Chimmini Dam Timings, Athirapally (Thrissur)

It makes a half day out of Thrissur, or a morning stop before the falls on an Athirapally trip. The dam is not in Athirappilly itself. It is about 47 km away by road, roughly an hour through Vellikulangara, which is why we list it with the falls. During the monsoon, mist sits on the hills above the reservoir. After the rains the water is at its highest and the forest edge is green down to the shoreline.

Chimmini Dam at a Glance

For opening hours on public holidays and the best hour of the day to arrive, see our page on Chimmini Dam timings.

About Chimmini Dam

The Chimmony or Chimmini Dam sits on the Kurumali river with the southern Western Ghats on three sides. It is not a place of rides and stalls. You get a long masonry wall, a reservoir that fills a forested valley, and hills that run back towards Parambikulam. Stand on the bund in the early morning and the only sounds are birds and the wind on the water. That quiet is the reason to come.

Location

Chimmini Dam is at Echippara in Thrissur district, Kerala. It is built across the Kurumali river, a tributary of the Karuvannur. The last stretch of road climbs from Varandarappilly and Palappilly through rubber and teak plantations to the Echippara check post, where the forest begins. The reservoir shares its forest boundary with the Peechi-Vazhani sanctuary to the north and the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve to the east.

History and Key Facts

Work on the dam began in 1975 and finished in 1996. Unlike most irrigation dams in Kerala, Chimmini has no canal network of its own. Water is released into the Kurumali and reaches paddy fields and the Kole wetlands downstream through existing channels. The forest around the reservoir was declared the Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary in 1984, which is why elephants still come down to the shoreline here.

Sources: Wikipedia, Chimmini Dam and Kerala Tourism.

Chimmini Dam Entry Fee and Activity Charges (2026)

The dam and its viewpoint are free. You pay only when you go past the Echippara check post into the sanctuary, or when you book an activity with the Forest Department counter.

Rates are from the Kerala Forest Department's Chimmini trekking page. The coracle rate is the launch price reported in 2020. Call the range office on +91 480 2766972 before you drive out. The full sanctuary fee breakdown is on our Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary entry fee page.

Things to Do at Chimmini Dam

Almost everything to do here happens on the reservoir or in the sanctuary forest around it, and the Forest Department runs all of it from the Echippara counter, which opens at 8 AM.

Coracle ride on the reservoir

The Forest Department put round bamboo-and-tarp coracles on the reservoir in January 2020, and they are still the most photographed thing here. A boatman paddles you out for about 20 minutes. When it launched, a coracle cost about Rs 400 and took up to four people. Take one of the first rides after the counter opens at 8 AM. The water is flat then, mist often hangs on the far bank, and you have a better chance of seeing deer or elephants drinking.

Trek from Virakuthodu to Choorathala

This is the guided trail the Forest Department runs from a trailhead about 1 km beyond the check post. It is 5 km and takes around three hours, and a forest guide walks with you. The fee is Rs 150 per person with a minimum group of three, and the counter stops selling trek tickets at 2 PM. You may spot sloth bears, barking deer, elephants, and plenty of birds and insects while trekking. The forest also holds rare flora and medicinal plants that the guides will point out if you ask. For the full wildlife list, read our guide to Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary.

Bamboo rafting

You can take bamboo rafting trips on the reservoir as well. These run from two hours up to a full day and are booked through the range office. They depend on the water level, so ask when you call.

Birdwatching

The sanctuary has recorded 192 bird species, five of them endemic to the Western Ghats. Look for the grey-headed bulbul, the white-bellied blue flycatcher and the rufous babbler along the trek route. November and December are the peak months, when migrants arrive.

Overnight at the Anaporu jungle camp

Those who love adventure can camp for a night in the jungle. The Forest Department's Anaporu camp costs Rs 7,500 for three people and includes boating, an interior trek and meals. This is the only way to stay inside the sanctuary, and it is booked by phone, not online.

Dam walk, picnic and the Kurumali hanging bridge

Strolling along the dam and the garden is the easy option, and it suits families with small children or older parents. There is spacious parking and a swing near the garden. You can organise a day picnic here, but carry your own food and water, because stalls near the dam are few. On the drive in, stop at the hanging bridge over the Kurumali river, another popular spot for photos.

Chimmini Dam vs Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary: What Is the Difference?

They are the same place with two sets of rules. The dam, bund, garden and viewpoint are open from 6 AM to 6 PM and are free. The Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary is the 85 sq km protected forest around the reservoir. It opens at 8 AM, closes at 5 PM and charges Rs 15 entry for Indian adults. Treks, the Anaporu camp and rafting all fall under the sanctuary. So if you only want to see the dam, you need no ticket. If you want to walk into the forest, you pay at the Echippara counter and go with a guide.

How to Reach Chimmini Dam

Chimmini Dam is 36 km from Thrissur town and about an hour's drive. From Thrissur, take NH544 south to Pudukkad, turn east to Varandarappilly, then follow the Palappilly road up to Echippara. Public transport stops short of the dam, so a cab or your own car is the practical choice. Our page on how to reach Athirapally covers flights and trains into the region.

By air

Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery is the nearest airport, 63 km away. A prepaid taxi to Echippara takes about an hour and a half.

By train

Thrissur station, 38 km away, is the most convenient railhead. Chalakudy station works if you are combining the dam with Athirappilly.

By bus

KSRTC and private buses run from Thrissur and Pudukkad to Varandarappilly and Palappilly. From there, hire an auto or a jeep for the rest of the way, because buses to Echippara itself are infrequent. Planning a longer trip around the district? Browse our Thrissur tour packages.

Best Time to Visit Chimmini Dam

September to February is the best time to visit Chimmini Dam. The monsoon has filled the reservoir, the hills are green, and coracle rides and treks run on a normal schedule. November and December add migrant birds and cool mornings.

For the wider region, month by month, see the best time to visit Athirapally.

One-Day Itinerary: Chimmini Dam and Athirappilly Falls

Chimmini and the falls are about 47 km apart, a little over an hour on the Vellikulangara road, so both fit in one day if you start early. Here is the order we suggest.

6:30 AM. Leave Thrissur at 6:30 AM and reach Chimmini Dam by 7:30, while the reservoir is still misty. Walk the bund and the viewpoint first.

8:00 AM. Buy tickets when the Forest Department counter opens and take the first coracle ride.

9:00 AM. Walk the Virakuthodu to Choorathala trail with a guide (optional, needs three people).

12:30 PM. Head down through Vellikulangara towards Athirappilly and stop for a Kerala meals lunch on the way.

2:30 PM. Continue to Athirappilly Falls and walk down to the base viewpoint.

4:30 PM. Drive 5 km on to Vazhachal Falls and finish the day there before dusk.

If you would rather not plan the driving yourself, our Athirapally tour packages include a cab and hotel, and the itinerary can add Chimmini on request.

Places to Visit Near Chimmini Dam

Most visitors combine Chimmini with the Athirappilly waterfalls on one side or Peechi and Thrissur town on the other.

Read more in Peechi Dam, places to visit near Athirappilly Falls and places to visit in Thrissur, or see Charpa Falls and the full list of places to visit in Athirapally.

Where to Stay Near Chimmini Dam

There is no hotel at the dam itself. The only stay inside the forest is the Forest Department's Anaporu jungle camp (Rs 7,500 for three people, meals included). Everyone else sleeps in one of three places. Thrissur has the widest range of hotels and is an hour away. Chalakudy is about 45 minutes from both the dam and the falls, which makes it a sensible base for the one-day plan above. The riverside resorts at Athirappilly suit couples who want the waterfalls as the main event. Our Athirapally honeymoon packages bundle one of those resorts with transfers.

Travel Tips for Chimmini Dam

Reach the counter before 2 PM if you want to trek. The dam stays open till 6 PM, but trek tickets stop at 2.

Carry an ID for the sanctuary counter, and a college ID if you want the Rs 10 student rate.

The sanctuary is a plastic-free zone, so pack food in steel boxes or cloth bags.

Monkeys near the parking area snatch food. Keep snacks inside the car.

Swimming in the reservoir is not allowed.

Mobile signal is patchy past Palappilly and there is no ATM at Echippara. Download offline maps and carry cash for fees.

In the monsoon, wear leech socks on the trek and call ahead, because treks and coracles can be suspended on heavy-rain days.

Trust and Fact Check

Fees, hours and trek details on this page were checked by the TravelTriangle editorial team against the Kerala Forest Department's Chimmini ecotourism listing and DTPC Thrissur in October 2026.

Planning the rest of your trip? Start with our Athirapally travel guide or compare Athirapally tour packages.

Edited by TravelTriangle