Vantawng Falls

Vantawng drops about two hundred and thirty metres in two stages on the Vanva river near Thenzawl, the highest fall in Mizoram, running down a rock face through bamboo and evergreen forest so dense that reaching the base is impractical. Viewing is from a metal tower built on the slope opposite, which gives the full drop across the valley. The name is attributed to a local swimmer, Vantawnga, who is said to have died at the fall. Thenzawl nearby is a weaving centre where Mizo handloom shawls are made, and a deer park and golf course lie on the same road.

What you actually see

• The two-stage drop - about two hundred and thirty metres down a rock face.
• The viewing tower - a metal structure opposite giving the full view.
• The forest gorge - bamboo and evergreen enclosing the fall.
• The Thenzawl looms - Mizo handloom weaving in the nearby town.

When to go

May to September for maximum flow, though the monsoon brings fog and slippery access; October to March gives easier travel with a reduced fall. By spring the flow can be thin.

Honest expectations

The base is unreachable and viewing is only from the tower across the valley. Fog frequently obscures the fall. Mizoram requires an Inner Line Permit for Indian nationals and additional arrangements for foreign visitors.

Nearby

Thenzawl lies north; Aizawl is northwest.