Food · Resunga
Nepal's first coffee, on a Gulmi farm
Visit a smallholder coffee farm in Gulmi, the district where Nepal's first coffee was planted in 1938, to see arabica growing under shade trees, the picking, pulping and drying, and taste a fresh cup with the family.
.jpg){kind=link}
In 1938 a hermit named Hira Giri brought coffee seeds from Burma to Gulmi. The plants grew, and Gulmi became the starting point of Nepal's coffee industry. Today thousands of small farmers in the mid-hills grow arabica, often under the shade of other trees, and Gulmi coffee is sought after by roasters in Kathmandu.
We visit a family farm near Tamghas. From November to February you see the red cherries picked by hand, pulped and spread on mats to dry. At other times of year you see the flowering, the young plants and the drying yards.
The visit ends with a cup made from the farm's own beans, roasted in a pan over the fire, and a chance to buy coffee directly from the growers.
Good for
Questions
When was coffee introduced to Nepal?
Coffee was introduced to Nepal in 1938, when Hira Giri, a hermit returning from Burma, planted seeds in Gulmi district. Commercial growing expanded from the 1970s and 1980s. Today coffee is grown across the mid-hills, with Gulmi, Palpa, Syangja, Kaski and other districts among the producers.
When is the coffee harvest in Gulmi?
Coffee cherries in Gulmi usually ripen and are picked from about November to February, depending on altitude and the year's weather. Flowering comes in spring. If you want to see picking and pulping, plan your visit for December or January, and we will confirm with the farm.
Can I buy coffee directly from Gulmi farmers?
Yes. Many farms and cooperatives sell green or roasted beans directly, usually in 250 g to 1 kg packets, and prices are lower than in Kathmandu cafes. Buying direct supports smallholders. Check your home country's rules on bringing in green coffee beans before buying.
Also in Resunga
More ways to spend the day
TrekkingHike to the summit of Resunga
A day hike from Tamghas through sacred oak and rhododendron forest to the summit of Resunga at about 2,347 m, …
NatureSpring rhododendrons in the sacred forest
A shorter forest walk on Resunga's upper slopes in March and April, when red rhododendron, Nepal's national flower, blooms among …
SpiritualClimb with pilgrims on a festival day
Join local families climbing Resunga on a major festival day, when the forest trails fill with pilgrims carrying offerings to …