Embu Kenya is a lively town and gateway to some of the best national parks and nature reserves in Africa. Explore UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mount Kenya National Park and get off-the-beaten-track in Mwea National Reserve, where you can see giraffes, zebras, hippos and other African wildlife.
Things to do in Embu
The town centre offers everything you need to enjoy a getaway to the Eastern Province of Kenya. You’ll find great hotels and guesthouses, as well as restaurants serving tasty Kenyan cuisine. Try local dishes like “nyama choma” roasted meat, “ugali” cornmeal and spicy fish stew. The town is dotted with leafy jacaranda trees, which you can see in full bloom in October and November.
Discover the wild and rugged natural beauty of the region in Mount Kenya National Park, a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. The closest entrance gate is in the neighbouring town of Chogoria. Hire a guide to explore ancient caves and spot elephants, mongoose, water buck and, if you’re lucky, leopards. Experienced climbers can summit Mount Kenya, an extinct volcano. At more than 5,000 metres above sea level, it’s one of the tallest mountains in Africa.
Mwea National Reserve protects a unique landscape of savannah plains and acacia bushland on the shores of the Kamburu Reservoir. Spot elephants, giraffes and zebras grazing in the grasslands and look for hippos and crocodiles basking in the rivers. The park is a birdwatcher’s paradise, with more than 200 species to see, including the endemic Hinde’s babbler and the rare white-backed night heron.
Getting around Embu
Embu Kenya is easy to get around on foot or by local taxi. The town is a two-hour drive from Nairobi and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Local buses run between Embu Kenya and Nairobi in around three hours.