Atitlán is part of the 8 main coffee regions in Guatemala. Located in the south central region of the country is home to three important volcanoes: Toliman, San Pedro, and Atitlán. Making this region’s soil rich in volcanic matter. Coffee is grown in the slopes surrounding Lake Atitlán developing an aromatic profile with citric acidity and full body.
This coffee region accounts for more than 80 years of production mostly represented by smallholder producers.
There are three indigenous etnias out of the 23 found in the entire country: Quiches, Cakchiqueles, and Tzutujiles. Each of them hasve their own language, how beautiful and diverse is that, right? It is said that in the three islands in the middle of Lake Atitlán there was a small city where the Mayans used to celebrate important ceremonies.
Besides coffee being the main income in Atitlán. Fishing, tourism and growing vegetables create other ways of income for the region.
The lake forms a boiler and it’s said that it used to be a huge volcano. The microclimate of this part of the region makes a foggy forest that also enjoys the Xocomil winds that blow across Lake Atitlán.
The relative humidity is high; 1,500 mm of rain is produced throughout the year. During cold times the temperature goes down to 9°C / 48°F and goes up to 28°C/ 82.4°F during summer time.
Eduardo Cabrera Finca San José del Lago in Atitlán, explains that this year, a forestry study was conducted at his farm where 75% of his property is formed by forest and the results suggested that there are native trees such as El Aguacatillo, which produces the fruit that is the most consumed by the Quetzal, the country’s national bird. Additionally, deers, turkeys, wild pigs and monkeys were also found.
He says that the biodiversity found at his farm is also replicated in the forests of the entire region.
Atitlán is a beautiful coffee land that enjoys the diversity of its forest, volcanic soils, breezes coming from the lake that produce its own microclimate which makes the region a special coffee origin with an unique profile.