Abbey Falls

Abbey Falls

Coordinates: 12°27′32.4″N 75°43′10.5″E / 12.459°N 75.719583°E / 12.459; 75.719583 Abbey Falls (also spelled Abbi Falls and Abbe Falls) (Kannada: ಅಬ್ಬೆ ಜಲಪಾತ / ಅಬ್ಬೆ ಫಾಲ್ಸ್) is in Kodagu, in the Western Ghats in Karnataka, India. It is located 8 km from the town of Madikeri and 268 km from Bangalore.

The waterfalls

In the mountains of the Western Ghats, several streams combine, swelling with the monsoon rains and plunging down the mountain slope at enormous speed, hitting the huge boulders hard and forcing through the crevices and ravines. A misty cloud hangs over the falls. From here the water flows into the Kaveri River. During the monsoon season the water flow is very high. During the dry seasons the flow is considerably diminished.One can find a lot of leeches inside the water.

The waterfall is located between private coffee plantations with stocky coffee bushes and spice estates with trees entwined with pepper vines. The falls appear suddenly, the water cascading over rocks into calm pools. A hanging bridge constructed just opposite the falls comes in handy for the Tourists. There is a Kali Mata temple on the other side of the bridge and Coffee and Black Pepper trees on the other side.

Transport

Madikeri is 250 km from Bangalore and 90 km from nearest airport in Mangalore.

From Madikeri the falls are accessible by a narrow road to the coffee estate. A path through coffee and cardamom plantations leads to the waterfalls. The roar of the falls can be heard from the road. The best time to visit is early winter when the monsoons have brought plenty of water.

Notes and references

• Greens oppose hydel project near Abbi Falls - December 2005