Visiting Athirapally Waterfalls
Imagine a place where water plunges 80 feet into a river (if you ask the tourist car driver it will be Periyar when actually it’s Chalakkudy). Imagine reaching there driving through a beautifully silent empty tree-lined road past monkeys and silent houses and restaurants and an amusement water park. Imagine getting a first glimpse in the form of a peek from a path leading down to a boutique hotel (Rainforest)….and then walking up and down on a knee crushing paved but uneven pathway and then a brown rocky incline and a dizzying descent (see video when the camera swings off frame)….and then it is right in front of you in all its furious exuberant glory –
That is ATHIRAPALLY - the breath taking (pun intended) beauty of the largest waterfall in Kerala. And send a silent prayer of thanks to the locals of Chalakkudy who fought to stop a dam’s construction which would have consigned Athirapally to a memory….
Drive down from Athirapally and get tranquilised by the smaller waterfall Charpa
...and then get thoroughly refreshed by Vazhanchal which has a more straight approach path and less walking to reach it with lots of seats, a garden with tree name boards, but no flowering bushes and play equipment which hasn't been maintained unfortunately. It would be great for the kids. This also has a soft drink stall inside. But it's really cooling to come here after the arduous climb to see Athirapally so don't miss it. This is where you can see it flowing almost touching distance. But just out of reach, though the spray reaches.
How to Reach Athirapally
...and then get thoroughly refreshed by Vazhanchal which has a more straight approach path and less walking to reach it with lots of seats, a garden with tree name boards, but no flowering bushes and play equipment which hasn't been maintained unfortunately. It would be great for the kids. This also has a soft drink stall inside. But it's really cooling to come here after the arduous climb to see Athirapally so don't miss it. This is where you can see it flowing almost touching distance. But just out of reach, though the spray reaches.
How to Reach Athirapally
It is 78 km from Kochi, that’s approx 1 hour 30 minutes but nearer to Thrissur so you can reach it even via Calicut….or drive down from Chennai in neighbouring Tamil Nadu and it would take approx 9 hours…
Seeing all 3 falls takes around 1 hour (fast) to 2 (slow-mo)…around Athirapally are trinket, tea, coffee, coconut water stalls….you can ask for the ones with less “malai” and more water(cost Rs.25)
Ticket to see all 3 on one ticket – issued by Kerala Forest & Wildlife Department
- Rs. 15 per adult.
- Camera – Rs. 10.
- Vehicle (Light Vehicle like car) – Rs. 10
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