TEA PLANTATIONS

Kericho is THE Kenyan tea capital. An impressive expanse of tea bushes covers the land of this hilly region. With temperatures above 20°C during the day, cool nights and high rainfall, the climatic conditions favour plucking every two weeks throughout the year. The visitor can thus have the chance to witness the fascinating spectacle of these workers evolving within the plantations, with their straw hat and their wicker basket on their back. Once harvested, the leaves are dried in the sun for many hours. Green tea, black tea, white tea... Each type of tea follows different stages of transformation. It is possible to visit one of these tea plantations. A guide will explain in detail how it is grown and harvested. All the secrets of tea production (or almost) will be revealed to you. The experience and the landscapes are worth the detour. Lipton and Finlay, the main suppliers of Kenyan tea, own the majority of these plantations. No less than 11,000 workers and 5,000 seasonal employees work on the Kericho plantations for Lipton. For a "responsible and sustainable" tea, the brand prides itself on using a minimum of pesticides, using renewable energy and protecting natural forests (more than 1.3 million trees planted since 2000). By protecting biodiversity and natural resources, Lipton became the first estate in the world to receive Rainforest Alliance certification in 2007.