Kiambethu Tea Farm tour from Nairobi: Learn tea farming

Five generations of tea farming, explained over lunch on the verandah

A five- to six-hour tour from Nairobi to Kiambethu Tea Farm, a working plantation at 7,200 feet where you learn how tea is grown, picked and processed, walk through indigenous forest with a guide, and eat a three-course lunch made from garden vegetables. Hotel pickup and drop-off included. The farm has been run by the same family since 1910, when AB McDonell became Kenya's first commercial tea grower.

Step-by-step itinerary

Tea farm tour and lunch experience

• Arrive at Kiambethu Tea Farm
• Enjoy tea or coffee and farm history
• See tea plants in the field
• Walk in indigenous forest with guide
• Observe Colobus monkeys and gardens
• Relax with pre-lunch drink on verandah
• Enjoy three-course buffet lunch

The experience

What does a day at a tea farm actually look like? You arrive at 11am and sit down with tea or coffee while the owner or a family member explains the farm's history and how tea moves from leaf to cup. Then you walk into the fields to see the plants being grown and picked, followed by a guided walk through the indigenous forest where a Kenyan guide points out plants used in traditional medicine and watches for Colobus monkeys in the canopy. The farm sits within gardens full of birds and flowers, surrounded by acres of tea and forest.

Lunch happens on the verandah with views across the tea fields to the Ngong Hills. The three-course meal comes from a set menu built around vegetables grown on the property and cream from the farm's herd of Channel Island cows. Coffee and tea are included throughout the day. Hotel pickup and drop-off from Nairobi bookend the visit, and a professional driver-guide handles the route.

The farm closes Mondays and the last day of every month, plus Christmas and New Year's Day, so check the calendar before booking. Smart casual dress is the code. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and infants sit on a lap.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from Nairobi.
• professional guide and driver.
• three-course lunch with garden vegetables and farm cream.
• coffee and tea throughout the day.
• guided walk through indigenous forest with a Kenyan guide.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (18 to 49 years) · Senior (50 to 80 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (2 to 11 years): free · Infant (under 2): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Safari Port

Is this one for you?This tour suits small groups or families wanting to understand how tea is actually farmed and processed, rather than simply visit a scenic spot. The informal pace (tea on arrival, a walk through the fields, lunch on the verandah) works best for travelers with five to six hours and an interest in how things are made.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (2 to 11 years): free; Infant (under 2): free.

How far is Kiambethu Tea Farm from Nairobi?

The farm is situated at 7,200 feet in the highlands outside Nairobi. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, so you don't arrange the drive yourself. The full tour runs five to six hours.

What exactly do you learn about tea on this tour?

You learn how tea is grown in the fields, how it's picked, and how it's processed into the finished leaf. An informal explanation happens over tea or coffee at the start, then you walk into the plantation itself to see the plants and the work firsthand.

Will I see wildlife on the farm?

Colobus monkeys live in the indigenous forest on the property and you may spot them during the guided walk. The gardens and forest are also home to a wide variety of birds and flowers.

Is the lunch included in the price?

Yes. A three-course buffet lunch from a set menu is included, made with vegetables from the garden and desserts topped with cream from the farm's own cows. Coffee and tea are included throughout the day.

Who runs Kiambethu Tea Farm now?

The farm has been in the same family for five generations since AB McDonell bought it in 1910 and became Kenya's first person to grow, make and sell tea commercially. It's currently run by his granddaughter Fiona Vernon.