Destination… Gurara waterfalls

When next you are in Niger State, please find time to visit the Gurara Waterfalls, one of the major tourist attractions in the state. Located in Gurara, a local council of Niger State, North Central Nigeria, it is approximately 30metres in height and it lies on the Gurara River along the Suleja-Minna Road.

According to oral history, Gurara Waterfalls was discovered by a Gwari hunter called Buba in 1745 before some Europeans discovered it in 1925 after they found it as a recreation centre. Prior to the discovery of the waterfalls by the Europeans, people living in communities around it worshiped it. Oral history also has it that Gurara Waterfalls and Gurara River were named after two deities called Gura and Rara.

Gurara River is a large tributary of river Niger and it’s always in full spate during the rain seasons. Apparently in January, the falls are a trickle and visitors can swim in clear pools at the bottom of the falls. Visitors can take a day trip to the gushing Gurara Waterfalls – an hour drive out of the city of Abuja.

At Gurara, small streams diverted from the main Gurara River running softly around rocks on top of the cliff, converging from scores tributaries in the narrow rugged pass and dashing out from the cliff with almighty power.