Thomson’s Falls Lodge Nyahururu

History

Thomson’s Falls lodge was built by Joseph Thomson, after he discovered the Thomson’s falls. Joseph Thomson was the first to reach the falls in 1883 and named them after his father. Joseph was a Scottish geologist and naturalist who was also the 1st European to walk from Mombasa to Lake Victoria in the early 1880’s. The 72m scenic waterfall on the Ewaso Ngiro river which drains from the Aberdare mountain range, is located in Nyahururu, Laikipia, at 2,360m, also known as the highest town in Kenya. The area was originally a part of the indigenous forest surrounding the famous falls which to date is a home to many animals like the Columbus monkeys and various bird species. This was a haven for Thomson who decided to settle here and went ahead to construct a sprawling cottage facing the falls.

Building the lodge

The main house was a brick cottage sprawled on the beautiful manicured lanes which has been maintained to date. After the discovery of the amazing falls, the place begun to receive many guests and Sir Thomson figured that he could not accommodate them all in his house, so he came up with the idea of building cottages within his compound to accommodate the large influx of guests at a small fee. In 1931, he built a total of 32 self contained cottages round the main house, which can still be seen.

Visitors

Most of his guests were white explorers and game hunters who were fascinated by the beauty and the stories of the falls and also used to flock Laikipia during the game hunting season. The idea picked up and the lodge grew every year as more guests visited the amazing Thomson’s fall. After many years of the lodge changing ownership, the cottages still remain to date and the various managements have done their best to retain the originality of the place.

Refurbishment

The cottages still maintain the colonial era feel but a few additions have been done like modern beds and wifi in the rooms. The main house over the years has been converted into the main restaurant, bar, reception and the main kitchen on the ground floor, with the administration block taking the upstairs space. You can still find artefacts, paintings and the original wooden floors put up by the founder, Mr. Joseph Thomson in the main building.

Maintenance

A large pepper tree, planted by the immediate management that took over from Sir Joseph, stands in the premises as a reminder and in honour of the famous European. Thomson’s Falls lodge has grown to be the major lodge in the whole of Laikipia and its environs Nyandarua among others. The lodge receives and accommodates guests from the founder’s family who visit the falls every July without fail and spends at least a month at the lodge while visiting and enjoying other tourist attractions that have come up over the years.

The falls

The falls by itself attracts visitors from all over the world. The colourful birds, the nature trail to the base of the falls and the traditional dancers by the falls are among the activities found here. Among other attractions nearby are the hippo sanctuary, which is a kilometre away from the lodge, Aberdare National park, Solio ranch and the famous Ol Pajeta Conservancy, all a haven of the big five. Game drives to these attractions can be organized by the lodge for our clients.

Rooms

After exploring and discovering all that we offer, be rest assured that you will get the much deserved rest and relaxion in any of our cozy rooms. Each of our 36 rooms and cottages have an open log fireplace, ensuite bathrooms with hot shower system, free wifi and DSTV connectivity among other amenities. You will be surprised by how spacious our standard rooms are. Some of them have one queen bed while others come complete with two beds.We are flexible enough to customize this setup based on your needs. In addition, you can curl up in front of the fire place to warm you up ready for sleep.

Dining

Settle in at our restaurant and start your day right with our full buffet breakfast. We don’t stop there. We understand the beauty of travelling is getting a chance to sample the local cuisine and cocktails. Our experienced chef’s got you covered.This is the perfect spot for a quiet lunch break or relax as you take your lemon tea as you soak in warm sunshine and enjoy the sights & sounds of Thomson’s falls.

Conferences

The lodge is located in a serene environment hence ideal for seminars, corporate meetings and conferences. We can accomodate upto 350 guests. Our well organised and experienced team can set up to your requirements to ensure your event is a success. This is our newest confrence room meant to make sure all the big conference groups are catered for. This conference room can accommodate up to 350 guest with a classroom setup. The design is intentionally meant to make it airy and naturally lit thereby creating a foundation that is ideal for a successful meeting for you when its coupled with an outstanding and receptive team.