Agriculture is the main economic activity in the area with many households earning a living from this sector.
The Nandi County has temperatures ranging from 15°C to 26°C and rainfall of between 1,200mm and 2,000mm per annum. Nandi County is most notable for the scenic Nandi Hills. lt is popular for tea estates that do well due in high altitude, rich volcanic soils, the cool and wet
climate that the area experiences. Agriculture is the main economic activity in the area with many households earning a living from this sector. Livestock rearing is also practiced with most
households rearing cattle for production of beef and dairy products.
Various events such as safari rally competitions, prestigious golf tournaments and cross country
competitions regularly bring a number of visitors from all over the country and the world. The
County hosts both Kenyan and foreign athletes and cyclists who come to the region for high altitude training. There is a high potential for sports tourism development in the County.
If you are looking for a taste of true Rift valley highlands essence then travel to Nandi County is perfect.
Nandi boasts of its spectacular and distinguishing landscapes, cool highlands climate and lash green vegetation cover. Here, its undulating hills and valleys make very stunning scenery. Nandi also offers a rich history and a set of attractions that make it ideal for someone looking for somewhere to visit and opportunity to develop manifold holiday activities.
ATTRACTIONS:
Chepkiit Water Falls
The Chepkiit Water Falls are located in the Kipkaren River. Take yourself here and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Chepkiit Water Falls is particularly impressive during the rainy seasons though the dirt road leading to this place may pose a problem if it rains heavily. When it rains, the last 1km stretch can only be accessible by 4X4 cars. They also make for a great picnic site and department of tourism is in the process of developing the site to world class standards. The site also has rich birdlife and scenic views of the hills, overhanging cliffs and indigenous forest.
The little known Kapchepkuk in Mosop and Tindinyoin Emgwen are also attractive waterfalls worth visiting during your stay in Nandi.
Kingwal Swamp
This is an idyllic swamp that is home to the rare sitatunga amphibious antelopes. The swamp is situated between Kosirai and Chepterit and is fed by the Keses River while the Kingwal River drains it out towards the west. The sitatunga population here is one of the largest. This specie is a rare semi-aquatic antelope that has webbed feet adapted for walking on the swampy conditions. The sitatungas are extremely shy so the chance of spotting them is extremely rare, even with the help of a local guide. The antelopes spend most of their days submerged in water, with only their muzzles sticking out. They emerge during the night to feed on the soft reeds and grass.
Kiplolok Springs
Kiplolok is a vernacular word in Kalenjin dialect which means a place of pulping water. Spread over a 3 acre piece of land, Kiplolok consists of numerous springs pulping with salty lime water.
It is believed that the springs came into existence after a ritual was performed by Maasai community warriors after losing a battle to their rival community. They murdered one of their initiates who had a kind of special human hair referred to as songonyet. They then buried his remains on the piece of land.
Water from the springs is used for domestic purposes except cooking because of its lime component which changes the taste and even the color of food. It can ferment milk if it mixes.
Kapsimotwa Gardens. (Beautiful hidden gem in Nandi County).
Kapsimotwa Gardens is a serene and secluded site located in Nandi Hills.
The gardens full of color flowers in the most vibrant shades of reds, pinks, purples, yellows, and whites, was established in the late 1950s as a community leisure retreat; where locals and callers to Nandi Hills can be one with nature.
Serene pools and dams dot the gardens which is now a popular picnic site.
The Nandi Hills are also the burial site of the renowned Nandi seer Koitalel Arap Samoei. Koitalel Arap Samoei a supreme chief of the Nandi people of Kenya, who led the Nandi rebellion against the British colonial rule. When British colonials began building the Kenya – Uganda Railway through the Nandi area, he led an eleven-year resistance movement against the railway.
Nandi Rock
The site is located in the Nandi South area in the border between Kisumu and Nandi. It is located 19km off the main highway at Kabujoi onto a murram road. The identified site is 15 minute walk from the KWS station and offers magnificent views across the plains and to Lake Victoria and its surroundings.
It is an elevated rock outcrop on the escarpment that gives visitors a good vantage point from which to see the surrounding beautiful landscape that includes the Nyando Valley, the thousands of hills that make up Nandi and the sugarcane plantations below on the Nyando sugar belt. It is a popular destination for many hikers and trail walkers. The County is seeking a strategic investor to further develop the area and stretch out a glass vantage view point with a modern restaurant and camping facility.