Thomson Falls - Nyahururu

by Archie
(Scotland)

Thomson's Falls - Nyahururu

Thomson's Falls - Nyahururu


Thomson's Falls is a beautiful waterfall at the Ewaso Nyiro River in Central Kenya. The waterfall is 74 meters (243 feet) high. One of the biggest hippo pools of Kenya is located up stream from the falls. It’s possible to view the falls from above, and there’s also a trail down to the bottom of the ravine.

The Thomson’s Falls gets it’s name from Joseph Thomson, a naturalist and geologist from Scotland who discovered it in 1887 when he walked all the way from Mombasa to Lake Victoria.

Travelling from the dust bowl of Nakuru it was a joy to see the ever changing landscape and vegetation. Tea and coffee plantations merged with the lush forests, colours of Africa that fight for attention in your head, around every corner another view which makes you want to stop and enjoy.

I now know why this part of Kenya was chosen by Europeans to settle in. Those times are past and the morality was wrong, but now we can make amends and enjoy Kenya in all its diversity.


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VISIT TO THOMSON's FALLS
by: Anonymous


Naenda huko kesho 21.2.2015 .Na watoto wangu. want to see where Joseph Thomson sat in 1883 as he became the first white man to see the Falls.

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20/9/14
by: Anonymous

was there on 20th sep 2014 i enjoyed

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MAH WORKING PLACE
by: VICTORIA

THE SITE IS WAU! VISIT AND PROVE THE BEAUTY OF KENYA

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I love it
by: Mwaura

Ooh my home town, I like the beautiful place for adventures.

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BEAUTY OF KENYA
by: CATE VASSI

This place is beautiful...try to pay a visit and you will love it..

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The Beauty of Kenya
by: Jessie

It's a wonderful place to be, if u haven't visited Thompson Falls, u missing a lot.

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Thomson? Discoverer or just Lucky?
by: Archie

Lewis, Thankyou for your mail and please read entries into this forum dated February & April 2009 which are similar to your own. I hope the replies by the Webmaster and myself go someway to correct the inadvertent use of the word 'discover'.

On a lighter note, after 3 years of meditation it strikes me that Thomson was probably guided to the falls by the local population. One wonders why they would do that? Any suggestions?

Regards

Archie

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thomson falls
by: Lewis

i think it would better to say the first European to discover its existence

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nice place
by: Anonymous

aaah thompson fall i the most wonderful place to

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praise
by: Ojuok Paul

A very wonderful place to be especially after a long work all week days

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paradise
by: Anonymous

what a place to visit truly beatiful

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Why visit Thomsons Falls??
by: Former T'Falls Resident

Born and raised in T'Falls i have very fond memories of spending Sundays at the falls with the family. It has been 40 odd years now since we left T'Falls taking my children back to T'Falls is a must so that they can experience the true beauty of this majestic waterfall, and i recommend all who can visit this awesome site to make their own judgement.

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MUCH IN LOVE
by: Anonymous

Truly to the word! if have never visited tfalls, you surely have not explored the world. Imagine I was born there 44 years ago and I am a native. A my tender age, we used to visit the falls every Sunday and the "sadaka" that we were given to donate at our Lady of Consolata Catholic Church Nyahururu, we used to enjoy by buying sweets and biscuits when visiting the falls. In fact, we also used to visit the stream downward and it was amazing! The only thing that was even enjoyable was the banana like plant which had banana("mahindu") which was the moneky's food, the nuts and many natural plants which we used to gather. Then we would pass at Asian street where we would pass at an Old Indian grunny's home and she used to cook biscuits for us. Nyahururu was surely amazing co'z as kids no crime was committed to us. Oh! how I miss those olden days. God bless Nyahururu, God bless Kenya.

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Wow what a gret additio
by: Thomson ,mike

Having been named after the scotish who discored the falls, it was must see for me. A vist to the falls got me exited too my core. What about the leafy surround full of trees and vegetation. Hippos strolling to feed after dark. To cap it all theres a new addition in the name of WATERFALLS RESORT. There food is tantalizing and service beyond reproch. Well done guys. This is a must visit while in Kenya.

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Who discovered The Falls?
by: Gaita

The claim that Thompson discovered this falls is an insult to the native people who have lived in this area for thousands of years.Just because they never recorded their discovery should not reduce their presence around the falls.This euro-centric assertion on discoveries even in other regions of the world is not only annoying but utter garbage to say the list.

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IS THOMPSON FALLS DYING
by: Anonymous

I agree 100% with all your comment of the glory and beauty of thompson fall, furthemore i grew up swimming at the bottom of the falls.

However, i cant help to wonder if anyone has noticed the construction goin on around, for instance a Hotel by the name of WATERFALL RESORT. The cuttting down of the trees around to pave way for the hotel and other shops around the falls, are smothering the falls.
What action has been taken, why are we watching as the beautful fall dies, with a loud cry??

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The most beautiful waterfall in the world!
by: Janet

Thomson's Falls is most definitely the most beautiful waterfall in the world - but I would say that, wouldn't I, having been born and bred in Kenya - living in the Nyahururu area for all my early life. We had a farm about ten miles out and when we sold it we moved into Thomson's Falls and lived in one of the houses that are situated behind what was then called Barry's Hotel. We would often take the dogs for a walk around the waterfall, sometimes scrambling to the bottom and having a dip in the pool there. The waterfall was ever changing in it's moods, but always beautiful. In the dry season it would trickle over, looking delicate and feminine, but in the wet season the water would hurtle over in a flury of foam and bubbles. The vegetation around the falls was jungle like and very beautiful. During the evening we could hear the distinctive cry of the tree-hyrax and in the daytime the birdsong was very loud and noticeable. There were hippos in the river and at night time they would come down the river and graze at the bottom of our garden. Not very good for my mother's flowers, but quite exciting to see!

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Thomson Falls 1963
by: Anonymous

I was with a small group of runners in Kenya as part of their Uhuru independence from British rule celebration. Our hosts took us to T'Falls. My American pal dragged me to the bottom on that tiny trail(1963), handed me his camera, stripped, and told me to shoot as he jumped in. I figured that he was a goner but we survived. What a spot. I can see it clearly after 47 years.

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Thomson Falls
by: Anonymous

I have stopped many times at T'Falls for lunch or tea and even once over night. It was a comfortable upstairs room with bath, fire place and balcony. I recall most clearly a cold early morning in late July........someone came and started our fire place........then brought coffee. I sat on the balcony in the early chill and watched the birds wake and find their breakfasts in all the beauiful flower gardens which were in full blast bloom...... a lovely memory. I will be there again this summer, 2010! Nice rooms, good Kenyan food and really nice people.

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Thanks but let's stick to English...
by: Arjen Koopman

hi all,

Thank you all for commenting but let's stick to English here so we can all understand it... (there was one comment totally in Swahili which I deleted).

Thanks for your understanding,
Arjen Koopman
(webmaster)

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jiejoy
by: moses njuguna

it was a worderful place to stay few yard from the fall. so kenyan i recommed thomsomfall is best place to be"""""""""""""

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Thomson falls is more selling to the Rich Europeans and Americans
by: wahome

Truth be said, I think Thomson falls is more selling than dururumo. The European and American tourists are more likely to visit something named after one of their own. We as Kenyans should keep the eyes on the price and that is the money generated from the tourism and remember a good number of Kenyans earn their living from this. The bottom line is that, Thompson is Kenyan heritage and no one is taking it away from us.

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Adventure
by: Joseph Wambugu

Now you don't have to imagine living 500 m from fall just have a visit at the place, have a better and affordable accommodation at a MAKUTI logde.Jienjoy and have wonderful time at T-falls.

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Kirurumo (Thompsom Falls)
by: Anonymous

Imagine living 500 metres from that beatiful place? That is me! If you haven't visited the place yet, you must! Make sure you get a view of the falls from below. The trek is very tiresome but, no gains without pains. It is quite an adventure!

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Oooops
by: Archie

Anonymous, thankyou for your comments and of course it had me running off to every web dictionary. I have to agree with you albeit with this.....and I dont want to get deep.....when Darwin found? discovered? previously unknown flora/fauna was it taken into account that they had already been known by local population?
Webmaster [Arjen] is right, Thomson [et al] was just a reporter on what HE found and was so amazed by the new sights. History is hard to change, but yes it can be done, but it will take many generations to do so. Would it be good to do so? My childhood in Kenya taught me Thomsons Falls and gazelles....can you suggest something that is different or do we accept what we have and promote to the world that Kenya is a country which is a mixture of many cultures, and with that names that come from the past. Compare the coastal regions with the Rift Valley, even the Swahili tongue is different.
I know that times have changed and they continue to do so but my heart is in the dust of GilGil, and it is my hope that many other foreigners will come and visit Kenya to appreciate its place in this world.
I am sure you feel the same.

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OK, discoverer isn't the right word...
by: Arjen Koopman (webmaster)

Anonymous, you're right. The 'discovering' is from a European perspective only, since Thomson was the first to report back to the Europeans about the falls. So a better word to describe Thomson would be explorer or reporter. To be fair to Archie, I think it was me (as webmaster) who edited the 'discoverer' into his story. I'll let it stand there, or the rest of the discussion won't make sense to others who read it, but your point is taken.

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Words Have Hidden Meanings
by: Anonymous

The first step in making amends about the wrong history is to stop using language that still suggests that Europeans "discovered" Africa or its features.

My understanding of the word "discover" is to come across or realize something that no other human being has seen before.

When you say the Nyahururu waterfalls was named after the Scottish who "discovered" it do you mean that the Africans who were living in this area and actually used River Ewaso Nyiro to water their animals had not seen the falls before Thompson saw them?

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A great picture and a true comment
by: Arjen Koopman

Archie, another great picture. It's a beautiful fall and well worth a visit.

And you're very right what you say about the colonial times. Though some colonizers may have had good intention (although most were just after money and 'national prestige' for their mother countries), it was wrong.

On the other hand, Kenyans should also show now that they take responsibility for their own future and develop their country. The power-sharing deal is a good sign - at least much better than the violent situation before that. Kenya is on it's way.

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