Thompson Falls: History, Trails, Lodge, Direction, Wildlife

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO THOMPSON FALLS

Thompson Waterfall is an ideal place to spend a weekend away with family and friends on a budget. It is located in Nyahururu, Laikipia County. The fall is named after a Scottish explorer, Joseph Thompson, after his father in 1883. It is 74 meters high. It is fed by the Ewaso Narok River, a tributary of the Ewaso Nyiro flowing from the Aberdare Ranges through Lake Olbolosat.

The river then drains into the Lorian swamp. Nyahururu is the highest town in Kenya, sitting at 2360 meters above sea level.

LOCATION OF THOMPSON WATERFALL.

Thompson Falls is located in Nyahururu, a town in Kenya, Northeast of Nakuru, Laikipia county. Previously, Nyahururu functioned as the administrative capital of Nyandarua district. After devolution, Nyandarua became a county, and the headquarters shifted to Ol Kalau.

Nyahururu has a strong economic power and continues to be a strong economic tie to the two counties, Laikipia County and Nyandarua County. The Rift Valley Region is packed with beautiful destinations. This is your sign to start exploring these destinations to know your country better.

HISTORY OF THOMPSON FALLS

Thompson Fall is a 74-meter-high fall fed by the Ewaso Narok River, which is a tributary of the Ewaso Nyiro River. Ewaso Nyiro River is fed with a continuous water supply due to the glaciers on Mount Kenya. The river also feeds into LAKE Ol Bolossat, which is the only lake in Nyandarua County.

Thompson Joseph is a Scottish explorer and the first to reach the Thompson Fall, which he named after his father. Reaching the place where he found Thompson Falls, he was greatly amazed by the thundering of the water with a magnificent mass plunging a great foot into the gorge below it.

Thompson was a Scottish geologist and a naturalist. He was the first to walk from Mombasa to Lake Victoria in the early 1880s.

The discovery of Thompson Fall brought economic growth to the area and created employment. There is an entry fee to enter the Thompson fall which generates income. At the entrance, several shops are selling traditional artifacts and attires, and a children’s playground is opposite it.

THOMPSON FALLS LODGE

The lodge is located near the Thompson Falls. It is at 7800 feet above sea level and sits on a 10-acre lawn. The lodge has African Olives and Cedar trees, among other Indigenous tree species. It makes it an ideal place for family and friends to gather for picnics, conferences, weddings, and vocations.

This is one of the places you must check on while visiting Thompson Falls. In this place you will have a nice lunch and relax with family. You can also have a beautiful view of the waterfall from the lodge.

Joseph Thompson, during his expenditure, passed through a mountain range, which he named Aberdare Mountain. This is a must-visit forest with great waterfalls and beautiful scenery of the forest. The weather in Thompson fall is also inspired by the Aberdare Ranges.

Despite being the first to see Thompson fall and naming it, he also lent his name to the elegant Thompson’s Gazelle.

THE THOMPSON FALL LODGE

The lodge is an eco-lodge built in the world’s famous Thompson Falls. It is located southeast of Nyahururu town, overlooking the Ole Ngare Naro River. Nyahururu is 180km from Nairobi and the lodge is 1km from the main road.

The lodge was built in the early 1930s by the English settlers. The lodge is ideal for an overnight stop for travelers moving through Samburu and the Great Rift Valley. It serves tourists visiting Lake Nakuru, Lake Baringo, and Lake Bogoria.

They offer comfortable rooms, with private verandahs, beautiful campsites, accommodations, and conference facilities. Their original brick cottage built by the English settlers in the 1930s or swiss-chalet style house accommodates 85 people.

They have lawns where you can enjoy a meal with friends and family. Just a beautiful site for a picnic date.

Activities in the lodge

• Nature walks to the base to see the Thompson fall at a close.
• A walk to the Hippo viewing point to see them closely.
• Bird viewing since Thompson Falls attracts a variety of birds that offer a good background for photography. One can also see colobus monkeys and baboons on the way to the Thompson Falls.
• You can also visit Lake Ol Bolossat, just a few kilometers away.

Room rate from KSH 6500- 16000.

Thomson’s Falls Lodge Other rates

There are also international and local cuisines.

DISTANCE FROM NAIROBI TO THOMPSON FALLS.

From Nairobi, via A104 and Gilgil-Nyahururu road/C77, it is approximately 188.4km, 3 hours and 36 mins without any traffic and road inconveniences.

Using a matatu you can take approximately 3 hours and 10 mins. A private car will take approximately 2 hours 50 mins. Air transport is approximately 2 hours 40 mins.

ATTRACTIONS AND TRAILS AT THOMPSON FALLS.

You can view the Thompson Fall from up there after the entrance from a viewpoint. But for a better view and more fun, it is advisable to go down there and just see the view close. The trail down to the waterfall is quite easy.

There are stairs downwards, which are a little steep but manageable, and there are also rails on the sides to make it easy to go downward. The walk down there is quite an exercise session and is highly recommended. Get ready to sweat as you make your way down there.

The nature as you go down the staircases is amazing. The sound of birds chirping, the sound of the waterfall as you go down and the sound of the stream as the water flows down. So therapeutic. You will meet monkeys on the way; most are always hungry and may grab a snack from you if holding one, but it is safe the monkeys are not a menace.

The Thompson Waterfall

The waterfall itself is amazing; I recommend taking that trip to Nyahururu to have this amazing experience on a budget. Take that break from everything you won’t regret.

Here, unlike the Ngare Ndare waterfalls, where people are free to swim in the pools created by the waterfalls, it is different. Swimming here is quite dangerous due to the pressure of the water coming down the fall and the rate at which it flows down the stream.

Down there, after the staircases, it opens up to a rocky place, and the waterfall itself is just beautiful. It feels like a realization of the famous saying, ‘There is light on the other side of the tunnel.’

The waterfall looks like it’s close to the sky when one looks at it from below it. It also gives a sight or an illusion of someone pouring water from up there. There are very tall indigenous trees around the fall and a nice vegetation cover, the nature here is just screaming beauty.

You can sit there viewing the waterfall, take very nice pictures inspired by nature, and just enjoy the breeze there.

Related: Ragia Water Falls Hikes

PRICING AND ENTRY FEE

WILDLIFE AND ANIMALS AT THOMPSON FALL

Some of the wildlife to be seen in the fall are the Colombus, Monkeys, and Baboons. There are also the Thompson’s gazelles. You can also take a walk to the Hippo viewing point to view the Hippos at a close, which is a few kilometers from the Thompson waterfall.

The waterfall serves as an attraction to a lot of species of birds like the cape crow, African dusky flycatcher, eastern mountain greenbul, yellow bishop, white-eyed slaty flycatcher, common bulbul, and African dusky flycatcher, among other species.

This is the best place for you bird lovers to explore and even discover more bird species.

CAMPING AT THE THOMPSON FALL

Camping here is offered by the Thompson Fall Lodge. You can camp here at a fee. They offer all camping facilities and an ideal environment for you to camp and enjoy the view of the waterfall.

For more information on camping, you can consult with the management.

OPENING HOUR

Thompson Fall opens at 7:00 am and closes at 6:00 pm daily. You can visit the waterfall any day early in the morning to go down to view the waterfall in the morning before the sun is up.

THINGS TO DO AT THE THOMPSON FALL

• HIKE

Here, you take a hike down to see the waterfall and enjoy nature, the birds, and the indigenous vegetation. It is also a form of exercise going down and then climbing up.

• PHOTOGRAPHY

The waterfall gives the best view to take photos. The waterfall itself is just a moment to capture. The Panari resort up there is just an amazing view also. Coming here one needs to have a good camera to capture these beautiful moments and scenes.

The nature around, even from up there on the viewpoint, is just amazing, a site to capture.

Other activities are horse, camel riding at the entrance of the Thompson waterfall at a fee. There is a playground near the entrance, a great place to take your children on your visit here to have fun.

One can also go window shopping at the traditional shops at the entrance, selling traditional creative work.

NEARBY ATTRACTION TO THOMPSON FALL

There are several nearby attractions around Thompson Falls. On your visit here check on Hippo Point Nyahururu and see the hippos. There is also the Thompson Fall Bridge heading to Penari Resort.

A few kilometers away from the Thompson Falls is the Nyahururu Sport and Golf Club. There is also the Delta Fall before you get to the Thompson Fall entrance.

WHERE TO STAY WHILE VISITING THOMPSON FALL

• Nyahururu Highland Heaven BnB, Nyahururu Rumuruti road.
• Samawati lakeside cottages
• Lake OL Bolossat ,Kasuku view
• Thompson Falls Lodge near Thompson Fall Waterfall.

TRAVEL INFORMATION THOMPSON FALL

One can visit the fall any time of the year, but the best time is in the dry period, which is from July- October and December-February. During this period, it is easier to go down the staircase to the waterfall itself.

During the wet season, the staircase is always a little slippery, and going near the waterfall is quite hard due to the mud. During the wet season, which is from April to June for the bird viewers, this is the best season.

When coming here, equip yourself with a nice shoe that will make it easier to walk on the staircase trail and up. Have warm clothes since the weather here is a little chilly and at midday warm. Carry enough water to stay hydrated and enough money to pay for the camel and horse ride, pay for the playground for your kid and buy something from the traditional shop.

This is a place that should be on your must-visit bucket list. To go and just relax, rejuvenate, exercise, and just enjoy nature at its best. Not forgetting a nice meal at the Thompson Fall Lodge.