TEA PLANTATIONS

Kericho is THE tea capital of Kenya. 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 favor plucking every 15 days throughout the year. Visitors can witness the fascinating spectacle of these workers moving through the plantations, with their straw hats and wicker baskets on their backs. Once harvested, the leaves are dried in the sun for long hours. Green tea, black tea, white tea... Each type of tea undergoes different processing stages. You can visit one of these tea plantations. A guide will explain in detail how tea is grown and harvested. Almost all the secrets of tea-making will be revealed. The experience and the scenery are well worth the detour. Lipton and Finlay, the main suppliers of Kenyan tea, own the majority of these plantations. No fewer 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, resorting to renewable energies and protecting riparian forests (over 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.