Ruiru

Introduction

Ruiru is a municipality and sub-county in Kiambu County, Kenya, sitting within the greater Nairobi Metropolitan region. Its name comes from Kikuyu, and is thought to relate to the black cotton soil found across much of the area.

As part of the Nairobi metropolitan area, Ruiru is an urban centre rather than a rural retreat, and the surrounding Kiambu County places it within easy reach of the capital. The black cotton soil that likely gave the town its name remains a defining feature of the landscape.

Three days in Ruiru

Day one: Start in Ruiru, a town in Kiambu County within the Nairobi Metropolitan area. Get your bearings in the town centre, where the everyday life of this part of Kenya plays out around you. As you walk, listen for Kikuyu, the language you will hear alongside Swahili and English in this part of the country.

Day two: Use Ruiru as your base for a wider look at Kiambu County. The county's towns and farmland sit close together, so you can move between the bustle of Ruiru and the quieter stretches around it without going far. Its position in the Nairobi Metropolitan area means the capital is within easy reach when you want it.

Day three: Head into Nairobi, the capital, for the day. As Kenya's largest city, it offers museums, markets and green spaces that round off a stay based in Ruiru. Return to Ruiru in the evening, having seen both the smaller town and the big city on one trip.