Travel Haiti’s Coffee Lands w/ Singing Rooster

Ripe coffee cherry, Haiti

Embark on an adventure of a lifetime with an origin trip to Haiti’s coffee lands.  Haiti was the world’s third largest coffee producer in 1949.  After decades of dormancy, Singing Rooster, a social enterprise nonprofit, has been working directly with farmers since 2009.  Together, we’re putting Haiti’s reputation back on the world’s coffee map.  Join us on a tour of Haiti’s coffee mecca, Thiotte, where you’ll visit family farms, farmer-owned processing centers, and experience rural Haiti.  This tour provides insight into something rare– where getting there is half the fun.

singing rooster farm haiti
We’ll tour our demonstration farm that is changing how farmers think about and process coffee.  Singing Rooster’s coffee farm shows Haitian farmers best practices.  It’s working.   #haitiancoffee   #yourcupmatters

Trip Overview

  • 7-days, 6-nights
  • 2 nights in Port Au Prince (coming & going)
  • 3 nights in Thiotte (Haiti’s coffee mecca)
  • In-country transportation, 2 daily meals, lodging covered
  • Cost – $980 per person (you cover flight to/from Port au Prince + $10 entrance fee)
  • 8 people max per trip
  • Age minimum = 18
  • Physical requirements: traveling long hours over bumpy roads, hiking, & limited access to facilities
luxo justin rooster haiti
Justin Dena, Singing Rooster’s Director of Development. Luxo Merisier, Singing Rooster’s Farm Manager

Trip GuideJustin Dena is Singing Rooster’s Director of Business Development and is an experienced traveler in Haiti.  He is certified as an EMT and is a Marine Corps Veteran.  He’s a nice respectful guy — full of curiosity with insight and advocacy for Haitian farmers.  He will make your trip worthwhile!

“Traveling with Justin is fun.  He’s full of adventure and practicality — just what you want in a guide.  When our truck broke down, he jumped on a 4-wheeler and took charge of getting us to where we needed to be.”   Molly Nicaise (can’t stand roosters,  but loves Haitian coffee)

Travel Dates:   Like us on Facebook or follow Singing Rooster on instagram to learn about trip dates. Better yet email us – we’ll put you on the list & will inform you of upcoming trip dates: I want to know more about your next trip to the coffee lands – only 8 seats per trip

General Itinerary / Events You’ll Experience (subject to change): 

Day 1:  Friday arrival in Port au Prince. Shared evening meal at local hotel:  introductions, trip details, overview of Haiti including learning creole phrases.

Day 2:  Saturday begins with an early breakfast, then departure.  Tour Singing Rooster’s coffee roastery and processing center on the way out of town.  Embark on a 4 hour drive over 80 miles of rough terrain.  Stop at the Pine Forest Saturday Market (something you’ll never forget).  Visit farmer co-op processing station after a late lunch.  Overnight in Thiotte.

narrow path haiti coffee

Day 3:  Sunday begins w/ a tour of Singing Rooster’s demonstration farms:   see how coffee grows and is transforming Haiti’s bare mountain landscape. Includes hiking on small, rocky (and occasionally slippery) paths.  Good shoes & attitude required.

Day 4:  Monday tour a family farm.  Visit local farmer co-ops, nursery, roastery, & facility.

Day 5:  Wednesday morning, we’ll head back to Croix des Bouquets (12 km from Port au Price) where we’ll check into hotel.  Visit the fabulous metal art district.

metal oil drum art haiti

Day 6:  Wednesday visit Haiti’s largest waterfall, Salt Eau / Sodo.  Evening meal together.

Day 7:  Thursday morning debriefing over breakfast.  Travel to airport.

Trip is suited for glampers — glorified campers (Haiti’s country guest houses are basic):

  • shared rooms & bathrooms
  • occasional hot rooms (no fans – pack a mini fan?)
  • occasional electrical outages
  • little or no water pressure in your cold shower
  • periodic cell phone coverage in the mountains
  • basic mattresses & pillows
  • dogs barking, roosters crowing (not just at dawn)
  • occasional smoke from outdoor cookeries (they cook by fire)
  • occasional exhaust from heavy traffic
  • lots of dusty, unpaved & bumpy roads
  • hiking on rocky, slippery paths
  • lots of creole chicken, rice & beans!
tour haiti

Please note:  traveling 80 miles to the destination is slow-going, bumpy, and tiring.  Have a good back?  Like sitting really close to strangers (who quickly become great friends)?  This trip is for you.  There is a lot to see along the way, and it’s a grand adventure.  We’ll travel in a Toyota land cruiser that has 2 benches for seating.  We’ll draw a lottery for the front seat!  We’ll stop along the way to stretch legs and take photos.  Experienced, trusted driver. 

travel coffee haiti

What to bring:  we’ll email you a travel checklist.

We want you to love Haiti as much as we do.  When we travel in small groups to places off the map – it changes us — how we think, interact.  It inspires us in ways unanticipated.  Join us.

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#visithaiti

#haitiancoffee

#tourcoffeelands

#yourcupmatters

Keelia Trively, Singing Rooster’s social media maven went on Singing Rooster’s coffee lands trip and shared her journal in a blog.