14 Falls Lodge: Memorable blend of culture, modernity

The feeling of adventure goes a notch higher immediately you branch off the Thika-Garissa Road, some 10km from Thika Town.

So abrupt is the transition from an urban residential area to a forest, that the drive to the gates of Fourteen Falls Lodge is full of expectation.

At the gate, you are likely to be received by the cries of an ibis bird, nestling on one of the acacia trees nearby.

Lurking in the bushes behind the gate house are monkeys which spend their early morning playing in the children’s park.

While at the lodge, one can visit the world famous Fourteen Falls or the Ol Donyo Sabuk Game Reserve which are 13km away.

All the buildings in the lodge are grass thatched and comfortably blend with the acacia and bushes around them. Of particular note is the hut that houses the reception.

The lodge sits on 30 acres bordering the main road and Thika River at the bottom.

It has acres of virgin bushes and many species of indigenous trees, with over 40 species of birds.

There is a mighty mukuyu tree (ficus) by the river side which is the home to hundreds of egrets.

As the sun sets, it is enchanting to watch them fly in and listen to their cries as they settle in for the night.

A walk in these bushes is like a walk in the biblical Garden of Eden. All sorts of wild fruits and berries are in abundance.

The lodge has space for football and roller skating pitches.

In addition, there are swings, suspended bridges hanging on trees and many other contraptions for team building activities.

After spending time in the fields, a dip in the swimming pool is relaxing.

Quad biking is another activity that the lodge offers.

Camping is available and one can spend the night in a tent or in the Maasai manyatta.

For those looking for comfort, there are huts similar to the reception one.

Each hut is named after one of the nine daughters of Gikuyu and Mumbi, the mythological ancestors of the Agikuyu community.

The daughters are the matriarchs of the nine clans of the Agikuyu.

It is magical to spend the evening by the bonfire, with the cry of the birds, the croaking frogs, the chirping crickets and the mysterious calls by the hyrax in the background.