Organic coffee plantation
Our driver will meet you at your hotel at 0830 for your Chiang Mai coffee tour. Today you will visit the organic coffee farm Suan Lahu. This is a private tour. This coffee plantation is in the mountains north of Chiang Mai. Please wear proper shoes with profile. We will drive past Doi Saket and head into the hills. We have time for photo stops at one of the flower nurseries. After arrival at Suan Lahu, you will be received by your native hosts, who will brief you on Suan Lahu and organic coffee growing. A local Lahu guide will take you around the 80 rai (12 hectares) coffee plantation with Arabica coffee and fruit trees. Forest makes up for the remaining 20 rai. Views are amazing.
Get your hands dirty on the Chiang Mai Coffee Tour
Having seen lychee, lemon and avocado trees, amongst others, you will have time to engage your first volunteer activity. There are several seasonal activities possible at the farm. These range from taking care of farm animals (pigs and chicken), freeing the plants from strangulating vines, to grading, roasting, and harvesting the coffee beans. It will keep you busy until lunchtime. Enjoy a vegetarian, home-made lunch prepared by your Lahu hosts.
Lahu Sheleh community
After lunch, you will visit the Lahu Sheleh community. A sub-group of the Black Lahu, they are an ethnic minority originating from the Tibet/China border area. We will show you some old pictures of the Lahu from yesteryear and show you around Doi Mod, the community located next to the organic coffee farm. After this, we will head back to the farm for the afternoon’s activity which can be one of your choosing. You can join local villagers working at the farm on a seasonal basis, or support Suan Lahu project founders in their natural and cultural restoration activities. At around 16:00 you will say goodbye to your hosts after an active, educational and fun day full interesting activities, fresh air, healthy food, and most delicious coffee. Drive back to Chiang Mai. We will drop you off at the hotel. We hope you enjoyed the Chiang Mai Coffee Tour.
If you are interested in coffee we also offer a two day/one night tour Chiang Rai Coffee, Tea and Tribes tour. During this tour we visit a tea plantation as well as the famous Doi Chang coffee factory and plantation.