Hundru Falls
Subarnarekha drops 98 m of basalt, 740 steps below the road
Best time to visit Hundru Falls
- Jan, shoulder season
- Feb, off-season
- Mar, off-season
- Apr, best avoided
- May, best avoided
- Jun, off-season
- Jul, shoulder season
- Aug, shoulder season
- Sep, peak season
- Oct, peak season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, shoulder season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: September to November
- Shoulder: July to August and December to January, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: April to May
Hundru Falls season by season
Winter December to February Shoulder
Dec-Feb the flow drops to a single clean ribbon and the pool is calm, with 740 steps down in 12 C morning air.
Summer March to May Mixed, read the detail
Apr-May the Subarnarekha is a trickle over hot black rock at 42 C on the plateau, and there is nothing to see.
Monsoon June to September Prime time
Jul-Sep it is at full roar and genuinely dangerous - people drown here most years, so stay off the wet rock.
Autumn October to November Prime time
Oct-Nov is the best of both: heavy post-monsoon flow, drier footing on the steps and 10 C plateau mornings.
What Hundru Falls is actually like
A day trip, not a stay: Ranchi students and families, chai stalls at the top, everyone back in town by dark
Getting to Hundru Falls
45 km east of Ranchi via the Sikidiri ghat road; buses and shared jeeps from Ranchi, then 740 steps down
Practical ways in: flighttrainroad
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 1 day
- Budget
- Shoestring
- How busy
- Steady at its peak
- Solo travel
- Fine solo
- Altitude
- 408 m
- State
- Jharkhand
- Coordinates
- 23.4506, 85.6661
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Hundru Falls?
September to November is peak season in Hundru Falls. July to August and December to January is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to May. Jul-Sep it is at full roar and genuinely dangerous - people drown here most years, so stay off the wet rock.
How many days do you need in Hundru Falls?
1 day is the usual stay. A day trip, not a stay: Ranchi students and families, chai stalls at the top, everyone back in town by dark.
How do you get to Hundru Falls?
45 km east of Ranchi via the Sikidiri ghat road; buses and shared jeeps from Ranchi, then 740 steps down. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.
Is Hundru Falls expensive, and does it get crowded?
Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Dassam Falls
Jharkhand
The Kanchi river's clean 44 m curtain drop near Taimara village
50 km from Hundru Falls, roughly under an hour by road
-
Patratu Valley
Jharkhand
Hairpin ghat road dropping to a blue dam lake in Chotanagpur sal hills
60 km from Hundru Falls, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Ajodhya Hills (Purulia)
West Bengal
Purulia plateau of palash red, Chhau masks and stone falls
70 km from Hundru Falls, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Parasnath Hill (Shikharji)
Jharkhand
Jharkhand's highest hill and Jainism's holiest summit walk
110 km from Hundru Falls, roughly about 3 h by road
-
McCluskieganj
Jharkhand
Fading Anglo-Indian settlement of bungalows in sal forest
100 km from Hundru Falls, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary
Jharkhand
900 m elephant-country summit looking over the Subarnarekha valley
130 km from Hundru Falls, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Garh Panchkot
West Bengal
Ruined Panchkot fort under a hill, an hour from Asansol
150 km from Hundru Falls, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Mukutmanipur
West Bengal
Kangsabati reservoir ringed by low Bankura hills
170 km from Hundru Falls, roughly about 3 h by road
More places to visit in Jharkhand
- Betla National Park Jharkhand
- Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary Jharkhand
- Dassam Falls Jharkhand
- Deoghar (Baidyanath Dham) Jharkhand
- Maluti Jharkhand
- McCluskieganj Jharkhand
- Netarhat Jharkhand
- Parasnath Hill (Shikharji) Jharkhand
- Patratu Valley Jharkhand