Karambi, Rwanda

Description:

Tasting notes:

Nectarine, Blood Orange, Vanilla.

Coffee info:

• Producer: 755+ Small Holders
• Location: Karambi, Nyamasheke
• Elevation: 1700-2000 masl
• Variety: Red Bourbon
• Process: Fully Washed

More info about this coffee:

Tucked in the lush highlands of Rwanda’s Western Province, the Karambi Washing Station sits at the edge of Nyungwe Forest National Park in the Karambi sector of Nyamasheke District. Built in 2016, it remains the only washing station constructed from the ground up by RWACOF, a testament to their deep commitment to quality and community. The region’s elevation ranges from 1,700 to 2,000 meters above sea level, creating ideal conditions for cultivating exceptional Red Bourbon coffee.

The journey to Karambi is a four hour drive west from Kigali, ending at the top of a hill where a bustling school, also named Karambi, stands as a lively gateway to the station. Children playing, families gathering, and the hum of daily life all blend into the rhythm of coffee production. This same energy carries into the station itself, which comes alive during harvest season from March to June. At its busiest, Karambi employs up to 120 workers, each one contributing to the careful process that defines the station’s reputation.

Karambi works with more than 755 smallholder farmers, most of whom cultivate less than one hectare of land. Remarkably, over 66 percent of the farmers delivering cherry to the station are women, a reflection of the vital role they play in Rwanda’s coffee sector.

After purchasing cherries from farmers, Karambi’s team begins with flotation to remove lower-quality fruit. The remaining cherries are hand-sorted by skilled staff who inspect each batch for visual defects. Once selected and rinsed, the cherries are laid out on raised beds in thin layers to dry. They are raked frequently to ensure even drying, a process that typically takes about three weeks.

The result is a fully washed, processed Red Bourbon coffee that captures the essence of Nyamasheke’s highlands. The combination of altitude, volcanic soils, and dedicated craftsmanship produces a cup that is vibrant, clean, and full of character.

Karambi stands as both a hub of quality coffee and a pillar of community life, where education, opportunity, and shared effort come together at the edge of Rwanda’s most beautiful forest.