Kiambethu tea farm: An insight into life on a settler farm!

This is for all the tea lovers in the house! Tea farms are generally beautiful places to visit and Kiambethu farm is no exception. Kiambethu farm is located less than an hour’s drive from Nairobi, in one of the most beautiful areas of Limuru. Limuru was part of the ‘white highlands’ in the past due to the numerous European settlements. This tea farm is still owned and run by a colonial family and is a stark remembrance of Kenya’s history.

The tour starts at 11am, and begins with a brief talk from Fiona Vernon, McDonell’s granddaughter. She informally explains the history of the farm and tea in Kenya. Her grandfather, McDonell, was one of the first people to make and sell tea commercially in Kenya. Afterwards, there is an opportunity to see the farm, and witness how tea is plucked. In the picture below however, the demonstration was happily distracted by one of the resident dogs.

Ofcourse, you can’t visit a tea farm and not enjoy a cup of tea. Tea is provided alongside homemade snacks.

Also included in the tour is a walk through the indigenous forest that is still preserved. The tour guide points out different medicinal trees and is comical while at it!

A 3 course lunch is offered with complementary drinks(wine, beers, iced tea and soft drinks) with a vegetarian option. The lunch is served under umbrellas overlooking the tea farms and garden, just outside the family home.

My favorite part of the visit was the opportunity to stroll around the beautifully manicured garden and take pictures!(Really romantic too)

A trip to the farm is not only an opportunity to learn more about tea in Kenya but to explore Kenya’s history as you get insight into life on a settler farm. There are still subtle and not-so-subtle colonial elements on the farm, and this is the perfect way to find out how that makes you feel.

Cost: Kshs 3,500 (booked online and in advance)