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Waterfalls Around the Aberdare Ranges Region in Kenya — A Detailed Travel Guide for Hikers, Nature Lovers, and Safari Enthusiasts

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There are days when the city noise becomes unbearable. When the traffic, bills, and back-to-back meetings start to feel like a trap. When your heart aches for something wild, quiet, and grounding. If you're feeling that now, you’re not alone. Many of us in Kenya are looking for a breather since our country has been feeling a little...heavy lately. From the economy to politics, to the unsettling spiritual and social chaos, it's easy to feel like you're carrying the world on your shoulders. But what if you could lay it down, even just for a day? What if there were a place you could run to, deep in the mountains, where all that noise disappears into the wind? A place to reset. A spot where we can scream our lungs out next to a crashing waterfall and remember what it means to just be.





Welcome to the Nyandarua Mountains region, popularly called the Aberdare Ranges. More specifically, to the lush, underrated region tucked in the heart of Mathioya, Murang'a County. Here, waterfalls tumble from forest cliffs, mist weaves through bamboo, and time slows down.

Whether you're hiking on foot or exploring on a guided game drive, this is your detailed guide to the best waterfalls in the Aberdare Ranges region — including which ones you can hike to, which ones require a safari vehicle, and those you can enjoy from both.

1. Karuru Falls - Accessible via Safari Drive Only

Height: 273m with three thunderous tiers
Experience: Breathtaking, remote, and perfect for photography
Access: Reachable via a 4x4 vehicle on a guided safari tour through Aberdare National Park's Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)  gates like Mutubio or Kiandongoro.

This is the tallest waterfall in Kenya. Yes, the tallest. And yet many Kenyans have never stood close to it. Karuru crashes down in three thunderous levels, surrounded by thick indigenous forest and misty air that tastes like rain. The road is bumpy, the forest is wild, and the moment you first lay eyes on it? Worth everything.

2. Gura Falls - Accessible via Safari Drive 

Height: 305m (but narrower than Karuru)
Experience: Hidden and wild
Access: Same route as Karuru, often seen from a viewing point near the safari track

Gura is Karuru's wilder sibling. It plunges deep into a gorge, creating a white thread of water you can watch from a distance. Though not accessible on foot, it’s one of those sights that silences everyone in the safari vehicle. You just stare, breathe, and wonder what lies beyond that dense green.

3. Magura Falls at the mouth of Queen’s Cave - Accessible on Foot and by Vehicle

Experience: Adventurous, raw, and lesser-known
Access: Hiking trail from the Zaina Forest Gate area, or a rough road drive

Magura Falls, rumored to be a hideout during the colonial era, sits quietly in a forested part of the eastern Aberdares. You can get here by hiking through bamboo and indigenous trees, your boots sinking into soft earth. You can also attempt a vehicle drive — preferably 4x4 — if you're not in the mood to trek. Either way, the falls are beautiful, crashing onto mossy rocks in a hidden valley that feels sacred.

4. Chania Falls - (Game Drive Safari  Only)

Location: Near the Aberdare Fishing Lodge area inside the Park on the Southern entrance (Nyeri)
Experience: Great picnic and photo spot

Chania Falls is peaceful. Not as massive as Karuru or Gura, but scenic and calming. A perfect place to stop during a game drive. You can sit, sip your tea, and just listen to the water. Sometimes, it’s not about the adventure — it’s about the stillness.

5. Karunguru Falls - (On Foot Only)

Experience: Off-the-beaten path, local gem
Access: Local guides from the Mathioya area or hiking groups know this hidden beauty well

This is a waterfall for the curious. It's not in the park, but deeper into the village landscape of Mathioya. You hike through farms, forests, and river crossings until the sound of water grows louder and louder. Then you find it — Karunguru. A secret spot for a soul looking to scream, laugh, cry, or just be quiet. A true therapy spot, if there ever was one.

6. The Twin Falls of Ragia Forest - (Hiking + 4x4 Combo)

Access: Ragia Forest (Kinangop side), off-the-grid trail
Experience: Raw, forest-bathing kind of hike

This trail takes you through tunnels, old railway tracks, and a bamboo forest. It leads to twin waterfalls you can stand beneath, arms stretched out like a child welcoming the rain. It’s not in Murang'a county, but it borders it and can be part of your extended Aberdare region escape.

7. Nyahururu Falls AKA Thomson's Falls — Accessible by Vehicle and on Foot (Touristy but Worth It)

Access: Stop over approximately 2.5 kilometers from Nyahururu town on the Ewaso Ng'iro River in the Central Rift Valley 
Experience: Raw, forest-bathing kind of hike

Though technically outside the Aberdares, if you’re doing a larger circuit through the central highlands, Thompson’s Falls in Nyahururu is worth a stop. Easy to walk to and very popular, the falls drop 74 meters and are surrounded by souvenir stalls and guides. While more commercialized, it’s a good place to stretch your legs and get a stunning photo. You may not be the only one there, but the moment still feels intimate. The falls don’t rush for anyone. They fall, consistently and freely, just as you should be allowed to.

The town derives its name from the Maasai word e-naiwurruwurr, meaning waterfall or windy or place of storms. It is located in both Laikipia County and Nyandarua County. It’s easy to reach, especially if you’re doing a highlands road trip loop, maybe heading back to Nairobi from Laikipia, or detouring through Nakuru. The moment you step out of your car, you’re greeted by cheerful local vendors, souvenir stalls with everything from handmade jewelry to carved gourds, and the soft hum of tourism in full swing.

But step past that, and follow the slightly muddy footpath down through the forest, and something shifts. The trees get taller, the noise of the town fades, and you’re suddenly wrapped in that serenity only nature can offer. You’ll feel it in your chest, that drop, that breath, that deep, grounding peace. There’s something spiritual about standing beneath a fall that’s been crashing for centuries, especially when life feels chaotic and uncertain. You may not be the only one there, but the moment still feels intimate. 

Best For: First-time highlands visitors, road trippers, and stopovers on your way back to Nairobi or Nakuru.

8. Zaina Falls – (Hike Only)

Location & Access: Gakanga Village, near Ihururu (Nyeri County)
Experience: Quiet, lush, underrated, intimate, and utterly refreshing.

Zaina Falls is the kind of place you stumble upon and instantly feel like you've discovered a secret. Hidden near Ihururu in Gakanga Village, it's not splashed across every tourist brochure or trending on every travel blog — and that’s exactly why it matters. Zaina is for those who’ve done the famous trails and now want something new. This hidden gem sits about 14km from Nyeri Town and rewards you with peace, soft forest air, and no crowds. A true off-the-grid refresh.

Best For: Those seeking quiet intimacy with nature. A place to reset emotionally without the pressure of “doing” or “seeing” too much.

9. Chinga Falls – Hike + Boating

Location: Othaya, Nyeri County
Experience: Water meets wanderlust

Located at the scenic Chinga Dam, these falls are part of a larger experience — boat rides, river walks, and countryside conversations. They’re fed by the Gachinga River, which flows from the Aberdares like a lifeline, offering beauty and balance to every visitor.

And if you have time, take that boat ride and let the water carry your worries somewhere far away.

Best For: Nature lovers, photographers, couples looking for a quiet moment, or anyone craving a soft adventure that fills the soul instead of the feed.

Tips Before You Go

  • KWS Permits: Required for access to waterfalls inside Aberdare National Park.

  • Local Guides: Always worth hiring if going on foot. They know hidden routes and ensure safety.

  • Footwear & Clothing: Proper hiking shoes, warm layers, rain jacket.

  • Screaming Friendly: Yes, seriously. These waterfalls don’t judge. Let it out.

Why Waterfalls Now?

Because we’re living in intense times. Our economy is unpredictable. Our hearts are heavy. Nairobi life is noisy. Sometimes, you just need to drive out, to lose your phone signal, to dip your feet in a cold river, and to scream into a forest that doesn’t ask you to explain anything.

You can pack light, hike freely, and take long, lazy drives without worrying about washed-out roads. The Aberdare Ranges region is calling. It’s not flashy, but it’s honest and the kind of nature that doesn’t rush you. Just offers you space to be. 

Who Does This Region Speak To?

  • Burned-out professionals: You've given so much to the job, the city, the hustle. This is your time to refill.

  • Adventurous couples: Trade the dinner date for a day of exploration, laughter, and a shared thermos of chai at a waterfall base.

  • Solo soul-searchers: There is nothing quite like walking alone in these forests to remember who you are.

  • Corporate teams: Want better brainstorming? Try walking through a tea farm instead of a boardroom. Let the silence speak before the strategy.

  • Group travelers: Sometimes you just need to laugh loudly, sing badly, and remind your people what joy sounds like in nature.

Whether you’re hiking, driving, or doing a bit of both, these waterfalls will hold you gently and remind you that it’s okay to stop, to feel, and to rest.

Save this guide. Share it with someone you love. And when the noise becomes too loud or the city too tight, remember the waterfalls are waiting.

From Mathioya, with love. 💚

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