Athirappilly Falls

The Chalakudy river drops around twenty-five metres at Athirappilly across a wide rock lip, spreading into a broad curtain in the monsoon and separating into channels when the flow drops. A path descends beside it to the base, where the spray reaches the pool. Upstream, Vazhachal falls runs over a shallower rock shelf. The riverine forest here is the only place in Kerala where all four hornbill species of the Western Ghats region occur together, which is one of the arguments that has been made against repeated proposals for a hydroelectric project on this stretch of river.

What you actually see

• The main fall - a broad curtain dropping about twenty-five metres.
• The base path - a descent to the pool through spray.
• Vazhachal - the shallower fall upstream on the same river.
• The hornbill forest - riverine woodland holding all four regional species.

When to go

June to January; the falls run hardest from July into September after the monsoon, though the base path closes in high water. By March the flow reduces sharply.

Honest expectations

The base path closes without notice in high water. Swimming near the falls is prohibited and drownings have occurred. Weekend crowds are heavy and the viewing platforms congested.

Nearby

Chalakudy lies west; Thrissur is northwest.