Abbey Falls

Abbey Falls is located at about 7 km from Madikeri, the district headquarters of Coorg (locally called Kodagu) in Karnataka. This scenic waterfall is located in a private coffee estate and is accessible to public by a short walk inside the plantation. River Cauvery flows through dense forests and estates before forming the spectacular two-step waterfall. You will be fascinated by the sheer sight of the waterfall as it descends down 70m, and the deafening sound it generates.

Abbey Falls, Karnataka

Abbey Falls

The area around the waterfalls is safely guarded with iron grills all around. A hanging bridge is also built across the river, so that visitors can view the falls from right in front of it. The main purpose of building the bridge is to prevent visitors from getting down to the base of the waterfalls. Earlier (until few years back), we could get into water and play, but due to numerous incidents of visitors drowning (and being washed away) in the river, it is now strictly prohibited and all precautions have been taken to prevent visitors from getting into the water.

Abbey Falls, Karnataka

View of the falls from the hanging bridge

To reach the falls, you have to walk for about 500m in the middle of coffee plantations. After walking for about 200m, you will hear a loud noise of the falls, and as you walk a little further, you can see the complete falls (both steps of the falls) from a distance. You can then trek down further to get as close to the falls as possible. From the closest view point, you can see only one step of the falls.

Abbey Falls, Karnataka

Trek through the coffee plantation to reach the falls

If you had planned to visit the waterfalls with a hope of getting into with the water, you will be highly disappointed. The place near the falls is guarded with grills, and hence you will not get a chance to wander around. Moreover, this is a private coffee estate, and hence it is not advisable too. Though the waterfall is very popular and is filled with tourists and visitors all the time, there is not much activity that can be done here. If you are looking for better alternatives to Abbey Falls, I would definitely suggest Irupu Falls (or Irpu Falls) that is not very far from here.

How to plan a visit?

Coorg or Kodagu is a very popular weekend outing from Bangalore / Bengaluru. There are many buses from KSRTC from Bengaluru to Madikeri, and the journey is about 5 hours. If you have your own vehicle (car or bike), you can plan a drive/ride on any weekend. There are several places that you can visit on your drive, including Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Cauvery Nisargadhama, Bylakuppe Golden Temple and others.

If you are looking for options to stay, Coorg or Kodagu has numerous options. The most popular option is to stay with the locals, who convert their own house into homestays. Most of the locals here are agriculturists, and they mainly grow coffee in this region. By staying at their house, you can get free access to their coffee estate too!

There are other options too, including very luxurious ones, to budget accomodations with very basic facilities. You can choose an option that suits your comfort as well as your budget!

Location

Where to stay?

  • Madikeri (7 km)

Distance Chart

From Distance (in km)
Mysore 125
Mangalore 165
Calicut, Kerala 185
Bangalore 270