Fourteen Falls — Thika, Kenya

Full Day Excursion From Nairobi

(Fourteen Falls is located about 65 Kilometers North East of Nairobi off Thika-Garissa Road turning at Makutano junction)

Fourteen Falls Day Trip from Nairobi

Fourteen Falls Day Trip from Nairobi; Fourteen Falls is located in Thika about 65 Kilometers North East of Nairobi off Thika-Garissa Road turning at Makutano junction. Fourteen Falls derives the name from their 14 distinct waterfalls on the broad section of the famous Athi River. The tour departs in the morning from Nairobi and you drive north some 45 km from the city centre to arrive at Blue Posts Hotel, established in 1908 as a stopover for white settlers who farmed and lived in central Kenya. Once at fourteen falls, a local guide will lead you down a rocky path to the near side base of the falls where you get a boat for crossing the river. The experienced boat guides use a long pole, guiding 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!

You may spend a couple of hours strolling around the rocks at the base of the Falls and enjoy the fresh air, breathtaking view and local flora. The base of the Falls is characterized 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. The guides also entertain visitors by performing jumps (they call it 'diving') from the top of the falls to the plunge pool below. Lunch will be served at the Blue Posts hotel, after which you will be driven back to Nairobi where the tour ends.

Fourteen Falls Highlights:

Thika town is only 40kms away from Nairobi, its famous for the vast pineapple plantations. Thika has a population of 90,000 and is growing rapidly, like the entire greater Nairobi area. The elevation of Thika is 1531 meters (5026 feet) in altitude. The town has a railway station, but there is only limited passenger service. The town is headquarters of the Thika District. The district is the prime pineapple-growing region in Kenya. Thika was formerly a center for light industry, but the focus has shifted to the Athi River.

Thika is externally serviced by a dual carriage way to Nairobi, a highway to Garissa and also a railway line. Internally, the town has a well-maintained road network. The economic activities of the town include agriculture, particularly in the horticulture (exports mainly to Europe) and coffee industry (exports mainly to the USA and Europe). Other industries include textile (cotton), food processing (pineapples, macadamia nuts, and wheat), tannery, motor vehicle assemblies and cigarette manufacturing. About one hundred small scale industries and about twenty major factories exist in and around the town. The decline of the textile industry has hit local firms, including Thika Cloth Mills (TCM), which is cotton to fabric manufacturer that competes against Egyptian & Chinese manufacturers.

Thika is close to "Fourteen Falls" which is a popular picnic site. Thika is home to the Chania Falls and the Thika Falls, while Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park lies to its south east. The Blue Posts Hotel is situated on the outskirts of Thika town, overlooking the water falls of the Chania and Thika rivers. There are 32 bedrooms each with en suite bathroom facilities. There is a nature walk set out along the rivers.