Vasudhara Falls — the walk from Mana
What it is
Vasudhara Falls is a waterfall about 9 km from Badrinath, about 120 m high, falling from a cliff of about 145 m into the Alaknanda valley. Chaukhamba, Nilkantha and Balakun are the mountains around it, and the Satopanth glacier lies close below. The name is read as the path of Vishnu: Vasu for Vasudeva, dhara for the course of water.
Photos: Dvellakat (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Rohit Sharma (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Getting there
Drive to Mana, about 7 minutes from Badrinath, and walk from the village. The path starts near Bheem Pul, passes the Saraswati temple and then turns steep. Wikipedia calls it a three-hour trek, on a stony path with some grass and shrubs at the sides. No source we can cite gives the descent, so plan the same three hours back. Our own trail routing does not reach the falls, which is why these times come from what is published rather than from our measure.
The walk
The air stays cool and breezy even on a bright day in June to August, and mist and fog can roll in. Carry water, food, a warm layer and rain cover; there is nothing to buy that we can vouch for on the way. Turn back if the cloud comes down or the path is wet and slick.
The legends
Tradition says the Pandavas rested here on their way to heaven, and that Sahadeva died near Vasudhara. It is also said that the spray does not touch a sinner, so pilgrims stand beneath it, and many carry the water home. Others hold that the sage Vyasa divided the Vedas and meditated here.
When to go
By Wikipedia's account, visitors can usually reach Mana and the falls from mid-May until October or November, the months the Badrinath Temple is open. July and August are the wettest months in the valley.
Around it
The Vasudhara walk plan gives the walk its own day, and the Badrinath Temple and Mana fill the one-day plan. See things to do in Badrinath for the rest.
Plans that include this
All 1 plans that stop here →
Nearby places
All of Badrinath →
Nearby destinations
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Questions people ask
How long is the walk to Vasudhara Falls?
Wikipedia calls it a three-hour trek from Mana village, steep after the Saraswati temple, on a stony path. No source we can cite gives the time down, so plan the same three hours back and make it a full day. Mana itself is about 7 minutes by road from Badrinath.
How high is Vasudhara Falls?
About 120 m high, falling from a cliff of about 145 m, according to Wikipedia. The falls drain into the Alaknanda. Chaukhamba, Nilkantha and Balakun are the nearby peaks, and the Satopanth glacier lies close to the foot of the falls, on the way to Satopanth Tal.
When can you walk to Vasudhara?
By Wikipedia's account, visitors can usually reach Mana and the falls from mid-May until October or November, the months the Badrinath Temple is open. Mist and fog can come in even in summer, so start early, carry water, a warm layer and something to eat.