This article is intended for tour companies, foreign and domestic tourists, college students, and couples planning a day trip to the Sensory Garden and Tea Farm in Tigoni, Limuru.
The Sensory Garden at Gathoni Tea Farm is the first in Kenya and East Africa. It is located along Limuru Road, less than 1 km from St. Paul’s University’s main gate. Gathoni Tea Farm is a haven of peace, aroma, and flavor. It is popularly known for hosting both Naishola and Naiposha Gardens.
A sensory garden stimulates and engages the senses of sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. This type of garden allows you to connect to nature and encourages you to become more aware of your surroundings and your response to them, tapping into the principles of mindfulness. Spending time in a sensory garden can help enhance your well-being, reduce stress, and calm your mind. The tea farm tours have become a favorite pastime for families, couples, groups of friends, and schools.
Sensory Garden and Tea Farm Tour Experience
The Gathoni Sensory Garden and Tea Farm Tour is about learning the art of tea picking step by step and touring the sensory garden, which has over 12 herb species.
Sensory Garden and Tea Farm Tour Highlights
- Tea Farm Tour
- Tea Harvesting
- Making Orthodox Tea
- Scented Garden Tour
- Making a scented bag
- Herbal Tea Tasting
- Composition and Recycling
- Plant Nursery
- Hike to Naiposha Gardens
- Picnic (bring your food and drinks)
1. Composition and Recycling
At Naishola Garden, David Wafula, the farm manager overseeing the expansive 120-acre tea farm operations, which was established just three years ago, takes guests through the farming process. They will begin by mixing sand and compost made from organic matter from the gardens, and they will learn that equal parts of this mixture improve air circulation and are excellent for drainage and moisture retention.
Guests will then pot the mixture and plant an herb or flower stem, which they will leave in the control room for maturation.
2. Plant Nursery
Guests will proceed to the tea greenhouse, which improves the growth environment for tea plants in Gathoni Farm. The greenhouse ensures that tea plants receive the optimal levels of light, heat, and water needed for flourishing before being transplanted into the field.
3. Tea Farm Tour
Guests will carry their baskets, learn about Kenyan tea, and practically harvest tea traditionally, using tea baskets to handpick the tender new growth. They will toss “two leaves and a bud” into their tea baskets, like tea pluckers. There is also the watching of the skilled tea pickers in action. As a guest, one can try plucking the tender tea leaves before quickly realizing the precision required for this delicate task.
The timing, method, and specific leaves used, all of which affect the quality of the final brew, appeal to tourists, most of whom do not have tea farms back home.
4. Tea Harvesting
The guests then proceed to sort the tea. They are taken through the various tea grades. The CTC (cut, tear, crush) process will be explained in detail, including how long tea and black tea are obtained and how white tea is produced through withering.
5. Scented Garden Tour
Guests will engage their five human senses of sight (our eyes), hearing (our ears), smelling (our nose), taste (our tongue), and touch (our fingers) through a diverse, immersive experience with over 10 organically planted herbs and flowers in the Sensory Garden. The garden has been designed around aromatic portions made of:
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Lemon Verbena
- Lemon Grass
- Orange Mint
- Common Thyme
- Lemon Thyme
- Pineapple Sage
6. Making a Scented Bag
Guests are then handed scented bags and instructed to be mindful as they explore the garden and select the herbs and flowers they want to include in their bags.
Scented bags, also known as herbal sachets, are filled with aromatic herbs and flowers and have not only stood the test of time but have also provided a wealth of benefits for those who incorporate them into their lives. These decorative bags have found their place in closets, drawers, and wardrobes. They protect clothing, linens, and personal items from musty odors and pesky insects.
Certain herbs, like lavender, have been known to aid sleep and improve concentration. Placing a sachet under your pillow or near your workspace can positively impact your daily life. Guests can create scented bags from their favorite herbs and flowers. Once done, guests will sniff, squeeze, and seal the bags they will take home with them.
7. Herbal Tea Tasting
After strolling through the lovely gardens surrounding the main house, guests are treated to an expansive tea tasting of all the delicious herbal variants made at Gathoni Tea Farm Kitchen, including their luxurious tea line. The tea is all freshly made and prepared, farm-to-table style. The tea is served with homemade biscuits. The different teas for tasting include;
- Lavender tea
- Lemon grass
- Rosemary tea
- Sage tea
- Mint tea
- Pineapple Sage tea
- Lemon Verbena tea
- Lemon balm tea
8. Hike to Naiposha Gardens
Naiposha and Naishola are located within the Gathoni tea farm and are 1km apart. Naiposha Gardens is an enchanting, serene, private, and spacious venue with a great view of Lake Tigoni. Naiposha is by the lake, and Naishola is higher up and enclosed by tall trees (shade).
Naiposha Gardens beckon visitors with their aura of enchantment and serenity. As guests step onto its sprawling grounds, they are immediately enveloped in the soothing embrace of nature. The mesmerizing views of Lake Tigoni provide a captivating backdrop for any occasion.
9. Picnic at Naishola Gardens
Nestled amidst the undulating contours of Limuru, where velvety hills sweep and embrace the horizon, Naishola Gardens stands as an enchanting sanctuary, defying the relentless hustle and bustle of the urban sprawl.
Naishola Gardens, a sister garden, has carpet-like grass and mature trees that make you feel like removing your shoes and walking barefoot. The air is fresh. A tea farm next to a gate adds to the greenery, and an English-style colonial house, part of an investment cultivated over the years, is also present.
Guests are urged to bring snacks or lunch for a picnic on the grounds following the tour. The farm can arrange food at a separate cost. Then, spend the afternoon outside in the sun, surrounded by fresh air, friends, delicious food, drinks, and laughter. Pack snacks, drinks, picnic blankets, pillows, chairs, and umbrellas. Guests are then free to leave at their leisure.
What to pack for Naishola Garden PicnicÂ
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sunscreen and a hat
- A camera or a smartphone for capturing memories
- An appetite for adventure and a love for tea
Gathoni Sensory Garden & Tea Farm Tour Cost
The Gathoni Tea Farm and Sensory Garden tour costs Ksh 1,800 per person for residents and Ksh 2,500 for non-residents.
Kids’ Tours are also available for Ksh 600 for residents and Ksh 1,000 for non-residents.
- Tours are available every day in three sessions: 10 am, 12 pm, and 2 pm.Â
- Gathoni Farm also offers customized tours for large groups and can provide lunch in their gardens for an additional fee.
Gathoni Sensory Garden & Tea Farm Activities
Here are the other activities available after the sensory garden and tea farm tour:
- Cycling – Ksh 300 per hour
- Boat Rides – Ksh 1,000 per adult
- Fishing – Ksh 1,000 per adult
- Jetskii – Ksh 2,000 per lap
Note:Â
- Gathoni Farm has introduced pizza, available in three varieties: vegetable, beef, and chicken. It is offered in medium size, with each piece costing Ksh 1,200.
- There is no restaurant on-site, but you are welcome to bring a packed lunch for a picnic.
Gathoni Farm Contact
To reserve your spot at Gathoni Tea Farm, please call them at 0715 299 525.
Booking early is recommended to secure your spot, as tours often fill up quickly.
