FROM BEAN TO CUP – THE CREMA OF COFFEE BREAKS

Luxury escorted tours company Journeys of Distinction, in association with Costa the UKs favourite coffee shop, has launched a breath-taking and unique limited edition tour of Costa Rica & Guatemala, designed for coffee and culture lovers.

It’s a chance to find out more about this iconic beverage while visiting some of the most stunning places on earth while you’re at it.

The link up with Costa and the Costa Foundation means that travellers not only get to see some of the most stunning scenery in Central America but they will be among just a handful of members of the public to visit Costa’s roastery where the coffee beans are turned into the famous Mocha Italia blend as well as seeing first hand the incredible work of the Costa Foundation in Guatemala.

Coffee can be traced back to a 13^th Century Ethiopian goat-herd called Kaldi, who noticed the stimulating effects when his flock nibbled on the bright red berries of a particular bush.

Kaldi was instantly exhilarated and took them to his local monk who, angry, threw them into the fire, producing an intoxicating aroma. The roasted beans were quickly rescued from the fire, ground and dissolved in hot water, producing the world’s very first cup of coffee before spreading across the globe.

This ‘wine of the bean’ is now among the most expensive substances on earth but we’re still largely clueless about how this humble berry is transformed on the sun-drenched plantations of places like Central America into the 21^st Century’s most valuable fruit-juice.

The Journeys of Distinction 16-day tour will take you on a trip from cup to bean and back again staying in boutique hotels, four and five star mountain and beach resorts and a rustic jungle lodge, in true Journeys of Distinction style. Taking a limited number of guests to places that nobody else in the UK will have seen.

It gets underway with an exclusive visit to the Costa Coffee Roastery in Lambeth, London - usually out-of-bounds to members of the public – where the company’s secret blend is created. You’ll get the chance to meet Costa’s coffee experts, watch the roasting process and taste the results before going back to see where it all starts.

The next day will see you jet off to Guatemala and Guatemala City, where local guides will take you up the volcanic peaks of the central highlands to the historic Spanish colonial city of Antigua, preserved almost untouched in time.

You’ll visit Santa Ana Candelaria – a unique Costa Foundation assisted school and small community experiencing a special welcome from the villagers who have seen a handful of western travellers. This Limited Edition tour is specially designed to ensure that this community remains remote and protected from travellers. Then continue the journey through Guatemala’s interior seeing villages lost in time, beautifully coloured lakes and towns with old cobbled streets, pastel coloured churches and mansions.

Next you’ll take a trip to the spectacular 6^th Century Mayan temples of Tikai, perhaps the most intact and impressive remains of the once proud Mayan civilisation.

Then it is on to Costa Rica, nature at its finest with verdant jungle tumbling into an azure sea. Start with a visit to the renowned Doka coffee plantation, one of the foremost estates in the world, member of the Rainforest Alliance and one of the plantations where Costa Coffee’s famous beans are lovingly tended.

You’ll not only see hand hear how the coffee plants produce some of the finest coffees in the world but you’ll get to hear how the production of the beverage has changed down the years, see the oldest working water powered coffee mill in the country and, of course, taste the spectacular results before settling down for some well-earned free time and relaxation in the capital San Jose.

Karen Gee, Managing Director of Journeys of Distinction, said: “This tour will be a truly special experience, perfect for coffee, culture, nature and central America lovers.

“As well as the coffee themes, other highlights include a boat trip through the breathtaking Tortuguero National Park, visiting volcanoes and seeing spectacular wildlife on the route to the Caribbean coast; a visit to the hot springs of Arenal, pristine jungle meeting clear blue seas where dolphins and whales can be spotted and endless white sand beaches.

“It's a rare chance to see and experience things very few other people on earth have shared.”

Gennaro Pelliccia, Costa’s Master of Coffee, said: “This is a trip of a lifetime for coffee lovers.  It’s a chance to really get to understand what goes into your daily cup of coffee, from the communities that grow the beans, through to the roasting process and handcrafting the final drink.  We are delighted to offer our expertise to this tour and share our passion for coffee.”

Departure dates are on November 12 and 26, 2013. For more information or to book: 0161 491 7616 or www.jod.uk.com