Ikwa Waterfalls, Tharaka Nithi County

In Search for Ikwa Waterfalls, Tharaka Nithi.

So, here’s how my last ride of the year went down…

I had discovered via socials that Lyndah Nzau , yes, the petite chic on a Tekken, aka SteadyonTwo on TikTok was in Meru with her husband, shot my shot and suggested a group ride. She was down for it, but there was a small problem, she has no clue about Meru. That is to mean I will be the lead planner and guide. A challenge I gladly accepted.

A quick X (Twitter) search for “beautiful waterfalls in Meru” pointed me to Ikwa Waterfalls, fed by the mighty River Kathita. River Kathita is that big river you cross just before entering Meru Town. It navigates its way down to the neighboring Tharaka Nithi County before draining to Tana River. But wait a min, who named this river Kathita? If you’re from the Eastern side of the mountain, you know the implications of antonating the name wrongly. But I digress.

Google Maps suggested Ikwa was about 45 km from Meru Town. Hyped, we hit the road using the scenic Mate Road. About 30 km in, Maps decided to spice things up, leading us onto an off-road trail that narrowed to the size of a Toilet path za Ushago just 6 kms in it.

End of the road

Lidya, acting as our navigator (she has a beautiful navigator on her bike), called a stop, and we quickly ditched that sketchy panya route for a more reliable one. Kumbe ni ma kms tuna add tu a decision that would come to haunt us later as we will be forced to ride at night back.

We rerouted to Mate Rd–Chiakariga Junction, Marimanti town then Nkondi Market. Along the way, we asked locals about Ikwa Waterfalls, but not a single soul had heard of it. Google Maps decided to embarrass us further, directing us straight into a police station. Imagine following google map and the tarmac ends at the OCS desk . Thankfully, the policeman on duty turned out to be our saving grace, sketching us a rough map to the falls on paper. I’m terrible at understanding sketches, so I just memorized key landmarks instead. Tharaka University, marimanti, nkondi….

Premium tip: Always trust the locals when tech fails you.

Getting Directions from a Police Officer in Marimanti

The road ahead was a mix of adventure and pure bliss. Between Tharaka University and Nkondi, we hit an off-road stretch so smooth I hit 80 kph on a trail! For context, that’s like a Boeing 787 taking off. Fellow bikers, you get it. For everyone else, trust me, it was epic

Outside Tharaka University

Finally, at Nkondi Market, a county sign for Ikwa Waterfalls greeted us. Tired and done with Maps, we hired a boda guy to guide us to the falls.

Ikwa Falls Signage at Nkondi Market

And then… Ikwa. Oh man. The roar of River Kathita was the perfect welcome. The falls? Think Victoria Falls, but on a budget. We spent hours soaking in the beauty, snapping photos, and enjoying the moment. I even went down to the base of the falls (the others chickened out). Down there, my imagination went wild. I Imagined snakes (I hate snakes), ghosts, and even a random thought about dead bodies. The river has deposited a lot of shoes, clothes on the banks. Let me tell you, Maina, I climbed back up in record time!

: Ikwa Waterfalls River Kathita

: Ikwa Waterfalls River Kathita

: Ikwa Falls

: Ikwa Falls

: Ikwa Waterfalls River Kathita

: Ikwa Waterfalls River Kathita

: Ikwa Waterfalls River Kathita

: Chilling | Ikwa Falls, Tharaka Nithi

By 5:45 PM, we packed up and rode back to Meru, arriving at 9 PM. A quick shower later, I was out looking for a joint to close out 2024 in style.

And that’s how the last adventure of the year went. What a ride!

Directions

Route to Ikwa Falls from Nairobi

Start your journey from Nairobi, driving via Thika Road towards Kenol, then continue through Mwea to Embu. At Mutunduri, take a left turn onto Mate Road and proceed towards Kathwana. From there, continue to Chiakariga Junction, where you’ll take another left and ride all the way to Marimanti, then onward to Nkondi Market.

At Nkondi Market, it’s highly recommended to hire a bodaboda (motorbike taxi) with a local guide who can take you to the exact location of Ikwa Falls.