Historic Sites in Uasin Gishu
Timboroa: The Breadbasket Railway Post
95 km from Nakuru by way of the A104 Nakuru-Eldoret-Malaba Road you reach Timboroa town, the easternmost point in Baringo and the southeast gateway to Uasin Gishu County. A small town, Timboroa is a world in and of itself, known for its agricultural activities and aptly dubbed as a “breadbasket” of Kenya.
It acquired its name from Kalenjin word ‘Tim-boroowon’ which literally means ‘a forest full of long ropes’, which is the case since Timboroa has thick bamboo forest with natural trees straddled with climbers. The forest are Timboroa are densely packed, with their branches and foliage forming a thick tropical-like canopy.
Thanks to its high elevation, evergreen landscape, diverse population, rich culture and history, this quirky small town is home to an abundance of pristine highland views, a thriving local market and intriguing historic sites. Its location, just off the A104 Road, makes it a significant transit point for numerous travellers.
The drive is arguably more enjoyable after Mau Summit, 53 km from Nakuru, as the busy B1 Londiani-Kericho-Kisumu offloads much of the traffic on the great procession to Western Kenya. The 41 km drive from Mau Summit towards Timboroa is always enjoyable, especially on the picturesque ascent approach into Timboroa, for that whole section is a dreamy daze of beautiful wooded highlands that has romance and mist written all over it.
At Timboroa there is a hidden gem often sold short, at the old Timboroa Railway Station. Remarkably still in good condition, this modest wooden country-style railway station, atypical of most in Kenya’s Highlands then, was installed in 1924. In 1925, through an official public information gazette, an official postal office was established close to the station; once a heavily guarded facility. The Equator runs across the platform at the station and a small diamond sign used to be just visible at the end of the rail platform. Timboroa was a key component of the Uganda Railway, one the British Empire’s greatest infrastructure project in Kenya.
Named after its ultimate destination, for which the line never reached, the Uganda Railway was a masterwork, outstanding achievement, after many trials and tribulations, that crowned the feather in the cap of accessing the fertile hinterland of Kenya, to encourage settler farming. Construction of the 1,060 km line began at the port city of Mombasa in 1896 and finished at the line’s terminus, Kisumu, on the eastern shore of Lake Victoria, in 1901. Branch lines were built to Thika in 1913, Lake Magadi in 1915, Kitale in 1926, Naro Moro in 1927.
Among the key proponents for establishment of the Kitale line, passing through Timboroa, was Ewart S. Grogan, a prominent settler who owned a large swathe of timberland in Timboroa, nearly 200,000 in extent. A railway line that ran close to the sawmill would make the best of this investment as well as for the farmers.
Further along, the large scale settler farmers in the then “Farm 64” (now Eldoret) and around Kitale announced their support, too. At an altitude of 9001 feet Timboroa Railway Station still stands as the the highest in the British Commonwealth and as eleventh highest (non-cable) railway point in the world.
Despite the disuse of the Timboroa Railway Station, the Kitale line is still part of Kenya’s rail network, nearly a century on, playing an essential part in the trade and transportation within the country and the East African region. It has historical significance, as the railway line was originally built during the colonial period and continues to be a key part of Kenya’s transportation infrastructure.
Even without the possibility of visiting the old station, Timboroa, as alluded to above, lies along the Equator, which makes crossing of this small town both historically and geographically interesting. The roadside market is also interesting.
Kenya is home to numerous historic sites that showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage, ancient civilizations, colonial history, and struggle for independence. These historic sites offer valuable insights into Kenya’s past and its diverse cultural heritage, making them essential destinations for visitors interested in her history.
Index of Historic Sites Around Kenya
Baringo County - Timboroa Railway Station, Bungoma County - Chetambe Fort, Kilifi County - Prince Henry the Navigator Monument, Vasco da Gama Pillar, Malindi Pillar Tomb, Portuguese Chapel, Malindi Butwani Pier, Kwale County - Shimoni Ruins, Lamu County - Shela Mosque, Lamu Fort, German Post Office, Siyu Fort, Machakos County - Macmillan Castle Sabuk, Fort Machakos, Makueni County - Gurdwara Makindu Sahib, Patterson Ruins Tsavo, Meru County - Kaaga War Memorial, Twin Baobab Trees, Giant Meru Oak, Mombasa County - Fort Jesus, Old Port, Sanaa Gallery, Leven House, Old Law Courts, Kengeleni Bell, Old Railway Station, Mbaraki Pillar, Fort St. Joseph, Kraph Monument, Fort Makupa, Arab Rifle's Monument, Mombasa's Tusks, Ras Serani Light, Mandera County - Fort El Wak, Nandi County - Kaptumo I Kipture Forts, Samiitui Aldai Historic Stone, Nyeri County - Old Ruling Court, Taita Taveta County - Kitchwa Tembo Hill, Salaita Hill, The Sniper Tree, Maktau Railway Station, Mwashoti Hill, Mwakitau Hill, Tana River County - Tana Delta Old Fort, Tharaka Nithi County - The Mutunguruni Tree, Wajir County - Wajir Fort, Ancient Orahey Wells, Orahey Bunkers, The Old Town Wajir
Historic Ruins along the Coast of Kenya - Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River & Lamu
Outlook
Located in western Kenya within the Rift Valley region, Uasin Gishu County is best known as a grain basket, thanks to its prolific farms and farming culture. Its famed, forward-looking capital, Eldoret, is a major urban center and an international hub for athletics, leisure, education, and commerce. Uasin Gishu is a thriving highland.
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Explore Destinations Near Timboroa Railway Station
A Guide to Uasin Gishu County
A Summa Digest of Uasin Gishu
About Uasin Gishu Way Back When
40 Destinations in Uasin Gishu County, arranged as one would visit these - south, north, east then north - with aid of narratives, images, strip maps and distance chart:
Timboroa Railway Station, Ainabkoi Forest, Kesses Dam, Kesses Falls, Alten Energy Solar Farm, Mlango (Cheptiik) Falls, Ndalat Hill, Koromosho Falls, Greenwoods Resort, Doinyo Lessos Creamery, Muge Memorial Mausoleum, River Sosiani Park, The Sisibo Cultural Festival, Eldoret Golf Club, Eldoret Nature & Cultural Centre, Poa Place Resort, Eldoret Arboretum, Kapsurur Falls, Two Rivers Dam, Cherunya, Pombo-Sabor Forest, Kolol Recreation Centre, Naiberi River Camp, Elagerini Traveller Camp, Samich Resort, Mektei Ridge, Kerio Viewpoint, Kip Keino Stadium, Eldoret War Cemetery, Sergoit Hill, Kruger's Farm at Sergoit, Sergoit Golf and Wildlife Resort, Chebara Dam, Cherangani Hills, Sirikwa Holes Moiben, Kapsilot Hills, Chebororwa Conservancy, Nangili Rapids
Know More About Uasin Gishu: Its Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads, Airports, Climate & National Monuments
Although Uasin Gishu County lies within one degree at the Equator, daily temperatures are moderate and the climate is equitable across the year, between 9oC and 29oCelsius, and rarely rising over 30oC.
Uasin Gishu is a highland plateau with altitude falling from 2,700 ms to about 1,500 ms. The topography is higher to the east and falls gently toward the western border.