Category: Incredible India

“The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.”

– Sir Richard Burton

ROUTE MAP

This trip was in November 2015 along with my family. My friend and his family accompanied us for this trip aswell.

The route that we followed was : Bangalore –> Agumbe –> Jog Falls –> Mookambika Temple (Kudajadri) –> Murudeshwar –> Gokarna Om Beach –> Shimoga –> Bangalore.

My fellow travellers in Bangalore: This is one of the best trips that you can plan from Bangalore. You can cover some beautiful places in this entire road trip. Our trip was a 4N/5D trip; 1 night in Agumbe, 1 night in Gokarna , 2 nights in Shimoga.

Murudeshwar is certainly one of the most visited and popular Shiva Temples in India. Murudeshwar is a town in the Bhatkal Taluk of Uttara Kannada district in the state of Karnataka, India lying on the coast of the Arabian Sea.

The statue here is the second highest statue of Lord Shiva in the world. The Tallest Lord Shiva statue is in Nepal known as the Kailashnath Mahadev Statue. The design of the idol is in such a way that the sunlight directly falls on the statue making it to sparkle when the sun rises. It’s a massive photography opportunity to click the epic seaside statue of Lord Shiva looking over the shimmering Arabian Sea and the magnificent Western Ghats.

The Rajagopura at the entrance of the Murudeshwara Temple complex (also known as the Kethappa Narayana temple ) is one of the world’s tallest, standing at 249 feet. This is the newly added masterpiece and inaugurated in May 2008. The Gopura has 20+ floors and is the only Gopura to be fitted with elevators. Take the Temple lift for fantastic coastal panoramas. You can also get an excellent view of Shiva Statue from here.

The legend of Murudeshwar goes back to the age of Ramayana. A small temple existed here for generations, But with time the temple disintegrated. The locals tried rebuilding the temple earlier, but it did not last long. Then the businessman and philanthropist Mr. R.N. Shetty, who hails from Murudeshwar, started renovation work in 1977 with a team of craftsmen and artisans. So the credit of beautiful, modern Murudeshwar goes to Mr. R N Shetty (RNS) and his team.

Konkan coast beaches are known to be clean and Murudeshwar Beach happens to be one among them. The clean white sandy beach extends up to 2-3 km easily and offers a range of water activities. Activities involve speed boats, water scooters, parasailing, boating and even snorkelling near Netrani Island.The beach is also home to a small flea market and chat centre. One can purchase clothes, souvenirs and so on from here.

Near By attractions:

• Explore the heart shaped Netrani islands
• A place called Kadavinakatta which is situated just 25 Kms away from Murudeshwar offers a beautiful dam and a temple of Goddess Durga Parameshwari.
• Om Beach, Gokarna (82 Kms away)
• Apsara Konda Falls (20 kms away)
• Kollur Mookambika Templeand Kodachadri  (60 Kms away)
• Mirjan Fort
• Adventure at Yana Hike
• Jog falls (98 Kms away)

How to Reach:

By Road: Murudeshwar Temple is connected by KSRTC and private transport from Mangalore (155km) and Bangalore (488 kms). Most buses plying between Mangalore and Mumbai stop at Murudeshwar.
By Train: Murudeshwara lies on the Konkan Railway route. There are multiple trains from Mangalore or Mumbai and the station to stop at is Murudeshwar railway station
By Air: Mangalore is the nearest Airport and is around 165 kms from Murudeshwar Temple
Whether you are religious or not, this is a must see place in Karnataka.

“The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

ROUTE MAP

Visited Bandipur Tiger Reserve in June 2014, along with my family. Bandipur reserve is around 250 Kms from Bangalore.

Going to the wild is always exciting and refreshing.

As we crossed Gundulpet (the main town before Bandipur), the landscape changed. We could see the beautiful mountains covered with clouds. The weather was just perfect with the cool mountain breeze blowing.

As soon as we entered the park premises, we saw many deer’s langurs, peacocks and wild boars roaming around.

“Wild animals have the right of the way in the Tiger Reserve Limits” and we had to stop for a while at many places waiting for the herd of deer’s to cross the road. Bandipur National Park is regarded as one of the most beautiful and the better-managed national parks of India.

The Bandipur, Nagarahole, Wayanad, Mudumalai and Sathyamangalam Tiger Landscape is spread across the states of Karnataka (Bandipur-Nagarahole), Tamil Nadu (Mudumalai-Sathyamangalam) and Kerala (Wayanad). This is a fine example of managing inter-state Tiger Reserves for the long term Conservation of Tiger Source Population (Courtesy: https://bandipurtigerreserve.in/)

Bandipur Tiger Reserve:

The bus safari is available between 6:30 am and 9:00 am and between 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Jeep safari is available from 6:00 am to 9:00am and from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

We took the 6:30 am bus safari. We headed towards the national park using one of the vehicles owned by the Forest department. You are not allowed to step out of the vehicle though. The forest department vehicles are much like the conventional mini-buses and have less space to look outside or shoot. Even if you don’t get a chance to see a wild animal, its a great experience to travel through those beautiful winding roads inside the sanctuary.

Little known is the fact that these Bandipur forests once belonged to the Mysore Maharaja’s personal Game Preserve. The park was announced to be a Tiger Reserve in the year 1973. It also came under the Project Tiger in the very same year. It was notified as a national park in the year 1974.

Many people come in from Mysuru, Bengaluru and Kerala for safari alone, on weekends.

Madumalai Tiger Reserve:

In this trip, we also visited Madumalai Tiger reserve. There is a jungle safari option available here aswell, but we did not go for this safari. In general, Bandipur safari is more preferred than Madumalai safari.

Himavad Gopalaswami Betta Temple:

Himavad Gopalswamy Temple is located on the hill of Bandipura Tiger Reserve Forest. This temple is very near to the tiger reserve. There is a forest checkpost on the way to the temple.

It is approximately 19 km from Gundulpet. Take a right turn at Sri hangala on the way to Bandipur from Gundulpet. The best time to visit the place is July when on both sides of the entire route to the hill temple will be covered with Sunflower and Marigold farms in full bloom.

More details are available in http://himavadgopalaswamy.org.in/

This temple was built by the King Chola Ballala during AD 1315. The temple is dedicated to Gopalaswamy, which is one of the names of the Hindu God Krishna. We were told that the temple is build of lime and jaggery. This area is covered under the Project Tiger for Bandipur wildlife sanctuary and is a no plastic zone.

It is also the highest peak in the Bandipur National Park. It lies in the core area of the Bandipur National Park and is frequented by wild life including elephants. The view from the temple is awesome.

New updates: We went to the temple in our own car in 2014. But recently Government had decided not to allow any private vehicles beyond the Checkpost. There is a KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) bus providing shuttle service between checkpost and the temple (6Kms Drive). Ticket fare is Rs.20 per person for going up the hill and again Rs.20 per person while coming down. Own vehicles should be parked below the hill entrance and the parking charges is around 30 rupees. Some Tea shops are newly opened there. Stuffs like hot bajjis, tea, churmuri , Mineral water etc are available.

Accomodation:

We stayed in Country Club resort. I have been to couple of Resorts/hotels of Country club. Even though the experience in most of them were bad, this one was really nice. Won’t mind recommending this resort to our fellow travellers here.

But there are many accommodation options like Serai , Jungle Lodges and so on in this region, suiting all budgets.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes“ – Marcel Proust

ROUTE MAP

Visited “Jog Falls” in November 2015 along with my family. My friend and his family accompanied us for this trip.

The route that we followed was : Bangalore –> Agumbe –> Jog Falls –> Mookambika Temple (Kudajadri) –> Murudeshwar –> Gokarna Om Beach –> Shimoga –> Bangalore.

To my fellow travellers in Bangalore: This is one of the best trips that you can plan from Bangalore. You can cover some beautiful places in this entire road trip. Our trip was a 4N/5D trip; 1 night in Agumbe, 1 night in Gokarna , 2 nights in Shimoga.

Jog Falls Karnataka, is a place that is not to be missed under any circumstances. It is the second-highest plunge waterfall in India falling from a height of around 253 meters (after Nohkalikai falls Cherrapunji). It is also called by alternative names of Gerusoppe falls, Gersoppa Falls and Jogada Gundi.

Each segment of the falls has a name:

Raja, on the far left taking the direct plunge. 

Roarer, is the short waterfalls beside Raja. 

Rocket, a series of shooting jets.

Rani on the right.

Sadly, it was low on water during our visit, although still a magnificent sight. The falls are at their most thunderous and plentiful during monsoon season, but even if you visit in the drier months, you will still be rewarded with a scenic view of the cascades surrounded by a luscious forest.

There are many view points, from where you can watch this spectacular waterfalls. There is a viewpoint close to the parking area (near Hotel Mayura Gerusoppa) which also has few shops nearby. It is the most popular viewpoint. Another viewpoint is close to the British Bungalow which is around 30-40 min walk from the above viewpoint.

Nearby Sights:

Sharavathi Valley View
Linganamakki Back waters.

How to reach Jog Falls Karnataka?

By Rail/Road: Talaguppa is the closest railway station and lies at a distance of around 13 kms from Jog Falls. From just outside the Talaguppa railway station, you will get a bus to reach the fall.

Talaguppa station can be reached from nearby Shimoga railway station. Shimoga station is well connected to Bangalore and Mysore via train. If coming from other parts of India, you can catch a train till Hubballi as it is connected to major Indian cities via railways. From Hubballi, Shimoga can be reached easily by taking a bus. For train bookings visit IRCTC.

By Air: Mangalore Airport (135 Kms) is the nearest airport.

“The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton

ROUTE MAP

We visited Chikmagalur (aka Chickmagaluru) in May 2015.

Chikmagalur is known as the ‘Land of Coffee’. If you want to spend some time out of your busy schedule, this can be a potential spot, especially for people from Bangalore looking for some plans on a long / extended weekend.

Try to start a little early in the morning from Bangalore to avoid the morning peak hour traffic. else, you might also have to spend a long time at the tolls.

Chikmagalur has gained its popularity because of the greenery and the peaceful environment here.

History: Chikmagalur literally means “The town of the younger daughter” in the native Kannada language. The town is said to have been given as a dowry to the younger daughter of Rukmangada, the legendary chief of Sakrepatna and hence the name. Chikmagalur district is the birthplace of coffee in India.

Mullayanagiri Hills:

This is the highest peak in Karnataka, it rises to 1926.7 meters above the sea level and is situated at the south of the range. The road is very narrow. If you are not an expert driver, don’t take the risk of using your own car for sightseeing.

The view from the top of this peak is amazing. There is a temple (dedicated to lord Shiva) on top of the hills and many people come here to visit this temple.

For adventure enthusiasts, the location offers an opportunity to engage in activities like mountain biking, trekking and road biking.

Butter Milk waterfalls (Jhari Water falls):

At a distance of 12 km from Baba Budangiri and 23 km from Chikmagalur, Jhari Waterfalls, also known as Buttermilk Falls, is a beautiful waterfall situated near Attigundi in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka.

Visitors cannot take their vehicles due to bad condition of the roads. One must take a Jeep ride (approx. 4 kms) the hill. There is also small shops just near the falls selling hot omelet, Vada Pav, and more..

Belur and Halebid Temples:

Belur-Halebid go together like twin cities. We visited Belur and Halebid temples, while returning to Bangalore. Belur is around 30 kms from Chikmagalur. We visited Chenna Kesava temple which is definitely a master piece constructed by the Hoysala dynasty.

The stone carvings are extra ordinary, and this temple is a great piece of architecture. Worth a visit, if you are a History Lover.

It’s around 15Kms between both these historic temples :

Other Attractions (within 100 kms):

Manikyadhara Falls (34 Kms)
Baba Budanagiri (35 Kms)
Kemmangundi (KR hills) (62 kms)
Hebbe Falls (65 Kms)
Bhadra Dam & Wildlife Sanctuary (82 Kms)
Kudremukh National Park (90 Kms)
Many Trekking sites are also available.
Kalahatti waterfalls (Not much recommended)

Accommodation:

Chikmagalur as such doesn’t have much attractions. So it’s very important that you select a nice place to stay.
Without a second thought, I would say Thippanahalli home stay (http://www.thippanahallihomestay.com/) will definitely be an ideal place.

They didn’t have the online booking facility. So, we had to call them for the confirmation and the advance was transferred to their Bank account.

The major advantage with this home stay is that they take you for a walk in their coffee plantations, which would be a new experience. You can also buy Coffee Powder from the home stay.

Chikmagalur have a lot of homestays available. My personal recommendation will be to plan your stay in a Homestay rather than a typical hotel type of accommodation.

Otherwise you can also look for more costly options like ‘Serai’.

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” — Gustav Flaubert

Coorg is relatively an easy weekend getaway from Bangalore, Mysore and Malabar region in Kerala.. So plan your trip well in advance to get the best accommodation options.

Coorg is known for its Coffee Plantations. It is ideally not a hill station but a district named as Kodagu (Coorg) in the Indian state of Karnataka and has to offer many locations for sightseeing, and road trips in and around 80~100 kms of radius.

We visited Coorg in January 2015. Coorg secures the top-rated position among Karnataka tourism for being the most travelled destination. Coorg is a perfect place for both shorter or longer duration trips. You can easily keep 2-3 days, if you are planning for a trip to Coorg.

It was the British Planter community who affectionately coined the term ‘The Scotland of India’ for Coorg. Most of the planters were Scots and the uncanny similarities between both places earned Coorg that nickname. Also like Scotland, Coorg is mountainous, misty and cool.

Places that we visited:

Madikeri:

If you’re in Coorg, most likely you’ll find yourself in Madikeri at some point. Madikeri is a beautiful hill station and the headquarters of Coorg.

Bylakuppe (A little Tibet)(Tibetan Monastery Golden Temple):

In the midst of all the coffee and forest is a surprising little Tibetan settlement in the form of Bylakuppe. Around 40 km southwards of Madikeri, the Namdroling monastery is located in Bylakuppe. It is built on the land donated to the Tibetian refugees by the Government of India. This is the second largest Tibetan settlement after Dharmsala. The interior of the temple has some of the largest and most fascinating Buddha statues.

Raja Seat:

The sunset amidst the mountains is the most mesmerizing sight from Raja Seat. There is also a garden with loads of flowers which makes it even more beautiful.

Mandalpatti 4 Wheel Drive Jeep Safari:

This is something that you should definitely do if you’re in this area. Another instance , when I really became a big fan of Mahindra Vehicles. The road trip from Madikeri to Mandalpatti is a nature lover’s dream come true. It will also arouse the interests of any adventure seeking traveller. Mandalapatti viewpoint is 20 KMS away from Madikeri. You can drive till Mandalpatti checkpoint in any car, but from thereon you have to hire a forest department Jeep. The jeep will take you through the narrow roads, hairpin bends, coffee gardens and of course the Abbey Falls to a hill which is incredibly beautiful.

Dubare Elephant Camp:

If you get your timing right, you can even participate in the bathing, scrubbing and feeding of the elephants in the Dubare camp.

Omkareshwara Temple:

Structured in the Gothic and Islamic architectural styles, Omkareshwara temple is devoted to Lord Shiva. It is open all days of the week and takes just an hour to view the entire temple. There is a huge water tank with fishes which makes the place even more beautiful. At the entrance, there is a copper plate that explains the temple’s history. Omkareshwar Temple is at a walking distance from Raja’s Seat

Other Attractions Nearby: (within 50 kms)

• Coffee plantation tours
• Thadiyandamol (42 Kms)
• Madikeri Fort (18 kms)
• Chelavara Falls (40 Kms)
• Harangi Dam (32 kms)
• Kopatty Hills (40 kms)
• Chettalli (14 Kms)
• Chiklihole Reservoir (22 kms)
• Talacauvery (50 kms)
• Somwarpet (50 kms)

Food:

If you are a foodie, don’t forget to taste some Coorg food (Pork and Home made Wine). Personal recommendation would be try some varieties of pork especially Pork Fry + Rice balls or Pandhi Curry + Rice. We tried 2 restaurants ‘East End Hotel’ and ‘Coorg Cuisine’. Both of them were good.

Accommodation:

There are lot of excellent homestays and resorts in Coorg.

Also you can look for more costly options like Tamara, Windflower Resort, Vivanta By Taj and so on.

We stayed in Bird of Paradise (Home Stay). Overall the Home stay was good. Probably one of the very few home stays having a swimming pool. Please don’t expect any hill top view .There are some very good paintings on the trees within the campus. This is very near to Buddhist Monastery.

Another place that we stayed was Sri Venkateshwara residency, Madikeri. Location of the hotel is nice, It is situated in the ghat road from Madikeri and is little far from the city center.

How to get there:

By Air: Mangalore Airport is about 150 kilometers away and is the nearest airport to Coorg.

By Bus: Mangalore, Mysore and Bengaluru have daily bus (KSRTC deluxe buses) services going to and from Coorg.

By Train: 100 kilometers away, Mysore Railway station is the closest to Coorg.

Self Drive: Fly to Bengaluru and drive to Coorg. A 5 hour journey and a delightful road trip.

“The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Richard Burton

ROUTE MAP (From Bangalore)

We visited Yercaud and Yelagiri in October 2015.

Distance from Bangalore to Yelagiri is around 160 KMS (3.5 Hours)

Distance from Bangalore to Yercaud is around 230 KMS (5 Hours)

Distance from Yercaud to Yelagiri is around 150 KMS (Travel time might vary as you need to cover the Ghat sections)

Yercaud

Yercaud is located on shevaroy ranges of the state of Tamil Nadu. You need to drive through some hairpin bends (Loop Road) to reach this mini hill station of Yercaud. The highest point in Yercaud is the Shevaroy temple.

If you are preparing an Itinerary, you can keep around 1Night/2Days for Yercaud.

You can also try some local snacks like Egg Bonda (Mutta Bonda), green chilli fries, capsicum fries.

Major Attractions: 

Yercaud Lake with Boating 

Pagoda Point 

This is the best view point of Yercaud where you can see some small villages inside forest. One temple is located in this view point.

KilliyurWater Falls 

It is located near to lake with 3.5km travel. Falls is one of the main attraction of Yercaud where water level will be more during monsoon season.

Rose Garden 

This garden is for nature lovers with lot of rose plants and other plants. It has a small playground for children.

Anna Park 

This is in the heart of Yercaud near to lake. This park is not a very big one, but its nice one to spend time with children. During end of summer flower show is organized in this park.

Servaroyan Temple 

This one is the important place to visit in Yercaud. Located in the highest peak of hill. This actually is a cave temple. But currently you are not allowed inside.

There are some very popular schools like ‘Montfort’ here (established in 1917)

Accommodation: 

We stayed in ‘Wellington Hill station resort’. I would certainly not recommend this resort to any of my fellow travellers. Really one of the worst resorts that I have ever stayed.

Yelagiri

This can be a good weekend gateway trip for people from Chennai and Bangalore. You need to drive through some hairpin bends to reach this mini hill station of Yelagiri. This is a nice place for nature lovers who wants to enjoy the nature in a Peaceful environment, away from the busy city life.

Yelagiri is a cluster of 14 hamlets that lie between four mountains spread over an area of 30 sq km having an altitude of 3500 ft.

Even though this is in an elevated location, we cannot really consider this as a full fledged hill station.It’s not as developed and well known as Ooty or Kodaikanal, it is comparatively quieter and more peaceful. This hill station eventually gained more popularity in the colonial times when the British used it as a getaway to escape and relax from Chennai’s heat. Since Yelagiri does not have any historical or religious background, it is not that much of a tourist spot which comes as a blessing in disguise, as it is almost never crowded.

But keep in mind that there are no much tourist attractions in Yelagiri. It is not a place for tourists who want to have a hectic sightseeing agenda. If your intention is to relax, this can be a potential location for the same.

Seems like these days, there are paragliding and rock climbing options available. There are some trekking options available.(The highest point in Yelagiri is the Swamimalai Hill, standing tall at 4,338 ft with spectacular views)

Yelagiri Summer festival celebrated in May end is organized by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development. Stalls from different departments, flower show, various cultural programs and Dog Show with a variety of dog breeds are conducted every year. People from all over the State and other parts of the country participate in this annual festival.

If you are preparing an Itinerary, you can keep around 1Night/2Days for Yelagiri.

Major Attractions: 

Lake with boating options —- This is the only main attraction that we found in Yelagiri. Since this being the main place, most of the visitors will visit here and you will have to wait for a long time to get a boat ride.

Accommodation: 

We stayed in Sterling Resorts. This is a nice Resort. Certainly recommended to all fellow Travellers.

Jeep Safari Charges: Seems its a fixed amount of Rs. 2000. We drive through the town of Suryanelle and then onto tea plantations owned by Harrisons Malayalam Ltd. through which a narrow, stony and rocky road with numerous hairpin bends leads to Kolukkumalai.

One Line Summary: If you are planning a Munnar trip, never miss this place. This is indeed a lifetime experience and its a must visit place. Highly recommended to all fellow travelers.

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”– Andre Gide

We visited Ooty (Udagamandalam/ Ootacamund) and Coonoor in October, 2014.

This was our 1^st road trip after buying our new car – Honda Amaze and one of the most memorable road trips that we had from Bangalore. This is again one of the best suitable long weekend road trip option from Bangalore. The only thing to be kept in mind is to start a little early from Bangalore so that you can avoid the heavy traffic in Bangalore-Mysore stretch. Also ensure to book your accommodation well in advance. Stay options gets filled up very fast in Ooty – Coonoor region especially during long weekend and vacation time.

OOTY

Ooty is one of the most preferred hills station in South India. It is also locally known as the Queen of hill stations.

The road through Bandipur- Masinagudi Forest range is amazing with scenic views. The deer and the monkeys made their customary appearance once in a while. The greenery of the forest, chirping of the birds, touch of the cold wind will add different flavours to this road trip.

After the forest range, the actual ghat session starts and its all about 36 Hair Pin bends. If you are not an expert driver, my personal recommendation will be to avoid this route.

Ooty Lake:

A manmade lake commenced in 1824 by the British Governor John Sullivan, the lake is a recreational hub for locals and tourists alike. It is situated near the centre of the town and has lots of activities around for kids and adults alike. Boating facility is also available in this lake. You can also try Horse riding near the lake.

Ooty Botanical /Rose Garden:

Right at the bustling centre of the town are the Ooty Botanical Gardens. Spread out over a vast area, these century-old gardens are filled with colours and have hundreds of plant and flower species.

The Botanical Garden is maintained by the Horticulture Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu and has a very wide variety of plants that include different types of roses, imported shrubs, rare flowering plants, eucalyptus trees, several old trees.

Train Trip:

Due to some restriction, the main thing that we missed was the toy train trip (Heritage Nilgiri train- One of the oldest running train in India) from Metuapalayam to Ooty via Coonoor(46 Kms). This was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. The train pass through numerous bridges and tunnels. It was indeed a great miss for us. I would personally suggest you not to miss this trip. The tickets can be booked in IRCTC website.

Some other attractions in Ooty (within 25 Kms):

Pykara waterfalls (22.7 Kms)
Avalanche Lake (Another Must see place) (21.3 Kms)(There are time restrictions here)
Ooty Forest walk
Emerald Lake (19 Kms)
Fernhill Royal Palace (3.6 Kms)

Coonoor

This is the second largest hill-station located in Tamil Nadu, in south India in the Nilgiri Hills and is also the second-most visited after Ooty. Located close to Ooty, this picturesque hill station has lush, velvety tea estates and is famous for producing delicious Nilgiri tea.

Some other attractions in Coonoor:

• Dolphin’s Nose (11.2 Kms)
• Sim’s Park (1.1 Kms)
• Catherine Falls (19.6 Kms)
• Droog Fort (12.7 Kms)
• Hidden Valley (19.5 Kms)
• Lamb’s Rock (6.5 Kms)
• Various Tea factory.

There are many accommodation options like Resorts, hotels and Homestays in both Ooty and Coonoor region.

How to Reach:

By Air: The nearest airport to Ooty is in Coimbatore, which is under 100 kilometres . The drive from Coimbatore Airport to Ooty’s city centre approximately takes up to four hours.

By Road: Ooty is accessible by road and makes for a great drive from Bengaluru (295 kilometres), Kozikhode (185 kilometres) and other nearby towns like Coonoor and Kotagiri. Public state buses and private taxis ply from nearby towns and cities in Karnataka and Kerala.

By Train: The charming Nilgiris Mountain Railway runs between Mettupayalam and Ooty. The ascend takes about four hours with picture postcard views accompanying you throughout.

Don’t forget to buy some Home made chocolates while you come back!

“The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.”–  Richard Burton

We visited Hogenakkal Waterfalls in October 2016. Hogenakkal is approximately 180 kms from Bangalore and this can be a perfect day trip from Bangalore. Try to avoid summer season, as it might be very hot.

Our Route from Bangalore: Bangalore -> Sarjapur -> Attibelle -> Hosur -> Krishnagiri -> Dharmapuri -> Hogenakkal .We followed a longer route rather the one that is normally shown on google maps because of the quality of the road.

About the place: Hogenakkal Waterfalls (it’s not one single huge waterfall but a series of smaller falls) often referred to as “Cauvery” or “Kavery” or “Kaveri” by locals and the people of Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts in Tamilnadu, India where it is situated. Hogenakkal is also described as the ‘Niagara’ of India, offer an exciting holiday destination for Indians and foreigners alike. Hogenakkal is located about 750 feet above sea level amidst the Melagiri Hills. The route to Hogenakkal Falls is scenic, with lush mulberry fields and giant terracotta guardian deities (Aiyanars), as you approach Hogenakkal, the roar of the Cauvery river and the abundance of vegetation in the area is sure to catch your attention.

The name of the waterfall is derived from two Kannada words, hoge which means smoke and kal meaning rocks thereby translating to Smoking Rocks. The Carbonatite rocks at this site are considered to be the oldest of its kind in South Asia. At Hogenakkal, the river Kaveri drops and creates numerous waterfalls as the water cuts through the rocky terrain. The thunderous sound of water crashing down from over 60 feet is something to experience. After this point the river spreads out over a wide area of sandy beaches.

There is a hanging bridge from where you can see the falls, they charge around 5 INR as entry fee and Camera (10 INR), Video (25 INR)

There are not many restaurants available in this region, but there are lot of small shops in this region, which serves Fried Fish, Rice and so on. You can try some local cuisine from here. Personally, I have not tried and hence unable to provide a fair review here.

I was slightly disappointed with the crowd here. Many people have come for oil massage and bath (as they consider that this river water has some medicinal values) which looks odd at a tourist location. Unfortunately, the massages at Hogenakkal Waterfalls are actually famous. But there is always a big difference between bathing in waterfall and bathing in waterfall with soap, shampoo and oil.

You can see some vendors floating along with as they persuade you to buy chips or a water bottle. The sad part is that people buy chips from these vendors, just to throw the wrapper in the pious river, not caring about nature at all. This is another disappointing scene that we normally see in this destination.

How to reach:

The best option would be to travel in your own/rented/hired car.

Bangalore International Airport is the closest airport which is about 216 km from Hogenakal Falls. Dharmapuri Railway station is the closest rail head, which is ready forty-seven km from Hogenakkal. It is well connected by train with Bangalore, Mumbai, Trivandrum, Tuticorin, Coimbatore, Salem, Nagarcoil, Mysore, Pondicherry, Tirunelveli and Ernakulum. Dharmapuri is the nearest main Bus station to Hogenakkal. It has buses from Bangalore, Mysore, Salem, Coimbatore, Chennai, Trivandrum, Kochi, Ooty, Madurai and Hyderabad.

“The journey not the arrival matters.” -T.S. Eliot

ROUTE MAP (From Bangalore)

We visited Kodaikanal in March 2016.

Kodaikanal is a city near Palani in the hills of the Dindigul district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Its name in the Tamil language means “The Gift of the Forest”.Kodaikanal is referred to as the “Princess of Hill stations” and has a long history as a retreat and popular tourist destination.

It has picturesque views of valleys, lakes, waterfalls and grassy hills. The crowd is relatively very less compared to Ooty.

Kodaikanal is also a great destination for people in Bangalore and Chennai to do a road trip. The roads are excellent, thanks to the golden quadrilateral project.

2 days (apart from the travel days) would be fine enough to cover this place. The only point to note is that you will have to start a bit early from home (starting point) and always remember that a lot of time will be lost at the tolls.

Compared to Ooty, we don’t have so many attractions here in Kodai.

Places that we visited:

Valley view from Coakers Walk

Coaker’s Walk is a magnificent gift of Mother Nature to Kodaikanal and its tourists. It derives its name from Lt. Coaker, who had prepared the map of Kodaikanal. The valley view from this place is amazing.

On a clear day one can view as far as Dolphin’s Nose in the south, the valley of the Pambar River in the southeast, Periyakulam town and even the city of Madurai. There is a telescope house in this place.

Guna Caves

These are natural caves in the hills. Earlier, you could enter the caves and explore them. To avoid accidents on this dangerous terrain, the entry is prohibited. Now, the caves are covered with wire mesh. They can be viewed from a distance.

Walk through the pine forest

The pine plantations/pine forest in Kodaikanal is one among the preserved treasures of Kodaikanal which would mesmerize the tourists by its ambience. This place is a gift of Mother Nature for people who love photography. In 1906, Mr. Bryant planned to grow precious timber; hence he started the Kodaikanal pine plantations in the south-west of Kodaikanal. The Pine forest is an impressive spot to visit.

Golf Course

There is a Golf Course in Kodaikanal but its not open for general public and tourists. Only members and their family can go inside the place

Poomparai view point

This is one of the best locations from where you can see the entire Poomparai terrace farming. The major crops they grow are carrots, potatoes, beetroots, beans, avocados, passion fruits and so on.

Palani

Enroute, we also visited the famous Palani temple (Dhandayuthapani temple)

Dhandayuthapani temple is one of the Six Abodes of Murugan. It is located in the city of Palani in Dindigul district, 100 kilometres, southeast of Coimbatore and northwest of Madurai in the foot-hills of the Palani hills, Tamil Nadu, India. This religious temple is visited by millions of tourists every year.

The temple is on a hill. There are multiple ways to climb the hill.

A) Steps —–> 700 Steps to the temple. Good option if you can climb it. Free as well.

B) Winch —–> Old Technology cable car like vehicle. There will be a long wait as the car moves very slowly.

Other attractions (within 30 Kms):

Pillar Rock (7 Kms)
Bear Shola Falls (1.5 Kms)
Moir point (8 Kms)
Vattakanal (6 kms)
Liril falls (4 Kms)
Chettiyar park (2.5 Kms)
Brayant park (1.2 Kms)
Mannavanur (small farming village) (30 Kms)
Berijam lake (21 Kms
One point to note: There are chances that you might see a Bison on the road. Don’t panic and try to move to a safe place nearby.

Accommodation:

There are multiple options available in Kodaikanal for tourists to stay. It will be good to book the rooms in advance during vacation and long holidays.

We stayed in Sterling ‘By The Lake’ Resort. Overall the resort was quite satisfactory.