and what they stand for.
Their coffee tour, which is also an alternative income for the farmers, allows you to interact with and learn from local coffee producers very closely.
Our coffee tour with De La Gente in Antigua
During this coffee tour, we learned all about the process of making coffee from bean to cup. It was fascinating!
Our driver and guide picked us up at our hotel at 1:45PM. Then, we drove about 20 minutes to San Miguel Escobar on the outskirts of Antigua. There, we met with Maria, a coffee farmer. She did not speak any english, but our guide Luis was translating everything so it was super easy to communicate with her.
She brought us up the hill to a coffee plantation to begin the coffee tour. I recommend that you wear sneakers or hiking shoes because the road to get to the plantation is very uphill and a bit slippery. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the coffee field, which is the first stop of the tour.
First stop of the coffee tour: The coffee field
When we arrived at the coffee plantation, I was amazed at the beauty of the place. Everything was green, peaceful and raw. It was really special for me to see the beans in the tree, when I usually see them in the form of my favorite liquid (I told you I was a coffee lover).
Maria explained all about the plantation process of the coffee and the first steps of harvesting the beans. I will let you the pleasure to learn all of that during your coffee tour, but I must say I was really surprised to learn that a coffee tree takes 5 years to produce coffee beans that can be harvested!
After that, like the hard-working people who collect the coffee beans when they are at maturity, we got down the volcanic road to the farmer’s house.
Second stop of the coffee tour: Maria’s home
That second stop is one of the reasons I consider this tour the best coffee tour in Antigua. To learn about the next steps of the coffee production, we were welcome in Maria’s home. We learned about all the steps from when the beans arrive from the field to when they are ready to be sold to roasters and consumers: Processing, sorting, etc.
Then, Maria introduced us to some traditional machineries and ways of making coffee. I had the chance to roast fresh beans on a -very hot- stove and grind them with a stone, a traditional grinding method.
Finally, Maria brewed the coffee and we all sat at her table, sipping delicious coffee and getting to know her and her family.
Why do I think it is the best coffee tour in Antigua?
There are many coffee tour companies around Antigua. For many reasons, I think De La Gente is the best.
Here are some reasons why:
- The best price for the best value: For 35 USD, you get the pick-up from the hotel and the drop-off, the whole tour with the farmer and an English traductor, a wonderful cup of coffee at the end and a bag of fresh coffee beans that you can take home;
- Amazing team: The customer service when booking the tour online is top-notch. The team during the tour is fantastic and the traductor speaks perfect english;
- Near Antigua;
- Your purchase has a direct impact on the coffee farmers’ lives as the money goes directly to them;
- Authentic and meaningful conversation with the growers;
- And more!
Are you convinced now? If you are waiting for a sign to do a coffee tour in Antigua, this is it!
How to book the best coffee tour in Antigua?
Booking a coffee tour with De La Gente is super easy! Like most business operating in Guatemala, they are super easy to reach via What’s app at +502 4179 2970. You can text them directly or send them an email. They respond super quickly.
How much does the coffee tour cost in Antigua?
I searched for a long time before choose De La Gente. One of the reason I opted for them was what we were getting for the price. For $35USD, you get the transport, the whole tour, a translator and guide and a free bag of fresh whole beans. It does not get any better than that!
Ready to discover the fantastic world of coffee in Antigua, Guatemala?
