As in centuries past, it remains possible to experience and be part of the culture of coffee, to have close encounters with magnificent landscapes, colors and aromas, to follow the harvest and production involved in the creation of one of the world's favorite beverages. Chiapas invites you to a unique trip to the world of coffee in the spectacular highlands of this enchanting Mexican destination.
The state of Chiapas is the number one producer of coffee in Mexico with some 325 million coffee trees as well as others planted to provide shade, bringing a total number of more than 400 million plants to Chiapas’ natural tropical environment.
The Coffea Arabica species, grown in altitudes higher than 3,300 feet, arrived in the region known as the Soconusco around 1820, where it gradually flourished until the 1880’s. At this time an interesting encounter took place among German and Swiss businessmen invited by the Mexican government to establish coffee plantations and exploit local facilities involving indigenous Chiapans.
The challenge was to turn wilderness into places organized production, infrastructure had to be set up, networks and roadways constructed. One small town prospered as business headquarters: Tapachula.
More recently, over 135,000 hectares have been dedicated to coffee production, mainly in the Tapachula and Huixtla regions. Chiapas accounts for 60% of Mexico's coffee output.
The Route of the Coffee is a unique and special circuit offered only in the state of Chiapas, and one of its main goals is to share the knowledge, history and tradition behind the coffee production and to invite national and international tourists to experience the spectacular sights and bountiful vegetation of the region.
Until recent times, the Route was formed by thirteen “fincas” (properties or huge plantations), among which are: Argovia, Chiripa, Hamburgo, Irlanda, La Granja, La Lucha, Lindavista, Peru-Paris, Rancho Alegre, San Antonio Chicharras, San Francisco, Santa Rita and Violetas.
The current owners have inherited these fincas from their ancestors; some are now 7th generation coffee growers, who've preserved names, traditions, parts of the original plantations and, most importantly, family pride and love for the culture of coffee. Most fincas date from the 1800s and for some time have not been open to visitors. Many have now opened their doors.
Today, is possible to visit and see the plantations up close, to get a complete overview of the cultivated areas, the process and the facilities. Fincas Hamburgo, Argovia and Irlanda offer tourists a complete program includeing not only educational aspects but arrays of outdoor activities, making a trip here a perfect blend of culture, adventure and ecotourism.
Each of the three fincas have unique attractions including the chance to look back in time to 19th century coffee culture, those that show the evolution and history of coffee through original machinery, and those that explore the sophisticated processes used today.
Come here to see coffee paradises five thousand feet above the sea level, the clearest skies, exuberant vegetation, cliffs, rivers and spectacular sights. Also here are excellent walking tours, hiking and camping opportunities. The most adventurous will also find rappelling and rip line options. And for those who prefer to relax with nature, the biodiversity of this is perfect for bird watching with aviaries featuring endangered species such as the quetzal, also part of the fincas.
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