Devi's Fall Pokhara

On July 31, 1961, a Swiss couple went swimming in what locals call Patale Chhango—"Underworld's Waterfall"—unaware that beneath the seemingly innocent stream lay a deadly trap. When monsoon rains caused sudden overflow, the young woman was pulled into a hidden pit and swept through 150 meters of underground tunnel, her body recovered three days later in the Phusre River. Her grieving father requested the waterfall be named "David's Fall" after his daughter, though over time, pronunciation evolved to "Devi's Fall," inadvertently creating a connection to Hindu goddesses that adds spiritual significance to this already dramatic natural phenomenon.

This tragic origin story adds poignant depth to what is already one of Nepal's most geologically fascinating waterfalls. Located two kilometers southwest of Pokhara Airport along the Siddhartha Highway, Devi's Fall marks the dramatic point where the Pardi Khola stream—fed by Phewa Lake Dam's overflow—vanishes entirely underground. The water plunges through a narrow chasm, creating a deafening roar during monsoon season that drowns out all conversation, before entering a complex network of tunnels that run 30 meters below ground level for approximately 150 meters. These passages have carved intricate caves and geological formations through millennia of erosion, eventually connecting to Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, where the water reemerges in a sacred underground chamber housing a Shiva lingam.

The waterfall's power varies dramatically with seasons. During monsoon months (June through September), the cascade transforms into a thundering torrent that sends mist spraying high into the air, creating rainbows in the sunlight and making the viewing platforms slippery with constant spray. In contrast, the dry winter months (December through February) reduce the flow to a modest stream, allowing visitors to peer more safely into the chasm and observe the exposed rock formations that reveal how water has shaped this landscape over thousands of years.

Most savvy tourists combine their Devi's Fall visit with the adjacent Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, where a stairway descends into the underground cavern where the waterfall reappears, offering a unique perspective on the same water from below. The most popular itinerary includes the World Peace Pagoda hike for panoramic Pokhara views, followed by the waterfall, then the cave, and finishing at the nearby Tashi Ling Tibetan settlement for cultural immersion and shopping. With 19,509 reviews and consistent 4.0-star ratings, Devi's Fall has earned its status as one of Nepal's most-visited tourist attractions, drawing hundreds of thousands annually to witness where the earth swallows water whole.