Kenya's bush-to-brew tours

Gatura Greens

Located about 60 kilometers northwest of Nairobi on the slopes of the Aberdare mountains, a 70-minute drive, Gatura Greens is home to the first purple tea farm and a cherished tour that offers an authentic experience, including tasting over 10 different types of tea.

Though agri-tourism started in 2020, the 60-hectare farm's history dates back to 1958, when Bedan Kinyanjui planted his first tea bush, becoming one of the first few black people in Kenya allowed to plant tea for commercial purposes then. In 2008, it became the first commercial purple tea farm in Kenya.

The name Gatura Greens was coined in 2020 when tourism was included, by Cathryn Karanja, Kinyanjui's granddaughter.

After years of tea farming, Karanja said the family felt a need to diversify and expand their offerings beyond just growing and selling tea. That's when the idea of tea tourism was born.

"I studied in South Africa and used to like wine tours and so I pitched that idea to my family. We did a bit of research, went around to see what other Kenyans were doing on agri-tourism and then crafted our own tourism around our tea," Karanja said.

While many businesses were forced to close shop during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gatura Greens saw an opportunity to venture into tea tourism and indeed, business thrived.

"We had an open area and could arrange dining in the garden, so we were permitted to do the tours," she said, adding that business picked up fast because people were desperate for options to get out of home.

She said Gatura Greens tourism is immersive, where visitors get hands-on experience by picking the tea themselves and processing it all the way until it's a finished product, which they keep as a souvenir. Visitors also get an opportunity to taste all types of tea made at the farm's cottage factory.

The tours start at 9:30 am with a breakfast treat of tea and scones, as the host takes them through the farm's history. The guests then head to the purple tea field, where they are guided through the art of tea picking.

This is followed by hands-on processing which involves roasting the delicate tea leaves, hand-rolling, drying, and finally packaging it. They also get an opportunity to taste all the available tea varieties.

The guests then go for a nature walk through a lush bamboo forest, leading them to a waterfall where they can take a refreshing swim, letting the cool waters wash over them as they bask in the natural beauty of the serene haven. The day is then crowned with a farm-fresh three-course meal.

For those who would like to spend the night, there is a farmhouse that offers overnight accommodation for 12 people and a camping ground, that lets the guests experience the gentle rustle of tea leaves as they sleep.

Karanja said plans are underway to increase camping facilities in the farm in response to requests by guests, as well as start hosting retreats. They also plan to expand product range like venturing into purple tea-made cosmetic products.

The tour price is $32 for adults and $15 for children. Residents on the other hand pay $38 per person and $19 for children. Non-residents pay $45 per head while children pay $25. Children under five years are not charged.

The ticket fee covers the tour, lunch and tea tasting at the farm. At the end of the tour, visitors can shop for any farm product that they have liked throughout their experience.

Karanja said per day they take a maximum of 30-40 people and a minimum of four depending on the season and the particular day.

"Our peak season is June, July, and August and non-rainy seasons for Kenyans. Many people visit over the weekends," she said, adding that they have been receiving a lot of company retreats.

Karanja said there is more growth potential for tea tourism in Kenya, urging farmers across the country to try and offer unique experiences in their farms. She also called on tour operators to include agri-tourism in their packages.