We sat down with Hillary from Changamiri Coffee Company, with whom we have collaborated on the upcoming fixed date Zimbabwe Coffee Safari – a first of its kind in the country and possibly Southern Africa. We asked him a few questions to shed light on the experience and here is what he had to say:
Having personally discovered the quality of the coffee from Zimbabwe’s small scale farmers and how wonderful their communities are, the idea of the coffee safari was an obvious option to share with the rest of the world. The coffee safari would go further than the coffee itself in telling the incredible story of resilience the farmers have demonstrated in the face of some of the most difficult economic circumstances. It will open a window to the world of what the impact of climate change is on these farmers’ lives and livelihoods and therefore why sustainable consumer habits matter.
The coffee safari is not only an opportunity to connect and share in the experiences of some of the farmers producing the finest coffee in the world, it is a bucket-list experience of a lifetime taking one through some of the world’s most fascinating tourist attractions.
As a business, Changamiri Coffee Co. is determined to engage in activities that will not only bring global attention to Zimbabwe’s small scale coffee farming community, but also help in developing a sustainable coffee industry that contributes to the Zimbabwean economy meaningfully. Following the COVID19 global pandemic and its effect on people in 2020, the coffee safari in 2021 is an opportunity for people to go out again. It is an opportunity for participants to witness how the coffee growing communities have navigated the pandemic and bounced back from the effects of Cyclone Idai before it.
Zimbabwe is not a big player in the general trade commodity coffee. It however holds a special place in the specialty coffee sector for its aroma and flavours. Specialty roasters love it for the balance it brings to origins such as Brazil.
Wildlife, Scenery and People
The best time for a coffee safari is towards the end of August into September when the harvest season has just started.
Participants in the coffee safari will have an opportunity to pick some ripe cherries from the coffee trees before putting them through the washing station. They will also take part in the processing of cherries into green coffee beans then the grading before roasting and tasting.
One of the key moments and highlights of the whole coffee safari is the cupping experience at the homestead of one of the small scale farmers. The coffee will have been hand-pan roasted over wood fire using artisanal equipment.
Joining as a group is good for sharing special moments with people you know. The coffee safari is one such experience which creates several moments to share with friends and family.
Of course. The coffee safari is built to give both group and solo travellers the same outstanding experience.
The coffee from this region is grown in optimal conditions at the perfect 5000ft (1.5km) altitude for specialty coffee.
Accessing the coffee farming communities requires all terrain vehicles. Once at a chosen location, all activities are accessed on foot.
The primary purpose of the coffee safari is to connect the farmers in developing countries with consumers in developed countries. Ultimately, consumers should access their coffee as directly from the farm as possible so that the farmers receive the most for their hard work. Creating these relationships between the two will help to encourage farmers to be involved in the more valuable downstream activities in the value chain.
The resident liquorer (Q-grader) at Zimbabwe Coffee Mill conducts roasting and brewing masterclasses which coffee safari participants will have a chance to be a part of.
There is no on-site café but there are coffee shops within the area
Part of the experience on the safari is to process and roast one’s own coffee and bring it back home.
Anyone who loves coffee and cares about the livelihoods of coffee farmers or anyone interested in sustainability in general can join the coffee safari.
One of the top reasons for visiting Zimbabwe is its people. Zimbabweans are known to be some of the friendliest and open people in the world. In recent years, prominent travel sites have been featured among the top places to visit anywhere in the world. These include CNN Travel, Conde Nast, U.S. News and The Telegraph.
Hillary is the founder of Changamiri Coffee Company based in the United Kingdom. Changamiri works with small-scale coffee producers in Zimbabwe’s Eastern Highlands as co-creators beyond their farm-gates.
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