To be honest, Rwandan coffee wasn’t the only, or even the main reason we visited Rwanda. After a research trip in Egypt for a guidebook update, we were looking for a place to unwind – somewhere warm, relaxed, and easy to reach by direct flight from Cairo.
Rwanda quickly stood out. The flights were affordable, and three weeks seemed like just the right amount of time to explore this small, green country. It offered opportunities for sightseeing and wildlife encounters. Maybe we could even see gorillas in the wild! And overall Rwanda suggested a peaceful atmosphere that felt ideal after weeks of work. As some of you might know, we love coffee – at least since we visited some coffee farms in Boquete in Panama and in the Zona Cafetera in Colombia, we have been interested in speciality coffee. As a more serious hobby, this took off during the months of sitting still during the Corona pandemic. It seems we weren’t the only ones discovering virtual coffee travel during that time …
So, as soon as we started planning our Rwanda trip, we also began researching the country’s coffee scene. Speciality coffee from Rwanda is still not very common, but we had already tried Rwandan coffee beans a few times.
In the end we visited two coffee plantations and sampled as many local brews as we could find during our travels in Rwanda. In this post, we’ll take you along as we explore Rwanda’s beans, brews, and everything we discovered about Rwandan coffee.
A Brief History of Rwandan Coffee
Coffee arrived in Rwanda in 1904, introduced by German colonists who saw its potential as a cash crop. But it wasn’t an instant hit. That’s because coffee plants take years to mature, and farmers were very reluctant to grow a crop that wouldn’t feed their families. But with some persuasion (and presumably pressure), coffee slowly took root. The Belgian colonists who took over from the Germans also promoted coffee. Only recently have we visited the Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam which imported much of this coffee, along with tea and tobacco from the colonies.
Post-independence and even more after the rupture of the genocide, coffee became a symbol of rebuilding. The early 2000s saw Rwanda invest heavily in quality: better washing stations, training programs, and international partnerships. Today, 99% of Rwanda’s coffee beans are high-quality Arabica beans. And nearly all of it is Red Bourbon, a variety known for its smooth body and sweet, complex flavour.
Things have changed. Coffee is now the country’s second-largest export after tea, and its reputation in the specialty world continues to grow. Yet challenges persist: Pricing volatility, climate change, and infrastructure hurdles make it tough for small farmers to thrive.
Visiting the Huye Mountain Coffee Estate
We were eager to visit some of Rwanda’s coffee plantations. So, one morning in the town of Butare, after a very mediocre hotel breakfast, we hop onto moto taxis. Local youngsters drive us through eucalyptus groves, rice terraces and some small villages on their bikes. About 20 minutes and ten kilometres later, we arrive at Huye Mountain Coffee. Eric, our assigned guide, is already waiting for us with a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee. Definitely an improvement from breakfast.
Founded in 2011, Huye Mountain Coffee is more than just the small, tidy three-hectare estate lying before us. It’s part of a network stretching across 50 hectares, supported by more than 1,300 local smallholder farmers. These farmers supply their harvested coffee cherries to the private, organically certified Huye washing station. The company has earned both Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade certification over the years.
With Eric we wander uphill through rows of coffee plants, pausing at hand-lettered signs detailing local soil, rainfall, and the intricacies of coffee nutrition. At the plantation’s viewpoint terrace, Eric treats us to a farm-to-cup experience. Literally: over an open flame in a clay pot, we take turns roasting some green beans until they are – okay, let’s face it. They are unevenly burned and more or less black. A local worker helps pounding them by hand, a strenuous procedure. And then we brew a smoky, rustic coffee using a French press. Not the tastiest coffee we have ever drunk – but fun to make!
The estate experiments with innovations too, Eric explains. They try, for instance, growing climate-resilient varietals like RAB C15, and attempt honey and anaerobic processing. Government agronomists also help smallholders tackle threats such as coffee leaf rust and the notorious potato taste disease.
Later, as we pass fermentation tanks and coffee bean drying beds, Eric boasts that one recent batch scored 88 points and ranked third in Rwanda. No wonder that they came to work with internationally prominent roasters like Stumptown Coffee in Portland and The Barn in Berlin.
A Coffee Tour at Boneza Coffee Estate at Lake Kivu
There were several reasons for our visit to Boneza Coffee Estate. First, we wanted to explore yet another Rwandan coffee farm. And second – Lake Kivu loomed in our schedule as a refreshing beachside destination, and everybody had told us to go swimming there. Now, we are not great swimmers and found coffee to be a good reason to visit the lake without any pressure to swim …
Staying at the Boneza Coffee Estate’s own guesthouse, we can explore their coffee production firsthand right after breakfast! At the start of the tour, our guide Jimmy confesses that he only started drinking coffee after arriving here nine months ago! Reminds us of a wine guide in Chile who confessed to prefer beer over wine.
A coffee nursery by the lake!
But Jimmy takes us straight into what makes Boneza coffee special. Coffee has been grown in this area since 1954, but the Boneza washing station opened in 2002 and serves farmers only from the Boneza district. Currently they have 15,000 coffee trees and in total around 2,000 people working with coffee. Jimmy proudly shows us the coffee nursery. This is where Boneza cultivates seedlings exclusively for their partner farmers. Consistency matters in the coffee world. Therefore, they want every farmer in their supply chain growing beans from the same robust stock.
Boneza also conducts trainings on growing and harvesting. Shade trees tower above, and grass sown at the end of the rainy season retains soil moisture and adds natural fertilizer. Workers hand-sort the harvested coffee cherries on arrival at the washing stations. Only the ripe ones make the cut, and farmers get paid accordingly. This system encourages quality from the field up.
Fully washed is the standard processing at Boneza. After pulping the coffee cherries, the beans ferment for 10–14 hours. Next, they tumble down long washing channels in five carefully separated quality classes. Only the top-quality beans stay at Boneza for their own label – the rest are sold off to brokers. Unlike Huye Mountain Coffee, Boneza does not yet work with international buyers and roasters.
Of course, we also have a chance to sample their coffee. As we have already visited their café in the capital Kigali, we know that most of their coffee is too dark-roasted to our taste. But the medium roast offers nice notes of molasses, tobacco, and a hint of citrus. And we do like the packaging of their new line called “Kahwa,” designed by the owner’s daughter. The packages feature a woman on the logo, a fitting tribute to the many women who work in the coffee industry.
After the coffee tour, we walked down to Lake Kivu, which really turned to be out very refreshing (but not too cold) for a swim. And we even did several boat trips during our stay at Lake Kivu.
The Speciality coffee scene in Kigali
Before arriving in Kigali, we had read that Rwanda’s capital is a hotspot for specialty coffee shops. And after a few days in the city, we can confirm: coffee culture here is thriving.
Our first stop is Question Coffee, probably the most famous coffee brand in Rwanda. Question coffee partners with the Virunga National Park and visitors there get a cup of free coffee in the morning before they start out on their wildlife tours.
Question Coffee’s hillside branch in Kigali is a dream: perched among avocado trees, with vibrant birds darting about. Sitting outdoors, we order a Chemex brew of Gashonga coffee from a small washing station near Lake Kivu. The cup is bright and fruity, with a remarkable hint of cinnamon that lingers after each sip – easily one of our favourite coffee moments in Rwanda. On another visit we sample the TUK coffee, this time brewed with a V60. It’s a complete change of pace: herbal, earthy, layered with tobacco and oregano notes. Of all the coffee brands in Rwanda, we find that question coffee matches our coffee taste most, with relatively light and fresh roasts and exciting aromas.
Rubia Coffee Roasters quickly becomes another favourite. This café also offers a tranquil garden setting, perfect for unwinding or people-watching. We order a medium roast (Abakundakawa Rushashi beans from Gakenke) for the French press, which bursts with flavours of tropical fruit, chocolate, and molasses. We like it so much that we also buy a bag to take home.
Coffee shops in Kigali don’t just serve drinks – they act as coworking spaces and informal meeting spots. Next to us, a woman tells a friend she works from Rubia nearly every day. It’s easy to see why: reliable Wi-Fi, plenty of power outlets, an international crowd, good food, and last but not least, good coffee.
What Makes Rwandan Coffee Unique
As we explore Rwandan coffee, it quickly becomes clear that Red Bourbon is the dominant variety grown across the country’s plantations. So much so, actually, that diversification efforts are underway to make the crop less susceptible to diseases or climate influences. The typical processing method here is washed, giving the beans a clean and bright profile. Locally, coffee is usually roasted quite dark. This is well-suited for espresso and the bold flavours preferred by many Rwandans. It also calls for milk, and indeed most customers in the coffee shops favour cappuccino and latte over straight black coffee.
But as Rwanda reaches for the international coffee stage, we notice experimentation too. Some farms are trying anaerobic fermentation and lighter roasts, pushing beyond tradition to create new flavour experiences. Still, in Kigali’s specialty cafés, it’s common to find only one or two roast options – usually medium or dark – from a single washing station. The staff can often tell you the washing station’s name but don’t always know the finer details about specific varieties or farms.
During our stay in Rwanda, we sampled a lot of different Rwandan coffees and did detect differences between them. It was always thrilling to sip the coffee so close to its origin, but often we wished that they would try different roasting styles to explore its potential.
Rwandan Coffee back home
Now that we’re back in Europe, we notice that Rwandan coffee is popping up everywhere in our favourite roasteries’ portfolios. Obviously, they are also noticing the potential of Rwandan coffee – and to our delight, they bring out a huge range of different flavours.
We assume that this rise in popularity comes from both smart government promotion and a clear improvement in quality. Unlike established specialty coffees from Ethiopia or South America, Rwandan beans offer intriguing flavours at a more affordable price. And just recently, a new specialty roastery opened near us. To our surprise, Warawul Coffee Roastery is actually specializing in Rwandan beans! It’s exciting to see this unique coffee gain such a strong foothold here.
NB: This blog post was not sponsored in any way. We paid for all the coffee tours and coffees by ourselves.
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