Thomson Falls (Thomson's Falls or Nyahururu) Thomson Falls (or Thomson's Falls; also known as Nyahururu) is the name of both the neighboring town as well as the waterfall. Plunging some 72m on the Ewaso Narok River on the far northern end of the Aberdare Ranges, there are plenty of overlooks along the gorge rim to take in the views from the top. Of course there are also plenty of curio shops as well as people looking to have their picture taken for a fee. There is a 20-minute or so path to the base of the falls, but a sign warns of muggings and theft and recommends hiring a guide for safety. As much as I really wanted to do it, we didn't go to the base of the falls because I was stricken with food poisoning so we were content to just enjoy the falls from the top. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. An interesting aspect about this waterfall is that it's very close to the equator. In fact, of all the waterfalls we've seen around the world, this maybe the closest one to the equator that we've been to! But before you associate this falls with steamy jungles, realize that Nyahururu is at 2360m so it's not nearly as hot and humid as you'd think. In fact, we saw many Kenyan marathoners in long-sleeved Maasai red jackets training here (possibly for the 2008 Olympics in China) taking advantage of the high altitude. This was the only waterfall we saw in Kenya as it was relatively easy to make this a stop on a wildlife safari itinerary. Tell us about your experience with this waterfall. [Back to top] [Go to the Kenya Waterfalls Page] [Go to the Africa Page] [Return from Thomson Falls (Thomson's Falls or Nyahururu) to the World of Waterfalls Home Page]
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Angled view of the falls from a wooden platform very close to the nearby market