Chelavara falls near Virajpet – Coorg Travel Guide

Planning

We were at my Sister’s place with family and planning to return to Udupi. We thought of applying a day leave and make our journey back home more interesting. Since our return journey passes through Coorg, we decided to revisit few of the places with my parents which I and Ranjani had visited few years back. We will walk you through all these places(again) in the Coorg in the right season and show you the beautiful side of less explored Coorg. Chelavara waterfalls is the first destination in this quick trip.

Best route to Chelavara Falls

We started from Mysore early morning at 6 AM. As planned, we reached Virajpet by 8AM. Stopped at Grand Udupi Pure veg restaurant for breakfast. This place serves decent vegetarian food and there was no problem to find a parking spot as it was early morning. After a quick breakfast, we headed towards the falls and reached the destination by 9-15 AM. With breakfast at Virajpet we took around 3 hours to reach the place.

Route: Mysore > Hunsur > Gonikoppalu > Virajpet > Cheyandane > Chelavara waterfalls

Total Distance: 120 Km

Detailed road condition: Mysore to Hunsur stretch had occasional bad stretch when we visited. But as of 22 Mar 2022, road condition has fairly good with the fresh coat of asphalt laid all along the route.

After 4 km from Hunsur towards Madikeri, we took Virajpete road. This route is bliss to drive. You will get to see tiny villages with green fields. In no time we entered Rajiv Gandhi National Park and the surroundings got more scenic. You may spot an Elephant or two at Mathigodu Elephant Camp. Road condition is good till Virajpete and gets narrower after the town towards Bhagamandala.

After driving for 18 km towards Kakkabe/ Bhagamandala road, we took left diversion at Cheyandane village. From here, Chelavara waterfalls is just 4.5 km away. This is the most scenic route of this whole stretch. You get to see the glimpse of rural life of Coorg. It started to drizzle as we approached, and it added more beauty to the place.

Reaching Chelavara

Parking your vehicle while visiting Chelavara waterfalls on any weekend can be a tough task as there is absolutely no dedicated parking slot at the place. The road connecting to the place is also very narrow, which makes parking by the side of the road challenging too. Still around, 4 cars can be parked at some wider spots on the road.

The waterfall is at a walkable distance of 250 m from the parking area. This unevenly paved path with huge slippery rocks and mud can be problematic if you are travelling with elderly family members. Leeches pose yet another challenge for the visitors walking this path. But the stupendous surrounding covering the trek path makes you forget everything else and enjoy the pure nature.

Chelavara Falls

Chelavara Falls is created by a tributary of the river Kaveri. Best time to visit the place will be from mid of June to end of September when the water flow is sufficient. We were a bit disappointed to know that walking till the base of the waterfalls is prohibited now for safety measures. Unpredictable rock profile, at the bottom, makes this falls unsafe for bathing or swimming. There is a wired mesh a few meters away from the falls and visitors are not allowed to venture beyond this point.

Nevertheless, the view of the waterfalls is equally beautiful from the last viewpoint. Water from the river drops from 150 ft over a huge rock here. You will get to see the full view of roaring waterfalls, along with the panoramic view of the forest and coffee estate surrounding the falls. We spend a few minutes enjoying the beautiful view and taking a few photos and video clips. On our way back to the car, it again started to drizzle, and we were sure that the trip is going to get more picturesque.

Timings

Monday

6:00 am – 6:00 pm

Tuesday

6:00 am – 6:00 pm

Wednesday

6:00 am – 6:00 pm

Thursday

6:00 am – 6:00 pm

Friday

6:00 am – 6:00 pm

Saturday

6:00 am – 6:00 pm

Sunday

6:00 am – 6:00 pm

Tips For Travelers

• Drive very carefully as the road connecting this falls is very narrow and curvy.
• Wear non-slippery, comfortable footwear.
• Carry food from Virajpete (If you need to)
• Please do not throw garbage.
• Park your vehicles responsibly.
• Respect privacy of local residents. Do not enter nearby private properties.

Places to Visit Nearby Chelavara Falls

Food Options

• Grand Udupi Pure Veg

Live the Experience

We suggest you to watch our short informative video on this place before visiting.

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