Fourteen Falls waterfall at Thika

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

Fourteen Falls waterfall at Thika is a spectacular 27 meter deep and a perfect day trip. There is a lot to see and do while in this scenic site, boating, fishing, photography, plant identification, and bird watching are among other activities.

Internationally. the Fourteen Falls are the most famous falls. The name originates from the 14 successive falls filled with thousands of liters of water that make up the Athi River. The fast flowing water pounds more than 25 meters into the large pool at the base of the fall. The loud thundering sound is heard kilometers away which makes the experience unforgettable.

The falls overlooks the famous Kilimambogo Hill that is visible from all the fall and are near the border between Thika and Machakos.

There are local traders who offer affordable services like photography, curios and fruits like the fresh and sweet pineapples. To make the experience worthwhile you can hire local guides who will take you to the most appealing spots. If you are brave enough to take a swim in the river, then Fourteen Falls would be the ideal place.

The falls are impressive; however the amount of garbage and pollution all over the place is a huge detriment and tarnishes the experience. The falls have so much potential if it were not the neglect from the authorities.

The waterfalls themselves could be one of Kenya’s best natural attractions as they are wide and spectacular. However, the management completely lets the place down. I have no idea what the entrance fees go towards. The river is extremely polluted plastic bags, dead hyacinth and foaming. There is litter everywhere and no available bins to help manage the problem. There is a large car park, but nowhere to sit. People go ahead to park their cars everywhere carelessly even on the grass due to lack of effective management and directions.

With a little investment in litter picking, litter bin provision and a walkway/viewing platform fourteen falls can be a beautiful place for a day trip out of Nairobi. As it is, I would recommend the county government to use part of the revenue collected to better its condition.

Conservation interested groups could also lend a helping hand in organizing social events such as cleaning of the falls.

It will be very sad to lose such a gem due to poor management of the area by the respective organization.