The Coffee Experience | From Tree-to-Cup Bengkulu Coffee Tour

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t’s known by many names… joe, java, bean juice, black gold, brew, wakey juice, cupped lightning. Whatever you call it, COFFEE is a huge part of our lives. Most of us can’t get by without it. But how does it get from a farm to your lucky Emoji mug you’ve had since college? Come and experience coffee like you never have before on our farm, Still Waters. We’ll guide you through each step of the process, from tree and soil care to harvesting, processing, roasting, and cupping some of the best coffee you’ve ever had.

Day 1

Leave from Bengkulu city in the morning stopping along the way to eat lunch at Kabawetan Tea Plantation. Arrive at Still Waters Farm mid-afternoon for your coffee experience. Settle into your room at our comfy guesthouse and take a walk around the farm to soak it all in. Take you time and pick whatever fruit is in season, mulberries, guava, blackberries, oranges, or whatever else you might find. Join our staff while feeding our Pekin ducks (they are really cute). Make sure to look out for a pair of local owls that live around our farm.

After a hot shower, enjoy a meal on the balcony porch as your soul is washed clean by the cool weather and calming sounds of Still Waters Farm.

Day 2

Wake up refresh with the distance sound of our ducks enjoying breakfast. Do some duck egg hunting with our staff and then walk back to the balcony to savor our homemade granola, toast, jam, fresh roasted coffee, and whatever fruit in season. Fueled for the day, join your guide as he takes you through the coffee growing experience.

Begin by picking red cherries from the trees, all the while learning about tree care and the difference between varieties. Take your harvest and process and begin the drying process in our solar drying house. After lunch and a short nap, learn how to sort the coffee and tell a good bean from a bad one. Finish the day with an afternoon cuppa and a delicious local dinner. Fall to sleep tired but renewed and enlighted. You’ll never look at your cup of coffee the same again.

Day 3

Devour another epic breakfast, then join your guide to travel to Curup, a local town, where you will roast your own coffee. With the help of a local roastery, you’ll learn the process of roasting coffee while they assure you are left with a perfect batch, just the way you like it. You’ll take home 500gr per person of our ducking good coffee (sorry, we got ducks…and coffee…you get it).

Continue on to a local cafe, where they have prepared a flight of different coffee varieties for you to try. The barista will take you through the process of “cupping”, where they determine quality and flavor profile. Finish the time with a delicious lunch with your host that will complete your coffee experience. Return to Still Waters Farm for more adventures or continue on to your next destination.

**1-Day and 2-Day options available on request**

Click for costs.

Summary

Difficulty: Easy

Activities: Organic Farm, Sustainable Agriculture, Coffee, Guesthouse, Roasting, Wildlife

Terrain: Coffee Plantation, Guesthouse, Tea Plantation

Duration: 1-3 days

Months of Operation: All year round

Location: 2.5 hours from Bengkulu

Nearest Village: PAL VIII

Closest Airport: Bengkulu (BKS)

Conditions

You will be staying at the guesthouse on our farm, Still Waters. Sometime it can be rainy and even muddy in a few spots, but not generally in the coffee trees. If you have hiking or rubber boots, then that would be more than enough to walk around the farm.

Please be aware that Still Waters Farm is a working farm. We do our best to control the environment for our guests, but there are sometimes wild animals. We’ve had snakes, birds, otters, wild boar, monitor lizards, chameleons. and even a deer on our farm. Please also do not use any equipment unless we give you express permission.

What to Bring

A comfortable pair of hiking or walking shoes – preferably water resistant.
Comfortable trekking socks – with the various wetlands and streams you’ll be crossing, your feet will definitely get wet, even with good shoes. Good hiking socks can help prevent blistering.
Long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Preferably made from quick-dry material.
Your own water bottle, to cut down on single-use plastics.
Insect repellent (only up to 20% deet).
A headlamp, especially if you want to take any night walks.
A waterproof jacket in case it rains, and to keep you warm in the chilly evenings and mornings.

Getting Here

Fly into Bengkulu (BKS) airport and get picked up and prepared to embark on a 2.5 hour drive to Still Waters Farm. Price includes a local guide, transport from Bengkulu to and from the center, lodging (very basic shelter or tent), permits, tickets, food, and transportation. Price per person reduced with more than two travelers, but usually limited to a max of eight people due to accommodations on our farm.