Athirappilly is located in the Thrissur district of Kerala, India, along the Chalakudy River in the Western Ghats. It’s roughly 60 km away from Thrissur city, 70 km from Kochi airport, 95 km from Guruvayur, and 32 km from the Chalakudy railway station. While it’s recommended to travel to this spot from Thrissur, we opted to go from Guruvayur instead, which is a bit farther, due to some prior reservations we had.
The main waterfalls near Athirappilly are the Athirappilly Falls, the Charpa Waterfall, and the Vazhachal Falls. Athirappilly Falls is the largest in Kerala, while the Charpa Waterfall is a smaller cascade located on the road between Athirappilly and Vazhachal, and Vazhachal Falls is further downstream. It is the largest waterfall in Kerala, with a height of 80 feet and spanning about 330 feet wide. Formed by the Chalakudy River, which originates in the Anamalai ranges of the Western Ghats of India, the waterfall flows through rich forests before plunging dramatically at Athirappilly.
Our journey
We took a train from Bengaluru to Thrissur, arriving at 6:30 AM. We spent a few hours in Thrissur, refreshing ourselves at the National Tourist Home for 3 hours before checking out three temples.
At 3 PM, we hopped on a government bus to Guruvayur, which took about an hour since it’s only 28 KM away. We stayed at a hotel in Guruvayur and explored the Marine Aquarium and Chavakkad Beach.
The next day, at 9:30 AM, we grabbed a taxi to Athirappilly, where we visited three waterfalls and returned to Guruvayur by 6:30 PM. The following day, we checked out three famous temples in Guruvayur and then took a government bus to Alleppey, which was a 5.5-hour journey.
Expenditure
The whole trip cost Rs. 36,000 with a 5N stay and a taxi trip from Guruvaur to Athirappilly waterfalls. It was a self-conducted tour. Mostly all journeys by train and auto and average hotels.
Where to stay
There are many homestays and hotels in Athirappilly. But that being costly, we stayed in Sterling Guruvayur. The room rent was Rs. 2800 per day, which excludes breakfast. Guruvayur is 100 km from Athirappilly. We suggest this place be covered from Thrissur.
Best time
Monsoon (June–September) and post-monsoon (Oct–Jan) when the waterfalls are majestic, but the ghat road is beautiful year-round. I suggest checking it out during the rainy season. It might be a bit inconvenient, but the memories of rain from your school days will definitely come alive.
We leave Guruvayur at 9:30 am after having breakfast. Finding a taxi here can be tricky, but some shopkeepers near the hotel are really helpful. We manage to arrange one for Rs. 3500 for the entire day (covering a round trip of 200 km). It feels a bit pricey, but we don’t have any other options.
The journey from Guruvayur to Thrissur is about 30 km, and we drive past plenty of coconut groves, paddy fields, and traditional Kerala villages. We can make a stop at Vadakkunnathan Temple along the way.
From Thrissur to Chalakudy, it’s another 30 km, which is the last town before heading up into the hills. There’s also a railway station in Chalakudy. The highway is lined with greenery on both sides.
Chalakudy to Athirappilly is another 32 km, and it’s the most picturesque part of the trip with its winding ghat roads, dense forests, streams, and viewpoints. We see lots of lychee trees along the way, where the owners sell fresh lychees for Rs. 250 per kg.
It takes roughly 2.5 hours to travel the 100 km from Guruvayur to Athirappilly. The road is decent, but about 30 km are still a bit rough. There’s an entry fee of Rs. 120 per person and a parking fee of Rs. 30. Parking is plentiful, and the area is well organized, with no chaos when it comes to parking. I grab an apple to munch on as I get out of the car. Almost immediately, a monkey shows up, totally freaks me out, and I have to give up my apple to him. I bet no tourist can avoid the monkeys’ watchful eyes.
We walk about a kilometer into the park to reach the Athirappilly waterfalls. There are two routes to the waterfall. One path offers a side view, while the other is a tough trek down about 250 steep steps. We spend around an hour enjoying the side view. It is simple yet rocky, and the scenery is breathtaking. It rains lightly since it is July, the rainy season. At least 200 tourists are at the site, making it a prime spot for filmmakers. We also snap a bunch of photos and videos.
After an hour, we take the other path leading to the front view of the waterfall. It takes us about 40 minutes to navigate the steep trail as we descend into the valley where the waterfall cascades dramatically. I vividly recall scenes from the movie Bahubali-I. The waterfall is absolutely stunning.
The side view of the water fall is easier to reach.
After spending about an hour and a half here, we returned to our taxi that was waiting for us. We drove another 2-3 km and stopped at a smaller waterfall known as Charpa waterfalls. This waterfall is situated between Athirappilly and Vazhachal Falls and is definitely worth checking out. It cascades in two or three streams and contributes to the Chalakudy River, which eventually leads to the Athirappilly falls.
Next, we continued on for another 2-3 km to reach Vazhachal waterfall. Here, we didn’t have to pay any parking or entry fee since the entry ticket for Athirappilly waterfall is valid here as well. At this spot, we can admire the stunning beauty of the Chalakudy River.
Epilogue
Not every waterfall is set in a picturesque natural environment, but Athirappilly Waterfall definitely is. The sight of the Chalakudy River, flanked by a forest on one side and hundreds of visitors on the other, leads to the grandest waterfall. The cascading water seems to want to soak our clothes and camera. The two smaller waterfalls are like gems surrounding the main attraction. That’s what makes Athirappilly so special.
I suggest checking out these waterfalls. They’re definitely a gem among the beautiful sights of Kerala. Make sure to go during the rainy season. Don’t worry if you get soaked.
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