JOIN US ON A JOURNEY TO THE COFFEE GROWING COMMUNITIES OF THE RWENZORI MOUNTAINS OF UGANDA
28th February - 11th March 2027
Developed in collaboration with Nomadic Skies Expeditions. A unique journey linking international coffee lovers to the smallholder coffee farming communities in the beautiful and lush foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda. An exploration of coffee that provides a deep insight into the people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife in one of the most beautiful areas of Equatorial Africa.
Journey Overview
28th February - 11th March 2027
- 12 days/11 nights starting in Kigali (Rwanda) and finishing in Entebbe
(Uganda). - Internationally and locally led, accompanied by a Glen Lyon coffee expert.
- Three nights in hotels - one night in Kigali, one night lakeside lodge in
Bunyonyi and one night in Entebbe. - Four nights in lodges: two in a safari lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park,
and two in a Nkuruba Conservation Area. - Four nights camping and hosted by communities: Three nights in the
Rwenzori area in Safari style tents with folding camp beds and one night on
an island in Lake Bunyonyi. - Involves moderate walking around the Rwenzori area and during Chimpanzee
trekking. - Exclusive price for Glen Lyon Coffee customers: approx £2,900 (includes 10% discount). Please note that flights are not included.
- Part of the cost of this trip will be donated to local development initiatives in
water and sanitation.
Journey Highlights
Discover the coffee growing communities of Rwanda and the foothills of the
Rwenzori mountains of Uganda.
- Start your journey in Kigali, Rwanda.
- Cross the border to the SW Highlands of Uganda staying beside Lake Bunyonyi – explore this stunning lake and its many islands by boat and local dugout canoe.
- Explore the local cultures and beliefs of the local Bakiga (or Abakiga) people
and be hosted by a family of the last locally owned island on the lake. - Stay in Queen Elizabeth National Park, seeing Africa’s iconic wildlife and
stunning bird life at close quarters while bird watching from a chartered boat. - Track and see chimpanzees in the forests of Queen Elizabeth.
- Be hosted for three nights in a community camp (with safari style tents) in the
foothills of the lush Rwenzori Mountains. - Visit the coffee buying and processing facilities and ‘cup’ different coffee
processes and varietals at source. - Walk through the beautiful Rwenzori foothills visiting and being hosted by
smallholder coffee farmers. - Gain a deeper understanding of the local Bakonjo people of the area and the
importance of coffee growing to local livelihoods. - Stay in the community camp at the beautiful and forested Lake Nkuruba
Conservation Area alive with numerous monkeys and unforgettable bird life. - Finish the journey in Entebbe on the shores of relaxing Lake Victoria.
Itinerary summary
Day 1: Arrival in Kigali (Rwanda) and welcome dinner Night in Kigali hotel.
Day 2: Travel across the border and up to beautiful Lake Bunyonyi. Stay in a lakeside
lodge.
Day 3: Exlore the lake Bunyonyi area and experience local Abakiga culture. Stay on
the last locally owned island on the Lake, hosted by a local family.
Day 4: Cross the lake and travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Stay in a Safari
Lodge in the park.
Day 5: Half the group undertakes a chimpanzee trek, the other half embarks on a wildlife drive. The whole group rejoins to board a wildlife boat to experience Africa's
iconic bird and wildlife at close quarters.
Day 6: Group halves swap for trek and drive. After lunch, drive to the foothills of the
Rwenzori to a camp set up in the lush coffee growing areas.
Day 7: Exploration of the coffee growing communities of the Rwenzori and visiting
the collection and buying facilities of Agri Evolve.
Day 8: Walk through the fields and homesteads in the Rwenzori foothills to the
coffee washing station at Nyabirongo. Coffee Cupping (tasting) at the facility.
Day 9: Travel to the lake Nkuruba conservation area, stopping at local basket
makers. Stay in huts beside a stunning crater lake populated by various species of
monkeys and stunning birdlife.
Day 10: Explore the Lake Nkuruba area with local guides and stay at the huts in the
conservation area.
Day 11: Drive from Lake Nkuruba to Entebbe and stay in a hotel beside vast Lake
Victoria. Final farewell dinner.
Day 12: Departure day.
Trip Background
Exclusive small group accompanied trips with Ugandan and coffee experts through one of the most stunning and diverse areas of Africa.
Nomadic Skies Expeditions is a travel company founded on the principles of promoting travel that deepens links with remote communities and benefits those communities.
This 14 day journey to the coffee communities of the Rwenzori mountains is a collaboration between Glen Lyon and Nomadic Skies. Bringing together the experience of Glen Lyon in sourcing high quality arabica beans from this area of Uganda, and Nomadic Skies’ extensive travel experience in Western Uganda in collaboration with local and indigenous guides and local communities.
Journey to the communities that are the source of these distinctive, single-sourced coffee:
- Uganda Kalingwe AA - a creamy natural coffee with notes of strawberries, passion fruit and milk chocolate grown by smallholder farmers in the foothills of the Rwenzori.
- Rwanda Rwamatamu - a delicious, washed coffee which has notes of candied peel, red berries and mandarin grown by the 21 members of the women’s cooperative at Rwamatamu Coffee.
