Nyahururu Kenya- Highest Kenya town’s sights, spots, hotels & restaurants

Nyahururu Kenya- Highest Kenya town’s sights, spots, hotels & restaurants

Nyahururu is Kenya’s highest town at 2360m, located on the foot of Aberdare Mountain. Nyahururu is famous with high altitude training for Kenyan and visiting athletes. Most notable attraction in Nyahururu is the Thompson Falls that falls into a 72m abyss creating a perpetual mist.

Nyahururu -Thomson’s Falls town

Set next to Thomson’s falls, one of Kenya’s impressive water falls and the town’s former name sake is Nyahururu. At 2360m, this is Kenya’s highest major town, and it has a cool and invigorating climate. Besides the falls and some nice forested walks, most travelers find little reason to linger more than a day or two.

One of the last white settlement to be established in the colonial era, Nyahururu dint take off until the arrival of the Gilgil railway spur in 1929;now the trains only carries freight, and once again becoming an agricultural backwater. The surrounding plateau is highly cultivated with maize, beans and sweet potatoes –they are well represented in Nyahururu’s lively market.

The best approach to town is along the amazingly scenic road from Nakuru, which snakes up and down through the Sulukia valleys undulating farmlands and dense forests.

Nyahururu Information & Facts

Barclays bank ( cnr Sulukia and Sharpe roads) exchange cash and travelers cheques (Kshs 34 per leaf commission).with ATM.

Click cyber café (Mimi center, Kenyatta Rd; per hour Kshs 180) best internet other than post office.
Kenya Commercial Bank (Sulukia Rd) with ATM. (Visa only)

Post office (Sulukia Rd) with internet and card phones.

Nyahururu Sights, sounds, highlights & activities

The Thompson Falls Kenya-River Vacation Spot

Located on the town’s outskirts, and formed by the waters of Ewaso Narok River, Thomson Falls plummets over 72m into a ravine and the resulting spray bathes the dense forest below in a perpetual mist. Get down, get close, get wet, we say! A series of stones leads down to the bottom of the ravine –do not attempt to go down any other way as the rocks on the side of the ravine are very loose.

There are some fantastic walks downstream through the forested valley of the Ewaso Narok River and upstream and up stream a couple of kilometers to one of the highest hippo pools in Kenya. Take time to explore. Guides are fairly easy to find especially around the souvenir shacks overlooking the falls, but you’ll have to bargain hard.

The falls were named by Joseph Thomson, the first European to walk from Mombasa to Lake Victoria in the early 1880.

Places to Sleep in Nyahururu

Nyahururu has a couple of places with single rooms for Kshs 150, but that’s really scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Safari lodge (Go down Rd; s/tw Kshs 300/500) this massive new place is very clean, very bright and very affordable. Hot water is on demand and there are even sockets to charge you’re mobile.

County hostel (off Sulukia Rd; Kshs 200) behind the Nyandarua County Council headquarters, this place has quiet rooms with bathrooms and even toilet seats. At this price that’s saying something! Couples can squeeze into the beds.

Nyaki Hotel(22313;off Kenyatta Rd; s/tw Kshs 350/800)this relatively modern five storey building hosts small but comfy singles and large twins that are essentially poor-man’s suites. Rooms 131,128.119 and 116 are the brightest singles. It also features hot-water showers and secure parking.

Ranika Baron Hotel (Tel32883; Ol Kalau Rd; s/tw/ ste Kshs 350/500 /850) this place is a little tattered, but the beds in the singles are large and married couples can share for no extra cost.

Thomson Falls Lodge

(Off B5 Hwy; camping Kshs 300,s/tw incl breakfast Kshs 2200/2800)while the white planters are long gone, this nostalgic and cozy lodge that overlooks the falls still has character to spare. The main building and several cottages scattered around the manicured grounds have rooms with log fireplaces and descent facilities. The grassy campground is a right bargain, with free firewood and hot showers. As you would expect, the lodge also has a charming bar, lounge and restaurant.

Eating Places in Nyahururu

Noni’s Café (Mimi Center, Kenyatta Rd; meals Ksh 60-150) easily the cleanest and most welcoming of Nyahururu’s local eateries. it’s a great spot for breakfast.

Thomson’s fall lodge (off B5 Hwy; mains Kshs 150-500, buffets Kshs 800) this is the best (and only )place to go for a minor splurge. Stuff yourself at a buffet or delve into Irish stew, mutton specialties or beef burgers. Packed lunches (Kshs 350) are also available for guests. The grounds are a great place for picnics though it will cost you Kshs 50 per group.

Nyaki Hotel (Off Kenyatta Rd; meals Kshs 80-200) probably the best of many hotels that serve standard Kenyan fare

Ranika Baron Hotel (OL Kalau Rd; meals Kshs 75-200) like Nyaki, it serves quality Kenyan eats. for those who want to prepare their own meals, they can get fruit and vegetables at the open air market (off Koinange Rd).the brave can also find meat at the covered market (Off Koinange Rd) the fair Budget Stores Supermarket (Kenyatta Rd) is fairly well stocked.

Drinking and entertainment

Thomson Fall Lodge (Off B5 Hwy) with plank floors, comfortable armchairs and he blazing log fires, this is the place to enjoy a cold Tusker.

Equator Lodge (Sharpe Rd) I’ll give this local bar an ‘A’ for effort regarding their kitschy forested facade. Inside they get a ‘C’ for late night carnage.

Kawa Falls Hotel Disco (Ol Kalau Rd; Admission Kshs 100; weekends) this popular disco occasionally hosts well known Kenyan DJs.

Getting there and away

Numerous matatu run to Nakuru (Kshs 100, 1 ¼ hours) and Nyeri (Kshs 150, 2 hrs) until late afternoon. Less plentiful are services to Naivasha (Kshs 200, 1 ½ hours) Nanyuki (Kshs 250, 3 hours)and Nairobi (3 hours)the odd morning matatu reaches Mararal (Kshs 300,3 hours).

Several early morning buses also serve Nairobi (Kshs 230-250, 3 hours)

If you are driving north fill up on petrol, as it is much pricier in Mararal.

About Author

Robert is a tour consultant with landmark safaris in Kenya. Click here to experience high altitude bliss http://www.landmarksafaris.com/planner

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