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Kiambu County, Kenya

Shamba

Shamba means farm.

Kiambu County

Founding President Jomo Kenyatta's ancestral home is at Ichaweri.

Capital
Kiambu
People
2.4M
Area
2,539 km²
Altitude
1,700 m
Plan a tripTravel the road

Kiambu wraps around northern Nairobi, rising from the Thika plains to the chilly Limuru highlands above the Rift Valley. It is Kenya's second most populous county, mixing coffee and tea estates with fast-growing towns.

Why it matters

Founding President Jomo Kenyatta's ancestral home is at Ichaweri. The 1953 Lari massacre was one of the darkest episodes of the Mau Mau war.

The economy

Kiambu has Kenya's second-largest county economy. Thika is an industrial centre, Tatu City is a special economic zone, and tea, coffee and dairy supply Nairobi and export markets.

Must-see in Kiambu

  • Fourteen Falls, Thika

    A wide cascade for boating and photos.

  • Chania Falls, Thika

    Riverside falls viewed from the Blue Post Hotel grounds.

  • Paradise Lost

    Caves and a waterfall on a coffee farm, once Mau Mau hideouts.

  • Kereita Forest

    Zip-lining, archery and cycling at the tip of the Aberdares.

  • Gatamaiyu Fishing Camp

    Trout fishing, camping and birding trails.

  • Mugumo Gardens, Thika

    A sacred fig tree linked to the prophet Mugo wa Kibiro.

  • Limuru Rift Valley viewpoint

    Sweeping views from the Nairobi–Nakuru highway.

  • Thika World War Memorial Park

    Graves of African soldiers of the World Wars.

Peoples of Kiambu

Communities with a historic home in Kiambu. Today people from every part of Kenya live and work here.

Music, food and culture

Kiambu is the epicentre of Central Kenya's one-man guitar and mugithi scene, with packed nights in Kinoo and Limuru. Limuru's tea estates offer farm tours paired with githeri and mukimo.

Best time to go

January to March and July to October for waterfalls, forest trails and day trips from Nairobi.

On the map

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Kiambu and its neighbours. Tap a county or a place to read about it.

Kereita ForestFourteen Falls, Thika

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Your questions

When is the best time to visit Kiambu?

January to March and July to October for waterfalls, forest trails and day trips from Nairobi.

What is Kiambu County known for?

Founding President Jomo Kenyatta's ancestral home is at Ichaweri. The 1953 Lari massacre was one of the darkest episodes of the Mau Mau war.

Where is Kiambu and what is its capital?

Kiambu wraps around northern Nairobi, rising from the Thika plains to the chilly Limuru highlands above the Rift Valley. It is Kenya's second most populous county, mixing coffee and tea estates with fast-growing towns. The county capital is Kiambu, and the 2019 census counted 2,417,735 people across about 2,539 square kilometres.

Nearby

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A giraffe and acacia tree silhouetted against a Kenyan sunset

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