Small Himalayan arabica origin, often described as bright and floral-fruity. Gulmi is credited with introducing coffee to Nepal.
Nepal is a small, emerging specialty-coffee origin. Coffee is grown in hill districts including Gulmi, Palpa, Syangja, Kaski and Lalitpur, with farms often reported between about 1,000 and 2,100 meters (another source cites 800 to 1,600 m). Bourbon, Typica and Caturra are commonly cited varieties. Washed processing is the most common, with natural, honey and anaerobic lots increasingly seen. Coffee is said to have been introduced in 1938 at Aapchaur in Gulmi with seeds from Burma. Output is small and counts vary. Board data quoted by Perfect Daily Grind give 354.9 tonnes for 2021/22 against a record 530 tonnes in 2018/19, while a trade source puts it at roughly 500 to 600 tonnes.
History
Hira Giri is credited with starting Nepal's coffee in 1938 at Aapchaur in Gulmi, using seeds from Burma. The crop was little noticed for decades, and the government imported seeds from India in 1968. Coffee processing began in the 1980s, the National Tea and Coffee Development Board was set up in 1993, and the first specialty cafe is reported around 1999-2000.
Field notes
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Hira Giri is credited with starting Nepal's coffee in 1938, planting seeds brought from Burma at Aapchaur in Gulmi.
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One source reports that the Nepalese government imported coffee seeds from India in 1968, beginning more serious cultivation.
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Himalayan Java is reported to have opened Nepal's first specialty coffee shop around 1999-2000.
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In 1982 the Tinau Watershed Project promoted coffee on terrace risers, as a way to hold soil against erosion.
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The national tea and coffee board estimates coffee can grow in 42 districts, with almost 1.2 million hectares of potential plantation area.
Where it growsCoffee is grown in Nepal's mid-hill districts, with farms often reported between about 1,000 and 2,100 m.
In the cup, according to guides
- AcidityMoreOften described with bright acidity.
- FloralOften notedOften described with floral and fruity notes.
Regions of Nepal
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District credited with introducing coffee farming to Nepal in 1938.
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Hill district where farmers formed a coffee production group in 1989, which became Nepal's coffee committee in 1991.
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Hill district around Pokhara, named among Nepal's coffee-growing districts.
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District named among Nepal's specialty coffee-growing districts.
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Eastern hill district that trade writing names as Nepal's largest coffee producer, ahead of Gulmi.
Species
Sources · 5 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-11-11. Some details here are less settled than others.
- How Nepal is emerging as a specialty coffee origin · Perfect Daily Grind
- About - Nepal Coffee Federation · Nepal Coffee Federation
- Discovering Nepal Coffee: A Hidden Gem in the Coffee World · Ecotact
- Nepal's coffee saga · The Annapurna Express
- Will Nepal produce more specialty coffee? · Perfect Daily Grind