When monsoon hits the tropical paradise of Kerala, waterfalls come alive in the hills of Western Ghats. They descend from the heavens, roar like a thunder, but charm the heart none-the-less. One such waterfall- Athirappilly is just a few hours’ drive from Kochi, one of the state’s premier cities. Tucked away in a lush green forest, Athirappilly Falls is breathtakingly beautiful. A poetically flowing Chalakkudy River suddenly drops ~82 feet from a rock floor to create a magical impact at the bottom of the falls.
The river divides into three magnificent, roaring plumes of silver, crashing with such a ferocious power that its basin shudders beneath its weight. A perpetual shroud of mist emanates from the base and rises upwards to kiss the emerald rainforests surrounding it. The scenery is truly magical.
In early July 2023, during our south India trip, we spent a few days in Kochi with our friends- Sajith and Anu. After exploring Kochi (check: Kochi- Best Places), we decided to go on a day- trip to Athirappilly Falls. In this article, I am sharing the memories of that beautiful day- trip with travel tips for planning a perfect day.
{For more Kerala destinations, check out: Alleppey Backwaters ||| Thekkady- Periyar}
Athirappilly Falls: A fact sheet
About 75 kms north- east of Kochi, Athirappilly Falls is situated in Chalakudy block of Thrissur district in Kerala. Chalakkudy river, that flows 145 kms starting somewhere in the Anaimalai Hills of the Western Ghats, plunges 81.5 feet at Athirappilly to create this spectacular waterfall. The 330- feet wide Athirappilly Falls is Kerala’s largest and one of India’s most picturesque waterfalls, thus assuming the nick name- ‘Niagara of south India’.
Not far from Athirappilly are two more beautiful but lesser waterfalls- Vazhachal and Charpa. Besides, its situation within Vazhachal forest division (Sholayar range) is significant because it boasts off as the second most bio-diverse region of Kerala. Among others, it’s home to Asiatic elephants, Bengal tigers, leopards and sambars. However, the star attractions are the four species of endangered hornbills coexisting in its forests.
{For more South Kerala destinations, check out: Best Places- South Kerala}
Our Day Trip to Athirappilly Falls from Kochi
One lovely morning, as per plan, we started from Sajith’s home in Kochi around 9.30 AM. The plan was to drive to Athirappilly Falls, explore the forest/ waterfall area and drive back by evening. In fact, since it was the last day of the trip, we were supposed to directly go to the airport.
Kochi to Athirappilly Falls:
Taking the National Highway- 66, the road was smooth and fortunately, not much traffic. This highway transitioned to another highway NH 544 after a while. After about 50 kms down the road, the scene changed completely. Not only the big roads became narrower, the views on both sides changed from semi-urban landscapes to lush green forests and spice/ rubber plantations. However, we couldn’t have missed noticing large number of rambutan farming sites. It was so appealing that we stopped over at a place and bought some rambutan for us.
Reaching Athirappilly Falls:
The next 30 kms stretch was an enjoyable winding road slowly and gradually driving up the slope towards the Western Ghats. Generally, it takes about two and half hours to reach Athirappilly Falls from Kochi. But since we were not in a hurry and stopped over at a few places, we reached there in 3 hours, around 12.30 PM.
There was a long queue of vehicles on both sides of the road near the entrance to Athirappilly Falls. Plus, the queue to buy entry tickets was also long. After getting the entry tickets, we entered the waterfall area in about 30 minutes. However, the queue might get very long during weekends and in tourist seasons. So, it’s a good idea to book the entry tickets online in advance (up to 60 days). For online booking, check out: Eco-tourism booking.
Sustainable tourism in practice:
At the entry point, I was happy to notice the authorities following responsible tourism practices there. They thoroughly checked every visitor, found plastic containers and put stickers on them. For each such container, they asked the visitors to deposit Rs. 10, and returned the same when they came back with the containers. No wonder then, I found the whole area free of plastic pollution. This is an example of how the government can promote sustainable tourism. For more such insights, please read: Sustainable tourism and government}
Exploring Athirappilly Falls Area:
From the entry gate, a few minutes walk in the forest led us to the first view of Athirappilly Falls area. It was an amazing panoramic view of the whole landscape. One look at the landscape and I saw the two levels of the waterfall area. Athirappilly Falls area is divided into two levels- the first level is where Chalakkudy river flows from east to west. Less than a hundred meters downstream, the river falls sharply (81.5 feet) to make the beautiful Athirappilly Falls. But one has to hike down a 500- meter forest trail to reach the base of the waterfall.
First we walked up to Chalakkudy river to enjoy a smooth flow of the river with verdant hills in the backdrop. It felt nice to take a stroll up and down the bank of the riverbed. The point where one can see the river converting into a waterfall, was absolutely awe-inspiring!
Trekking to the base of Athirappilly Falls:
Then we took to the jungle trek to the base of Athirappilly Falls. The trail was less than a kilometer and the difficulty level was easy-to-moderate. Basically, the trail to the base was a gradual descent, but hiking back was a bit difficult. But hiking in the dense forest was enjoyable. It took us about 15 minutes to reach the base of Athirappilly Falls.
Tip: If you are interested in longer treks, the Forest Department runs a guided eco-tourism wilderness trek. It starts around 7.30 AM in the morning and ends at 1 PM. The trek crosses the Chalakkudy river via a bamboo raft, and is quite exciting. In order to book, check out: Official Booking Platform.
At the base of the waterfall:
It was at the base of Athirappilly Falls, all the drama was happening. It was there, the waterfall revealed its true self, its true beauty, its massive shape. To watch the river fall to the rock bed below and become vapours was an experience I had never before. I have visited many waterfalls all over India, but none felt like this. In a matter of minutes, we got wet with the vapours hitting us all over.
The air was heavy with the raw scent of the wet earth and wild flora. Standing there drenched in the mist of the waterfall, I experienced a humbling truth- the truth of human being’s smallness in front of nature’s magnificence.
Athirappilly Falls to Cochin International Airport:
After spending about 45 minutes, it was time to trek back to the entry gate and get into our car to drive back. In the vicinity, there are two more waterfalls- Charpa Falls (2.5 kms) and Vazhachal Falls (5 kms). However, we didn’t have the time to explore them.
On the way back, we stopped over to have a south Indian meal at a highway side restaurant. At another place, we came across a nice store where we bought some good quality spices and dates. Friends dropped us at Cochin International Airport from where we took our evening flight to Delhi.
Travel Tips/ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Best time to visit Athirappilly Falls:
- Of course, waterfalls are all about water. So, monsoon season (June- August) is the best time to see Athirappilly Falls in its full glory.
- However, during monsoon, skies remain cloudy, trekking paths are slippery and there can be road closures as well. Keeping these things in mind, autumn (September- November) and winter (December- January) are the best months to visit Athirappilly Falls. Chalakkudy river and Athirappilly Falls both remain relatively full and skies clear up as well for bright photography. Plus, the weather feels nice on the skin.
- Summer months March to May are not good to visit the waterfall as it remains dry.
How to reach Athirappilly Falls:
- Flight: The nearest airport to Athirappilly Falls is Cochin International Airport in Kochi, < 50 kms away.
- Train: The nearest railway station to Athirappilly Falls is Chalakudy, 30 kms away. Or, get down at Thrissur, 55 kms away. From Chalakudy, one can take a local bus/ auto- rickshaw or taxi. From Thrissur, one has to take two buses- one to Chalakudy and another from there to Athirappilly Falls.
- Road: Distance from main city Kochi to Athirappilly Falls is about 75 kms to 80 kms, depending on the route one takes. From Kochi or nearby cities in Kerala, one can take a bus to Chalakudy and from there, another bus to Athirappilly Falls. Else, driving down to the waterfall is a convenient option from nearby cities.
Where to stay:
Since I am talking of a day- trip to Athirappilly Falls from Kochi, here are a few budget hotel suggestions for Kochi: The Hosteller Fort Kochi ||| Hotel Fort Queen ||| Hotel Raintree Lodge ||| Coral Reef Hotel ||| Millennium Continental ||| Hotel Prayana ||| Hotel Hill View ||| Hotel Park Residency.
However, if you are going to stay for a night or two near the waterfall, here are a few options: Athirappilly Inn |||Sreeja Myst ||| Rainland resort ||| Hydel Palace ||| Ambady resort.
What/ Where to eat:
- On the way to Athirappilly Falls: Vasuvettante Kada (Elanjipra) ||| The Taste Cell (Chalakudy NH Service Road) ||| Paradise Family Restaurant (Anamala Junction) |||
- Near Athirappilly falls: The Waterfront (Pariyaram) ||| Cafe samsara ||| Cinnamon Food Court ||| Cafe Adavi ||| The Forest cafe ||| Haven Restaurant.
Concluding Notes
Athirappilly Falls is among the most beautiful and largest waterfalls in India. Set in a forest and at a driving distance from Kochi, it’s perfect for a day- trip. Moreover, the best part is its easy accessibility. A lot of good waterfalls are difficult to reach. Even more difficult is to reach their bases. However, Athirappilly is a pleasant difference. Not only one (even a child!) can reach there easily, but also conveniently walk up to its base.
We had a great family- time at the waterfall. Driving to and from Athirappilly gave us ample time to enjoy lighter moments and a little bit of adventure together. We all share lovely memories of that day- trip.
If you are planning a day- trip to Athirappilly Falls from Kochi, do reach out to us for more information.
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