Hidden Waterfalls of Kozhikode: Beyond the Tourist Trail

Everyone knows Athirappilly. Almost nobody outside Malabar knows that Kozhikode district hides some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Kerala — reached by red-mud roads through rubber and areca, with barely another traveller in sight. Here are three worth the detour.

Thusharagiri Falls

Thusharagiri — "the snowy peak" — is actually a cluster of three falls fed by the Chalippuzha river, near Kodencheri about 50 km east of Kozhikode city. The first fall is a gentle walk; the upper two are a proper forest trek and the start of several longer trails into the Western Ghats.

• Best for: A half-day of walking and swimming in the lower pools (dry season only).
• Getting there: Drive to Kodencheri, then to the Thusharagiri car park; the trail starts there.
• Tip: Hire a local guide at the car park for the upper falls — the path braids and it is easy to take the wrong fork.

Thirikakkayam Falls

The least-visited of the three and the most rewarding for it. Thirikakkayam is a short trek through plantation and forest near Kattippara. The fall drops into a wide rock pool that, in the months after the monsoon, is one of the finest natural swimming spots in the district.

• Best for: A quiet swim and a packed lunch on the rocks.
• Note: There are no facilities — carry water, carry out your rubbish, and check the weather. Flash floods are a real risk in the rains.

Kakkayam

Kakkayam is different in scale: a dam, a reservoir, and a dramatic gorge. The Urakkuzhi waterfall here plunges into a deep ravine, and the area is the trailhead for the trek to Vellarimala and the legendary, mist-wrapped grasslands beyond. It is also a birding hotspot.

• Best for: Big landscape, dam views, and serious trekkers heading deeper.
• Permits: Some trails beyond the dam need Forest Department permission — arrange in advance.

Going responsibly

These places are unspoilt precisely because they are off the trail. Keep them that way:

1. Carry out everything you carry in. There are no bins.
2. Do not swim in spate. Locals can read the river; visitors drown in it every monsoon. If the water is brown and fast, stay out.
3. Hire local guides. It keeps money in the village and keeps you on the right path.
4. Go early. The light is better, the pools are yours, and you are off the trail before any afternoon storm.

When to go

October to February is ideal — the falls still have volume from the monsoon, the pools are safe to swim, and the forest is comfortable. Avoid peak monsoon for swimming; admire from a distance instead.

Kozhikode's coast gets the headlines. Its hills get the silence.