Athirapally Waterfalls are located 1000 feet above sea level at the Chalakudy River in Thrissur district of Kerala. One of the famous tourist attractions in Kerala, the magnificent waterfalls are a sight worth witnessing. This is the biggest waterfall in Kerala. Athirapally falls comes down from a height of 80 feet through several parallel streams. In the monsoon season, in its full might, the waterfalls appear like Niagara Falls.
One can reach the top of Athirapally falls in about 15 minutes’ wall. It is blessed with spectacular views of the Sholayar hills and the Western Ghats. The trek down from the top of the waterfalls is about 10-15 minutes trek. Swimming is possible in the stream as you enjoy the spray of the water. Rainbows are also a common sight. It usually takes 2-3 hours to explore the waterfalls.
The surrounding environs of the waterfalls is a bio diversity hotspot. The river is blessed with 85 species of fresh water fish living in it. The forest is habitat of different species like the Indian grey hornbill, Malabar pied and grey hornbill, lion-tailed macaque, Asiatic elephant, tiger, leopard, bison, sambar, etc.
The Vazhachal Waterfalls, Charpa Falls, Anakkayam, Sholayar Dam, Valparai and Malayattur Wildlife Sanctuary near Athirappilly are worth exploring. There are adventure activities like river rafting, trekking, etc.
Chalakudy, 32 km is the nearest railway junction to Athirapally. Cochin Airport is the nearest airport to Athirapally which is 40 km away. Kochi and Thrissur are two major railways junctions nearby. One can take public/private vehicle from Chalakudy to reach Athirapally.
Athirapally waterfalls never dries out and can be visited anytime during the year. Though the waterfall appears in its full glory during monsoons, heavy rains cause inconvenience. So, the best time to visit is from September to January.