Kiambethu Tea Farm Tour: Nairobi Pickup & Garden Lunch

Summary

Visit Kiambethu Tea Farm near Nairobi for tea tasting and lunch

You’ll leave Nairobi behind for a day trip to Kiambethu Tea Farm in Limuru, where you’ll meet locals over fresh tea, walk through gardens and forest with a guide, spot Colobus monkeys up close, and enjoy a homemade lunch on the verandah. Expect warmth, stories, and small surprises along the way.

What’s the experience like?

I’ll admit, I didn’t expect to feel so at home at Kiambethu Tea Farm. Maybe it was the way Fiona greeted us on the verandah — like we were old friends who’d just popped by for a chat. The drive from Nairobi was only about an hour, but it felt like we’d landed somewhere completely different. You could smell the damp earth as soon as you stepped out of the car. There was this soft mist hanging over the tea fields, and honestly, I kept staring at it instead of listening to the first part of the history talk (sorry, Fiona).

Our local guide — I think his name was Peter — had this easy way of explaining things. He handed me a tea leaf and showed how they pick just the top two leaves and a bud. It’s weirdly satisfying to roll one between your fingers; there’s a faint grassy smell that sticks to your hands. We wandered through the garden and then into this patch of indigenous forest where he pointed out plants used for medicine or cooking. At one point, a Colobus monkey crashed through the branches above us and everyone jumped except Peter, who just grinned and said they’re regulars here.

Lunch was on the verandah again — three courses, all made with vegetables from their own garden. The cream on dessert came from their cows (which I thought was just something people say until I saw them grazing nearby). I tried to ask about one of the dishes in Swahili; Fiona laughed gently and helped me out with the words. There was this moment when everything went quiet except for birdsong and someone clinking a teacup against their plate. I still think about that view across the fields toward Ngong Hills — it’s not dramatic or anything, just peaceful in a way that sticks with you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Kiambethu Tea Farm Tour

• Drive from Nairobi to Limuru
• Tea history and processing explanation
• Walk in indigenous forest with guide
• Watch Colobus monkeys and explore gardens
• Pre-lunch drink on verandah
• Three-course buffet lunch
• Return to Nairobi hotel

Top questions

How far is Kiambethu Tea Farm from Nairobi?

It’s about an hour’s drive from central Nairobi to Kiambethu Tea Farm in Limuru.

Is hotel pickup included for this day trip?

Yes, pickup and drop-off at your hotel or residence within Nairobi CBD are included.

What is included in lunch at Kiambethu Tea Farm?

The lunch is a three-course buffet using vegetables from their garden and cream from their own cows.

Do you get to see how tea is made during the tour?

You’ll learn about tea growing and processing over drinks and see tea being grown in the fields.

Are there any animals or wildlife at Kiambethu Tea Farm?

You may spot Colobus monkeys in the indigenous forest around the farm.

Is there a guided walk during this tour?

Yes, there’s a guided walk through indigenous forest where plants are explained by a local guide.

Are drinks included at Kiambethu Tea Farm?

Drinks such as tea or coffee are included during your visit to the farm.

Is this tour suitable for families or all fitness levels?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels and specialized infant seats are available if needed.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off within Nairobi CBD, all transport fees, drinks at Kiambethu Tea Farm (like fresh tea or coffee), an informal history talk with locals, a guided walk through gardens and indigenous forest to spot wildlife such as Colobus monkeys, plus a three-course buffet lunch prepared with produce from their own garden before heading back in the afternoon.