Some beautiful thoughts

Life is a bliss at the Athirapally Waterfalls. As the gigantic falls gushes down from the top of the mountains, all you can think about is, how beautiful the life is. You can spend hours relaxing at the rocky beds of the waterfalls, playing with the small streams that flow crisscross through the rock beds. Nature is at its best singing and dancing her heart out at the Falls.

Located at the Thrissur district, this is considered to be the largest waterfall of South India. If you are planning to visit Kerala or is here for just renowned tourist attractions, this waterfall is a change of taste and a must visit. Still mysterious and off-beat, Athirapally Waterfalls unravels the wild beauty of Kerala.

As you near the waterfalls, the twists and turns of the roads with dense forests and mountains on both sides welcomes you. The car leaves you at the foot of the high mountains where the Falls are located. Rest of the path it is a pleasant yet steep journey. With dense jungles on both sides, chirping of birds and naughty monkeys staring at you, this quick hiking trip is fun.

Thirsty or need some coolants? The forest department has some stalls selling snacks, ice creams and cold drinks. Do not forget to feed the monkeys; they demand both your attention and the food!

As I reached the Athirapally Waterfalls, 80 feet high and royal in beauty, it exhibited one of the most biodiverse areas of the Western Ghats. As far as my eyes could view, there was just lush greenery. This area is also known to be the abode for the endangered hornbills. There are 2 ways in which you can view the waterfall. One is the side view which you can reach with some less hiking; the other is the front view which is gigantic and more mesmerizing but needs you to hike for more 10 minutes down into the deep forests.

If you wish to stay here to embrace nature in its full glory, far from the maddening crowd, there are some great resorts with view of the waterfalls, like The Rainforest resort.

I visited Athirapally as a quick de-tour on my way from Kochi to Munnar. While it took 2 and a half hours from Kochi to Athirapally, it took 4 more hours to reach from Athirapally to Munnar. There are restaurants and lot of local joints on the way where you can take a break and chill.

If you have some more time in hand then do not miss the Vazhachal Waterfalls, that is just 5km from the Athirapally Waterfalls. Located within dense forests, this waterfall offers a wild edge to your vacay.

FAQs-

• This place cannot be visited after dusk
• There is an entry fee to the Athirapally Waterfalls
• There might be some mobile network connectivity issue
• The car doesn’t go till the Waterfalls and you have to hike for approximately 15 minutes

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