The name “Virunga Blue Mountains” is inspired by family history.
It is the story of my father, the first Congolese to promote tourism in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after Congo’s independence, whose fight for the preservation of Virunga National Park lasted 40 years.
It is also the story of my uncle, a businessman and major coffee producer.
Thus, it is only natural that most of my childhood memories take me back to Virunga over a cup of coffee.
Memories of afternoons watching the lions cross the Rutshuru River at sunset; mornings on Mount Sabinyo where the gorillas played not far from where we sat; or those wonderful moments with my father over a cup of coffee watching the blue mountains from our family home beside Lake Kivu.
A tradition that brought our small family tribe together long before the wars that ravaged the region.
Coffee is part of the culture of the African Great Lakes countries, where the Albertine Rift mountain range borders the western branch of the East African Rift.
We drink coffee throughout the day, and it evokes the warmth and joy that can be felt with family and friends whilst simultaneously conjuring the quiet of the rainy seasons, a peaceful moment of solitude and tranquility listening to the unmistakable sound of raindrops falling gently overhead, reminiscing on the good times of the distant past, or simply living in the moment.
The Virunga Blue Mountains café is all of these. It provides a unique sensation, combining quality, character and simplicity around good times shared.
It can be enjoyed throughout the day and transforms the coffee ritual into a memorable experience.
My goal is to share with you this unique coffee, traceable and produced by remarkable producers who respect sustainable agricultural practices and habitat conservation.
Isabelle Prigogine – Founder
