Gurara Falls

The Gurara falls drop about thirty metres over a broad rock lip on the Gurara river in Niger State, and their character changes completely with the season: in and after the rains the whole width runs as a single curtain several hundred metres across with considerable noise and spray, while by the end of the dry season the flow reduces to channels between exposed rock, which visitors can walk out onto. A tradition attributes the name to a hunter who discovered the falls and named them for two deities. The site is off the Abuja to Minna road, which makes it one of the more accessible waterfalls in the country, with a picnic area and steps down.

What you actually see

• The curtain - the full width running after the rains.
• The rock lip - the exposed shelf walked on in the dry season.
• The plunge pool - the basin below the drop.
• The picnic area - the developed ground above the falls.

When to go

September to November, just after the rains, for the fullest flow; by February and March the falls reduce considerably. Weekends bring crowds from Abuja. Mornings are quieter.

Honest expectations

Flow can be disappointing late in the dry season. The rocks around the lip are slippery and unfenced, and people have fallen. Facilities are basic and litter is a problem at weekends. Entry and camera fees are charged separately.

Nearby

Suleja lies east; Abuja is beyond it.