Chitrakote Falls

A very wide horseshoe waterfall on the Indravati River, about 40 km from Jagdalpur in Bastar.

FamousWaterfallRiverWildlifeHeritage

Chitrakote is often called the Niagara of India: in the monsoon the Indravati spreads across roughly 300 metres and drops about 90 feet. It pairs well with the caves, forest and Tirathgarh Falls of Kanger Valley and the palace and tribal museum in Jagdalpur. It suits families, photographers and anyone wanting an easy nature trip in central India.

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Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons. Select a photo for its author and licence.

Best time to go

When	What to expect
July to October	Monsoon. The falls are at their widest and loudest and the water turns reddish. Paths and rocks are slippery, and Kutumsar Cave closes for flooding.
November to February	Cooler and clear, roughly 10 to 25 degrees C. Flow is gentler, crowds are fewer and boating is possible. Good for the caves and Kanger Valley too.
March to June	Hot, roughly 30 to 40 degrees C, and the water level drops sharply. Travel guides suggest avoiding these months for the falls.

Sights and activities

Chitrakote Falls

The Indravati River falls about 90 feet over a broad horseshoe-shaped edge up to about 300 m wide in the monsoon. Viewpoints sit along the top, and the sunset view is popular.

Distance: About 40 km from Jagdalpur
Entry: Free
Timings: About 8 AM to 6 PM
Time needed: 3 hours

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Boat ride and Shiva temple at the base

When the water is low, small boats take visitors close to the falls. A Shiva temple and small caves with shivlings sit near the foot of the falls.

Distance: At Chitrakote Falls
Entry: About Rs 25 for boating
Timings: Boating only in the low-water season.
Time needed: 1 hour

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Tirathgarh Falls

A stepped waterfall inside Kanger Valley National Park where the Kanger River drops about 300 feet. Steps lead down to the base; morning light is best for photos.

Distance: About 35 km south-west of Jagdalpur
Entry: Free at the falls; Kanger Valley park entry applies
Timings: Follows park hours
Time needed: 2 hours

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Kanger Valley National Park

A national park created in 1982 with sal, teak and bamboo forest, wildlife such as leopards and sloth bears, and many birds including the Bastar hill myna. A permit is needed to enter.

Distance: About 27 to 34 km from Jagdalpur
Entry: About Rs 200
Timings: 8 AM to 5 PM
Time needed: Half a day

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Kutumsar and Kailash caves

Limestone caves inside Kanger Valley with dripstone pillars and blind fish. Go in with a local guide who arranges lights. Kutumsar closes in the monsoon.

Distance: About 40 km from Jagdalpur
Entry: About Rs 100
Timings: 9 AM to 6 PM; closed in the monsoon
Time needed: 2 hours

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Zonal Anthropological Museum, Jagdalpur

Founded in 1972, it shows tools, crafts, paintings and everyday objects of the tribal communities of Bastar.

Distance: In Jagdalpur
Entry: About Rs 200
Timings: 10 AM to 6 PM
Time needed: 1.5 hours

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Bastar Palace

The old palace of the Bastar rulers, once the main administrative building of the district, with carvings and displays of jewellery, weapons and clothing.

Distance: In Jagdalpur
Time needed: 1 hour

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Dalpat Sagar

A large man-made lake of about 350 hectares, described as the largest in the state, with an island temple and a musical fountain.

Distance: In Jagdalpur
Entry: Free
Time needed: 1 hour

Map Wrong fee or timing?

Getting there

By bus: CSRTC and private operators run buses between Raipur and Jagdalpur in about 7 hours, and buses also come from Hyderabad and Odisha. From Jagdalpur, local buses run to the falls between about 8 AM and 5 PM, or take a taxi.
By train: Jagdalpur railway station is about 40 km from the falls. Trains link Jagdalpur with Visakhapatnam, Raipur, Bhubaneswar and Howrah (train 18005).
By air: Maa Danteshwari Airport, Jagdalpur, is about 16 km from the city and has flights to Hyderabad and other cities. Raipur's Swami Vivekananda Airport is about 290 km away by road and has more flights.
Where to base yourself: Stay in Jagdalpur town for the most choice, or at the CG Tourism Dandami complex beside the falls for sunrise and sunset views.

Getting around

Auto-rickshaws are the easiest way to move around Jagdalpur town.
Local buses run from Jagdalpur to Chitrakote between about 8 AM and 5 PM.
A day cab from a Jagdalpur hotel or taxi firm is the practical way to combine the falls, Kanger Valley and Tirathgarh; local transport to the falls costs about Rs 300 to 600 for the round trip.

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Where to stay

Budget level	Type	Price per night
Budget	Guesthouses and lodges in Jagdalpur town, or a homestay near the falls	₹500 to ₹1,000
Mid-range	Hotels and resorts in Jagdalpur	₹1,200 to ₹2,500
Luxury	Eco-resorts and the CG Tourism Dandami cottages and luxury tents at the falls	₹3,000 to ₹6,000

Food

Small eateries and dhabas cost about Rs 100 to 250 a meal; hotel restaurants about Rs 300 to 600. Jagdalpur has Odia, South Indian and North Indian restaurants. Food stalls at the falls are limited, so many visitors carry a picnic.

Try these

Chana samosa (samosa served with chickpea curry)
Faraa (steamed rice-flour dumplings)
Bafauri (steamed gram-flour snack)
Dubki kadhi (lentil dumplings in yogurt curry)

Vegetarian food is easy to find in Jagdalpur, including pure-veg restaurants serving dosa and thali.

Daily costs

Budget level	Stay per room	Food per person	Local transport
Budget	₹800	₹400	₹300 per person
Mid-range	₹2,000	₹900	₹600 per vehicle
Luxury	₹4,500	₹1,500	₹2,500 per vehicle

Per day. Travel to and from your city is added in the planner above.

Permits and documents

No permit is needed for Chitrakote Falls. Kanger Valley National Park needs an entry permit, bought at the park. Carry photo ID for hotels.

Safety

By day: Rocks near the edge are slippery from spray, especially in the monsoon. Stay behind barriers, wear shoes with grip, and do not swim in the pool below the falls, where currents are unpredictable.
At night: Buses to the falls stop around 5 PM, so plan to be back in Jagdalpur or at your stay before dark.
Solo women: The falls are a busy day-trip spot; Using a hotel-booked taxi and returning before dark is sensible.
Roads: The road from Jagdalpur passes through forest and villages. The Raipur to Jagdalpur highway drive takes about 4 to 5 hours.
Emergency numbers: 112 (all emergencies)

Practical

Mobile network: Mobile network is limited near the falls. Jagdalpur has normal coverage.
ATMs and cash: Near the falls. Withdraw cash in Jagdalpur.
Fuel: Near the falls. Fill up in Jagdalpur.
Medical: Medical facilities near the falls are limited. Jagdalpur, about 40 km away, is the nearest town for hospitals.

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Accessibility

Seniors: The main viewpoints at the top are easy to reach by car. The climb down to the base and the Tirathgarh steps may be tiring.
Children: Good for children under close watch near the edge and water. Keep them away from slippery rocks.
Wheelchair users: Some top viewpoints may be reachable, but paths to the base, caves and Tirathgarh involve steps and uneven ground.

Unless a sight is described as accessible, assume it is not step-free.

Culture and responsible travel

Bastar Dussehra is a local festival of about 75 days with chariot processions and the Muria Darbar, a gathering where community issues are discussed.
The Shiva temple and cave shrines at the falls are active places of worship; remove shoes where asked and dress modestly.
Kailash Cave in Kanger Valley gets large crowds at Mahashivratri.
Bastar is known for tribal crafts such as Dhokra metal casting, terracotta, wood and bamboo work; buy direct from craft villages such as Kondagaon.
Carry your rubbish back, do not litter at picnic spots, and do not disturb plants or animals in the park.

What to pack

Photo ID (Aadhaar, passport or driving licence); hotels and permits ask for it
A rain jacket or umbrella and quick-dry clothes
Clothes in earthy colours, a cap and binoculars for safaris
Some cash in small notes for autos, stalls and tips
Your regular medicines, plus basics for stomach upsets, headaches and cuts

At a glance

State: Chhattisgarh
District: Bastar
Altitude: About 552 m
Gateway: Jagdalpur
Best time: Jul-Feb
Ideal trip: 3 days
Difficulty: Easy. Reached by road, and the sights need little walking.

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About this page

Checked against online sources in October 2026. Not field-verified. ATMs, fuel and hospitals from OpenStreetMap, October 2026.

Could not be confirmed online:

Hub fares come from Rome2Rio ranges listed in US dollars and were converted to rupees at roughly Rs 88 per dollar; they are approximate.
No mid-tier (AC train or AC bus) fare from Hyderabad or Kolkata was found, so only budget and luxury options are given.
Fares for the local bus and taxi from Jagdalpur to the falls are approximate, based on one travel site's Rs 300 to 600 round-trip estimate.
Room rates come from one travel site's general ranges; the Dandami complex tariff and the luxury upper price were not confirmed.
Daily food and local transport costs are estimates built from meal price ranges on one travel site; the luxury day-cab figure is an estimate.
Entry fees for Kanger Valley, the caves and the museum come from one travel site and may have changed; Bastar Palace fee and timings were not found.
Opening hours of the falls (8 AM to 6 PM) come from one travel site; another says the falls are open all day.
Night safety, solo women advice, mobile operators, ATMs and fuel near the falls were not confirmed online.
Distances to Kanger Valley differ between sources (27 to 34 km from Jagdalpur).
Altitude is the figure for Jagdalpur, 38 km away; no source gives the height of the falls above sea level, and the river there runs lower.

Cover photo: Wikimedia Commons

Sources: Bastar district (bastar.gov.in): Places of interest, Bastar district (bastar.gov.in): Tourism page, Bastar district (bastar.gov.in): Chitrakote and Tirathgarh, Ministry of Tourism, Rural Tourism: Tirathgarh, Outlook Traveller: Guide to Chitrakote Waterfalls, Outlook Traveller: On a road trip through Bastar, Veena World: Chitrakote Waterfall, Housing.com: Places to visit in Jagdalpur, IndiGo: Jagdalpur destination guide, Tour Travel World: Chitrakote Falls, AloneReaders: Chitrakoot Falls in Chhattisgarh, Rome2Rio: Raipur Airport to Jagdalpur, Rome2Rio: Hyderabad to Jagdalpur, Rome2Rio: Kolkata to Jagdalpur