The main market in Embu town is one of the most animated trading centres on Mount Kenya's southeastern flank. Traders bring produce down from the mountain farms — coffee, bananas, sweet potatoes, yams, and varieties of beans that rarely appear in Nairobi's supermarkets — while livestock pens occupy the outer edges. On weekday mornings the market hum starts early and peaks around midday.
Beyond the food stalls, you'll find second-hand clothing imported in massive bales, mobile phone accessories, and a section devoted to traditional items including hand-carved stools, woven baskets, and gourd containers used in Embu domestic life. This is not a tourist market; prices are set for local buyers, and bargaining is the custom for non-food items.