Jog Falls

Jog Falls is where the Sharavathi river drops off a plateau edge in western Karnataka in four separate streams, each with its own name, down a rock face of several hundred metres into a gorge below. The main viewpoint sits directly opposite, so the whole face is visible at once rather than in fragments, and a long flight of steps descends to the base for anyone willing to climb back up afterwards. Flow depends heavily on releases from the dam upstream, which means the falls can be thunderous one week and reduced to stains on the rock the next. The surrounding country is thick evergreen forest and areca plantation.

What you actually see

• The four streams - Raja, Rani, Rocket and Roarer, dropping separately down the same face.
• The opposite viewpoint - the terrace where the entire cliff face is visible at once.
• The stairway to the base - a long descent into the gorge and a hard climb back.
• Sharavathi valley forest - dense evergreen cover and areca plantations around the gorge.

When to go

August to December covers the monsoon and the weeks after it, when the river carries the most water. The best conditions are usually late in the monsoon, when flow is strong but mist and cloud no longer hide the cliff for whole days. Mornings are clearer. Outside this window the falls depend on dam releases and are often barely running at all.

Honest expectations

Flow is unreliable and controlled upstream, so the fall you see may bear no resemblance to the photographs. During heavy rain the entire gorge fills with cloud and there is nothing to see. The stairway down is steep, slippery and exhausting on the return. Facilities at the viewpoint are basic and litter is a problem through the season.

Nearby

The Sharavathi backwaters and the temple town of Sringeri are within a few hours.