Among the Thousand Hills: Discovering Rwanda through Tes.

Rwanda holds a very special place in my heart. It was the first country I entered on the African continent in 2010, at a moment that would forever change the trajectory of my life and my work. I traveled there after first seeing a powerful 60 Minutes segment on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the horrific use of rape as a weapon of war. I remember sitting with that story long after the television had gone dark, deeply shaken by the suffering of women and girls, and knowing in my spirit that I had to do something—however small—to help.

A friend and I arrived in Rwanda and were met by Father Pasquale, a priest whose kindness and guidance I still remember vividly. He took us first to a monastery, where we stayed overnight surrounded by stillness and prayer. The following morning, we began the drive across Rwanda toward Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I remember looking out the window in awe. Rwanda unfolded before me in endless rolling hills, wrapped in layers of green so vibrant they almost seemed painted. It was unlike any landscape I had ever seen.

At the time, I did not yet understand what many of those lush green fields were. I simply marveled at the order and beauty of the vegetation stretching across the hillsides. Only later would I come to realize that many of those breathtaking landscapes were tea farms—high-altitude tea gardens quietly producing some of Africa’s finest teas.

Today, when the global tea industry speaks about emerging premium tea origins, Rwanda is increasingly part of that conversation. Known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” Rwanda has steadily built a reputation as a producer of exceptional high-grown teas. The country’s cool mountain climate, volcanic soil, abundant rainfall, and elevations often exceeding 1,800 meters create ideal conditions for cultivating tea with brightness, briskness, and remarkable complexity.

Over the years, Rwanda has come into its own as a serious tea-producing nation. Its teas have earned recognition and awards at regional and international tea conferences across Africa, from Nairobi to Kampala, with buyers and tea professionals increasingly praising the quality and consistency of Rwandan production. While neighboring countries such as Kenya have long dominated African tea exports, Rwanda has strategically positioned itself in the premium tea market, focusing not only on volume but on excellence.

The Rwandan government has played an important role in this transformation, making tea a central pillar of its agricultural and export strategy. Investments in tea factories, farmer training, infrastructure, sustainability initiatives, and quality control have elevated the industry significantly. Rwanda’s tea sector today produces both CTC teas and increasingly sought-after orthodox teas aimed at specialty markets in Europe, Asia, and North America.

What is especially compelling about Rwanda’s tea story is that it mirrors the story of Rwanda itself: resilience, discipline, reinvention, and vision. A country once defined internationally by tragedy is now increasingly recognized for innovation, environmental stewardship, tourism, and agricultural excellence.

For me, tea and Rwanda are now forever connected. Every time I drink a beautiful Rwandan tea, I think back to that first journey across those emerald hills. I think of the monastery, the long road to Goma, the women whose stories first called me there, and the quiet beauty of a country rebuilding itself with extraordinary dignity. What I once saw simply as green rolling landscapes, I now understand as part of one of Africa’s most promising tea industries—an industry rooted deeply in the rich soil and enduring spirit of Rwanda.