Things to do in Tanzania

The bean-to-cup coffee tour at Arusha Coffee Lodge

Take a walk through the plantation at Arusha Coffee Lodge, where you’ll learn about the entire coffee-making process, from bean to cup…

By Advent Godfrey Massawe

Barista, butler and Maître D, Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge

I was born and raised in a family coffee plantation, so this industry runs in my blood. I’d recommend guests take our bean-to-cup tour to learn all about the history of coffee in East Africa. It’s a one-hour walk through the plantation at Arusha Coffee Lodge, where you’ll discover the entire coffee-making process, from planting to harvesting and roasting the beans. The walk itself is lovely, as you get to stroll among our lush fields, entertained by monkeys and bush babies, while birds sing in the indigenous trees.

During harvest season, you can even join our coffee pickers to experience the art of selecting ripe beans. The best part of the tour for most guests is getting to taste a freshly-brewed cup of coffee from our fields; you also have the opportunity to buy the beans from our store. Guests tell me that our coffee is delicious, they love the chocolate flavours and hint of blackcurrant that comes from our arabica beans.

I joined Arusha coffee lodge 17 years ago as a waitress and rose through the ranks to barista and my current role as the restaurant’s Maître D. Being a mother of two and a wife in a typically big Africa family, hosting visitors comes naturally to me and I love welcoming guests from all over the world and introducing them to our coffee culture. I enjoy taking guests around the plantation, telling them the history of the coffee bean and sharing my experiences growing up on a plantation.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

Tanzania SkySafari
by Vicki Bramley

Length10 Days

Price range£10,650 - £12,550pp

Alfred & Advent Godfrey Massawe

Advent Godfrey Massawe is a passionate barista, butler and Maître D who enjoys showing guests around the coffee plantation at Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge. She loves to share the history of Tanzania's coffee industry and her experiences growing up in a coffee plantation with guests. Advent is true coffee aficionado and prides herself on mastering both traditional and modern coffee processing techniques.

Advent Godfrey Massawe, bean-to-cup coffee tour, Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Gemma, who's travelled extensively in Tanzania. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it on their own. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - the rangers who'll ensure you'll spot the best wildlife, the village chiefs who'll give you a genuine insight into local life and the camp managers who can recommend the very best spot to enjoy your sundowner.

Gemma Wilson-Dines

Travel Expert for Alfred&

Gemma has been a regular visitor to South Africa favouring the spectacular mountains and cinematic Winelands that draw her back time and time again. Her most recent trip to Tanzania offered a whole new perspective of the Great Migration from the romantic heights of a hot air balloon. On the other side of the world, in extraordinary India, Gemma holds vivid memories close to her heart; of cooking chapatis in Amritsar’s shimmering Golden Temple and the soft summer breeze in Shimla's alpine forest.
Joseph Awe

Cultural guide

Joseph Awe has been a cultural guide in the Lake Eyasi region for over 12 years. He grew up on his family's dairy and onion farm in the region and has close connections with the nearby Hadzabe and Datoga communities. Able to speak their native languages, Joseph has worked as a translator and interpreter for guests visiting the tribes around Lake Eyasi since he was a teenager.
Mary Milanzi

Lemala Tour Guide

Mary Milanzi is proud to be one of Tanzania’s first female guides. Born in Mto wa Mbu, she grew up with a deep love of wildlife and dreamed of getting a job that allowed her to stay close to nature. After completing her tour guide training with Lemala, Mary now leads tuk tuk tours of her home town. She often goes into colleges to give talks that inspire female students to seek out jobs in the tourism industry.
Charles Kisaka

Assistant Manager at Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge

Charles Kisaka is from the north-east of Tanzania and studied tourism at college. After graduating, he joined the Serena hotels group and has worked with them for over 15 years. Charles loves his current role as the manager of Lake Manyara Serena Lodge because it allows him to meet guests from different countries and introduce them to the wilds of Tanzania.
Hazel Gumpo

General Manager, Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge

Hazel Gumpo is a German-trained General Manager with over 25 years of experience in hospitality. She has worked all over Africa and in 2017, was named one of the top 100 most influential tourism personalities in West Africa by the Accra Weizo West African Travel Fair. Hazel is passionate about people development, interior design, creative cooking and hosting.
Philip Mbeke

Camp Manager, Roving Bushtops

Originally from Kenya, Philip Mbeke started his career with Bushtops over 10 years ago as a ranger in the Maasai Mara. Since then, he's worked his way up to become camp manager at Roving Bushtops. Philip loves working in the Serengeti and enjoys the thrill of moving camp around the savannah. He especially likes to see the sparkle in guests' eyes when they first arrive at the roving camp and enjoys spending evenings with them around the campfire.