Kunchikal Falls

The Varahi river creates Kunchikal Falls near Nidagodu village, close to Yadur and Masthikatte in the Shimoga region of Karnataka. Rather than a single plunge, the water tumbles over a long series of rocky boulders, and the World Waterfall Database gives its total height as 455 metres.

The flow has dropped sharply since the Mani Dam was built near Sulagodu, along with an underground power station near Hosangadi in Udupi district, so the falls are now mostly seen during the rains from July to September. The falls lie inside a restricted area, and visitors need a gate pass to enter. Mangaluru, 138 kilometres away, has the nearest airport.