The name “Tolima” comes from the Pijao language: Tulima, Tolima or Dulima which means “Snow River or Cloud”. The department has every Tropical mountain climates: From Glacial climate altitudinal zones of 5000 masl. in Tolima and Huila Snow Mountains where the temperatures get below 0°C, to Warm climate altitudinal zones of 400 masl in its wide valleys and temperatures of 30°C.

Tolima department is the third largest coffee producer in the country, representing the 12 of the national production. There are 116.229 hectares cultivated with coffee in 71.498 single estates and 61.465 coffee grower families. The excellence of the coffee from this department is the result of favorable environmental conditions, the characteristics of the soil, and the traditional wet milling and natural drying made by the farmers.