[KALINGA]

Hi All,

Just got a mail regarding Athirapilly Waterfalls in KERALA. but not much information regarding this. Can anyone have much info(Road map/route/accomodetation etc. and ofcourse photo ) regarding this waterfall?

Mod:- Please merge the thread if it is already here.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by KALINGA

Hi All,

Just got a mail regarding Athirapilly Waterfalls in KERALA. but not much information regarding this. Can anyone have much info(Road map/route/accomodetation etc. and ofcourse photo ) regarding this waterfall?

Mod:- Please merge the thread if it is already here.

High level summary: Its on the Chalakudy river. Best way to go is from Trichur. Please be more specific as to from where one needs to go to this place.

[KALINGA]

Originally Posted by ampere

High level summary: Its on the Chalakudy river. Best way to go is from Trichur. Please be more specific as to from where one needs to go to this place.

Thanks AMPERE.

if any one want to go from Cochin or coimbatore then what will be the route.

I heard that its a huge waterfall. Any pics you have??

[aargee]

If you go via Coimbatore, then the way is Coimbatore-Palakkad-Thrissur-Chalakudi
If via Kochi, then Ernakulam-Aluva-Angamaly-Chalakudi.
Both the above ways are in opposite direction, means, Coimbatore to Chalakudi is travelling towards West & Ernakulam to Chalakudi will be from South to North

[ampere]

Aargee has already answered the question. The point is what all your friend wants to cover in his travel? Accordingly we can see how it can be planned.

I do have some pictures, but somehow they are not with me on my laptop. I had been in november some two years back, but I did not see much water.
I will fetch them up and post.

[ArunV]

Originally Posted by aargee

If you go via Coimbatore, then the way is Coimbatore-Palakkad-Thrissur-Chalakudi
If via Kochi, then Ernakulam-Aluva-Angamaly-Chalakudi.
Both the above ways are in opposite direction, means, Coimbatore to Chalakudi is travelling towards West & Ernakulam to Chalakudi will be from South to North

If you are travelling from Ernakulam, then instead of going till chalakudi, take a right after angamali. That will take you through a plantation. It will be an easier way. And there wont be any traffic in this road also.

[hvkumar]

If you go via Chalakudy (On NH47,20 kms from Trissur - to the North, 50 kms to Ernakulam/Kochi - South), you turn East,
Chalakudy-Athirapalli, 33 kms

If you go from Angamali (On NH47, 14 kms from Chalakudy - North, 2 kms to Angamali - South), you turn East,
Angamali-Turn off NH47 2 kms-Mokanur 5-River Bridge 23-Athirapalli 10

If you come from Valparai (81 kms - East),
Valparai-Malakkiparai 22-Sholayar 24-Peringalkuthu Dam 25-Vazhachal 5-Athirapalli 5

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

If you come from Valparai (81 kms - East),
Valparai-Malakkiparai 22-Sholayar 24-Peringalkuthu Dam 25-Vazhachal 5-Athirapalli 5

HVK Sir, I never knew of this route. How is the road condition? And the nature of roads (ghat sections)? I guess this goes through Parambikulam WLS.

P.S. I wonder in awe at your posts.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by KALINGA

Thanks AMPERE.

if any one want to go from Cochin or coimbatore then what will be the route.

I heard that its a huge waterfall. Any pics you have??

the waterfall would be in full bloom only post monsoons in Kerala around July-August(again dependent on how good the monsoon is!)

[wildon]

Google given this page for pictures of Athirapally:

My-Kerala.Com: Athirapally Waterfalls

[ampere]

Here are some snaps, that I could take out from my cabinet ! Before going to the falls about 10 Km before we stopped at a resort for lunch. It was on the river and hence it was fun. Dont recollect the name though. It was here we heard India win the Perth test match ! I will never forget the lunch!

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by sbraj

HVK Sir, I never knew of this route. How is the road condition? And the nature of roads (ghat sections)? I guess this goes through Parambikulam WLS.

One of the loveliest of drives in the entire Western Ghats region, one of my favourites in India. Leaving the tea estates of Valparai behind at the Kerala border at Malakkiparai, the road cuts through bamboo jungles (tress often 3 stories high arched across the road forming a canopy), with cicadas chirping away causing an unbelievable din, spectacular blue waters of the Sholayar Dam reservoir, always dreading the elephant at the next curve and mist wafting from the road surface.

I discovered this route entirely by fluke, mobiking one day randomly, in the Year 1987. Having been turned away at Sethumadai (checkpost for Parambikulam/Top Slip WLS - "sorry, no bikes"), we decided to go to Valparai. Once there, we were told that the "Punnagai Mannan Falls" (the Athirapalli Falls was featured in a popular Tamil movie) was "just" a "short" distance away. That "just short" turned out to be a 3 hour drive on what was absolutely uninhabited rainy area, without knowing head or tail what we could expect at the end of the trail. Even at that time, the narrow road (1 laner) was good, although you had to be very careful not to run into elephants. Having reached Athirapalli, I went on to Chalakudy.

I have driven on this route after that a few times. Now they also have the option of crossing the Chalakudy River and going directly to Angamali as I have explained in my earlier post. Last time I drove that way, the bridge was not there and I took my car in a ferry made of 2 catamarans strung together.

[NutsNBolts]

If it is helpful, here are two routes in Google earth, first one Kochi to Athitappally and second from Coimbatore to Athirapally

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by NutsNBolts

If it is helpful, here are two routes in Google earth, first one Kochi to Athitappally and second from Coimbatore to Athirapally

The second route (Pollachi-Parambikulam-Sholayar) is open to the public only from Pollachi to Parambikulam via Top Slip. The rest of the road is a rough jeepable track allowed to be used only by the Kerala Forest Department. You will also note that there is a thread on OTR in that track part of the way, from Sholayar Dam. So forget driving on this road, it is not even a navigable road. But, yes, it promises to be one of the best drives in the Western Ghats area, but considering that this is thick elephant territory, it is kept kept away.

[hvkumar]

Some photos from my collection:
Sholayar Reservoir, Valparai-Athirapalli road, Feb 2002



Valparai, Feb 2002



Aliyar Dam, climbing up from Pollachi to Valparai, Apr 1989



Athirapalli Falls, May 1988


Athirapalli Falls, May 1988