The plantations are the reason to come. They cover the rolling country in every direction for as far as the eye can see — neatly trimmed waist-high bushes in geometric rows, broken only by access roads and the occasional eucalyptus windbreak. The colour is a particular saturated green that takes most visitors by surprise on their first morning.
Guided estate tours can be arranged through the Tea Hotel or directly with the major producers (Unilever, James Finlay, Williamson Tea). A standard tour walks you through plucking, weighing, and the factory steps that turn green leaf into black tea in under twenty-four hours. Pluckers carry baskets on their backs and work in long lines, paid by weight. Try to go in the morning before the afternoon rain — Kericho is one of the wettest places in Kenya, which is exactly what makes the tea grow.