Njine Kabia Hike

Located just outside Kerugoya town is this semi-urban hiking trail consisting of a total of 3 waterfalls as well as various adventurous activities. This hike starts near Kerugoya hospital and leads through the urban forest before we get into the farmlands. We’ll cross over to the first waterfall soon and then a longer walk to the second and finally the highlight of the hike – Njine Kabia Falls

The last fall has the rope swing, ordinary swings, hammocks, picnic tables and more. Overall, the hike has amazing scenery, thrills, change of environment and best of all – 3 amazing waterfalls where you can swim and relax

Total hiking distance is about 9km and due to several descents to the waterfalls, we’re categorising this as beginner to moderate

It takes about 3 hours or so to get to the starting point. The distance to the starting point is about 125 km. We’ll depart the city at 6am

We’ll be using Thika Highway – passing through Makutano and turning at Sagana towards Kerugoya town

1. Hiking level – beginner to moderate. Total hiking distance is about 9-10 km. Factors contributing to moderate hiking experience include the long climbs and steep terrain in certain sections

2. Main attractions – forest trek, river trek, waterfalls, swimming and rope swing over the waterfall

3. Type of hike – semi urban forest and river trek

4. Atmospheric conditions – due to the mid – high altitude and wet area, the weather tends to be cool and wet.

5. Slipping hazard – significant at the forest when going down and when hiking next to the river

6. Steepness – the hike is more of ups and downs with few flat sections. There are a few steep sections, especially at the waterfalls but they are manageable

7. Hiking path condition – First part is open road trails, then forest trails with many farm roads

8. Water usage – medium to high – recommend a minimum of 2 litre depending on weather

9. Route visibility – the trail is generally visible except for a few places where the paths can split

10. Biodiversity – numerous species of insects, birds and trees

Some trails are through the forests while others are over tarmacked roads

Besides the swing, they also have

• a few hammocks that can be tied to the trees in front of the waterfall
• Swings just to the left of the waterfall – these are on firm ground
• Picnic tables for us to have lunch on

After the last waterfall, it’s a 3km trek back to the starting point

Once we’re done with the hike, we’ll head back to the city. Depending on when we start and finish, we could be back by 8:00pm latest

• Good hiking boots, walking stick
• Sun hat – to protect against the sun
• Water – at least 2 litres
• Snacks and lunch – since we expect to finish latest by 8pm, we recommend you bring snacks and lunch to eat while relaxing at scenic locations along the route