If you happen to be in Baringo, Nakuru, or its surrounding, make sure you visit Chebloch gorge to experience a fantastic view of the gorge with a backdrop of the Elgeyo escarpment. The Chebloch Gorge is a 20 meters deep gorge that provides excellent views of the muddy-brown, crocodile-infested waters of the Kerio River. Today, you’ll know interesting facts about Chebloch Gorge.
Location
Chebloch gorge is located 39km from Iten off the C51 highway on your way to Kabarnet. The place is accessible by road though you’ll need to walk to get to the exact location.
Facts About Chebloch Gorge
The Chebloch Gorge Details
| Location | 39km from Iten on your way to Kabarnet |
| Depth | 20m from the cliff to the surface of the water |
| Width | 10m |
| Actual depth | unknown |
| Age | 100 years |
| Formation | Volcanic and tectonic activities |
One of the interesting facts about Chebloch Gorge is that it was formed more than 100 years ago from tectonic and volcanic activities. It’s located in both Kerio and Rift Valley, making it a strategically important spot. The gorge is approximately 10 meters wide and 20m from the cliff to the water’s surface. The depth of the water under the surface is unknown.
Kerio River flows through this gorge and, in the rainy season, continues to cut a passage through the rock. This explains why the gorge’s depth is unknown.
Chebloch Gorge is a major tourist attraction in the area and serves as a boundary between Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo counties. It’s infested with crocodiles, mudfish, and catfish. You can see young boys with primitive fishing rods competing with the crocodiles for fish as you pass by.
Most people are on a drive but stop over to view the beautiful gorge, rocks, and river flowing between the cliffs and divers and have lunch at the restaurant on the ridge. You can visit again and again or make stopovers as much as possible because the views are just amazing.
On one side of the Eldoret-Kabarnet road, the high cliff gorge starts, and on the other side are the divers.
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The Crocodile Scarers of Chebloch Gorge
Some years ago, Chebloch gorge made headlines in Kenya for having youths in the region who earn a living by diving in the gorge. These youths earned the title “the Chebloch Gorge divers.” Since it’s a tourist attraction, the men aged between 15 and 25 came up with an idea to entertain tourists by diving into the crocodile-infested river at a charge.
Spread out on the stone-clad earth, in a series of fast sprints across the rocks, the young men jump into the gorge. In seconds they surface from the bottom of the gorge and run the steep rock-faced wall. The crocodiles nearly die from the heart attack and escape for their dear life when the divers plunge into the water. The performance is jaw-dropping and not for the faint-hearted.
The dives are considered dangerous from that height; it’s like hitting a stone wall, which can be fatal for a beginner. Practice means everything to these young men whose ultimate dream is to join the Kenya Navy. The divers charge Kshs 500 for each diving act.
The fact that these youths can jump from a high cliff, into crocodile-infested waters makes it one of the interesting facts about Chebloch gorge.
The crocodile scarers of Chebloch Gorge earn a living by entertaining people by their artistic jumping techniques.
Other Activities at the Gorge
Village Tour
After having enough heartbeat skips, you can meet the inhabitants who are very welcoming. You will have an opportunity to know more about this place, the way of their life and even make new friends.
You can also buy various local items at lower prices, including sweet mango from Baringo and fresh fish from River Keiyo.
Swimming
Apart from watching Keiyo divers, you can also have a chance to swim in the Kerio River at the shallow rocky ends with no crocodiles.
Resorts Near Chebloch Gorge
After spending a whole day having fun at the gorge, you don’t have to travel back to where you came from. There are some resorts around where you can relax, take meals and drinks and even spend a night.
Chebloch Gorge Resort
After spending some time at the gorge, you can take a meal or drink at Chebloch gorge resort. It is located on one of the magnificent gorges in front of the Kerio River. You can also spend a night at their tastefully furnished rooms and suites that provide Keiyo River and garden views.
Rift Valley Hills Resort
Make your trip to Chebloch gorge complete by visiting the rift valley hill resort in Kabarnet. It’s set in a calm environment with an upcountry feeling within the town. The place is cool and calm and offers the best atmosphere for relaxation.
The resort has various dining options ranging from its rich diversity of local to international buffet dishes to informal snacks, lunches, salad, fresh juice, and first-class coffee.
Set in a quiet environment with a surrounding natural forest and away from the town center makes the resort the perfect place for relaxation.
Kilima Resort
If you want to have extra fun after visiting the gorge, Kilima resort is the place to be. The resort is set at 2350m high in Iten with a beautiful view of the Rift Valley. It’s situated next to the forest where you can go for hikes to experience the local nature, see the monkey or visit a nearby waterfall.
In front of Kilima resort is a 35m vertical cliff where you can do an abseil with the best view you have ever experienced. The resort has the following houses for accommodation Banda which rates from Kshs 2500 per night, camp at Kshs 800 per night, and family house for Kshs 8000 per night.
Keellu Resort Center
Keellu resort center was established in 2012 by world-renowned athlete Wilson Kipsang. It’s set about 36 kilometers northeast of Eldoret in high-attitude Iten.
The resort is decent, and the rooms are tidy. They serve Indian, Kenyan, and Chinese dishes.
A Word From Prolatest
Chebloch gorge offers you an opportunity to witness people as they plunge into the water from high heights and have a splendid view of the gorge with a backdrop of the Elgeyo escarpment. Apart from this, you can also have a village tour to interact with local people and even make new friends.
Suppose you will have traveled from far no need to exhaust yourself because there are various resorts in Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet where you can spend the night and relax. The gorge is a fantastic day trip either from far, close towns, or a stopover.
There are no charges at Gorge except paying for the diving act, which can be shared among a group.
