Colombia’s second coffee harvest of the year — the mitaca — is now underway across the Eje Cafetero, the coffee-growing region that spans the departments of Quindio, Risaralda, and parts of Antioquia and Valle del Cauca. The mitaca season runs from October through December and is generally smaller in volume than the main harvest (April to June), but it produces some of the region’s most sought-after micro-lots due to the cooler, more consistent temperatures of the mountain dry season.
What the Harvest Means for Visitors
October is an excellent time to visit the coffee region. Farms are actively harvesting, which means guided tours can include hands-on picking alongside local pickers (called caficultores), roasting demonstrations, and cupping sessions. The activity level on farms makes visits more dynamic than the quiet off-harvest months.
Visitor-facing coffee farms in Salento and the surrounding villages now charge COP 40,000 to 80,000 per person for two-hour farm tours. Some of the most visited:
- Finca El Ocaso (near Salento): full farm tour from COP 60,000, English-speaking guides available
- Hacienda Venecia (Manizales area): highly regarded for its educational programme, from COP 55,000
- Finca La Victoria (Buenavista): one of the region’s oldest farms, family-run, from COP 50,000
Most tours last 90 minutes to two hours and include tastings of freshly roasted coffee.
Weather Conditions in the Eje Cafetero in October
The mitaca season coincides with the second dry window across Quindio and Risaralda. Afternoons in Salento (at 1,900 metres elevation) are mild at 18 to 22 degrees Celsius, with mornings cooler at 12 to 14 degrees. Expect some rain, particularly in the afternoons, but rain typically falls in short bursts rather than prolonged showers.
Filandia, a smaller and less-visited pueblo, is increasingly popular with travellers looking for a quieter alternative to Salento. Both towns are covered in the Salento coffee region guide and Filandia guide.
Farm Tour Tips for October Visitors
Arrive early at farms to join pickers on the hillsides before the heat of the day. Coffee cherries are sorted by hand after picking — a process visitors can participate in — and roasting usually takes place in the late morning. The best micro-lot coffee from the mitaca harvest is processed as washed or honey-process and typically exported, but farms sell direct to visitors at prices far below what the same beans cost internationally.
The coffee region guide covers transport links from Medellin and Armenia, accommodation options across price points, and the difference between main-harvest and mitaca visits.