The rains have been bountiful this year and such has been its effect that nearly all the dams of Karnataka are overflowing after a good many years. This abundance of water makes it a perfect time to plan those waterfall holidays. The state of Karnataka is blessed with many of these thundering wonders, but the ones located close to Bangalore are the magnificent ones on the river Cauvery.
With its cragged and rocky landscape, steep drops and voluminous nature, Barachukki and Gaganachukki at Shivanasamudra and Hogenakkal Falls are a sight to behold when the river is brimming with water. Shivanasamudra is about 120 kms from Bangalore, while Hogenakkal is about 150 kms.
Video Note: Watch the Barachukki falls in 4K resolution mode for full effect.
Both make for fabulous day trips from Bangalore and both offer that special experience of seeing a wide panorama of a thunderous volume of water plunging into steep rocky canyons. While Barachukki and Gaganachukki falls are located properly in Karnataka state, Hogenakkal is located right on the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Video Note: Watch the Gaganachukki Falls in 4K resolution for full effect.
When the water levels are low, one can get closer to the waterfalls via a round coracle boat and get drenched in the tumbling water and when the river in full flow, one can enjoy the sound of thundering water and the spectacular sight of these voluminous waterfalls in full flow. The only flipside of a monsoon trip to these waterfalls is that the authorities stop letting the visitors get closer to the water, but the views and overall experience more than make up for this ban.
Last weekend, I was went on a motorcycle ride to Barachukki and Gaganachukki falls with my friends. We left early Sunday morning, stopped at the iconic Maddur Tiffany’s for the special experience of Idli and Maddur Vade and managed to return home for a late lunch.
Between Barachukki and Gaganachukki, I like Barachukki more due to its wide panorama and many vantage points and hence we landed up at Barachukki just before the gates opened. When the Cauevery is full of water, you can see close to 20-25 waterfalls in one view and with the lush greenery covering the brown rocks, it makes for a fantastic sight.
The idea is to reach as early as possible, especially if you are visiting on a weekend to avoid the rush, because due to social media and the high levels of water in the Cauvery, almost every body wants to see this magnificent spectacle. In addition to seeing the waterfalls, one can indulge in local produce such as sugarcane juice, local snacks such as masalai mandakki and congress, the good ‘ol cotton candy, a walk in the nearby villages and a good drive by the Cauvery on decent roads.
After Barachukki, the next stop for us was the ancient stone bridge on the river Cauvery. Running parallel to the famous Wesley bridge, this stone bridge makes for a nice walk and provides great views of the river in full flow.
There are a lot of temples by the riverside that one can visit, though they can get super crowded during auspicious days. I stopped by one near Barachukki and was amazed at its beautiful white gopuram. There were many others that caught my attention, but I have kept them for future trips in this direction.
After the stone bridge pit stop, I took a tea break at a nearby village before heading on to Gaganachukki that is located on the other side of the Cauvery. Gaganachukki and Barachukki are two drops that are formed when the cauvery breaks into two to avoid a hill. While the Cauvery drops on one side to form the wide Barachukki falls, the other side is the tall Gaganachukki falls.
One can easily see the rich colors of the tourists standing at the Barachukki view point from the Gaganachukki view point, but one cannot see both the waterfalls from either of the view points. Gaganachukki has better infrastructure like restaurants and shops so this might be a good place to have lunch or a quick snack. Many people also bring their picnic lunches and enjoy them under a tree or by the riverside.
If you are a Bangalorean and love waterfalls, you should not miss out on the opportunity to see Barachukki and Gaganachukki in full flow. The waterfalls are not this good every monsoon, but this year due to the rich bounty of rains, it is quite an amazing spectacle. I hear that the KRS dam gates might be opened on the weekend of Aug 18 and 19. You should plan a visit that weekend as the waterfalls are bound to be truly magnificent with all the extra water in the river. Do let me know how it goes through the comments below.
Possible Routes: You can either take Mysore road and take the detour from Maddur towards Malavalli or you can take Kanakapura road and head straight towards the waterfalls. Both routes are more or less the same distance. Road quality is good, though road widening work is happening on most of Kanakapura road.
Best time to go: Monsoons are the best time to see the waterfalls in full grandeur, but if you wish to play around in the water and wish for coracle rides, then early winter are a much safer bet.
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