Waterfall Trail in Havelock Island, Andaman

A rain-fed waterfall, and why the season matters

The Andaman Islands catch two monsoons, not one. The southwest monsoon runs through the middle of the year and the northeast monsoon follows later in the year, which is why these islands are wet for a long stretch and why annual rainfall here is high by Indian standards.

Havelock is a small island, so its streams are short and steep and they are fed directly by rain rather than by snowmelt or a large catchment. That has one direct consequence for you: flow tracks recent rainfall, not the calendar. Two heavy days will have the waterfall running well within a day. Ten dry days will reduce it to seepage, whatever the month says.

What the waterfall does through the year

What the trail is actually like

This is the roughest of our walks. Expect:

• Natural forest ground with exposed roots, loose rock and uneven footing the whole way.
• Mud, sometimes a great deal of it, and slippery sections after rain.
• Stream crossings, where your feet will get wet. Plan for it rather than trying to avoid it.
• Some gradient. Not climbing, but you will notice you are going uphill.
• 2 to 3 hours in total, there and back, at a moderate pace with stops.

None of this requires trekking experience. It does require footwear that grips and a willingness to get dirty.

The forest along the way

The route runs through the same tropical evergreen forest that covers most of the island: tall dipterocarps, buttressed hardwoods, strangler figs, with bamboo and cane in the gaps and orchids and ferns growing on the branches. The stream courses are the best of it, because everything in a forest ends up near water sooner or later. Watch for butterflies at the damp patches, land crabs, skinks, kingfishers working the stream, and a great deal of insect life. Your naturalist will point out what is worth stopping for. If the forest itself is what interests you, the forest trail covers it at more length and on easier ground.

Safety around water and rain

• Rain-fed streams rise fast. Water can come down a stream bed well after the rain has stopped upstream. If your guide says move, move.
• Wet rock near falling water is the most slippery surface on the walk. Take it slowly and do not scramble for a photograph.
• Swimming depends entirely on the day. Pools vary in depth and there may be submerged rock and debris after rain. Your guide will tell you whether it is sensible, and sometimes the answer is no.
• We will call it off if heavy rain has made the trail or the stream unsafe. That is not a maybe.

What your ₹2,000 covers

What to bring

• Plenty of water. This is the longest of our walks and it is humid throughout
• Closed shoes with a genuine grip. Of everything on this list, that is the one that matters
• Insect repellent and sunscreen
• A cap or hat
• Quick-drying clothes. You will get wet feet at minimum
• Leave valuables behind, or carry them in something waterproof. Phones and mud are a bad combination
• A dry change of clothes in the vehicle is a good idea

Weather and rescheduling

• Heavy rain can make the trail or the stream unsafe, in which case we change the route, the timing, or move the walk.
• Free rescheduling to another slot during your stay.
• Full refund if no suitable slot is available before you leave.
• If you cancel 72 hours or more before, you get a full refund minus a 5% fee and GST. Inside 72 hours there is no refund. Walks between 15 December and 15 January are non-refundable. See our refund policy.

Waterfall trail in Havelock: frequently asked questions