The upper Tana River and its tributaries flow through a landscape of terraced farms and dense riverine forest on the slopes above Embu. In the higher reaches, where the water runs cold and fast over volcanic rock, the river corridor supports a notable population of colobus monkeys and various forest birds that are absent from the drier lowlands. The sound of running water and the presence of tall fig trees make the riverbanks a very different world from the open farmland that dominates the slopes.
A number of tracks lead down to the river from the Embu-Runyenjes road, where local fishermen work small sections of the banks. The area around the confluence of the Rupingazi river, northeast of town, is particularly accessible and gives a clear sense of how dramatically the landscape changes as you descend from the mountain.