Hello Omosani (Kisii word for a friend),

Today we are going to chase waterfalls at Ragia forest. Ragia forest is part of the Aberdares ecosystem. It is located in Lari, a subcounty of Kiambu county, and is approximately 90km north of Nairobi. It is accessed from Flyover- Magumu-Njabini road. It boarders Kieni forest to the East, Kinangop plateau to the West, Kamae forest to the south and Kinangop forest to the North.

Hike’s summary at the end of this post.

Before getting to Ragia forest gate one passes by Sasumua dam. The dam was constructed in 1959 and it sits on Sasumua river; it is feed by Kibiru and Chania waters. Currently it’s surrounded by trees giving it a breathtaking view. One can stopover at the dam to enjoy the views and take photos. Initially hikers were allowed to start their hike from the dam and walk along the dam bank into the forest, but this is no longer allowed.

Ragia forest has 2 waterfalls and a cave. The waterfalls are a few kilometers apart and one can start with either. The hiking trail starts through a thick bamboo plantation for about 3kms, along the way one can identify different plants including forever flowers and wild berries. Then through a steep descent towards the first waterfall, the descent trail which is for 1km is slippery and its has thick bushes that requires one to maneuver through. Along the way you will encounter plants with thorns so dress accordingly.

After the descent trail, to get to the base of the waterfall one walks for 0.5kms along the river bank. The trail is rocky & rich in different floras & faunas. Imagine walking through a quiet, scenic nature trail with birds chirping in the background and burbling sound of a waterfall which gets louder and louder as you get closer to it. Amazing! Right? This is how the first waterfall welcomes you. To say that the waterfall is beautiful is underrating its beauty, it is gorgeous and it has this effect of making one stare at it with admiration, love and desire to take it all in. After staring at it one is tempted to take a dip in the pool at the base of the waterfall. Now that I’m an pro swimmer thanks to Ngare Ndare, link to Ngar Ndare post👉🏽 https://redemtermaera.travel.blog/2022/04/30/ngare-ndare/, i gave in to this temptation and i don’t regret it.

FYI: the water is very cold.

To get to the second waterfall, you have to ascend the earlier steep trail😪 back to the bamboo plantation then walk for an additional 4kms. This ain’t a walk in the park, it’s a walk in the forest😉😂. Just like the first waterfall as you get near it, the beautiful burbling sound welcomes you to it. Before descending to the waterfall one can take a break at the bridge and enjoy the calm Sasumua river before it drops of the cliff forming the second waterfall.

Before getting to the base of the second waterfall, one passes through a cave. During the colonial period as they were fighting for Kenya’s independence, MauMau warriors as their hideout place. Now the cave is tourist attraction site and home to a colony of bats. The second waterfall also has a pool to it although it is not as big as the first one.

Summary

• Distance: 17Kms
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Duration: 6-7 hrs

What to wear

• Well gripped shoes
• Long-sleeved shirts & pants

What to carry

• Snacks & water
• Swimming costume
• Extra change of clothes
• Waterproof gear

This trip was organized by Hikers Afrique (Their instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/hikersafrique/), the total cost was Ks 2,800 (citizens). The cost catered for:

• Transport to and from Ragia forest
• Forest entry charges
• Ranger & guide fees
• Water & trail snacks (an apple, a banana, biscuits & an orange)
• Photography

Trips Highlight

• Swimming at the waterfall
• Beautiful nature trails
• Receiving a bouquet of forever flowers.