Tierras Altas has farms specialized in high-altitude coffee, that’s grown between 1,300 and 1,800 meters above sea level (4,265 to 5,900 feet). Explore the “Coffee Circuit” which is a series of farms that have been adapted so that you can walk among the fields and learn how coffee gets from the seed to your cup. You can visit at any time of the year, but if you choose to go during the harvest season (between December and March) you will also be able to see what artisan harvesting is like.
Here we list the Tierras de Altas farms that are part of the Coffee Circuit. Get ready for a sensory experience and discover all the complementary plans that will make your visit unforgettable.
1. Finca Maru Geisha
- Location: Cerro Punta
- How to get there: 13 minutes from Plaza de Volcán on Highway 418.
The farm is located within the grounds of an exclusive hotel. Here you can go hiking, horseback riding, a canopy ride, boating, fishing and farm visits. And of course it offers the coffee experience on its 15-hectare (37-acre) farm, where the famous Geisha coffee is grown. You can experience the tour at your own pace between the coffee plantations and the 4 km (1.5 miles) of trails.
The cost of the experience is about US$30.
2. Finca Janson
- Location: Volcán
- How to get there: 25 minutes from the Plaza de Volcán on the road towards Las Lagunas, Volcán.
This internationally-recognized farm combines coffee plantations with a private reserve of 200 hectares (almost 500 acres). This is separate land for the conservation of the natural environment in a place with a great diversity of flora and fauna.
On your visit to the farm, you can learn everything about the high-quality coffee production process, smell the freshly roasted coffee and sample the different varieties grown within the farm. You can also try geisha coffee husk tea and learn about the different filtering methods.
As part of its effort to contribute making our world a better place, the farm operates with solar panels, reuses its waste to create fuel and fertilizer, and has a seed nursery from its reserve for reforestation. In addition, it supports fathers and mothers who harvest through a daycare/school to care for their children while they work the land.
Stop by their coffee shop where you can take in extraordinary views while drinking a specialty coffee and go on one of the 4 tours they offer:
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Process of Coffee Tour: 40 minutes.
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Coffee and Roasting Process Tour: 1 hour.
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Sampling Experience: 40 minutes.
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Complete Tour: 2 hours.
These experiences cost approximately US$15 to US$35.
3. Finca Nueva Suiza Hermanos Lara
- Location: Cerro Punta
- How to get there: 15 minutes from Plaza de Volcán on Highway 418.
This family-owned farm mixes a cloud forest with a coffee plantation. Visiting it is a breath of fresh air in the middle of a protected reserve that ensures the conservation of the environment that surrounds us. The farm has an agricultural farm, offers horseback riding and many more activities to complete your day.
You will take the tour of the coffee plantation with the company of an expert who will explain everything about the process while you visit the most important places on the farm step by step. It is a private and complete tour where you can learn in depth what one needs to plant, care for and harvest one of the best coffee varietals. At the end of the tour, sample coffee and see the quality of the product yourself.
On this farm, there is also an agricultural tour, walking trails and expert bird watching guides.
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Tour the Charm of Café Don Lara Experience: 1 hour and a half.
The cost of the experience is about US$5.
4. Finca Ceriana
- Location: Volcán
- How to get there: 14 minutes from Plaza de Volcán on Highway 414.
Visiting Finca Ceriana means combining a coffee tour with a day in the countryside and a visit to an ecological reserve. The eco-agrotourism farm has 3 km (almost 2 miles) of trails that you can walk with specialized guides. Moreover, you can sample coffee, walk among the Janson coffee plantations, take a ride on a 4x4 Mule, along with exploring and enjoying the reserve, the agricultural farm and the Volcán lagoons.
This is a farm that has put all its effort into caring for the environment and the wild animals that live in its reserve. They focus on country life and environmental conservation. The Volcán Lagoons are part of a biological corridor that protects hundreds of species of high and lowland birds. This corridor is of vital importance for the La Amistad International Park (PILA by its acronym in Spanish) and the Volcán Barú National Park.
Come see it for yourself and visit the farm for a complete experience. In addition to horseback riding and picnic areas, the farm offers 4 tours:
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Family Tour: 2 and a half hours.
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Nature Lovers Tour: 3 hours.
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Nature Lovers Tour Plus: 4 hours.
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Nature Lovers Tour Premium: 5 hours.
These experiences cost approximately US$12.50 to US$75.
Your stay in Tierras Altas isn’t complete without an excellent cup of coffee. We are talking about award-winning and internationally recognized coffees. In all the farms you can buy coffee beans or ground to take home and relive this delicious experience.