Kapsimotwa Gardens is a serene and secluded site located in the picturesque Nandi Hills, a highland area of lush green rolling hills at the edge of the Great Rift Valley. At about 2000m above sea level, the gardens are part of the Kapsimotwa farm – a huge Tea plantation that dominate the landscape. The farm was established in the 1930s by a British settler called Bushwell.
The gardens are full of color — flowers in the most vibrant shades of reds, pinks, purples, yellows, and whites.
Serene pools and dams dot the gardens …
The gardens are also a popular picnic site
The Nandi Hills are also the burial site of the renowned Nandi seer Koitalel Arap Samoei. Koitalel Arap Samoei a supreme chief of the Nandi people of Kenya, who led the Nandi rebellion against the British colonial rule. When British colonials began building the Kenya – Uganda Railway through the Nandi area, he led an eleven-year resistance movement against the railway. On October 19, 1905, he was invited by British Col. Richard Meinertzhagen under the guise of negotiating a truce, and was instead murdered along with his companions.
He was buried under a symbolic tree. On top of Nandi Hills sits Samoei with its red earth. When he was killed, some believe, the ground turned red on the spot of his death.
How to get to Kapsimotwa gardens.
Head to Nandi Hills town which is approximately 60 km from Eldoret. Once in Nandi Hills head to the tea plantations up on the dirt road. Kapsimotwa farm is located at the very top of the hill.
It’s been a while since I did a link up, so this week I’ll be linking up with;
1. #SundayTraveler
2. Noel Morata’s Travel Photo Mondays
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27 Comments
Lovley and Superbly serene. A hidden gem. Will make sure i visit next time i go to Eldoret to visit folks.
Huzy I was there in 2016! Very beautiful, serene place. You should visit
This is definitely one of my best trips ever, I plan to visit again, the gardens are great for a destination garden weeding. The gardens now belong to a prominent Kenyan family that have a lovely home at the top of the hills. I wish they can turn it into a guest home. Otherwise there’s a cabin at the site that one can do an overnight, probably drunk because I guess it gets very cold. In fact on the drive down on a clear day, one can see Lake Victoria
What a beautiful place… That tree is quite incredible too! 🙂
Those hills in the last photos are stunningly beautiful – such a calm and verdant landscape. This is in western Kenya? Haven’t been to that part of the country and would love to explore it.
You always leave me speechless with beautiful sunsets, but this Garden took my breath away as well. It’s so gorgeous and massive. I can picture myself there doing some workout and meditation!
Great photos 🙂
Great photos. I like to think i’v toured the Rift valley extensively yet I never heard of this place. Truly a hidden gem.
Keep them posts coming.
The gardens look so lush and serene. This looks like the perfect place to just lay out and read a good book.
Beautiful place, love how clear the water is. The view from Nandi Hills is quite calming.
How green are those gardens, wow!
What stunning shots.
Beautiful photos! It’s so green and lush.
What a superb view these gardens enjoy. They look like a great place to watch the storms roll by.
Picnics are one of our favorite activity (each of our favorite activities includes eating), and I can picture ourselves enjoying a picnic at Kapsimotwa Gardens. It looks gorgeous, and very peaceful. I have never been at the Tea plantation, and I’m really curious to visit one. Wonderful photos, Rachael!
So beautiful and serene garden. I’ve never heard of the place, what a shame.
Incredible views, wowza. I love photos of Kenya that capture the beauty so perfectly of that stunning country. Can’t WAIT to visit sometime!
This post has everything I enjoy in it. Mountains, green, gardens, and Trees. What a surprising place!
What an absolutely gorgeous place! I love the flowers and all the water features. Those views are stunning! I can spend hours here relaxing.
Wooow!!I thought I have travelled Kenya,clearly haven’t:(
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Hi Rachel, The garden is so lush and beuatiful. Whar a serene place to spend a day. But what blew me away was the view from Nandi Hill – so verdant and spectacular.
Koitalel Arap Samoei was a remarkable. How he died was truly sad. I wonder if the scar is still fresh from that colonial brutality.
I loved shooting a wedding here and I cannot wait to visit this place again.
[…] to my journey. I have previously blogged about Kapsimotwa Gardens. My sister had gone there with her family and she would not stop gushing of how beautiful the place […]
[…] written about Kapsimotwa gardens before a secluded site located in the picturesque Nandi Hills, a highland area of lush green rolling […]
HELLO
WHERE WE CAN GET FOTOS FROM LODGE THERE ?
IS IT POSSIBLE TO SLEEP THERE AT KAPSIMOTWA GARDENS ?TO MAKE RESERVATION ?
regards
Hello Leibel. No accomodation for now but we can arrange for camping. Reach me on the email for more inquiries.
This such a wonderful post. Keep the good work. Its nice ti search for places to visit in North Rift around Eldoret and its environ and bam I get just what I wanted. Include the packages the offer and entry fees