Medellin: Private Coffee Farm Tour & Hands-On Tasting

Summary

Colombian coffee journey near Medellin with real farmers and hands-on moments

You’ll taste fresh-brewed Colombian coffee straight from the source, pick ripe beans alongside local farmers near Medellin, and follow every step from seed to cup with your guide’s stories along the way. Includes hotel pickup, hands-on activities, and a homemade snack—plus those little moments you can’t plan for.

What’s the experience like?

“You want sugar?” the farmer’s wife asked, holding out a chipped mug just as we stepped off the van—still shaking rain from my hair. The smell hit me first: earthy, warm, a little sweet, nothing like the coffee back home. We were only thirty minutes from Medellin’s El Poblado but it already felt like another world—lush hills, birds yelling at each other overhead, mud sticking to my boots. Our guide Luis grinned and said something about how this was “real” Colombian coffee, not the stuff in airport shops. I believed him right away.

I didn’t expect to get my hands so dirty. After the first cup (I had two), we got buckets and hats—mine kept sliding over my eyes—and headed into rows of shiny-leafed bushes. Picking ripe beans is trickier than it looks; you have to feel for just the right softness. The farmer showed me how his hands move fast but gentle—I was slow and clumsy by comparison. He told us stories about wages and families working together during harvests. At one point I laughed too loud when my bucket barely filled up compared to everyone else’s. There was this moment where I just stopped and listened—the sound of rain on leaves, someone humming nearby—it stuck with me.

We saw every step after that: depulping (slippery beans everywhere), fermenting in these big tubs, drying under a plastic tent that smelled faintly sweet and sour at once. Luis let us try turning the old threshing machine—loud and satisfying—and then came roasting time. Three levels: light, medium, dark; all done in small batches right there while we watched the color change. Grinding was noisy but kind of fun—I may have gotten coffee dust on my shirt (no regrets). We packed some up to take home but honestly it tasted best there, sipped slowly with a homemade snack while everyone chatted around a wobbly table.

I still think about that view from the edge of the farm—fog rolling in over green hills—and how different everything tasted when you’d seen where it started. If you’re looking for a private coffee farm tour near Medellin that actually lets you do things yourself (not just watch), this is it. You might leave with muddy boots or new friends—or maybe both.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Private coffee farm tour and processing

• Travel from hotel to coffee farm
• Welcome and coffee introduction
• Sample coffee with flavor notes
• Plant coffee seeds in seedbed
• Walk around coffee plantation
• Pick ripe coffee beans
• Weigh picked coffee beans
• Depulp, ferment, and wash beans
• Dry coffee beans in Marquesina tent
• Remove husk with threshing machine
• Roast coffee at three levels
• Grind roasted coffee beans
• Pack fresh coffee for purchase
• Enjoy included snack with owners

Top questions

How far is the coffee farm from Medellin?

The farm is about 30 minutes away from El Poblado in Medellin by private car.

Is this a private tour or group experience?

This is a private coffee farm tour for your group only.

What activities are included on the tour?

You’ll plant seeds, pick beans, help with depulping, fermenting, drying, threshing, roasting, grinding and packing coffee.

Is lunch included?

A traditional homemade snack is included during your visit.

Do I need special clothing or shoes?

Buckets, hats and rain boots are provided for activities on the plantation.

Will I get to taste different types of coffee?

Yes—you’ll sample various brewing methods and flavor notes during an introduction at the farm.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes—hotel pickup and drop-off in Medellin are included in your day trip.

Are guides local experts?

Your tour will be led by local guides who know both farming techniques and regional culture well.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Medellin by private car, all entry fees at the family-run coffee farm, guidance through every stage of production from planting to roasting alongside locals, plus buckets, hats and rain boots for picking beans yourself—a homemade traditional snack rounds out your visit before heading back to town.