Kericho, city
Kericho is a city in western Kenya's highland region, set among rolling hills covered in tea plantations in the Rift Valley Province. It serves as the main administrative and commercial center for the surrounding area, with markets, hospitals, and schools spread across its neighborhoods.
British colonial authorities established a presence here in the early 1900s and promoted the development of large tea estates across the surrounding highlands. After Kenya gained independence in 1963, the town grew steadily into one of the country's main tea-producing centers.
Kericho is closely tied to tea farming, and this shows in everyday life: workers in bright aprons pick leaves on plantations just outside the city center, and local markets sell freshly dried tea. The smell of processed tea often drifts through the air in the morning, when the nearby factories are running.
Kericho sits at roughly 6,500 feet (about 2,000 meters) above sea level and gets frequent rain, often in the afternoon, throughout the year. A light rain layer and sturdy footwear are worth packing regardless of when you visit.
Kericho is considered one of the rainiest towns in Kenya, receiving rain on well over 200 days a year on average, which is precisely what makes tea farming so productive there. Locals sometimes jokingly refer to this constant rain as a kind of local currency that keeps the town running.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
