Kuntala is the highest waterfall in Telangana. This beautiful waterfall is located in the forests of Adilabad district, where the Kadem river falls into a deep gorge from a height of 147 feet. The roaring sound of water falling from such height, the fine mist in the air, and the cool green surroundings make the visit to this waterfall memorable in more ways than one.
Not many people knew about these waterfalls about a decade back. Thanks to some adventure enthusiasts, who have traveled to these falls and have kept all the information online, the Kuntala waterfalls have now become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Telangana.
In 2004, the state forest department started developing the location by involving a local Vana Samrakshana Samithi (VSS).
The picturesque waterfall surrounded by lush green waterfall is an ideal picnic spot. It is also suitable for a weekend trip from Hyderabad.
Once you reach Kuntala, you need to park your vehicle at the designated site and have to walk down about 400 steps to reach the footsteps of the waterfall.
Photo: The view at the top of the Kuntala waterfall
How to reach:
The best way to reach Kuntala Waterfalls from Hyderabad is via National Highway No 7 (now NH44). It is around 270 km from Hyderabad and takes about 3 Hours 45 Minutes. The road is in excellent condition, except the last stretch of about 10 Km village road from Neredigonda to Kuntala.
Once you reach Neredigonda on National Highway No 7, you need to take a right turn, to reach the falls.
Enroute, you can halt at Nirmal town, which has decent hotels and restaurants. Note that the highway has a by-pass road for Nirmal town. Kuntala is about 45 Kms from Nirmal town.
Hyderabad to Kuntala Route Map:
Facilities at Kuntala
There is a tiny hotel offering some basic packed snacks and cool drinks. It is run by local tribals. They also promise to cook some dishes like chicken curry and rice, but we are not too sure about their quality and taste. It is better if you make arrangements for food yourselves. You can either take home food or get something packed at Nirmal enroute.
Larger groups can also cook food here.
Photo: The makeshift hotel at Kuntala
Best time to visit
The best season to visit Kuntala is between July and January. The water levels drop drastically during summer months in the Kadem river. So, avoid going there in mid summer.
Places nearby
– Pochera waterfalls
– Kadem Dam
– Sriram Sagar Dam
Precautions
Beauty and danger lie side by side at Kuntala. Please refrain from trekking or any other adventure activity on the rocks adjacent the falls. These rocks are very slippery and a small mistake might lead to a big tragedy.