Soochiparai Falls, alias Sentinel Rock Waterfalls, is in the Wayanad district of Kerala state, India. Soochipara Falls is a beautiful three-tiered waterfall in the Vallarimalai amidst lush green forests, part of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage site in India.

Soochiparai Falls alias Sentinel Rock Waterfalls, Wayanad, Kerala.

Details of Soochiparai Falls

Soochiparai Waterfalls, alias Sentinel Rock Waterfalls, is ideal for rock climbing. The fall height is around 100 feet to 300 feet and is best viewed in monsoon season. Soochiparai Falls and surrounding areas are ideal for swimming, bathing, and water rafting for tourists. There are treetop houses around Sentinel Rock Waterfalls.

Soochipara Sentinel Rock Waterfalls is a plastic-free zone, and you need to give a security deposit at the checking counter if you are taking any plastic bottles or containers. This security deposit is refundable when you return and show the returned items at the counter.

How Do I Go to Soochiparai Falls Alias Sentinel Rock Waterfalls?

Soochiparai Falls, alias Sentinel Rock Waterfalls, can be reached in around a 15 to 20-minute drive from Meppadi if you take the turn near Kalpettah town on NH 212. It is 40 kilometers from Sultan Battery town in Wayanad through mist-filled coffee, tea, and spice plantations.

You need to get the entry pass for a fee from the Soochipara Eco-Tourism Puzha(Video), which is valid for 8 hours. Then, after the security check, you need to trek through the mud rocky roads for around one and a half kilometers through the forest road, and it is worth trekking to the falls.

Kozhikode railway station (or Calicut as it was known earlier), around 75 kilometers away, is the nearest airport to the Wayanad Falls. Kozhikode International Airport, at a 95-kilometer distance, is the nearest airport to Soochipara Waterfalls.

Timings of Soochiparai Falls alias Sentinel Rock Waterfalls

Soochiparai Waterfalls, alias Sentinel Rock Waterfalls, is open for tourists from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. It is open from April 10th, 2021, after being closed for two years due to a court order and Covid.

1200 people are allowed each day.

Is Accommodation Available Near the Soochiparai Falls?

There are many treetop houses around Sentinel Rock Waterfalls. There are also hotels and resorts in and around the Soochipara waterfalls. Soochipara Resort is one of them.

Menmutty Falls

Menmutty Falls is another waterfall near Soochiparai Falls.

Chembra Peak

Chembra Peak, the highest peak in Wayanad, is on the way to Soochipara waterfalls. It takes around one and a half hours hour for the car and one hour for the bike to reach the Chembra Peak Trekking Entry ticket counter from Sutlan battery. Buses go up to Meppady village.

The entry ticket counter is about 6.5 kilometers from Meppady village in Wayanad (near Kalpetta). There are no public transport vehicles to go to this falls from Mepaddy village. Jeeps are available from Meppady to the entry ticket counter. Royal Brothers Bike Rental is available at Sultan Battery Town, Kalpetta Town, and Chundale Village. An original driving license is a must to get bikes on rental here. Honda Activa, Royal Engiels, etc., are available on an hourly rental basis.

The road to the entry gate from Meppady is narrow and buses do not go on this road. However, Minibus, tempo travelers, etc., go on this road.

You need to get the entry pass to climb to this mountain peak. There is a limit of 200 entry passes per day. It is issued on a first-come, first-served basis. On weekdays, normally people stand in the queue at 6 am. On holidays including Saturdays, the queue normally starts at 5 am. If you are a group, only one person needs to stand in the queue.

The entry passes are issued for a group of a minimum of 5 persons for Rs 1800. If your group is less than that, you need to wait till the number reaches 5. It is advisable to carry a minimum of one bottle of water with you while trekking. You have to pay an advance refundable deposit amount of Rs 50 at the ticket counter to carry a water bottle. They will affix a sticker on the bottle and you can get the amount refunded if you show them the bottle once you return to the entry gate after trekking to the peak.

You need to walk around two kilometers to reach the trekking starting point from the entry gate. There is a watch tower here at the trekking starting point. Even if you do not get the entry ticket, you can come up to the watch tower and have a glimpse of nature from the watch tower. It typically takes around one hour to trek to the Chembra Peak. Forest guards accompany the tourists while trekking.

Cheap Stay at KSRTC Buses at Sultan Battery, Wayanad

A cheap air-conditioned night stay facility is available at Sultan Battery (Wayanad) inside KSRTC sleeper buses. Four buses have Dormetry beds costing Rs 150 each, while one bus has rooms for families costing Rs 1000 for four persons. Toilet facilities are also there. Check-in evening 5.30. Check-out morning 9.30.

A jungle night safari is also available. It starts at seven pm and covers 80 kilometers, including the return journey. It is available from Sultan Battery and Mananthavadi KSRTC bus stations.

Another bus is converted to a restaurant at Sultan Battery.