- Nanyuki is three hour’s drive north of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, and was founded in 1907 by British settlers. It grew economically mainly due to the farms it served throughout Laikipia county. There is still an old railway line that once linked the town with Nairobi.
- Mount Kenya dominates the view to the south-east of the town. The extinct volcano is the second highest mountain in Africa, after Mount Kilimanjaro, and was designated a World Heritage Site in 1997. Mornings are usually best for viewing the mountain as clouds tend to gather and obscure it in the afternoon, particularly in the rainy season. There are three pyramidal peaks, on which snow is often visible, despite being located on the Equator: Batian is 17,058 feet above sea level; Nelion 17,022 ft and Point Lenana is 16,355 ft.
- The population of Nanyuki is growing and currently stands at around 60,000 people. A lot of new buildings have been constructed over the past ten years and are increasing in height, with some at least seven storeys high. These larger buildings tend to have an internal alley of small shops on the ground floor, with flats and offices built above.
- Nanyuki lies on the equator, and at 1,950 metres, or 6,400 ft, above sea level it is also the 14th highest town in Africa. Visitors need to be careful about the effects of the high altitude, particularly if they drink a lot of caffeine or alcohol, or exert themselves.
- There is a fruit and vegetable market, with stalls of lopsided wooden tables, held every Wednesday and Saturday morning.
Fowl Murder, book 1 in the Kenya Kanga Mystery series is set in Nanyuki.
