The best waterfalls in Kerala to visit are Athirappilly and Vazhachal near Kochi, Soochipara in Wayanad, Palaruvi near Kollam, and Thusharagiri near Kozhikode. Entry is cheap, from Rs 25 to Rs 80 for Indian adults, and October to February gives strong flow with safer paths than peak monsoon.
Last updated: October 2026
Kerala has dozens of waterfalls, but most visitors only need five. They sit in three regions, so pick by your route. Athirappilly and Vazhachal fit a Kochi leg, Soochipara and Thusharagiri fit a Wayanad and Kozhikode leg, and Palaruvi fits a Kollam leg. This guide compares entry fees, timings, best months, and how to reach each one.
All five are low cost. The main difference is the walk: Athirappilly and Palaruvi are short walks from parking, while Soochipara and Thusharagiri involve a real climb back up.
| Waterfall | Adult entry | Child entry | Timings | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athirappilly, Thrissur | Rs 50 | Rs 10 | 8 AM to 6 PM | Oct to Feb, strong flow Jun to Sep |
| Vazhachal, Thrissur | Included in Athirappilly ticket | Included | 8 AM to 6 PM | Oct to Feb |
| Soochipara, Wayanad | Rs 80 | Lower rate at counter | 9 AM to 5 PM | Oct to Feb |
| Palaruvi, Kollam | Rs 25 | Rs 10 | 8 AM to 4 PM | Jun to Jan |
| Thusharagiri, Kozhikode | Rs 30 | Rs 15 | Day hours, confirm on the day | Sep to Dec |
Fees can change and camera and parking are charged separately at some sites, so carry cash and check the counter rate. Foreign visitors pay more at Athirappilly and Vazhachal: Rs 200 per person on the 2026 forest division rates.
Athirappilly is the largest waterfall in Kerala, on the Chalakudy River in Thrissur district, and is often called the Niagara of South India. The DTPC Thrissur listing gives it as 52.7 km from Thrissur city centre, with entry at Rs 50 for adults and Rs 10 for kids, open 8 AM to 6 PM on all days. You can view it from the top on a paved path, and a steep hike down gives the fuller view from below. The currents are unpredictable, so do not plan to swim at the falls themselves.
How to reach it: the nearest railway station is Chalakudy, about 30 km away, and Cochin International Airport is about 55 km away. Most visitors come by taxi or KSRTC bus via Chalakudy as a day trip from Kochi. Our detailed breakdown is in the Athirappilly day trip from Kochi guide, including cab and bus costs and a timetable.
Vazhachal is about 5 km beyond Athirappilly on the same forest road, and the Athirappilly ticket is valid here on the same day, so keep your ticket. It is a different experience: a wide, stepped cascade through forest rather than one tall drop, with fenced viewpoints close to the river. Bathing is not allowed and the rocks are slippery, so treat it as a walk and viewpoint stop, not a swimming stop. Doing both falls together takes about half a day from Kochi if you start early.
Soochipara, also called Sentinel Rock Waterfalls, is near Meppadi in Wayanad, about 13 km from Meppadi and about 24 km from Kalpetta. It is a three-tiered fall of about 200 metres, reached by a walk of roughly 2 km each way from the parking area on a paved and stepped path. The walk down takes about 30 minutes; the climb back is the hard part and is not a good idea for elderly visitors or anyone with knee or heart issues. Entry is listed at Rs 80 per person with a separate camera charge, timings 9 AM to 5 PM.
The key planning point is seasonality: Soochipara is closed in the dry months, normally from March to June, when the fall runs low. October to February is the comfortable window, with steady flow and safer steps. It pairs naturally with Edakkal and Banasura in a Wayanad 2 day itinerary, and only about 500 visitors a day are allowed in some reports, so arrive in the morning in peak season.
Palaruvi, which means stream of milk, drops about 300 feet near Aryankavu in Kollam district, 81 km from Kollam and 86 km from Trivandrum. Entry is Rs 25 for adults and Rs 10 for children, timings 8 AM to 4 PM, and the best time is June to January when the water is plentiful. From parking it is about a 500 metre walk. Unlike Athirappilly, Palaruvi has a pool at the base where bathing and swimming are the main draw, with separate areas for children and women. That makes it the best pick on this list for families based in south Kerala who want to get in the water, subject to the guards and the flow on the day.
Thusharagiri is about 50 km from Kozhikode, reached via Kodenchery, and is a cluster of falls in forest rather than a single drop. Entry is Rs 30 for adults and Rs 15 for children. September to December, just after the rains, is rated the best season, with fuller falls and greener forest. In peak monsoon only part of the site may be open and trekking gets difficult, so check locally before you go. Come for the trek as much as the falls: allow at least half a day if you want to walk beyond the first viewpoint.
| If you want | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The most dramatic single fall | Athirappilly | Largest in Kerala, easy day trip from Kochi, top and bottom views |
| Two falls for one ticket | Athirappilly plus Vazhachal | Same road, same day, same ticket |
| A trek and a pool in the hills | Soochipara | Forest walk in Wayanad, three tiers, seasonal closure to plan around |
| To bathe with family in the south | Palaruvi | Pool at the base, separate bathing areas, early closing at 4 PM |
| A quieter forest day near Kozhikode | Thusharagiri | Multiple falls and trekking, best September to December |
There is no single best month, only a trade-off. June to September gives the strongest flow and the greenest forest, but paths are slippery, access to the base can be restricted, and sites can close on heavy rain days. October to February is the balanced choice for most people: flow is still strong after the monsoon, the weather is cooler, and walking is safer, which is why it aligns with the wider best time to visit Kerala. March to May is the weak season: flow drops, some falls look thin, and Soochipara is normally closed.
Athirappilly in Thrissur district. It is the largest waterfall in the state, on the Chalakudy River, with entry at Rs 50 for adults and Rs 10 for kids, open 8 AM to 6 PM.
At some, not all. Palaruvi has a bathing pool at its base, and Soochipara allows a dip in marked areas when flow permits. Bathing is not advised at Athirappilly and is not allowed at Vazhachal. Always follow the guards on the day, because high flow closes pools.
Yes. One ticket covers both Athirappilly and Vazhachal on the same day, and Vazhachal is only about 5 km beyond Athirappilly on the same road. Keep the ticket with you.
Most stay open year round in day hours, but Soochipara normally closes in the dry months from March to June, and any forest waterfall can close temporarily on heavy monsoon days for safety. Check before you travel in those periods.
Realistically two, and only the Athirappilly and Vazhachal pair, because they share a road and a ticket. The others are in different districts, hours apart, so plan one per region per day.
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