Most travelers come to Uganda for gorilla trekking, but don’t miss the chance for sustainable tourism, including a farm visit, a coffee tour and a culinary tour. Sustainable tourism in Mbale, Uganda allowed me to spend some time learning customs and traditions, meeting local farmers and other locals–which greatly enriched my visit.
“Before you tip your barista, think about the farmer who wakes up early to ensure someone is enjoying their cup of coffee,” says Naminya Saleh while taking me around his farm at Casa Del Turista in Mbale, Uganda. Saleh continues by adding that the real story is the lost farmer—the hard worker who gets overlooked.
(Loyce, Erin, and Mukhaye (l-r) cooking. (Photo by Naminya Saleh)
Mbale, Uganda
Mbale, Uganda, is approximately a six-hour drive from the capital, Entebbe.
I flew into Entebbe from Oman (where I’m based) and was picked up by the hotel where I was staying in Mbale, Mt. Elgon Hotel and Spa. I spent six days here, visiting the Sipi and Walwanyi waterfalls, exploring the local market, touring the museum, taking a city tour, and visiting another coffee farm. Most places are within a twenty-minute drive or less from my hotel, except for Walwanyi, which was about a forty-five-minute drive.
The view from Casa de Tourista (Photo by Erin Coyle)
Casa Del Turista
Casa Del Turista offers coffee and culinary experiences at the lodge. Saleh’s goal is to bring people together through sustainable tourism, respecting culture and the environment, while having a meaningful impact on the community. The community helps one another earn money, and tours are one way to do so.
Visitors will feel relaxed while exploring the over one-acre farm, which features lush green banana trees and a variety of plants, including guava, aloe, and rosemary.
Naminya Saleh (left) and Muhammed (right) showing the pulping machine. (Photo by Erin Coyle)
Coffee Tour in Mbale, Uganda
It was time for my coffee experience, and one local farmer, Muhammed Mukusubi, explained each step, starting from planting, and allowed me to participate throughout the process.
Mukusubi and Saleh encouraged me to test my farming skills at the beginning. I was careful when picking the red coffee cherries, as you need to pick them in a specific way to prevent spoiling the coffee. I passed, and I was able to keep assisting for the rest of the steps.
Sustainable Tourism in Uganda Shows Appreciation for Farmers
This fun and hands-on plant-to-cup experience gave me so much appreciation for farmers. While I was grinding the beans in a mortar, it seemed to take a long time to crush them. Eventually, another farmer, Patrick, took over and quickly finished the process.
Erin grinding beans (Photo by Naminya Saleh)
There was a lot of laughter on this tour, as I learned and helped. Before I knew it, I was sitting and roasting the beans. It was finally time to enjoy our coffee while overlooking lush green banana trees, accompanied by nuts and bananas.
Getting ready to have coffee (Photo by Erin Coyle)
Tree Planting in Mbale, Uganda
Mukusubi helped me plant my own tree, which will be ready for harvest in three years. This is one initiative where visitors can support local communities.
Culinary Tour in Mbale, Uganda
Another way Casa Del Turista is promoting sustainable tourism is through culinary experiences. There are eighty-five women in a cooperative who work together, helping one another strengthen their entrepreneurial skills while earning a living.
They meet once a week and split the money they have earned through tours. It’s a chance for them to send their children to school and support their families.
Sustainable tourism also benefits guests by offering an opportunity to learn about local traditions and, in this case, to discover the local cuisine.
Loyce, Erin and -Mukhaye (L-R) cooking. (Photo by Naminya Saleh)
Traditional Lunch
I met Mukhaye Jamila and Loyce Khayemba, who had infectious laughs and immediately made me feel at home. We made a traditional lunch consisting of cassava, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, creeping and tuba yams, and Matooke. Matooke is a type of banana that is cooked in banana leaves and turns out resembling mashed potatoes.
Khayemba was laughing at my peeling skills while I tried to cut the sweet potato skin in my hand with a sharp knife. I laughed, saying I’m used to a cutting board and peeler. It made me appreciate the skills these women have.
The vegetables for the meals are from the ladies’ gardens. And like the coffee experience, visitors are involved in every step in the culinary class. The three of us laughed nonstop, and I enjoyed this experience because I like learning how to prepare local cuisine when traveling.
While waiting for the vegetables to cook, we made some sauces. One was a groundnut sauce, reminiscent of refried beans, yet it tasted a little smoky with a hint of peanut. I could have eaten the sauce by itself.
We eventually removed the Matooke from the banana leaf and enjoyed this locally sourced meal.
A traditional lunch in Mbale, Uganda (Photo by Erin Coyle)
Sustainable Tourism in Uganda
With both coffee and culinary experiences, it’s a way for visitors to gain knowledge and appreciate the hard work that goes into these practices. Locals are earning a living, and tourists are learning about the culture.
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-All photos by Erin Coyle and Naminya Saleh, as credited. Cover photo by Naminya Saleh.
