Do I need a Visa to travel to Colombia ?
All citizens who do not also hold Colombian citizenship must present a valid passport to enter and leave Colombia. World citizens do not need a Colombian a tourist or business stay of 90 days or less.
What is the overall cost of the trip?
The overall cost of this trip is $1500usd-1600usd (1330-1400eur), the amount is dependent on your needs. If you need a payment plan or come with a friend the cost will vary. Travel insurance & flight is not included in this price. I highly recommend to also bring your own money and exchange it at the airport for any extra needs or wants you may have. Credit and Debit may not always be accepted where we travel. 1USD exchange rate is 3700-3800 pesos.
What is the min-max amount of people going to the retreat?
It will be a minimum of 6 and maximum of 12 individuals.
Where is my money going?
Very important question. The money will cover the cost of transportation, food, cooking & cleaning services, and your stay for 6 nights and any planned activities. It will go towards the farm upgrades, coffee tools, & supplies that we will need to for our projects at the farm. Additionally, it will cover all costs of each individual workshop organized.
A fair price for all the coffee we pick/process
Coffee processing with a specialist
Drymilling + Roasting 101
Exporting
What dates should I buy my flights? What airport is best ?
Please book flights to arrive a day before the retreat begin and to take off exactly 7 days later ( Sunday - Sunday). You are free to book your flight before or after these days, but KWC is only responsible for your time/arrangements before retreat begins or after it ends. A driver or director Juan Diaz, will be there to pick you up from the airport, please book daytime arriving flights no later than 4pm. Book your flight to Jose Maria Cordova International Airport, Medellin, Colombia.
Do I need a covid-19 test to travel ?
Check with you local embassy online. We do ask everyone who enters and exits Colombian needs a PCR test 24 hour before travel.
Do I need travel insurance ?
Yes, I will need proof of your insurance before your arrival. This is a vital part of having a happy and safe trip. My suggestion would be to go with travel guard. Travel guard will not only protect any potential medical expenses, but also flight expenses incase of an emergency. Depending on the plan you choose, it can cost as low as $100 and will cover you the full length of your trip.
What type of farms will we be going to?
We will be going to farms that need the most help in raising their quality of life and coffee. In this retreat, I want to take you to the 90% of Colombian farms where its hard to get a livable wage for coffee because of the lack of resources or connection to the speciality coffee world. We are all most likely in the speciality coffee industry, we know or have heard of amazing farms that are already doing it right for speciality, but the majority of farms that exist in their rawest forms have been using some outdated methods of quality control, picking, & drying. With our help and initiative we can help these people create a more sustainable farm and as a result, raising there potential for speciality in the future.
You mentioned work shops, what exactly does that mean?
Workshops will consist of having educational talks with the grower, processor, exporter & roaster. Depending on the mixed needs of the group, this will be decided two weeks prior to the trip. The goal of KWC is to always give back. The vision behind workshops is to create a space where coffee professional from two completely different cultures can come together and communicate through coffee education, knowledge and methods. In the week together, we will experience the entire journey from crop to cup; farming, sorting, processing, quality control, dry milling, exporting, roasting, and serving coffee.
Will we have a translator?
Yes, your guide will be around 99% of the time & a few of the coffee professionals that you will meet are bilingual.
Do I get picked up from the airport?
Yes, the transportation company, or guide, will be picking everyone up together or individually from the airport on the day before the retreat begins.
How will I be able to pay?
There will be multiple ways of payment; Cash/Credit/Apps/Paypal directly to Know Where Coffee. After the payment, you will receive a receipt for proof of payment and your security.
Refunds:
There’re NO refunds of any deposits or payments made to KWC Retreats but you have these alternatives;
You can transfer your spot and notify us about the change
Transfer your credit to an upcoming retreat (prices may vary)
