Since coffee is grown over most of Rwanda, there are few coffee vs non-coffee geographic restrictions. Therefore regional designations can be a bit vague. Instead, roasters often use the name of the district of origin along with the farmer, co-op, or washing station’s name. The Nyamasheke district is found in the southwest of Rwanda on the shores of Lake Kivu. Just south of Nyamasheke is the Nyungwe Forest National Park, one of the largest montane forests, home to huge biodiversity and an estimated 25% of Africa’s primates including mountain gorillas.
100% Bourbon coffee blankets the hills in Nyamasheke district. This region’s elevation, soil, and climate are what coffee trees love best. No surprise then that some fantastic coffees come from here, known for their round, complex profile packed with citrus and other fruits with cocoa notes. Infrastructure has been an ongoing challenge, but in the past few years, various projects across Rwanda are helping to make room for coffee farmers to begin to flourish.