Guidebook
Lonely Planet South India & Kerala
Lonely Planet · 2023
More depth on the Western Ghats states than the all-India guide, including transport to Jog, Dudhsagar and Athirappilly.
India · Karnataka
Abbey Falls
Abbey Falls is a waterfall in Kodagu, in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. It is located 8 km from the Madikeri, 122 km from Mysore, 144 km from Mangalore and 268 km from Bangalore.
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Abbey Falls drops over a series of steps. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Madikeri, India. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a cascade waterfall, water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Abbey Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Madikeri are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Monsoon-fed: flow builds from July and the falls are fullest, and usually safest to approach, from late August to November once the rains ease.
Getting there
- Base town Madikeri, India
- Country India
- Region Karnataka, South Asia, Asia
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Abbey Falls
India
Height—Width—
Most similar
Hogenakkal Falls
India
Height20 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall and in India too
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
20 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Hogenakkal FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
We don't have a reliable crest width for Abbey Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
Guidebook
Lonely Planet India
Lonely Planet · 2024
The 20th edition covers every state with a fall on this site, from Goa and Karnataka to Meghalaya and Chhattisgarh.
On the map
12.4581, 75.7166
Quick answers
Where is Abbey Falls?
Abbey Falls is in India (Karnataka). The nearest base is Madikeri, India. Its coordinates are 12.4581, 75.7166.
When is the best time to visit Abbey Falls?
Peak flow is August to November. Monsoon-fed: flow builds from July and the falls are fullest, and usually safest to approach, from late August to November once the rains ease.
What can you do at Abbey Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Abbey Falls?
The usual base is Madikeri, India. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Abbey Falls
Irupu Falls
India · 60 km away
The Irupu Falls are located in the Brahmagiri Range in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, India, bordering the…
Chunchanakatte Falls
India · 18 m · 60 km away
Chunchanakatte Falls is a waterfall on the Kaveri River, near the village of Chunchanakatte in saligrama…
Thusharagiri Falls
India · 120 km away
Thusharagiri Falls is a waterfall located in Kozhikode district in the Indian state of Kerala, India. Two…
Soochipara Falls
India · 200 m · 120 km away
Soochipara Falls also known as Sentinel Rock Waterfalls is a three-tiered waterfall in Vellarimala, Wayanad…