Fourteen Falls

So the other day I was busy coding, straining my head with java programming language when I received a text from a pal. ‘Are you on for this?’ read the text, accompanied by a screenshot of a trip planned to Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park in Kiambu county. It had been a while since I was to those sides, and never been to that Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park area at all. Being a Travel Bug is a disease, I didn’t even think about it.

And so on Saturday early morning we were on our way to Thika. It’s a long way out, probably a 3 hour or more long journey. I slept the whole way, blame it on the friends who dragged me out of bed that Friday night. I woke up somewhere between Thika and our destination. Great scenery! We stopped for ‘haja ndogo’ next to some pineapple plantations. The road there is not all the way tarmacked. When you reach KilimaMbogo, you turn off to your right to a dusty murram road. This will lead you to Fourteen Falls and Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park. Not so bad, but I bet the road is impassable during heavy rains. If it rains there at all, looks dry.

We got to the Fourteen Falls, and can I just say how disappointed I am at the County Government of Kiambu, the authority tasked with taking care of the falls. The Falls are wonderful, not so spectacular but something to watch and smile at. The smell though, and the litter all over..very disappointing. The fact that they charge to access the area should make them be more responsible and clean the area. The smell is totally a story for another day since that is caused by the companies upstream.

We were so disappointed and tired that we did not even bother going further to Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park. All in all, it was a nice roadtrip and another one ticked off my travel destinations.

Despite the disappointment, our spirits were lifted by the spectacle that is Fourteen Falls with the surrounding hills and the Fourteen Falls Entertainer who gave us a few tunes at a fee.

GETTING THERE (Courtesy of jambonairobi.com)

If using public means from Nairobi, use either Thika or Ol Donyo Sabuk matatus from the Ronald Ngala Matatu Stage near the OilLibya Petrol station . From Thika, take matatus for Ol Donyo Sabuk town, situated 2km from the KWS Park Gate.

If driving, use Thika Road and at the Thika turnoff, take Garissa Road and go right past Thika for about 18km. Look out for the KWS sign to the right indicating the direction to the mountain. Take this turn and at the next junction about 1km down this earth road, turn left and drive till Ol Donyo Sabuk Town, where you take another right turn to the KWS Gate 2km from this town.

PS: Remember MAGADI ROADTRIP is happening on 19th September for only KSh.1500. Do not be the one to be left behind. TEMBEA KENYA!!!