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Bangalore
106 Kms from Bannur
Best time to visit - January,February,March,April,May,June,October,November,December
Bangalore or Bengaluru, also known as the Silicon valley of India, will greet you with dreamy weather, Carnatic fusion m...
The preparation for a Himalayan trek started in May. It was to be me, Anoop, Sourabha, and Harsha. For Sourabha and Harsha it was to be their 1st exposure to the Himalayas. But we were at loggerheads; Sourabha wanted to go to Rupin, Anoop had his heart set at Goecha La, me and Harsha were indifferent. After much deliberations it was to be Rupin Pass. Without much adieu we booked our slots in the trek by June end, and flight tickets were booked by July. Excited we!We got all our hiking gear from our friendly neighbourhood Decathlon store. The plan was to be like this:1. We travel to Delhi early morning on 30th Sept, roam all day.2. Travel to Dehradun on 30th Sept with Nanda Devi express, and reach early morning. From Dehradun we go to Rishikesh for adventure sports, and stay there on 30th Sept and 1st Oct.3. Bungee jumping on 1st Oct and roam around Rishikesh at night and4. Do river rafting of 24 Km stretch, return to Dehradun by evening, and rendezvous with the Indiahikes trekkers on 3rd Oct morn.We had an amazing time loitering around Delhi, doing bungy jumping and river rafting in Rishikesh (described in a separate blog post).Day 1: A Long, Twisty but Serene Ride We reached Dehradun railway station at around 6:30am. Anoop and all the other trekkers were already there (sans Mahendra, Jaggi, Hrishi, and Vishwa, who went on their own the previous day). Some nice lemon tea, a group pic and we were on our way to Dhaula. 3 vehicles were carrying 16 people.
From childhood it was my dream to see and explore the mighty Himalayas. And when I got a job at Bangalore and started finding time to explore India with my friend in bike, I still had that spark inside me for Himalayas. I some how managed my unconditional love for mountains by doing small small treks to western Ghats and the near by trekking spots around Bangalore. One fine day I decided to give life to my Himalayan dream when I saw an add accidentally on net about “India hikes” a very popular trekking community. I was not sure weather to give it a try or not. The landscape, weather & so many other factors which I have no clue how to handle and also the budget was also quite expensive. I always take decisions passionately here also I did the same. I choose a moderate to hard level trek in Uttarakhand called Brahmtal summit. For first timer it is a quite hard trek still I choose that because it was the only trek that was available that time which takes us close inside the Himalayan ranges and yes I was thrilled to experience the snow capped landscape this trek gonna offer. It was in the month of Feb which is winter season in Himalayas so not many treks were open also at that time.
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I reached Bangalore on the say day as I had to join the office from the next day.The cost for the trip was around Rs 15,000 INR excluding the flight tickets (INR 10 to 12k)and the visa charges (INR 1,200).
And then we realized that we have to get back to our normal routine. We checked out post breakfast and headed back to Bangalore. And luckily we saw few wild elephants when we were crossing the forest.All together it was like a real good cup of tea with a little masala of adventure, sweetness of leisure and a slight ginger flavour of the musical nights.Bangalore to Vythri Village Resort : 300 Km via Mysore
The science of nightlife was earlier explained in case of Hyderabad, but Bengaluru is the ultimate boss of nighclubs in the entire South India. With 5-star nightclubs everywhere to huge international bands performing there day in and out, this city is one of the very best if you're a sucker for endless parties. When it comes to the list of India nightlife, Bengaluru is no. 4 on the list.Tripoto's top 3 of the city: No Limmits Lounge and Club, i-Bar, and High Ultra Lounge.Average expenditure for two: Rs. 3,000Read more about the city.
Day5:It was the last day of our sojourn and we were up around 6 a.m. to bid adieu to the other riders. With that out of the way, we resumed our ride towards Bangalore. Everyone wanted to reach Bangalore early, so we stopped only for tea and light snacks in between. We reached Bangalore at around 4 p.m. with everyone dispersing towards their respective homes
Our ride started from Skanda Motors in Rajaji Nagar, Bengaluru. The seven of us started the journey at 8 in the morning. To shrug off the sleepiness we all had a cup of coffee in the morning. Needless to say, we were all excited and geared up for the ride. Two of the riders started from Mumbai towards Goa and 4 other riders, on their Mahindra Mojo, joined us in Goa.
Nothing like a good trip over the weekend after a long boring energy sucking week!! Not until 6:00 PM did I have the faintest idea that I will be off to Kodaikanal for the weekend. It was just a usual hot summer evening in Bangalore. I get back to my room and jump into my bed to catch my sleep. But I toss and twirl trying to find that comfort position and then I fail. I lay awake staring at the ceiling letting my mind wander at will. All I remember next was browsing Redbus for tickets. And there it was: two tickets to Kodaikanal, like it was saved for me and someone I was sure will accompany me. I called up a friend who was no less crazy than me, and booked us both a trip to kodai. Kodaikanal is a hill station in Tamil Nadu, its name translated as "Gift of the Forest" and it is indeed. I have covered hill stations in South, but Kodaikanal has a raw charm that beats all the others with its less anglicized landscapes and mist covered forests. It is less commercialised and well preserved and oddly enough with no plastic leftovers in sight.Locally known as the Princess of Hill Stations, The city is accessible by road, train or by air. The cheapest being train(Of course depending upon where you are travelling from). The nearest airports are in Madurai, Coimbatore and Tiruchirapally. Nearest railway stations are Palani (the ride uphill from Palani is beyond gorgeous), Kodaikanal Road Station and Madurai Junction. Buses run uphill at intervals taking you to Kodaikanal.We decided to take the bus from Bangalore to avoid crossovers and bought our tickets for 850 Rs (you will get it for around 600 Rs if you book three weeks ahead). We also had our room booked on Tripadvisor to avoid the hassle of looking around for rooms.It was 7:30 PM when we were done booking our rooms and with all the uncertainity of catching our bus, waddling through Bangalore's infamous traffic,we packed our bags and left.We did make it to the bus, almost missing it. And as we settled in, we realised we were in seats with no leg space. Either the bus catered only to zero sized figurines or we had missed how much our thighs had grown horizontally over the lazy week days at work. Nevertheless, we were two happy souls on our way to Kodaikanal - the land of magic mushrooms.
Catched bus the same night towards bangalore for i had to attend a 3 day conference. Tried Oyo Rooms during my stay at bangalore for 800 per night and found it to be value for money! from amenities like laundry, water, food to cleanliness, from toiletries standards to AC rooms to cozy beds to furniture used and interiors, everything was beyond my expectations!
Kodagu
118 Kms from Bannur
Best time to visit - January,September,October,November,December
About 100kms west of Mysore, the hilly hamlet of Kodagu (formerly known as Coorg) is located in the evergreen highlands ...
Day 2: Woke up early, went for a walk, played with those little pawsome friends and then we had a tour with a guide who explained us about coffee plantation and made us taste the real coffee of Coorg. And the saddest part, we had to check out Zostel! After checking out we headed towards the Monastery which was 12 km from Zostel.By that time the sun was up and it was hot indeed, but the way to the Monastery was beautiful. We got to know from the autowala that the Karnataka Govt. had given these Chinese/Tibetan people acres of lands to cultivate! This was the first time I was going to any such monasteries!
Hola Trippers,This trip was not at all planned! So much so that we were about to miss the bus (which was booked after so much hesitation and procrastination)!!! I mean who does that isn't it? But finally, we set out for a 3 day trip to Coorg and Mysore.But little did we know that we weren't actually leaving Bangalore, but following entire Bangalore to a whole new destination...trust me, the traffic at morning 6.30 took the s**t out of me!!Anyway, coming back to the point, after almost missing the bus and the bus being late for 4 hours we finally reached Coorg on 23rd December evening 5.30. Needless to say, it was tourist season and we had to face a lot of trouble while booking the buses as well as the hotels. But that very moment this tiny little fairy showed up to us named Zostel (www.zostel.com) do check out their website, it is another name of #awesomeness. Not only we got awesome rooms/beds but at the cost of literally nothing!! This leads to -Tip no. 1 - Always try to book backpackers hostels when you want to be on a budget trip and don't want to put a hole in your pocket.
Day 7:- Madikeri (coorg) Got up in the cold morning. As we were a going to stay in coorg today as well so we booked a hotel through oyo. Which was hardly 4km from where we were staying. So we freshened up and they provided breakfast as complimentary. After which we loaded our bikes and went to the hotel where we booked a new room for the day. The check in time was 11am but we went before that but by them the double occupancy room was not vacated so we suggested them to keep our luggages at reception and once the room is vacant put our luggages into the room and meanwhile we will go to explore coorg. But the person at reception said no need to keep the luggages here i will upgrade your room at the same cost. And he gave us a deluxe room with two kingsize beds in it. The rooms we got was too good. So plan was to visit Abbey falls,raja seat and a coffee plantation tour. At the hotel they had displayed a hoarding of coffee plantations, so i enquired that where can we get to see coffee plantation. They said it is some 17km from here and it belongs to the same owner of this hotel. So i asked them what is the cost of coffee plantation tour , he said its complimentary for those who had taken room here also boating is complimentary there. They also provide barbecue but we have to pay them and they also have rooms inside the coffee estate. He said he will inform the concerned person there about our arrival so they can give us a detailed tour. So we said we will go there after lunch. So we first went to visit abbey falls which was 6km from the hotel. We have to take a ticket and park our bikes and walk through footsteps for around 5 minutes to reach the falls. This falls had nice amount of water. The whole scene was good except for the garbage which visitors throw in the open. We cannot go near the falls as they have build a stage with railing around it. Came back to our bike had some coconut water and left for raja seat. This place has a very nominal ticket and it has been maintained well. They say that kings used to sit here. Which gives a view of entire village. Though there was nothing much to see here. We clicked few pic here. Went back to our hotel and had lunch then left for the plantation tour. Thought it was not far. After riding few kilometers we got two route option one was through the main road which was closer and other was off road through the coffee estates. So we choose the later. It was only 3km more but it was fun to ride through the coffee plantations. Roads were rough and at a decent i was at good speed, but i cannot apply the brake as the bike would skid. I thought i am going to crash now but luckily survived and still wonder how did the speed increase that much. We reached our destination but there were 2 gates first one was shut so we went inside the second gate, but it was someone else’s house. We opened the gate and went inside 200 to 300 meters where there was rooms and the care taker. He took us to a brief tour and it lasted for more than an hour. Explained everything about coffee plantation and coffee beans and its process. There were beatle nut trees, pepper plantation as well. We then went for boating for sometime. So we were done with the plantation tour. And out had some coffee and reached hotel by 6pm and had some snack there and went to our room. Took rest and came down for dinner and went inside the market area where we found kfc kind of restaurant so for a change we had some fried chicken and burgers. Had a small walk around the area then went back to our room.
Day 6:- Jog Falls to Madikeri (Coorg) Got up from yesterday’s scary ride as the biggest scare was if the bike would have stopped for any reason it would have been a big problem. But thank God nothing happened. The jog falls was 10minutes form the hotel where we were staying. So we first got up and went to have breakfast by walk. Came back and freshened up and decided to visit jog falls first and then come back to the hotel and take all our luggage. It hardly took 10 to 15 minutes to reach the jog falls. At the entrance you will find a huge granite board in which it is written as welcome to world famous jog falls. Once you get inside you have to take entrance tickets for you and your vehicle. The whole area is quite well maintained. You have cafeteria, atm ,washroom and other facilities inside it. We went to the spot from where the falls was visible. As the rainy season had already ended the water was less in the falls. But the falls actually huge. After the photo shoot we had a good coffee there and left for the hotel. We loaded all the luggage on our bike and left for coorg as it was already past 12 noon. Also it was 350km from there. On the way we came across a lake so we stopped there for sometime. Enroute i saw a small lane leading to woods so we took our machines there and clicked few pics after which halted for beverages. After few hours of ride we halted for lunch and spent around without realizing it. At some parts google maps took us through small lanes of villages and then we were on good road. We had already blocked a room at madikeri through one of my contact so we didn’t have to search for a room once we reach there. The route was scenic as it went through villages. On the way we missed a turn and went ahead so we had to take a u turn and come back to take the exact route. Then we came across a ghat section and it was fun to ride the bike as the roads have many twist and turns. Once down the ghat mateen wanted to halt for coffee. By the time it had started becoming dark. The road at several parts were small also it had turned dark so we had to maintain our pace. We had to halt twice in another 3 hours.Suddenly the temperature dropped down. By the time we reached coorg it was 11pm. It was a tiring day. We went into the hotel to find that the cost of the rooms were thrice our budget. We had to bargain as it was already late to find another hotel they gave a 50% as we said we won’t be here for whole day we will leave in the morning. Also the attending guys was so good that he provided some bread butter and jam by himself even though the restaurant had closed. But the rooms were individual cottages and very nice. Nevertheless we were so tired so we went off to sleep.
I don’t have a lot of memories with them because as the night progressed I had made friends with whom I ended up drinking till 3AM.
Fam Jam down South!Moving on, the next destination was in down south. My parents are my biggest inspiration when it comes to travel as they took me to places, right from snowfall in Manali to snowfall in Switzerland, little parts of India to little India in Singapore. This time it was my turn, to do something for them so I took them on a trip. Trust me, this was one of the happiest and proudest moment of my life.Again a road trip, this time from Bangalore. Did Brindavan Garden on the way before reaching our destination, Coorg, rightly called as the Scotland of India. If you're someone who dreams of lush greenery, breathtaking waterfalls, hills covered with forests, and spectacular misty landscapes, Coorg is meant just for you!We had booked a homestay for this refreshing break, best part was we could hear the sound of humming insects in the plantations around our stay. Instantly, a sense of peace, serenity and tranquility takes over as you inhale freshcardamom, black pepper and eucalyptus leaves.Must do things in Coorg would be a visit to Abbey Falls, Dubare Elephant Camp, Namdrolig Monastery, breathtaking view from Raja's Seat, Omkarehwar Temple, Cauvery Nisargadhama and Talacauvery. With its picturesque locales, alluring mountains and verdant coffee plantations, all in all, Coorg is a paradise for nature lovers, and just about anyone looking to calm their frayed nerves!
Pack light, pack less. Light, cotton, comfortable clothing is ideal. Carry a sweater or a jacket if it gets too windy or a bit chilly early mornings or late evenings. Sport shoes are a must, especially if you intend to trek or go biking.Coffee and spice and everything nice.. With a hint of challenge and adventure. You’ll be back here again before you know it!
Spot 2: Raja's SeatRaja's seat was very close to our hotel so we decided to see the sunset there just after checking in the hotel.According to legends the Raja used to see the sunset from here.It is a protected monument.The entry fee is Rs 5 per person.There is a small light n sound show everyday from 6:45 to 7 pm.You do get a lot of fresh air though its nothing more than a common park.There is also a toy train ride and you can book the tickets on spot.Back to hotel and had dinner at the hotel restaurant. And that was all for the day.Getting There:By Air: Mangalore Airport is about 164 kilometres 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: 95 kilometres away, Mysore Railway station is the closest to Coorg.Self Drive: Fly to Bengaluru and drive to Coorg. A four and a half hour journey and a delightful road trip.What To Pack:
Coorg IndiaCalled the Scotland of India, Coorg hosts the birthplace of Kaveri- Talakaveri. The river originates from the Brahmagiri hills in the Kodagu district of Karnataka. A tank is constructed in the hills which is said to be its birthplace. The river water fills this tank and then goes underground to emerge as the river Kaveri further ahead. The temple at Talakaveri offers stunning views of the landscape where the mountains are misty and clouds float down to grace you with their presence.
Eravikulam National Park
234 Kms from Bannur
Best time to visit - April,May,June,September,October,November
This national park is the breathtaking home of a plethora of precious flora and fauna, and lies along the Western Ghats....
Home to the Sambar deer, the park is home to a lot of rare species. Its a fun experience, as you get to walk around the tea gardens and observe wildlife.
Mangalore
233 Kms from Bannur
Best time to visit - January,February,March,April,May,June,July,August,September,October,November,December
Known as the gateway to Karnataka, the picturesque city of Mangalore is famous for its golden beaches, revered temples a...
Day 2:A good night's sleep and the excitement of exploring a new place, I was ready by 7am. I headed out to Sulthan Battery as it was the closest to my place.
When we think about beaches and vacations in India, Goa is the first place that comes to our mind and well why not it serves everything we dream of ;) Surprising this time me and my friend decided to discover something new, and so the next choice was Gokarna and Varkala. Fortunately or unfortunately we could not find any accommodation in Gokarna because of holiday season and that's how Mangalore happened. As they say, most good things happen when you expect them the least and I am glad it happened.Day 0:We took sleeper bus from Bangalore around 8:30 pm and reached Mangalore at 6:30 am. I would not say that journey was comfortable but it was worth it. Alternative and better option is via train but we could not get the tickets, last minute planners never get the privilege.
It was Saturday morning I told one of my friend about this trek near kudremukh I sent him some links of the blogs and photos. After seeing the pictures he was amazed and was ready to join me on this trek. We asked all our friends to join us. But only 4 people came up with yes . It was 11:00 in the morning, I went to bus stand to ask for bus timing to kudremukh ,The buses were at 1:00,2:20 and last bus was at 3:40 from state bank private bus stand of Mangalore . So we decided to catch 1:00 bus. I was packing my bag I got a call from one of my friend that he cannot come with us. It was very disappointing But we couldn’t miss that trek because of him. So we packed our bag and left home by the time I reached bus stop it was 1:15 and we had missed the bus,our next bus was at 2:20 and none of my friends had reached the bus stop yet . I was sitting in bus stop and scrolling my Instagram page at 1:30 remaining two of my friends showed up finally . The next bus was at 2:20 and we still had 1 hour , So we decided to go to Karkala first and then change the bus at Karkala to kudremukh we dint knew perfectly but we were trying our luck ,I was 70% sure that we may get bus from Karkala .We took Karkala bus- the journey time from mangalore to Karkala is 1 and half hour . If had not booked anything in kudremukh yet. But we had a phone number of a base camp(home stay ), He is very well known person in that area his name is ‘Raje Gowda’.
We woke up early the next day because we had to make it to the wedding. It was a muslim wedding and so it involved a lot of biryani and short wedding service. I met my childhood friend at the wedding venue and we had lunch together. I'm not a wedding person so we decided to leave quickly after lunch. I went back to the hotel and changed while two of my other friends went and got scooters for us to get around the city. Mangalore is humid since it's a coastal area. But, I never found it as humid as Chennai or Goa.
We left late in the afternoon and went by bus. After 350 km and hours of a slow drive, we reached late in the night and the drive had been extremely bumpy due to some road work going on in the ghat section of the western coast of south India. It was nearly midnight and I wanted a bed to sleep. We found our rooms, changed, and slept.
Spend the Day 3 in Mangaluru leisurely savouring the coastal Konkan delicacies at Giri Manja's on Car Street, or try some Chicken Ghee Roast at Shetty Lunch Home at Hampankatta. Mangaluru has a lot to showcase to its tourists, like Sultan Battery, Tannir bavi Beach, Kadri Manjunath Temple, Panambur Beach etc."Bring out the Vasco Da Gama in You, Set Foot on St Mary's Island"Picture Credits:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Mary%27s_Islands#/media/File:St_Mary%27s_island.JPGhttps://www.google.co.in/search?q=madagascar+on+map+from+india&rlz=1C1CHBD_enIN708IN708&tbm=isch&imgil=4sMXSpYkrB7OsM%253A%253BuF-5SDSz0AjkrM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fontheworldmap.com%25252Fmadagascar%25252Fmadagascar-location-on-the-indian-ocean-map.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=4sMXSpYkrB7OsM%253A%252CuF-5SDSz0AjkrM%252C_&usg=__4OwaBhBL3ptY5PogEBsln2flgVo%3D&biw=1366&bih=662&ved=0ahUKEwjtyOKOjLjWAhXMLo8KHXV5AMcQyjcIMg&ei=KKTEWe2UFczdvAT18oG4DA#imgrc=n1uSHqbDzQtnjM:
MANGALORE is one of the most important cities of Karnataka. It is the nearest airport to Manipal. If you are missing the city vibes and feel like shopping or want to be stuck in traffic for a while, Mangalore is the place to go. Mangalore offers a number of options for shopping ranging from Levi's to Calvin Klein. It also offers a good range of food joints and restaurants.
Flight journey from Mangalore to DehradunHoping for safer, smoother and shorter yatra , we left for Dehradun from Mangalore on June 18th 2016 early morning. To travel to the Chardham circuit, we hired a mini-bus from Haridwar since it was the only mode of transport that could carry 13 people across the terrains. Helicopter service has become popularity , if pilgrimage is the only objective, one can choose this mode of transport.Day 2 and 3
We decided to travel by train up to Mangalore and then hire a bus for the road journey. “Matsyagandha express” dropped us at Mangalore central station at 9.30 a.m. sharp. We hired a bus for our road journey up till Kodagu, but we decided to refuel ourselves with some breakfast. Our driver (Mr. Shivaji) took us to a nearby restaurant which served simple, yet elegant South Indian breakfast.
Ooty
104 Kms from Bannur
Best time to visit - May,June,September,October,November
This renowned hill station once housed the Madras Presidency during the British Rule and possesses many remnants in the ...
Day 8:- Coorg to Ooty I was well aware that today’s ride is going to be a super awesome ride as we have to ride from one cold place Coorg to the queen of hills the other cold place Ooty. And the main attraction for the day was that we had to cross 3 states karnataka, kerala and Tamil nadu and the road runs through bandipur national park(karnataka), wayanad (kerala) and mudumalai with masinagudi (tamilnadu). So most of the time the road runs through dense forest. But there was a big risk involved in it, as it was a tiger reserve so you can get a change to see a tiger. If not that there been several cases of elephant attacks on these road. They are wild not the tamed one, so imagine if you are on bike and happen to meet these animals right in front of you. So with great joy we started our day from coorg and after a few hours of ride we reached nagarhole national park. We were stopped at the entrance. After enquiring we came to know that bikes are not allowed only cars and buses are allowed. Because it’s a tiger reserve. So we came to the main road and started towards bandipur . For that you will come across a place called kutta after which the kerala border starts and we have to ride for somtime inside kerala in order take the road for bandipur. It was already past 2pm so we decided to stop for lunch. Found a hotel and had an authentic kerala food on banana leaves with fried fish. After that we had to first cross wayanad forest then enter bandipur. Actually all the 3 forest wayanad,bandipur and mudumalai is a single forest but divided due to state boundaries. One important thing to be kept in mind is that we are not allowed to enter these places after 6pm. So we have to make sure we enter these place before that. If you have to go through the forest road from bandipur towards ooty, you have to take route 766 because only this route will take you through forest or else you will miss the forest ride. So once you enter bandipur by 766 it will take you out of bandipur towards gundlupete, from there you have to take the route 181 which is known as the coimbatore ooty gundlupete highway which will take us to the second entrance to the bandipur national park. The initial ride before exiting was also awesome. We are not allowed to stop anywhere on the road as it’s a forest area either you be in car or bike. No photography is allowed. But people were stopping at certain place wherever they spot deers and other wild animal’s . So unless no forest officials caught us there is no issue or else we will have to pay fine. In the first ride we spotted only deer,monkey,peacocks. So after exiting from 766 route we took the 181 route which brought us to the second entrance of bandipur national park which leads to Ooty via mudumalai forest. Only after reaching there we knew that we have to go through 2 entrances. And luckily at the second entrance when we reached it was 5:45pm , if we would have been 20 minutes late. They wouldn’t have allowed us to pass through. We now entered the gate after some distance we spotted deers again, but the fear was that neither tiger nor elephant should cross the route. And it was getting darker. Finally saw an elephant close to the road as other cars were pass we also didn’t stop. Then at many places we spotted groups of elephants some were only 2 to 3 feet close to road but none of them did anything. At a place even we spotted a tiger footprints. But luckily no tiger around. Finally we crossed bandipur and entered tamilnadu through mudumalai national park. At the entrance of mudumalai the forest officials informed me that few minutes back a herd of elephants passed from here so be care full they can turn violent anytime. It was getting colder and colder and by now it had already become dark. And we have to cross this forest . I followed a mahindra thar as this is easy way because the roads were zigzag so you need to concentrate more and chances of hitting any animal is also less during night. It had a good caption behind it which read “I may get lost somewhere. But i will not get stuck anywhere “. Kept following it as he was driving at a good pace till we exited the forest area. We came to a Junction called theppakadu, from there we took route 700 which is known as mysuru ooty road and exited the forest through masinagudi. Once out of forest we stopped for a hot coffee and bhajji. Sat there for some time. Then continued we came across a valley which is known as bison valley after which we had to take 36 hairpin bends upwards. I stopped and clicked a photo and continued as the height went increasing it became cooler and cooler. Which showed us that we are reaching ooty. But it was super fun to take those 36 hairpin bends as it was too steep. Once done with it we reached ooty in some time again halted for coffee break before searching for hotel. We came inside ooty for hotels and we saw an oyo board near a hotel and asked mateen to stop. By then a person came from the opposite direction and asked us are you looking for hotel. We said yes and he took us to the same hotel where we stopped bargained and took a room for 2 nights as 800 per day. In the end it was an awesome ride we ordered our dinner , had it and went to sleep.
10. 'Golmaal Again': ultimate Ooty
How to reach Ooty:1. By Air: The nearest airport is Coimbatore which is 88kms away2. Ooty is well connected by buses. The Tamil Nadu State Transport buses frequently run services to Ooty along with private operators.3. Train: The nearest rail station is Mettupalyam which is 40kms from Ooty
Who hasn’t heard of Ooty? This stunning hill station in Tamil Nadu is one of the most visited hill stations for us, Indians and an ideal honeymoon spot. And why not. It has stunning lakes, beautiful forests and mountains with a great view. Visit it in winter and you’ll be rewarded with weather that will not make you want to leave.
Ooty, also known as Queen of Hill stations, is true to what it stands for, situated in the state of Tamil Nadu in the South of India, is one of the most popular tourist destination. Lofty mountains, dense forest and miles and miles of tea gardens greet the passengers on most routes.Ooty offers picturesque views of valley, tranquil forests, beautiful flora and fauna with bustling music of the wildlife. So I am providing a three day itinerary to visit Ooty. So we (me and friends) took this trip in the winter season, in the month of January, where the days were warm but nights quite cold. The cost provided above is for per person excluding travel cost. So we took a car to travel to Ooty and started our trip at midnight (from Thrissur, Kerala), so that we reach there by morning, there were about 36 hairpin bends.
We booked a cab from Madurai to Mettupalayam so that we can take the toy train from Mettupalayam to Ooty. I think this is the most simplest of plan, if you are travelling from Madurai and want to discover the mountain train as well. Please make sure to check the timings for the toy train before making any plans. Mettupalayam is around 200-300 kms from Madurai, which takes around 4-5 hours in a car. The car journey is always a joy because you come to see so many different aspects about a place. I love to be on the road as it teaches me something new every time. We took the national highway NH-44 and after a few hours the weather starting showing its true colour. We stopped in between to have some delicious idlis and dosas. We got at the station in the afternoon and got our tickets for the toy train and reached Ooty by evening. One of my friend's dad is in the army, which means we can utilise Army guest houses sometime. This time also we told him to book it for us, as you always like to keep the expenses low. We reached the guest house by evening and the place is very well kept and so royal. We had some food in the guest house and asked the manager for the best options to explore the city. He told us that they have a bus service for 300 inr, which takes you from the guest house and will show you all around and back in the evening. We found this as the best option to explore and discover the exotic places in Ooty. He told us the bus will be here 0700 in the morning. We went to sleep so that we can get up early and be ready for the full exciting day tomorrow.Day2.The room was fabulous with all the necessary comfort you can ask for. We got up early in the morning and the weather was quite pleasant. We got ready and had our breakfast before leaving the guest house. The breakfast was simple south indian food, some idlis and vadas which was expected. The bus came sharp at 0700 in the morning and we along with other people who were staying in the guest house, who also opted for this joined us. It was a small group of around 10 people in the bus for the days trip. The driver was very professional and told us the full plan in advance and about all the stops.
After what seemed like an eternity, our two bikes reached Ooty. Some people stood by the side of the road next to a fire they started. We instantly stopped our bikes next to the fire and huddled up to heat our hands. Nearly half an hour later, everyone else began to arrive one by one. We flagged them down to ask them directions to the stay. I was freezing and I didn't even want dinner. I just wanted 10 warm blankets around me!Finally, 20 minutes later, we reached our stay. My friend's Fazer refused to start as he rightly predicted. He later told me that he had to have a heart-to-heart conversation with his bike for it to start and get him to the stay.I left my bikes on the bike and headed up to get into bed. I got my friend's massive blanket from Kolukkumalai and dragged a few more rugs to cover me. I stole another friend's sweater and jumped into bed. After nearly an hour, it was nearing midnight and we had reached on New Year's Eve.My friends bugged me to get out of bed and join them at the massive bonfire they'd started downstairs. We had a whole house to ourselves for this stay. I wrapped the blanket around me and went downstairs to the gate. A huge fire had been started and I didn't need the blanket. The night sky was lit up by several similar fires in neighbouring areas. Loud music and firecrackers bursting echoed through the air mixed with people laughing and singing along. We all sat and tried to eat some biryani around the fire but we were too sleepy and tired to do anything. Some of the riders sat with their drinks while I sat around talking to everyone and taking photos.
Soon, midnight struck and we cheered, wishing everyone a happy new year. It had been a fun way to end the year. As I walked away from the fire, I knew that I would freeze if I didn't get to bed. I ran upstairs, jumped into bed, and dozed off. Somewhere in the middle of the night, I woke up feeling cold and realized that someone had taken one of the three blankets off me. I woke my friend up and bugged him to get the blanket back.Sleepily, he walked in the freezing cold of the room and saw that five guys were huddling under my blanket from the cold. I instantly felt bad about it and let them keep it. I had two more blankets with me anyway. The worst part about this stay was that the walls were like the walls of a freezer: the cold was emanating from it.After a cold sleep, we all woke up the next morning to a cloudy and chilly day. It was still terribly cold but the sunlight made things a shade better. I badly wanted fries and a burger. I instantly headed out with a friend after packing my bags while the other got ready. By the time we were done eating, the rest joined us and we rode for hours through Bandipur forest. The challenge was to get past the Bandipur checkpost before 530PM or they close the route.We made it just in time and at this point, we had to take different routes. I had to head through Mysore road while the others were going to take an alternative route to get to their part of Bangalore.We all reached late at night. While I was exhausted and glad to be home, the winter ride had been an experience of a lifetime, something that I will repeat in the coming months.
Coimbatore
149 Kms from Bannur
Best time to visit - January,February,March,September,October,November,December
A major city and commercial hub in Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore offers not much in terms of touristic attractions unless you'r...
Love birds are you planning for a vacation ?? Do you want to get detached from the daily life schedule and get lost loving, caressing each other ❤, then Vattakanal is the best place to be.
We started from Coimbatore, it is just 53 Kilometres from Coimbatore and nice offbeat place to spend a weekendDhoni waterfalls is a small waterfalls near Palakkad in Kerala. We had a weekend exploration to the Dhoni and enjoyed the 4 kilometres long trek through dense forests in Wester ghats.
Known for its salubrious climate and proximity to the Nilgiris, Coimbatore is a bustling city in Kongunadu in western Tamil Nadu. Teeming with education institutions, engineering companies and textile mills, the city is also considered among the safest and fastest growing ones in the country. About 25 km from the city is the pristine region of Siruvani, through which the river by the same name flows gently. Located close to the foothills of the Western Ghats, this green belt is rife with waterfalls, rolling hills, fields and rivers; a few resorts have sprung up in the Siruvani region, offering visitors an opportunity to unwind, slow down and explore the forests in the vicinity. The newest, and perhaps the plushest, among them is VM Hospitality’s Dvara.
From everything we gathered on the internet and Couchsurfing, we figured that to reach Ooty, we'd have to take a flight to Coimbatore and then take a bus to Ooty. We found out that there are 2 terminals near the Airport. The internet suggested that there are direct buses from Gandhipuram, however we learnt that the bus services are limited and we should take a bus from Mettupalayam Road Terminus. So we took the 4:00 AM flight from Delhi to Coimbatore and took an Ola from the airport to Mettupalayam Road Terminus. We took the bus from Mettupalayam at around 10:30 and reached our hotel in Ooty by about 4. We had booked Fun City Resort through Goibibo. We had actually reached the place well before 4 but Google maps just refused to help us reach our hotel, and we ended up walking uphill in the wrong direction! Anyway, we somehow reached our hotel, and were famished! We planned on ordering something, only to find out that our hotel didn't provide room service. So, now after freshening up, we made a move to the mall road, which was about 5 km from our hotel. The bus stop was at a walk-able distance, so we took the bus going towards mall road. I remember asking people at the bus stop about the exact name of the place we should get down at, "Charring cross" is the name of the place if I remember it correctly. We took the bus and on a fellow Couchsurfer's suggestion checked out some good food joints. He also specially suggested us to go to Moddy's which is at the far end of the mall road. Ooty is famous for homemade chocolates, and we were told that this place is not only famous but has been there for some considerable number of years now. We got some homemade chocolates for home and also got some for my cousin and our host in Coorg. While heading back we saw a board which had details of cab rates for local sight seeing. As we stood there trying to figure out who to get in touch with, a cab stopped by us and asked if we were looking for some help. On getting a nod in affirmative from us, he gave us a visiting card of a travel agent. I gave him a call while getting some food packed for dinner. And in moments I had booked a cab for local sight seeing.
"Let's do that again!", the five of us vowed as we returned home to Coimbatore. Twenty-four hours earlier, we were upset that we had only one day of our semester holidays in common. Wanting to make the best use of that one day, I decided to give my friends a taste of Vattakanal. It is a small town a few kilometers form Kodaikanal. I had fallen in love with this place during my last visit, the previous year.So we left Coimbatore at 5 in the morning (one hour later than planned) in my Maruti Suzuki Swift ZDi. Construction work on Pollachi Road made making up for lost time impossible and gave us quite an off-roading experience. We had to tolerate bad roads till we reached Palani.(Tip 1: Consider the condition of the roads while planning your trip. This rule applies to any road trip.)
From Coimbatore, my place of interest to visit was ISHA yoga center and Adiyogi statue. I just enquired about buses & took a bus to Gandhipuram busstop, from where I got a bus to ISHA yoga center ie; Bus no. 14D which in turn passed through station from where I took bus to Gandhipuram...this is what happens when u r new to a place and don't know the local knowledge;)
Having finished the remainder of my assignment during the connecting Indigo flight, I was relieved. It was heartening to see the coconut plantations from the airplane window as we began our descent at Coimbatore. A little while later we were greeted by the tropical South-Indian weather as we made our way to the baggage claim. Since the Zoomcars request processing time is approximately three hours (we had booked the vehicle at 9am), we found ourselves with a little less than two hours to kill. My sister joined us in the meantime, and we had a short breakfast comprising of ready-to-eat noodles and ice-creams from the general store outside the airport. Little did we know about the adventures that lay ahead of us!After getting picked up by the Zoomcars representative, we headed to their nearest depot. Having completed all the formalities, we found ourselves driving to the Adiyogi Statue twenty minutes later. We had been looking forward to visiting since we saw the unveiling ceremony on TV, and our trip to Ooty was the best opportunity we could possibly think of. Google Maps had become our best friend, as the hour-long journey to the statue was really eventful - we found ourselves passing by fields of coconut trees, and small patches of land blooming with yellow and orange marigolds. A couple of bridges and a few narrow roads later, we found ourselves at the entrance of the parking lot.
Here it goes.. our road trip in the state of Tamil Nadu . This was my first core south trip so i was really excited to see the city ,people around and the culture . For few km we crossed various small towns and then ghat section started from Mettulapalam which was around 40kms from Ooty . I was enjoying the zig zag roads, lovely greenery and super fresh atmosphere .
We planned a day trip to get away from Coimbatore and since Ooty is so near by, we couldn't wish to have a better getaway place. But, we planned to do something different.. we didn't wanna roam. we just wanna enjoy the climate and the view through out the day. so, we went to Metupalayam on a bike and then to Conoor via a bus. The bus journey was pleasant in itself. We got a train from Conoor to Ooty. We were totally surprised by the views and the climate. And once we got down at Oort, we just the train back to Conoor and then to Metupalayam as well. Even though the Trip between Metupalayam and Conoor is more popluar( due to use of Steam engines), the other travels were peaceful and entertaining as well. A must try if you want a getaway from the city for a day.
Kodaikanal
244 Kms from Bannur
Best time to visit - April,May,June,August,September
Translating to 'the gift of the forest' in the native language of Tamil Nadu and originally home to the Palaiyar tribal ...
ഞങ്ങളുടെ ആദ്യത്തെ മലയാളം വീഡിയോ#tripjodi #travel
Manavannur also has a Sheep farm, which is governed by the central govt India. Good place for all animal lovers and bird watchers.
Day 2 - Kodaikanal, What a love place, very beautiful, I stared riding at 7, got up late again. anyway reached kodaikanal around 3 pm, Got a decent hotel, took my camera and went for exploring kodaikanal. Climate is always chill at kodai (No Fan in rooms). Many places to see in kodaikanal. Pillar rock Pine forest Devil's kitchen Dolphin nose (Trek)All places are open for limited time. Till 4.30-5Pm so make sure you start early to cover all the places. In evening you can spend a very beautiful time near the lake. You can hire cycle and many fun games are available around the lake.
Day one : We reached there early morning from Chennai and my friends from Bengaluru. We have already booked our homestay "Cherry Hills Kodaikanal" and they have arranged a pick up vehicle for us as well as for sight seeing. It was a lovely place with all the arrangements. We decided to visit the major tourist places on day one and keep our two days in hand for further exploration. We visited- Kodaikanal lake - Little crowded place but must visit for cycling around the lake.- Coaker's walk - In the city its the most peaceful and scenic place where you can sit and relax for long.- Guna cave or The Devil's Kitchen - Pine forest- Lake view pointP.S. Your cab driver will guide you across all these places.Day Two : Vattakanal :Stoner's paradise- Vattakanal is a place of serene beauty just situated a few kilometers away from kodaikanal. You can see clouds forming from the cottages which are made on hills and trip on it. You can find lot of hippies chilling there. You can find peace across the valley.- Altaf's Cafe -They specialize in middle-eastern cuisine and we decided to have breakfast there. The food was good and so the view from cafe.- Dolphin's Nose - You need to trek few kilometers to reach this point, its a normal trek with least difficulties. The view is amazing from there.- Vattakanal falls- Its a small fall to chill around.Later as advised by our cab driver we went for the forest tour and our ultimate destination was Berijam Lake. The place was quiet and is perfect if you are planning for some snacks beside lake. The way was beautiful with few view points in between.*Pro tip- Never carry alcohol or any other thing while going to vattakanal from kodaikanal. There is a checkpost where police may take your liquor or magic mushrooms if you have them.*Pro hack- if you are carrying any such stuff please do tell you cab driver(only if you trust him) he might help in smuggling.Day Three : ManavannurWe started early in the morning to visit the beautiful Manavannur. We were greeted by first showers of the season which made our trip awesome. This place is bit far from Kodaikanal so best is to start early. If you are lucky enough you can find wild Bison and other animals on the way.- Poombarai Village - this place comes on the way to Manavannur. It is known for it's colorful houses which gives a mesmerising view from the top.- Manavannur - This is a small village which has lush green sceneries and grasslands around. We had a coracle ride in small lake surrounded by hills. Though the ride is small but it's worth. You will be spell bound by the greenery and the beauty of the place. It's a perfect location to relax and chill with friends.
As part of the Winter Ride I'd been on last December, we rode to several (cold) locations everyday. Our first ride had been from Bangalore to Kodaikanal. From Kodaikanal, we had set our sights on getting to Kolukkumalai.Kolukkumalai, near Idukki, is famous for being the world's highest tea plantation. The tea plantation is about 7100 ft above sea level, and the view from the top of those mountains was something I didn't want to miss. It was less than 150 km from Kodaikanal and the guys who were serious about testing their bike riding skills were looking forward to a challenge that waited for them at Kolukkumalai.
When we reached our stay in Kodai, it was nearly 7 PM. And it was freezing cold. My fingers had become numb even through the riding gloves and I felt the cold hugging my legs and body. We stayed in a homestay arranged by my friends for all of us. They had dormitory style beds and because it was winter, the floor was as cold as the black night sky.I rushed inside after unpacking my bags and jumped straight into bed. Not only did I wrap my blanket around me, but my friend's shawl, a neighbouring bed's rug, and my bed's rug. Only then did I fall asleep.
The next day was all planned we went to Kodaikanal market ate different kinds of junk which includes my personal favorite spring potatoes,
After reaching down we straight away went for dinner in Punjabi Dhaba which is a place I would not recommend to any one visiting Kodaikanal as the food they served was not of good quality and also the taste was not up to the expectation, after which a little market exploration and then back to our hotel room.
Next day began with a beautiful view of rising sun from the window of our room, after which we got ready had breakfast at our old spot and a paper dosa seems perfect for breakfast,
So after taking some photos we started moving back to towards the city as it was already evening. After reaching down we explored the city market, ate some chocolates and dinner too, and then back to room.
Kannur
174 Kms from Bannur
Best time to visit - January,February,October,November,December
Need a dose of vitamin sea? This city in the North Malabar region of Kerala can surely take care of that, with its seren...
Got up in the morning very relaxed and fresh after a good sleep, we woke up to birds chirping. How awesome is that.Then we went down, the break fast was getting ready, meanwhile Uncle showed the place around and was telling about important places around. we went to terrace and we got to see a peacock passing by! absolutely brilliant.
Our Awesome Airbnb Hosts!I need a special block for this, coz it was nothing like trip stay, it was more like a visit to a known ones.We both greeted and Uncle took to the place and we met Aunty, greeted, and went in. Aunty suggested we have some soup and relax as we were pretty tired. And so with soup we had a quick chat. Then they told us to get freshen up, and get ready for dinner.The place is pretty Nice, a big spacious duplex house, we were given a separate room upstairs. We got fresh and came back down, the dinner was ready.
Malabar coast adventure continues. Day two early morning, after checking out from hotel, we decided to visit Kannur to see famous Theyyam.Theyyam is popular ritual form of worship of North Malabar in Kerala, India, predominant in the Kasargod, Kannur Districts, Wayanad and Kozhikode of Kerala, as a living cult with several thousand-year-old traditions, rituals and customs. Theyyam glorifies Goddess Kali. Theyyam or Theyyatam is derived from two Malayalam words “Deyvam” ( god ) and “Aattam” ( dance). The performers of Theyyam belong to the lower caste community, and have an important position in Theyyam. People of these districts consider Theyyam itself as a God and they seek blessings from this Theyyam.Theyyam dances are usually performed in the months of October to June. You can browse this site to know more about timing and place http://www.theyyamcalendar.com/We were not sure, where we can see this, internet helped us and we got to know one place where Theyyam was getting performed. There was contact number as well, we called and the person told us timing and the direction of temple. We reached there exactly on time.It was small temple but decorated beautifully. So many food stalls there and off course place was crowded. There was one open courtyard, for performance.The whole locality had gathered in and around the courtyard to watch the Theyyam. For many local its a time for coming together as family. We somehow managed to get inside the courtyard and took the blessing from Theyyam performers. All the performer adorn colourful costumes and heavy makeup and within 15 minutes Theyyam started.
My eagerness to witness an art form was quenched by watching “Theyyam”, a dance form which recites the mythological stories, in Kannur. I was smitten by its costume, makeup and dance. The aura which this recital creates actually takes one to a different platform. Also, the devotion and discipline of the people to come even in early mornings and witness this dance/mime is worth a praise. It is a ritual for people in north Kerala and some even conduct it in their houses as a form of worship or either go to a temple for the same. Other local tourist attractions, are Snake Park, St. Angelo’s fort and Payyambalam beach. This visit showed me the true picture of the idols of southern India and how are they worshipped in Kerala. The lighting lamps placed near the idol just enhanced the beauty of that small and simple structure even more.
The Land of Loom and Lores, Kannur is probably one of the best spots for a weekend getaway from Bangalore. Mid-way on the Mangalore-Calicut route, Kannur is renowned for its amazing climate and picturesque beauty. For a long weekend, the beaches of Kannur are extremely enchanting.Book your ride to Kannur now.
Kannur is one of the biggest towns of Malabar region in Kerala. Buzzing with people and tourists from all parts of India to visit Kadalai Shri Krishna Temple.However,we had different plans.
Thirty-second rundown: ‘The Land of Loom and Lores’, Kannur is probably one of the best spots for a weekend getaway around Bangalore. Mid-way on the Mangalore-Calicut route, Kannur is renowned for its amazing climate and picturesque beauty.With Lakshadweep Sea on the west and the Western Ghats on the east, the beaches of Kannur are extremely enchanting. For a long weekend, what can be better than the wind blowing in your face, near your ear, feeling the sand in between your toes and watching the small creatures on the sand?Places to visit in Kannur: Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach, Fort St. Angelos, Payyambalam Beach, Dharmadam BeachRound-trip fare for three days: ₹7950Book your ride now.
When you take the Mangalore to Calicut route, what falls in between is the land of loom and lores, Kannur. Known for its pleasant climate and pleasing scenery, Kannur is surrounded by beaches on one side and mountains on the other. With the Lakshadweep Sea set to the west and Western Ghats towards the East, no other place can be better to liven up your spirit after a long week.
My recent holiday was to one such place where all this and more was offered. Kannur, is a small town up north of Kerala in India. It was once a sleepy town but with the influx of Dubai funds into the town therefore there is much more happening in the town. Coastal areas of Kannur, still remain calm and serene and virgin enough for a break that i would want to take more often.
Kannur is home to one of the dying art forms of this world. Handlooms! Handwoven cotton which takes the shape of our daily linen and upholstery. An art form that the weavers are not willing to let die in spite of a industry in loss. One of the weavers went away to Dubai 10 years back following the whole lot of his extended family members, but his passion for the art brought him back to his roots. Quote: "Life if tough as a weaver, long hours and risky for ones health, but this is what bring joy and happiness to me." Like everything else in life for the present scenario in this world anything natural and real has very few takers. A conscious decision to not get sucked into the consumerism without a thought can save the art. My contribution was picking up my stock for the next 6 months.
Kannur beach house, their homestay is simple and elegant and yet meets all the requirements for a good holiday.
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