14-Falls Thika

1ST OCTOBER 2008

1st October, a Wednesday, was the Muslim Idd ul Fitr day and thus a public holiday. Planning a mid-week outing is always a challenge; you can't travel too far or you'll suffer mid-week fatigue, and many of the well known scenic locations are quite far away. The 14 Falls in Thika fit the bill nicely for a short, fun, excursion.

Thika is about 45kms N. East of Nairobi on smooth tarmac. The 14 Falls are a further 20kms away, mostly on tarmac, with only the last 5kms or so being a motorable dirt road.


We set off late morning and arrived at the gate to the Falls area at about 1 p.m. An access fee of Kshs. 100/= ($1.30) for adults and Kshs. 50/= ($0.6) for kids is payable (this is the resident rate).

At the parking we were welcomed by a group of young men who introduced themselves as local guides. Since most of our party of 9 (including 3 kids) had not been to the falls before, we chose one of them, named Kioko, and negotiated a guide fee of Kshs. 150/= ($2). He led us down a rocky path to the near side base of the falls where we could hire a crossing boat. We negotiated a rate of Kshs.300/= ($4.00) for the crossing. The experienced boat guide, using a long pole, guided the boat on a leisurely ride downstream, back upstream and across the river to a rocky bank on the far side. The view of the falls from the boat is extraordinary!

view of the falls from a boat downstream

Kioko explained that the 14 Falls are so named because there are 14 distinct waterfalls on the broad section of river.

We spent a couple of hours strolling around the rocks at the base of the Falls and enjoying the fresh air, breathtaking view and local flora. The kids, in particular, enjoyed scrambling up and down the massive rocks.

The base of the Falls is characterised by large boulders and the powerful sound of rushing water as it cascades down the 25-foot drop. A fine spray hangs in the air and keeps everything cool. There are lots of birds, and we spotted egrets, ibis and swallows that fascinated us with their agile aerobatics. The guides also entertain visitors by performing jumps (they call it 'diving') from the the top of the falls to the plunge pool below.

When we'd had our fill and were ready to go back Kioko informed us that there was an alternative option (at extra cost!) of returning to the near bank of the river on foot, instead of crossing by boat. Feeling adventurous we took him up on this. Little did we know what was in store!


The 'adventure' return option involved trekking up a steep rocky path to the head of the falls and crossing the river on foot by jumping from rock to rock - there are plenty of rocks that jut out of the water during the dry season. The fast-flowing river and VERY slippery rocks make this a challenging undertaking. We had to take off our shoes, roll up our pants and proceed with caution. The guides are masters of the river and help with the crossing, but it is NOT for the faint hearted... A couple of us took a spill and got soaked! Some local goat herders were at the river with their herds, and during the many breaks we took while crossing we were entertained by the sight of agile goats leaping from one rock to another.

Guides help with the crossing

When we crossed back we found fruit vendors selling very sweet miniature pineapples grown on farms in the area. After the drama of the crossing the fruit was a welcome refreshment for our parched throats.

All in all, the 14 Falls is a great place to spend a day!

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