The history of coffee and a visit to the jungle

To know the wonders of Costa Rica, it takes many days, maybe months or years. However, little by little you can discover the true gold of this country. A day trip can allow you to live those experiences, in a short time.

This time we chose Doka Estate and La Paz Waterfall One Day Tour, a beautiful combination of coffee plantations and waterfalls in the middle of the humid tropical forest.

We waited for the bus early in the morning, our driver’s name was Gustavo and Eugenio, our friendly guide, was the one in charge of making this experience, a better one. The next mission was to gather all those who would attend the trip, among them Canadians, Colombians, Americans, Germans and Costa Ricans, a meeting of cultures!

Once all the participants were aboard, we took the Pan-American highway to the City of Alajuela. From the bus we were able to know the Monumento al Agricultor, Monumento a Juan Santamaría and the famous Parque de Los Mangos, in the center of the city.

Leaving the city of Alajuela, the climate began to change and even the smell of the air, felt different. We started the ascent to Poás Volcano, one of the most famous volcanoes in Costa Rica, active at the moment. We made a strategic stop at a viewpoint where we could enjoy a beautiful view of the Central Valley, and we had a brief explanation about the golden grain, the coffee and its cultivation.

Back to the bus we followed the path that led us to Doka Estate, a family project dedicated to the sowing of coffee since 1940 and known for its brand Café Tres Generaciones. The place is wonderful and delivers a luxury service to all its visitors.

The first thing we did was enjoy a “Gallo Pinto”, the typical Costa Rican breakfast, it was delicious! Then we started with the tour; where thanks to Eugene we learned about the oldest production techniques of the gold grain. Seed germination, plant development and harvesting of the ripe grain until drying and the roasting process of the grain. We also knew the history of the farm, its owners, the production and varieties of plants, the geography of the area and traditional ways of growing coffee.

It should be noted that at the end of the tour, we were able to take advantage of and visit the souvenir shop of Doka Estate where we had the opportunity to taste the brewed coffee and more of its products.

After completing the coffee tour, we took the road to La Paz Waterfall Gardens, located in Vara Blanca de Heredia. This place is a rainforest and really was an unforgettable experience, where we could interact with different birds, from the toucan to the hummingbirds that are in large quantities, and what is better; they are so accustomed to people that we could observe their behavior very close. The butterfly farm was my favorite part, because among all the butterflies, the Morpho were protagonists, there were many of them, it almost felt like a fairy tale. Snakes, frogs, monkeys and felines can not be left out, each space offers a unique experience.

After a buffet lunch, with a variety of options, we went into the jungle to start the 45-minute walk that would take us to the waterfalls. These are majestic and surrounded by beautiful flora. Each one is different and the surrounding landscapes seem to be taken from a postcard, ideal for all lovers of photography.

With this tour, we learned a lot and our deep respect for nature only intensified after the visit. We certainly met a small, but large part of Costa Rica, which was worth every moment.

Would you like to do this tour? Click here to make the reservation