Beside the highway into the hills, water tumbles down through thick green forest. Valara is one of a chain of falls on the Deviyar river, and in the monsoon the spray turns the air around it misty.

The falls

Valara Waterfalls lies about 1 km beyond Cheeyappara Waterfalls on the road to Adimali, one of several waterfalls in this area of valleys and hills. The village of Valara is in Idukki district, between Neriamangalam on the eastern edge of Ernakulam district and Adimali, on the Kochi–Madurai National Highway, about 14 km from Adimali.

The Deviyar river

The falls sit among smaller cascades that form a chain of waterfalls on the Deviyar river, which rises in the Western Ghats. The forest around them is dense and green, rich in plants and animals, and the area is promoted as an eco-tourism destination.

When to come

Valara is at its best in the monsoon and the months after, when the falling water fills the air with mist. In summer the flow is low.

On the way to Munnar

Valara and Cheeyappara are a common stop for travellers heading to Munnar. Cheeyappara falls in seven tiers, and local vendors along the road sell tea, coffee, snacks, tender coconut water, pineapples and watermelon. Valara itself is a lovely picnic spot.

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  Cheeyappara Waterfalls About 1.3 km away.
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  Thommankuthu Waterfalls About 9 km away.
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  Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary About 16 km away.
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  Season During and after the monsoon.
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  Forest Stay near the road.

Visiting

Entry is free, and half an hour is enough to see the falls. Stay near the road; the surrounding forest is wild.