Vazhachal Falls

Athirapally and Vazhachal are two of the most prominent tourist spots in Kerala. Located on the west-flowing Chalakudy River near the Vazhachal Forest Division and at the edge of the Sholayar ranges, it is just 5 km from the entrance of Athirapally Falls. Vazhachal is more like a horizontal stream of falls, unlike Athirapally which has a huge vertical drop. The reason why I visited this place is to experience the magnificent wildlife and atmosphere.

Having spent the afternoon on Athirapally Falls, I decided to spend some time on the nearby Vazhachal Falls. Now that I have got till Athirapally, it would best stupid if I returned making the most of the visit. It was a perfect time to get there as it was nearing lunchtime and we already packed the lunch as we were a bit skeptical whether or not we will find a good hotel near the place. Before getting there, I did read a lot about Vazhachal and saw a lot of pics. After seeing the shady trees, I thought it would be a perfect place for picnic. Now that have food, we head towards the Vazhachal Falls.


Conveyance is easily available and the road which starts from the Athirapally entrance to Vazhachal is very scenic and perfect for photography. We walked all the way to Vazhachal and it took about 20 minutes. Once we got there, all I could see was beautiful trees which is spread across the large area and in the middle of which the turbulent flow of Vazhachal can be seen. There are tree shades and sitting arrangement built around is a good place to relax with friends and family. Vazhachal Falls have dense forests of Sholayar ranges surrounding. During its course on rocky terrain, River Chalakudy gives out in three branches, which resume its flow surrounding the small islands formed by the riparian forests. These three branches gather momentum on its downward course and plummet to the rocky bed of River Chalakudy to reunite.

The falls itself is more of a horizontal, wide turbulent stream, as a person can't walk around it or take a bathe. Walking into the Fall area is strictly prohibited as the rocks are slippery and it only take one wrong step for a person to die. Over the course, a lot of people have died and hence the security is being tightened. Once we finished our lunch, we came to know that there is a small trek arranged by a group of visitors to climb into the denser sholayar region. As we were running out of time, we decided to pass the offer and walk back to Athirapally.

Overall, Vazhachal was a nice follow up to the experience we had in Athirapally. Not only it is best for picnicking, it is also best for Photography and Bird watching. So, if you are a photographer make sure to visit this place.













Contributed by Sooraj Ram