Marmala Waterfalls - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Marmala Waterfall sits on the river Meenachil surrounded by forests and plantations and stands tall at a height of 60 meters. The gushing falls over the years have etched out a path over a large rocky face and it forms a deep pool underneath, surrounded by big boulders.

Exploring the Waterfalls

The access to the falls is hard. You have to trek 2 km through plantations and dense wood to reach the place as the road is not suitable for vehicles (although four wheel drive jeeps might manage to go through). Once at the place, the sight of the waterfall is tantalising. The white water falls down from the top of the hill as if it is originating right from the sky. The serene pool at the bottom hides it’s depth and large boulders borders it. As the depth is quite a problem in here, it is advisable to swim in the waters that pours down from the pool.

Best time to visit Marmala waterfall

The waterfall is in its fiercest and full glory during and right after the monsoon season from June to September. The water will thunder down engulfing its surrounding in mists and the river will be extremely violent. As soon as the monsoon period is over, it starts to be more gentle before finally becoming a trickle in the peak summer months of March to May. The leech attacks are extreme during monsoon period so be prepared for that by bringing some leech repellents or salts.

Getting to Marmala waterfall

Marmala Waterfall is located in Kottayam District of Kerala State in Southern India. The nearest town is in Adukkam, around 4km from the falls. You can either take a long hike or hire a jeep to reach the falls from Adukkam. Erattupetta, the nearest large town is at a distance of 13km and Adukkam is connected by buses from Erattupetta. The nearest major railway station is in Kottayam, connected to the rest of the state. There are buses from Kottayam to Erattupetta.