With weather turning unfavourable for Hampta Pass Trek and to make up the mindset after cancelling trek, we wanted to do justice to the fitness approval.
We did an impromptu trek to Bramhagiri Hills which is amid Western Ghats. Planned at 8.30 pm, we left home at 10 pm, while walking to the main road, found and booked a bus to Mysuru from Chennai in red bus
After reaching Bangalore, probed on what and how aspects of trek, we booked a bike on rentals (contact details can be found at the bottom page of this article). Got down at 10 am at Mysore and the bike was delivered at the same spot.
After refreshing at the fuel station while filling in petrol, we had breakfast at on the go eateries. The reporting place for trek enquiry was Srimangala RF office, which was 118Km from Mysore. It was a scenic route and the weather was favorable all through. We reached the Forest office around 1 pm and they said it was too late to start the trek and we can do it the next day. Also the 2 day trek with a overnight stay was not happening due to recent heavy rains, and the trek was only upto the view point.
After having lunch, they suggested us to check on the Nagarahole RF for safari in the evening. It was another 1 hr drive and once we reached, little did we know that the entry was not through that gate and it has to be through the gate near Kutta village. Also, 2 wheelers were not allowed into the zone for safari. It made a lot of sense and we dropped the plan of safari and decided to find an accommodation for the night.
Enroute was full of huge estates of Nanjappas, Sommana, Thimmappas named on the huge gates, behind the gate far inside big bunglows were visible. Wonder how they are used to such far homes from one another, maintenance of such place was another wonder. All through, saw people cutting grass and shrubs with the hand moving machines, the smell of green leaves cut was through out the place, the fragrance was so refreshing. Fences were decorated with hibiscus all through, fully bloom and beautiful. The coffee plantations and the terrain looked very similar to Kerala.
While the Kerala boundary is so close, wonder what made the divide between the region which hugely changed culture, food, dressing, language etc., Evolved into a hunting clan. Many houses and vehicles had that symbol of their origin that had two large knives with a gun intersection.
After checking out quite a few homestays that count on large group accommodation, finding a reasonably priced place took time. We settled with Brian Hunt, which was at the edge of the mountain that opened up an amazing view of the mountain. It’s a 100 year old property and the owners still maintain the traditional house where their ancestors lived.
After checking in, we went upto the Rameshwaram Temple that was close to the Iruppu falls.
The belief is that the Ram, Sita, Lakshman visited the forest during their vanavasam and when Ram was thirsty, Lakshman shooted an arrow that created the origin of the water that flows to the Iruppu falls. The place is called the Lakshman Tirtha. It’s a very old Shiva temple, believed to be worshipped by Ram, hence called as Rameshwaram.
The weather was pleasant and the place become very silent after 7pm as its mainly to do with movement of coffee plantation workers who winds up at the sunset.
Next day morning, we left for the trek at 8 am where the forest guard asked us to meet up at.
We quickly grabbed some breakfast and left for the trek, its overall a 10 Km trek and stops at the view point. To continue further, one has to stay at the Forest Guest House (Narimale Goest House, now been used as Anti Poaching Camp) 2km from there which is being non operative due to free range of wild animals, in such case the trek would be completed next day trekking upto the Bramhagiri peak.
It was only 2 of us along the guide and we started ascending, the guide was very watchful about a tuskar doing rounds and going havoc around that range. Previous night, in got into plantations and was driven back into the forest. There were solar power fence across the forest boundary and he showed us the breach the tuskar did that morning with fresh foot marks as fresh as 1 hr ago.
We stayed close to the guide and he was pretty fast at his hike, he says he does this almost everyday. After crossing 2 km, we noticed that the leaches were active, the guide said you will hardly find them as it rained 2 weeks before. The fact was the forest was dense and moist and the Iruppu waterfalls was falling through the mountain and was wet for the leaches to be active. We noticed that the guide managed to walk through with hardly few leaches on him, he said the leaches will always let go the first person walking as it gets signal post that to approach others following.
We managed to pace up managing the leaches and did not even stop for a break for water, as the moment we stop there is already 10 clinging and climbing up. We carried Dettol sprays, but that hardly could deter them. Also we cannot be looking down all the time, as the path was narrow and if we slip that’s into the deep forest. After a hike of 2.5hrs through thick green forest with huge trees, the sound of cicadas was all through and still resonates.
We reached a flat area, where the shola grass land started. As we reached, it looked stunning like a meadow, and guide showed us a herd of elephants happily grazing through the grassland. It was very close and my first thought was it was a rock. There were 5 of them happily grazing and watching us and moving away, guide said they can hear every word we spoke. They were on a fast move and we watched them for the next 1 hr as they were moving around. Finally we reached the top and it was an absolute wow with the surrounding Kodagu range of hills. The Kabini back water was visible from the view.
After taking a good breath of the view and the breeze there, we wanted to check on our leach status. We have been through leach infested forest many a time, but this had the highest impact. Sudar was spared a bit with few bites, I had a blood bath when I pulled up my pant to check. It took a while for me to digest that there were alteast 10 of them that bloated to the maximum size after sucking the blood and was still latching on. The good part was knowing what the max they could do and the fear and panic came to a halt. Guess A+ is much wanted by them than B+ blood group. My socks and pant got soaked up as oozing of blood dint stop, though we removed the leaches.
After a good halt at the top, we started descending the mountain, it took less than an hour to comeback and we tailed the guide as he asked us to stay close thinking the tuskur must be close by.
While coming back, he noticed that the tuskar had breached the fence and has got into plantation. He called and informed his colleagues to watch out.
After reaching the boundary, we decided to go to the water falls to mainly clean up as it was a mess with the leaches.
The falls looked just brilliant and it was gushing with so much water and the water was so cold. After cleaning up, sudar said lets bath. I was so skeptical, but decided that’s the way I will feel better. With dry fit clothes, it wasn’t a challenge to get wet and dry up. What a force the water was, absolutely refreshing and rejuvenating.
We were at the base around 2pm and rested for a while and left the homestay at 3.30 pm. We booked a return bus from Mysore at 9.30 pm.
Enroute, did some shopping at Gonikoppa which is the closest town to this place. It was a 3 hrs drive back to Mysuru after short breaks. We reached Mysore and I did some brief shopping and went to return the bike.
Boarded the bus around 10pm and reached home around 9 am next day.
Over all a great break and a new experience through unplanned travel as we got very used to well planned trips. Its uncertain, but with no expectations we had a very good experience for 2 days with no regrets.
We added the full trek into our bucket list, which can also be done from the Kerala side from Thirunally, Wayanad District.
Contact Details
Stay - Brian Hunt (9731637800)
Forest Guide - Naveen (8050521417)
Bike Rentals - Motoride Adventure (Amrut 9611279985)