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List of Top 10 Highest Waterfalls in India 2024

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Top 10 Highest Waterfalls in India: India is a diverse country in Terms of Everything including its Geographical entities. Waterfalls are also one of the examples of it. In a general way, a waterfall forms when there are horizontal bands of resistant rock positioned overexposed, less resistant rock. The soft rock is eroded quicker than the hard rock and this creates a step, it also occurs when meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Generally, in the upper course of a river, this type of land shape is formed where lakes flow into the valleys of steep mountains.

In this article, we will explore the Top 10 Highest Waterfalls in India, along with their height, location, and other details.

Highest Waterfalls in India 2024

In India, Kunchikal Falls which is located in Agumbe, Shimoga, is the highest-tiered waterfall in the country with a height of 1493 ft. Besides this, India offers some of the tallest waterfalls in the world, such as the Barehipani Falls of Odisha, and the world-famous Nohkalikai Falls of Meghalaya. During the Monsoon season, Indian states receive plenty of rainfalls and host some of the world-famous waterfalls such as the Jog and Dudhsagar waterfalls of Karnataka, and the Chitrakoot waterfall of Chhattisgarh.

List of Top 10 Highest Waterfalls in India

Rank Waterfall Location Height (feet) Features
1 Kunchikal Falls Nidagodu village, Shimoga district, Karnataka 1,493 Formed from the Varahi River, reduced flow due to nearby power generation stations, visible between July and September
2 Nohsngithiang Waterfalls East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya 1,033 Also known as the Seven Sisters Waterfalls or Mawsmai Falls, flows only during the monsoon season, surrounded by valleys, canyons, and mountains of rocks
3 Dudhsagar Waterfall Goa 1,020 Also known as the “Sea of Milk,” formed by the Mandovi River, surrounded by dense jungle and the Western Ghats, a part of the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary
4 Thalaiyar Falls (Rat Tail Falls) Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu 980 The highest waterfall in Tamil Nadu and the sixth-highest in India flows as Manjalar River, known for its rat-tail-shaped look, surrounded by serene forest views
5 Jog Waterfall Shimoga District, Karnataka 830 Formed from the Sharavathi River, the second-highest plunge waterfall in India, known for its sound and massive flow during the rainy season, declared a UNESCO ecological hotspot
6 Chitrakot Waterfalls Bastar district, Chhattisgarh 801 Also known as the Niagara Falls of India, situated on the Indravati River, widest waterfall in India, surrounded by dense green forests in the Vindhya mountain ranges, receives huge water during the Bengal monsoon branch
7 Khandadhar Waterfall Sundargarh district, Odisha 801 Tallest waterfall in Odisha, created by a perennial stream, flows throughout the year, surrounded by a rich variety of flora and fauna, located in the Bandapani forest
8 Athirapally Waterfalls Thrissur district, Kerala Not specified Created by the Chalakudy River near the Vazhachal forest, surrounded by endemic flora and fauna, home to four types of endangered Great Hornbills, a major attraction during the monsoon season
9 Ethipothala Falls Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh 70 Drops from an altitude of 21m, located on the Chandravanka River, a tributary of River Krishna, surrounded by temples and a crocodile breeding farm
10 Talakona Waterfalls Sri Venkateswara National Park, Andhra Pradesh 270 Highest waterfall in Andhra Pradesh, surrounded by sandalwood trees and medicinal plants, rich in flora and fauna, part of a biosphere reserve

1. Highest Waterfall in India: Kunchikal Falls – Karnataka

This famous waterfall is located at the Nidagodu village of Shimoga district of Karnataka. It is situated 138 km from Mangalore Airport. It is formed from the Varahi River and is the main water source of one of Karnataka’s hydroelectric plants. It is the second biggest waterfall in Asia, but after the construction of an underground power generation station near Hulikal of Shimoga district and Mani Dam near Masthikatte of Karnataka, the flow of the waterfalls is reduced and it is visible only between July and September, during the rainy season of Karnataka.  

2. Second Highest Waterfall in India: Nohsngithiang Waterfalls – Meghalaya

This waterfall is also known as the seven sisters waterfalls and it is one of the major waterfalls in Meghalaya. The waterfalls are situated in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya near the Mawsmai village, for this reason, it is also known as Mawsmai falls. This region is also known for its deep gorges, wildlife, and extensive underground cave network. Nohsngithiang Waterfalls is the fourth highest waterfalls in India and it only flows during the monsoon season from a height of 1,033ft. This waterfall is surrounded by valleys, canyons, and mountains of rocks of different sizes and shapes.  

3. Third Highest Waterfall in India: Dudhsagar Waterfall – Goa

The famous waterfall of Goa is Dudhsagar waterfall, which gets water by the Mandovi River, and has a height of 1,020 ft. This waterfall is also known as the “Sea of Milk” and it is the 227th-highest waterfall in the world. The most beautiful falls in India are surrounded by dense jungle, high peaks, and the greenery of the Western Ghats. During the Monsoon season, it becomes one of the most famous natural phenomena in Goa. This is situated on the border of Karnataka and Goa and is a part of the Bhagwan Mahavir Wild Life Sanctuary. Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary are the very famous parks of Goa and major tourist attractions.

4. Fourth Highest Waterfall in India: Thalaiyar Falls, Tamil Nadu

This fall is also known as Rat Tail Falls, because of its rat tail-shaped look. This falls located in the Palani Hills of the District of Dindigul, which flows as Manjalar River, one of the tributaries of the Vaigai River of Tamil Nadu State. The falls drops down from an altitude of 297 m tall and are the highest waterfall of Tamil Nadu and the sixth highest waterfall in India. The top of the fall is the very edge, and the low concrete wall on both sides concentrating the flow of the water. One can easily get down to the edge of the rock to look directly straight down to see a little river at the bottom continuing placidly through the forest. This fall is one of the silent falls of India.

5. Fifth Highest Waterfall in India: Jog Waterfall – Karnataka

One of the most famous Jog Waterfalls is located in the Shimoga District, Karnataka and it gets water from the Sharavathi River. It is the second-highest plunge waterfall in India with a height of 830ft after the Nohkalikai Falls of Meghalaya (having a height of 1100ft). It is associated with the Linganamakki Dam across the Sharavati River. During the rainy or monsoon season, it is known for its sound of fall, the spray, and the massive flow of water. Due to its rich ecological surrounding region, Jog Falls is declared one of the UNESCO ecological hot spots in the world.

6. Sixth Highest Waterfall in India: Chitrakot-Waterfall-Chhattisgarh

Chitrakot waterfalls also known as Niagara falls of India are situated on the river Indravati in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh. It is one of the famous waterfalls of Chhattisgarh, having a total height of 29 meters, and is created by a perennial stream that flows throughout the year, during monsoon season the wide of this fall becomes 1000 feet, making it the widest waterfall of India. During the rainy season by the Bengal monsoon branch, this fall receives very huge water, and this waterfall is surrounded by a dense green forests area in the mountain ranges of Vindhya.

7. Seventh Highest Waterfall in India: Khandadhar-Waterfall-Orissa

The tallest waterfall of Orissa state is Khandadhar Waterfall and it is located in the Bandapani forest of Sundargarh district. Having a total height of 801 ft, this waterfall is the 12th highest waterfall of India and is created by a perennial stream that flows throughout the year, during monsoon season the flow of the falls is very large. The surrounding region of this fall is very rich in a wide range of flora and fauna, the deep forest area is also counted in wildlife sanctuaries, surrounded by a thick forest of Kendu, Kusum, Sal, Segun, Mohua, Palash, and Akashmoni trees. Khandadhar Falls has located about 60 Km from the Sundargarh town of Orissa.

8. Eighth Highest Waterfall in India: Athirapally-Waterfalls-Kerala

Kerala, the land of godis already known for its number of attractions such as monsoon, sand beaches, nature, and waterfalls. There are a number of important waterfalls in Kerala like Athirapally, Vazhachal, Palaruvi, and Thusharagiri, Athirappilly falls is one of the famous places to visit during the monsoon in Kerala. Athirappilly waterfalls are created by chalakudy river near the Vazhachal forest in the Thrissur district of Kerala. The surrounded area of the fall is home to many endangered and endemic species of flora and fauna, the only place in India where 4 types of endangered Great Hornbill are found.

9. Ninth Highest Waterfall in India: Ethipothala Falls – Andhra Pradesh

Ethipothala Falls is situated in the Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The falls drops down from an altitude of 21m tall which is located on the Chandravanka river, a tributary of River Krishna right. It is situated 11 km far from Nagarjuna Sagar Dam. This is located at a distance of 140 km from Guntur city. There are Ranganatha and Dattatreya temples in the surroundings of Ethipothala Falls, in which the temple of Lord Dattatreya with Ekamukhi, is the main worship god for Lambadi Tribal people around this place. In that place, there is a crocodile breeding farm in the pond formed by the Ethipothala waterfall. The waterfall is a combination of three streams namely, the Chandra Vanka stream on Macherla, Surya Bhaga stream on Nagarjuna hill, and Krishna river of Nagarjuna Sagar. Hence, it is like a Triveni sangam Datta Guru’s Temple is located just adjacent to the falls.

10. Tenth Highest Waterfall in India: Talakona-Waterfalls-Andhra-Pradesh

Inside the Sri Venkateswara National Park in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, the Talakona fall is situated, this is the highest waterfall in Andhra Pradesh with a height of 270 feet in the starting point of the Tirumala mountain ranges. The fall is surrounded by many varieties of sandalwood trees and some valuable medicinal plants, even surrounded by herbs with healing properties. This fall is also famous for its dense forests, wildlife, and is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. Some rare and endangered species of this forest area are Panther, Giant Indian Squirrel, birds, and beautiful butterflies and greenery, this is also the part of a mountain that is are also known for deep caves, treacherous trekking routes. The most popular temple town of Tirupati has located 50 km from Talakona and in 1989, it’s declared as a biosphere reserve.

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FAQs on Top 10 Highest Waterfalls in India

What is the highest waterfall in India?

The highest waterfall in India is Kunchikal Falls, located in Karnataka, with a total height of about 1,493 feet (455 meters).

Which are the top 10 best waterfalls to visit in India?

Top 10 waterfalls to visit in India include Jog Falls (Karnataka), Dudhsagar Falls (Goa), Nohkalikai Falls (Meghalaya), Athirappilly Falls (Kerala), and more which are provided in the above article.

What are some interesting facts about the largest waterfalls in India?

The largest waterfall in India, Kunchikal Falls, is known for its stunning height, while Jog Falls is famous for its segmented flow. Dudhsagar Falls in Goa is unique as it cascades through lush greenery.

When is the best time to visit waterfalls in India?

The best time to visit waterfalls in India is post-monsoon (September to January) when the water flow is at its peak, offering a breathtaking sight.

Are there any safety tips or guidelines for visiting waterfalls in India?

When visiting waterfalls, follow safety guidelines, avoid risky areas, and be cautious of slippery paths. Heed warning signs, and refrain from swimming in turbulent waters to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.



Last Updated : 04 Mar, 2024
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