Explore the history of coffee in the place where it all started. Visit the vast coffee forests, learn about local farming and advance your tastes by trying new coffee flavours.



The Ethiopian Coffee Company has partnered with YellowWood Adventures to bring you an incredible 10-day adventure: Discover the wonderful culture of Ethiopia whilst following the amazing ‘crop to cup’ journey of Ethiopian coffee from the wild forests of Bonga to their Islington coffee shop ‘Ground Control’.



Coffee originates from Ethiopia. The word ‘coffee’ comes from the word ‘Kafa’; the green jungle region in the southwest of the country. Walking through beautiful jungle with Colobus Monkeys swinging overhead, we will experience the beauty of its diverse flora, fauna, wildlife and local people; visiting the coffee plantations and villagers who work there, learning everything about the processes that allow the beans to be exported to the international market.



The Kafa Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO-protected site, is one of the few remaining wild coffee forests in the world. One day a shepherd here saw that his flock of goats acting strangely after eating the red berries, so he took some home to his wife – and lo, the wonders of coffee were discovered!



We will partake in the local coffee ceremony (coffee is Ethiopia’s national drink), experience ‘cupping’ where you can learn about its many varied flavours, and visit a local company’s production line in Addis Ababa. There is the option to ride horses in some of the places we visit, for those that are interested. Although the tour is centred primarily around coffee, we also have the opportunity to visit small scale honey and spice producers, and a tea plantation. For those less interested in coffee as a commodity, just being in this protected and truly magical region is an experience unto itself.