Thomson’s Falls

Thomson's Falls is a 74-meter (243-foot) waterfall on the Ewaso Narok River in Central Kenya. Situated 3 kilometers outside the town of Nyahururu in Laikipia County, the falls sit at an elevation of approximately 2,360 meters (7,740 feet) near the northern foot of the Aberdare Range and Lake Ol Bolossat. Because of its high altitude, the surrounding region experiences a temperate oceanic climate with regular rainfall throughout the year and temperatures generally ranging between 15°C and 26°C.The river plunges down a sheer rock face into a deep gorge, creating a dense spray that sustains lush greenery along the cliff walls, including creepers, bushes, and wild banana plants. Upstream from the cascade is a high-altitude hippo pool on the river. The forested gorge and surrounding riverine habitats host various wildlife species, including colobus monkeys, baboons, and birds such as the African fish eagle, Augur buzzard, Verreaux's eagle, and Hartlaub's turaco. Visitors can view the cascade from lookout platforms along the rim of the gorge, hike a steep trail leading down to the bottom of the ravine, or participate in guided nature walks and birdwatching tours.In 1883, Scottish geologist and naturalist Joseph Thomson became the first European to record reaching the waterfall, naming it after his father. The falls played a key role in the development of Nyahururu, which began as a small settlement in the early 1920s around a trout fishing hut on the river before expanding after the railway arrived in 1929. Directly opposite the falls sits Thomson's Falls Lodge, built in 1931 to accommodate early travelers. The site also served as a filming location for the 1988 television adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel, The Man in the Brown Suit.