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.
India · Kodaikanal
Thalaiyar Falls
Thalaiyar Falls, also known as Rat Tail Falls or Eli Vaal Aruvi, is a waterfall in Dindigul District, located on the Manjalar River, one of the tributaries of Vaigai river which flows in the south of Tamil Nadu State, South India.
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.
Thalaiyar Falls drops 297 metres (974 ft) on the Manjalar River. It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Pannaikadu, India. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a plunge waterfall, water leaves the rock entirely and falls free through the air.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Thalaiyar Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Pannaikadu 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 Pannaikadu, India
- Country India
- Region Kodaikanal, South Asia, Asia
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Thalaiyar Falls
India
Height297 mWidth—
Most similar
Rupse Falls
Nepal
Height300 mWidth—
Also a plunge waterfall, of similar height and in Nepal
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
108 m
297 m
300 m
330 m
979 m
Victoria FallsThalaiyar FallsRupse FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 3.3× taller than Thalaiyar Falls. It drops 2.8× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Thalaiyar Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
On the map
10.22389, 77.59861
Quick answers
Where is Thalaiyar Falls?
Thalaiyar Falls is in India (Kodaikanal). The nearest base is Pannaikadu, India. Its coordinates are 10.2239, 77.5986.
How tall is Thalaiyar Falls?
Thalaiyar Falls drops 297 metres (974 feet). It is a plunge-type waterfall on the Manjalar River.
When is the best time to visit Thalaiyar 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 Thalaiyar 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 Thalaiyar Falls?
The usual base is Pannaikadu, India. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
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