Athirappilly Tourism At a distance of 32 km from Chalakudy, 73 km from Kochi, 59 km from Thrissur, 100 km from Munnar, 122 km from Kottayam, 170 km from Kozhikode, 174 km from Coimbatore & 269 km from Trivandrum, Athirapally Waterfalls are one of the best waterfalls in India and one of the most famous tourist places in Kerala & one of the popular weekend getaways from Kochi, Coimbatore & Munnar. These are magnificent waterfalls on Chalakudy River located at the entrance to Sholayar hill range in Thrissur district.
This waterfall drops from a height of 80 feet through several parallel streams offering a great scenic beauty. In monsoon season, the water gets strength and all the streams join together and appear like Niagara Falls. This is the biggest waterfalls in Kerala and well known for its scenic beauty.
One can reach top of Athirapally falls with about 15 minutes walk from the falls entrance. It offers spectacular views of the Sholayar hills and a unique view of the waterfalls from this spot. About 10-15 minutes trek down from top of the falls will take you to bottom of the falls where the greatest beauty of the waterfalls can be experienced. Swimming is possible in the stream at bottom of the Athirappilly falls.
Down from the waterfall, the stream continues as Chalakudy River which ultimately drains into Arabian Sea. This river is a bio diversity hotspot with 85 species of fresh water fish living in it. The Athirapally Forest is also the natural habitat of different species like the great hornbill, Malabar pied hornbill, Malabar grey hornbill, Indian grey hornbill, Asiatic elephant, tiger, leopard, bison, sambar and lion-tailed macaque.
The Vazhachal Waterfalls, Charpa Falls, Anakkayam, Sholayar Dam, Valparai and Malayattur Wildlife Sanctuary are the nearby places to visit in Athirapally. It also offers adventure activities like river rafting, trekking, etc.
Chalakudy (32 km) is the nearest junction to Athirapally and it is connected by bus with Thrissur (55 km), Kochi (73 km) and Palakkad (110 km). One can take public/private vehicle from Chalakudy to reach Athirapally. Cochin Airport is the nearest airport to Athirapally which is 40 km away. Kochi and Thrissur are two major railways junctions nearby. The nearest railway station is Chalakudy Railway Station at 32 km from Athirapally.
Munnar is about 100 km from Athirapally. If you are travelling from Kochi to Munnar, you can visit Athirapally if you can dedicate 3 extra hours (Kochi-Munnar is 120 km and Kochi- Athirapally-Munnar is 170 km).
Athirapally falls never dries out and can be visited anytime during the year. Though the waterfall appears in its full glory during monsoons, heavy rains can cause great inconvenience. So, the best time to visit is from September to January. It usually takes 2-3 hours to explore Athirappally falls.
Kerala Tourism Popularly known as "God's Own Country", Kerala is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world. This exotic land is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, tropical climate, palm fringed beaches, misty hill stations, health resorts, wild life sanctuaries, enchanting art forms, grand festivals and, the serenity of the backwaters and the emerald blue Arabian Sea which promise an unforgettable holidaying experience to travellers. According to "National Geographic Travel", the leading travel Magazine, Kerala is one of the 50 must see destinations of a lifetime and one of the 10 paradises of the World.