Aquiares Coffee Tour: Seed to cup on a working farm

You plant a coffee tree and pick the beans yourself on the same morning.

A full-day tour of Aquiares coffee farm near Turrialba follows the complete coffee cycle from seed to cup, with a professional guide leading groups of up to fifteen. You plant your own tree, pick coffee alongside the workers, swim at a waterfall, tour the beneficio where beans are roasted and tasted, and eat lunch and snacks at the hacienda. The tour runs eight hours starting at 8:30 a.m. and includes entry to the farm, mill, church and community spaces.

Step-by-step itinerary

Complete coffee farm experience

• Welcome with coffee and pastries
• Visit Ceibo Lookout
• Community and church visit
• Plant coffee tree and pick coffee
• Visit waterfall and optional swimming
• Lunch at La Esperanza
• Coffee tour, roasting and cupping
• Shop and cafeteria visit
• Goodbye with last coffee offered

What’s included

• Welcome coffee and pastries.
• professional guide in English or Spanish.
• snacks and beverages throughout the day.
• full lunch at the hacienda.
• entrance fees to the farm, mill, hacienda and church.
• coffee and tea service.

Times

• Every day 08:30

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Before you book

Group Private 9 group tours ›

Live guide English and Spanish Another language? ›

Meeting point and pickup No hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point. 9 with pickup ›

Book up to 1d before

Ages Adult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4)

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund. It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Moderate physical effort Wheelchair accessible Public transport nearby

Operated by Aquiares Coffee & Community Experience

Prices and times updated yesterday

Traveler reviews

5.00 ★★★★★ Exceptional 12 verified traveler reviews

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The experience

If you're in the Central Valley with a free day and want to understand where coffee actually comes from, Aquiares sits seven kilometers north of Turrialba and operates as a working farm, not a museum. The morning starts at La Esperanza hacienda with coffee and pastries, then moves through the Ceibo Lookout and a community visit before you spend an hour planting your own tree and picking coffee from the plants. The waterfall comes next (swimming is optional), and lunch stretches across the early afternoon at the hacienda.

The second half centers on the beneficio, the processing mill where you watch beans being roasted and join a coffee cupping to taste the difference between roasts. A shop and cafeteria visit follows, and the day closes with a final coffee back at La Esperanza. A professional guide in English or Spanish walks the whole sequence, and the farm provides welcome coffee, snacks, lunch, and all beverages. Entry fees to the farm, mill, hacienda and church are included. You just need to arrange your own transport to the starting point.

Groups run between three and fifteen people, and families are welcome. The operator notes there are options for everyone. The eight-hour commitment means you're embedded in the rhythm of the place for most of a day, not rushing through highlights. Moderate fitness helps because you're walking the property and doing some light farm work, but the pace is set by the guide and the farm's own schedule, not by a tight itinerary.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4).

What exactly happens during the coffee picking part of the tour?

You spend an hour picking coffee beans from the plants alongside the farm workers, learning the technique and the timing. It's hands-on work, not a demonstration. You're doing what the harvest requires, then moving on to the next part of the day.

Is the waterfall swim included, or do I have to pay extra?

The waterfall visit is part of the tour and included in the price. Swimming is optional, so you can wade, sit by the water, or skip it entirely and rest while others swim.

What does the coffee cupping involve?

At the beneficio mill in the afternoon, you taste coffees roasted to different levels and learn how roasting changes the flavor. The guide walks you through the tasting process so you can feel the difference between a light and a dark roast.

How far is Aquiares from San Jose, and how do I get there?

Aquiares is near Turrialba in the Central Valley, about 60 kilometers east of San Jose. Public transportation options run to the area, but you'll need to arrange your own transport to the farm at Casa Hacienda La Esperanza. The tour operator does not provide pickup.