Drying beds on high elevation at Nyamasheke Hills Station in Rwanda.

Rwanda

Nyamasheke Hills

About 

Nyamasheke Hills

Highlights

Nyamasheke Hills

  • Volcanic soil and Lake Kivu winds result in dense, complex beans
  • Owned and operated by the Ndereyimana family since 2017
  • Station currently distributes Yellow Bourbon seedlings

High-Altitude Coffee Grown Between Forest and Lake

In Rwanda’s far western highlands, Nyamasheke Hills Coffee rises from volcanic soils and cool lake breezes. Located between 1750 and 2200 meters above sea level and framed by Lake Kivu and Nyungwe National Park, the station benefits from one of the country’s most dynamic terroirs. Fertile volcanic ground, moisture-stabilizing lake winds, and consistent rainfall together create the slow-maturing conditions needed for dense, complex coffee cherries.

Coffee as a Family Calling

This is the story of Ndereyimana Louis, who began with 500 coffee trees and a vision: to build a better future for his family through coffee. What began in 1999 with small-scale parchment trading evolved into something much larger. In 2017, Louis and his children launched two washing stations—Nyamasheke Hills Coffee in Nyamasheke District and Birambo in Karongi. Together, they form a family-led business with an annual output of four containers of specialty coffee, built on integrity, traceability, and regional pride.

The Taste of Elevation

Since Trabocca began sourcing from Nyamasheke Hills, one characteristic has stood out: roasters across various countries choose to roast this coffee exceptionally light. It’s a rare expression of density and complexity—coffees that hold their structure even with minimal development. The station’s high elevation and gentle lake winds enable slow, even drying, resulting in coffee that is both bright and layered. In our Quality Labs we consistently found profiles that showcase

  • Clean citrus and stonefruit brightness
  • Floral and herbal aromatics
  • Balanced sweetness with medium to silky body
  • A finish that remains clear even as the cup cools

Technical

Information

Region

nyamasheke

Varieties

Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon

Altitude

1750 - 2200 masl.

Producer

Ndereyimana Louis

Soil Type

Volcanic

Nyamasheke Hills on the Competition Stage

n 2025, Nyamasheke Hills Coffee was sponsored by Trabocca as one of the mystery coffees in the Roast Masters competition at the Amsterdam Coffee Festival. Represented by station manager and co-owner Muhire Ernest, we provided a natural-processed lot that reflected Rwanda’s evolving role in specialty coffee landscape and positions the country as a trusted origin for quality-driven roasters.

“It is great seeing coffee from Nyamasheke Hills at the Roast Masters competition… We are excited for the exposure of our coffee and wishing all the competitors the best success. Turabakunda tubahorane and muraho to everyone enjoying Nyamasheke Hills coffee.”
Muhire Ernest

Looking Ahead: New Varieties, Same Values

While Red Bourbon is the Rwanda’s current mainstay, Muhire and his team are already distributing Yellow Bourbon seedlings to farmers in the network—an uncommon move in Rwanda that could shape future profiles. This varietal diversification, combined with ongoing quality investments, reflects the station’s commitment to innovation rooted in tradition. We are very excited about this and can’t wait to taste and distribute these lots soon.

in pursuit of great coffee.