African Coffee: Beginners Guide to 7 Key Coffee Growing Regions

There’s no such thing as “African coffee.” Africa is the second largest continent on the planet and home to an enormous swath of geographies and cultures.

There are at least seven African countries with notable coffee industries, though, and learning a bit about each one is a good time. Each one has at least two, but sometimes three, distinct coffee-growing regions within it, so buckle your seatbelt and let’s start with an intro to “African coffee” from 15 regions in seven countries.

Table of Contents

• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• Uganda
• Tanzania
• Rwanda
• Burundi
• Zambia

Harrar, Ethiopia

Harrar is in the dry, eastern part of Ethiopia and is one of the country’s oldest coffee-growing areas. The region is considered “semi-arid” with warm temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons—all great for coffee growing. Small-scale farming methods and high-quality beans make Harrar’s coffee well-known worldwide.

• Coffee drinkers love Harrar beans for their wild and fruity flavors, often described as wine-like with notes of berries, dark chocolate, and spices.
• It typically has a heavy body and medium/low acidity.

Dry-processing in Harrar enhances complex and fruity profiles.

Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia

Yirgacheffe is located in the greener, more moderate southern region of Ethiopia. High elevations, fertile soils, and consistent rainfall create a different environment from Harrar, but still ideal for a different coffee profile.

• Yirgacheffe coffee is known for bright acidity and floral notes. Fans often cite flavors like jasmine, citrus, and bergamot. Many consider Yirgacheffe coffee more delicate and “tea-like.”
• It generally has a light/medium body and a clean, crisp finish.

Wet-processing enhances clarity and their vibrant flavor. This coffee is more complex and refined, so you’ll see it in high-end coffee shops and hipster kitchens.

Sidamo, Ethiopia

Sidamo is a large coffee-growing region in the lush western region of Ethiopia. The region is similar to Yirgacheffe, but tends to get more rain. Sidamo’s diverse microclimates and elevations contribute to the wide range of flavor profiles found in its coffee.

• Sidamo coffee often features notes of citrus, berries, and spices, with occasional floral and herbal undertones.
• It has a medium body and balanced acidity, making it very versatile.

Sidamo coffee growers use both dry and wet processing methods, leading to variations in flavor. Specialty enthusiasts prize this coffee for its depth and richness.

	Harrar	Yirgacheffe	Sidamo
Flavor notes	Berries, dark chocolate, and spices	Jasmine, citrus, and bergamot	Citrus, berries, and spices
Body/acidity	Heavy body and medium to low acidity	Light to medium body and bright, vibrant acidity	Medium body and balanced acidity
Processing	Dry-processed	Wet-processed	Both dry and wet processing methods are used

Central Highlands, Kenya

The Central Highlands of Kenya are located around the base of Mount Kenya, including regions like Nyeri, Kirinyaga, and Murang’a. This area enjoys high altitudes, volcanic soils, moderate temperatures, and consistent rainfall—great for farming.

• Coffee from the Central Highlands of Kenya is known for its complex flavors. There are usually distinctive notes of black currant, citrus, and berries.
• It has a vibrant acidity and full body.

Processing is meticulous in the Central Highlands, to enhance the clarity and brightness of the beans.

Mount Kenya

Mount Kenya coffee specifically refers to coffee grown in the immediate vicinity of Mount Kenya, a more focused region within the Central Highlands.

• Coffee from the Mount Kenya region usually features a more intricate flavor profile. In addition to black currant and citrus, fans highlight notes of tropical fruits, making it a standout in the specialty coffee market.
• It also features a bright acidity and full body.

	Central Highlands	Mount Kenya
Flavor notes	Black currant, citrus, and berries	Black currant, citrus, and tropical fruits
Body/acidity	Vibrant acidity, full body	Bright acidity, full body, and intricate flavors
Processing	Wet-processed	Wet-processed

Bugisu, Uganda

The Bugisu sub-region is located on the slopes of Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda, which means high altitudes, volcanic soils, moderate temps, and good rainfall. The region generally grows Robusta coffee, which are robust, high-quality beans.

(Mike does a great job breaking down Arabica vs. Robusta coffee beans in this video.)

• Coffee from the Bugisu sub-region is famous for its full body and lower acidity—compared to Arabica coffees.
• It’s often described as deep, chocolatey, and fruity, with a smooth, well-rounded profile.

Rwenzori, Uganda

The western region of Uganda is famous for the Rwenzori Mountains National Park—a Ugandan national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The range features the highest peaks in Africa including the fabled Mountains of the Moon, once thought to be the source of the Nile River.

Rwenzori coffee growers usually cultivate Arabica beans on properties tucked between mountains.

• High elevations, rich soil, and steady rains produce a rich body and smooth texture.
• It also features very well-balanced flavors. Fans note dark chocolate, berries, and a hint of spice.

	Bugisu	Rwenzori
Flavor notes	Dark chocolate and ripe fruits	Dark chocolate, berries, and a subtle hint of spice
Body/acidity	Full body and lower acidity	Full body and slightly lighter in acidity
Processing	Dry-processed	Wet-processed

Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

The Kilimanjaro area on the northern border with Kenya is famous for ideal coffee-growing conditions: high altitudes, rich volcanic soils, and a temperate climate with abundant rainfall.

• Coffee from the Kilimanjaro area is prized for its bright acidity and full body.
• It often features notes of citrus, berries, and floral undertones, creating a vibrant and well-balanced experience.

The unique growing conditions and traditional processing methods, including wet processing, enhance the coffee’s clarity and distinctiveness.

Mbeya, Tanzania

The Mbeya region in southwestern Tanzania is surrounded by game reserves. Catholic missionaries first brought coffee cultivation to the region in the 1800s, and it’s been a staple of their economy ever since.

Mbeya features similarly perfect coffee-growing terroir, with high altitudes, volcanic soils, a temperate climate, consistent rainfall, and moderate temperatures.

• Coffee from Mbeya has a well-balanced flavor profile, which often includes notes of dark chocolate, citrus, and a hint of spice.
• It typically has a medium to full body with a pleasant acidity.

Wet processing enhances this coffee’s clean, crisp taste and aromatics.

	Kilimanjaro	Mbeya
Flavor notes	Bright citrus notes, berries, and floral undertones	Dark chocolate, citrus, and a hint of spice
Body/acidity	Full body with bright acidity	Full body but with a more moderate acidity
Processing	Wet-processed	Wet-processed

Nyamagabe, Rwanda

The Nyamagabe region is nestled in the highlands of southwest of Rwanda. The area checks all the boxes: high altitudes, rich volcanic soils, and a temperate climate with consistent rainfall.

• Coffee from Nyamagabe is celebrated for its bright acidity and medium body.
• It often features floral undertones and a hit of spice, like cinnamon or clove. It is said to have a pleasant, lingering aftertaste.

The combination of altitude, soil, and traditional wet processing methods enhances the coffee’s clarity and distinctiveness.

Gisenyi, Rwanda

Gisenyi is the second largest city in Rwanda, situated on the beautiful shores of Lake Kivu in the northwest. Like most of Rwanada it has (you guessed it) altitude, volcanic soils, temperate climate, and ample rainfall. Check, check, and check.

• Gisenyi generally produces a medium body coffee.
• Known for bold flavors, floral undertones are deepened from and a hint of cocoa and other rich, earthy flavors.

Gisenyi coffee is highly prized in the specialty coffee market for its nuanced, distinctive, and refined characteristics.

	Nyamagabe	Gisenyi
Flavor notes	Floral with spice	Floral with earthy undertones like cocoa, liquorice, or cedar
Body/acidity	Medium body with bright acidity	Medium body with bright acidity
Processing	Wet-processed	Wet-processed

Kayanza, Burundi

Kayanza is in the northern region of Burundi, near the Rwanda border. It is one of two prominent coffee-growing regions. The terroir here is very similar, making it another ideal coffee growing location.

• Coffee from Kayanza is celebrated for a similarly bright acidity and medium body. It’s sometimes referred to as “tea-like.”
• It often features vibrant notes of citrus and red fruit, with floral undertones.

As in most of Burundi, smallholder-farmers are responsible for coffee cultivation and use wet processing.

Ngozi, Burundi

Ngozi is the largest urban area in its province, but relatively near Kayanza in northern Burundi. The elevation and climate are much the same. This means the coffee beans produced are similar but they there are some nuanced differences.

• Coffee from Ngozi is renowned for its vibrant acidity and medium body.
• This coffee often features notes of stone fruits like peach and plum, along with hints of chocolate and spices.

In general, while both regions of Burundi produce great coffee, Kayanza’s tend to exhibit a vibrant acidity and complexity, whereas Ngozi’s coffees are stand out for their balance and nuanced sweetness.

	Kayanza	Ngozi
Flavor notes	Citrus and red fruit, with floral	Stone fruits, chocolate, spice
Body/acidity	Medium body with bright acidity	Medium body with bright acidity
Processing	Wet-processed	Wet-processed

Northern Province, Zambia

Northern Province in Zambia is located near the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania, and is known for its high altitudes, fertile soils, and sub-tropical climate. It’s a huge portion of Zambia’s coffee industry, accounting for about 97% of Zambia’s coffee exports.

• Coffee from Northern Province has a moderately complex body and the bright acidity that comes from high altitudes.
• Common flavor notes include citrus and berries, with floral undertones.

Muchinga, Zambia

Muchinga Province is neighbor to Northern Province in Zambia. The climate and terroir are very similar, and the beans are much alike, but there are notable differences.

• The soil throughout Muchinga is extremely fertile but not as volcanic. The difference in mineral composition creates some subtle differences in flavor.
• Beans in Northern Province are almost exclusively wet-processed. In Muchinga, processing is either wet or natural, dry processing.

	Northern Province	Muchinga
Flavor notes	Citrus and berries, with floral	Stone fruits, chocolate, nuts
Body/acidity	Medium body with bright acidity	Medium body with mellow acidity
Processing	Wet-processed	Wet- and dry-processed

Getting started with African coffee varieties

There are so many places to start. Pick a region with a flavor profile that most appeals to you, and you can almost definitely find some good beans online.

Remember to look for:

• Single origin
• Fair Trade Certified
• Certified Organic

Try one region at a time. Work your way slowly and thoughtfully through a bag from one region. Then, when you’re familiar with one, try another from a very different region with a very different profile.