Before giving way to the alpine forests and glacial peaks of soaring Mount Kenya to the north-east, or the rugged gorges, ridges and canyons of the mighty Aberdare Mountains to the west, Kenya’s verdant and lush Central Highlands play host to Nyeri—best described as a relaxed, backcountry town.

In and about town, Nyeri tour guides recommend seeking out the resting place of Lieutenant-General Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the worldwide scout movement, and the museum that’s dedicated to his memory in the heart of town. Also worth a visit is the sobering Italian War Memorial in nearby Mathari and the grave of the revered adventurer cum writer, Jim Corbett. And when the Kenyan hinterlands beckon, head to the primeval forests of the Aberdare National Park, where leopards stalk elephant herds to the din of crashing cataracts, or the UNESCO tracts of Mount Kenya, where the second-highest summit of Africa and its concomitant mist-clad mountain plateaus await.