Kumara Parvatha Trek - Take 2

The last time I attempted to summit Kumara Parvatha and failed by a small margin, I swore to myself that I will never come back to this wretched place. In my previous attempt I got drenched in equal measures from the sweat and the rain. Every bone, muscle and tissue in my body hurt from the 14-km inclined trek. On the one hand where every item in my backpack felt like an extra burden apart from my own modest body weight, in the other, I was losing weight thanks to the depleting water levels in my body owing to dehydration and loss of blood to the leaches. But more than a year later, here I was standing in front of Kukke Subramanya temple with my backpack and staring at Sesha Parvatha in the background. Such is the lure of KP.

As daunting as it was, I was supremely confident of completing an unfinished task with KP. The ease and technique with which I conquered Chembra Peak a month ago had made me to believe that KP will fall. And fall it did, but not before all the travails of a hard trek. Thankfully the blood-sucking leaches were no longer in play, which also meant the Sun was out in full glory. And that really took a toll on us once we crossed the forest cover. This time on the way up we gave Bhattare Mane a miss since we had made it to forest office in good time. Having reached Bhattare Mane before lunch, we gave it a miss and instead camped at the forest office devour the lunch we had packed from home. A good lunch and short relaxing break later we headed to the near 90 degree climb. The Sun being merciless, we had to take multiple breaks to avoid dehydration and a possible sunstroke. But with hardly any trees in sight to provide shade, the brief stops were meaningless.

After we somehow dragged ourselves to the watering hole near the Mantapa, we rested there for half an hour. Some of us even managed a few winks. The final stretch to Sesha Parvatha is where you start questioning yourself if you have gone completely crazy to be doing something like this. As tired as we were, we still managed to pull ourselves atop SP by around 6PM. The progress we made from Bhattare Mane to SP has been slow. But considering the terrain and the Sun, it was a task well done. With light fading away soon, we did not stop to admire the view at SP, instead headed to the forest cover immediately after that to the place we could set up our tents and start a fire. All of us worked in tandem – while some of them put up the tent, some went to fetch water from the stream and the others went looking for firewood. In about an hour we were all set to settle down for the night. Out came all the MTR ready-to-eats and we devoured them all in no time. With an aching body and a full stomach we sat around the fire for a while chatting until we finally retired into the comfort of our tents to call it a day.
Next morning we woke up early but got up somewhat late – if you know what I mean. And right away we headed for KP. The view offered by KP is a tad disappointment. Add to that, the peak is very crowded with a lot of overnight campers. The place chosen by us was just right. We spent about an hour at the peak before we decided to head back to the tents in the forest area. Wrapping up our tents, we started on our way back. This time however, we spent time at SP doing what we do best – monkeying around and capturing them in pixels. The descent proved to be slower than expected with our tired bodies not cooperating with our heads. Finally at noon we were at Bhattare Mane - just in time for lunch. By now I was so hungry, I could eat an elephant. Well I did not eat an elephant but I ate rice portions that probably an elephant would eat. Never in my life have I eaten so much rice at one go. The steaming hot rice, sambar, pickle and majige is like manna from heaven. A good rest and some coffee later we started towards Kukke Subramanya, thanking Bhatta for his hospitality and his quirky small talk. A couple more hours later we were on ground zero, tired and exhausted. A cold water dip under fading lights in the Kumaradhara river brought back much of the life in us.

As always KP has been a bone-crunching and energy-sapping trek and puts your mind power rather than muscle power to test and this time we emerged victorious.

Getting-there: The trek starts from Kukke Subramanyam Temple.

Must-Do: Do this trek between October to December. Watch the sunset and sunrise if you are lucky.
Must-Don't: Littering

My Rating: 8/10

Chembra Trek, Wayanad

The key to conquering any peak is not to look up for what is left, but to look back to see how much you have already covered.

The prospect of conquering any peak is always enticing enough to make me and my like-minded friends to put on our travel gear and head out to some place exciting. The Chembra Trek required no additional effort in appeasing the group to undertake this trek. A simple with a single picture did the trick and pulled-in the quorum for a trip. The single picture and the USP of the Chembra Trek was that of a natural heart-shaped lake half-way through the climb. This natural and perfectly heart-shaped lake with water throughout the year stimulated and intrigued many in the group. Although there were the last-minute drop-outs, we still managed to total six. This proved a good number to take our own car rather than depend on a rented one vis-a-vis cut costs for the trip.

 

If the heart-shaped lake is an asset of the Chembra Trek, then the guide who MUST accompany you along the trek is the liability. For every group that wants to climb Chembra, the forest department provides a Guide (whose fee is covered in the entry tickets). It is not like you need a guide to find your way around, but the forest officials insist that you must carry one with you. The ill-effects of carrying a guide in such a trek is that, the moment you tell him you want to climb all the way to the final peak and not go back after reaching the heart lake (as many do), he starts trying to de-motivate you about how arduous the trek is and blah blah blah. But then we are not the ones to be cowed down so easily. And despite a very slow mover in our group we succeeded in conquering Chembra Peak with reasonable ease. And this was the crowning glory of our last trip of 2012.

 

The trek begins with a stroll through a private tea garden until you reach a watch tower. From here starts the real deal. In the first 500mts my breathing got heavy. At the end of the 1^stkilometer, my hands were on my hips. By the 2^nd km I was dragging my feet. By the third I feel numb to all the pain, exhaustion and the heavy breathing. And in comes the heart-shaped lake like a breath of fresh air. Though I’ve seen the picture of this lake a hundred times, it was still unbelievably heart-shaped in real life. It takes me about half an hour to take the perfect picture of the lake without the tourists occupying the frame. And that’s good time to recover my strength and my breath. With that I set forth to conquer the peak. The distant elusive peak is an arduous climb, but not impossible.

 

After the disappointment in KP this time round my determination was strong. I had to finish this trek and would like to do it with considerable ease. My strategy was to not stop and rest but keep walking - no matter how tired my body was. When I couldn’t take it anymore I took short breaks of 3 minutes each. In those 3 minutes I practiced my Yoga techniques of taking deep breaths. Three short breaks of 3 minutes each and a half hour break at Chembra lake got me to the peak of Chembra. At 6900 feet I was standing at the highest point in Wayanad (or so the forest officials claim). It is obvious to any trekker or tourist that the peak that they claim to be the tallest here is definitely not true as there are more taller peaks adjacent to the one you are standing on. But why the forest officials claim that this is the tallest is beyond our imagination. Maybe it’s because there’s a threat of wild animals there, maybe they don’t want to entertain trekkers and tourists in these areas. But that doesn’t take away anything from the feeling of standing on a peak and breathing the fresh air of mother nature. Its not just air but pride that fills my chest when I take deep breaths at the peak.

 

On an average it takes 4 hours to reach the peak and 2 hrs to descend. A wonderful one-day trek with the everlasting image of the heart-shaped lake as a souvenir that will be etched in your mind.

 

Getting-there: Kalpetta->Meppady->Chembra Estate

 

Must-Do: Trek to the heart-shaped lake and beyond till you reach the peak.

Must-Don’t: Littering and camping overnight(not allowed)

 

My Rating: 8/10

Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna

The Mahabaleshwar Temple in Gokarna is believed to be one most significant temples in South India from a mythological perspective. The presence of an Atma Linga here makes it one of the holiest and highly revered temple. Legend has it that Ravana’s mother who is a staunch devotee of Shiva was performing a penance for her son when Indra jealous of her devotion, disrupted her penance by throwing the linga into the sea. A distraught Ravanna, performs a severe penance in Mount Kailash to please Lord Shiva. Impressed by his devotion Shiva bestows a boon to Ravana. Ravana asks Shiva for the Atmalinga. Shiva then gifts Ravana the atma linga with instructions that it should not be placed on the ground. Perturbed by the powers bestowed on Ravana, Shiva’s sons approach Vishnu to redeem the situation.

While Ravana is heading back to Lanka, Ganesha intercepts him taking the form of a little boy. Ravana asks the little boy to hold the idol (and not place it on the ground) while he would be back after offering evening prayers. But when Ravana does not return in the stipulated time, Ganesha places the idol on the ground and leaves. Once placed on the ground, Ravana tries with all his might to lift the linga but it stays put, thereby forcing Ravana to return to Lanka empty-handed. It is this atma linga in the temple that draws devotees in the thousands.

Our original plan after visiting Viboothi Falls, was to go to Unchalli Falls and if time permits Kumta Beach. But some mystical power forced us to re-draw our plans to end the Sirsi trip with a visit to the Mahabaleshwar Temple in Gokarna and a beach trek from Gokarna to Kudle. As soon as we entered the temple we were confronted by a battery of poojaries. They cornered us like salesmen and started rattling out a list of poojas that they can perform for you. And the a la carte included poojas of varied denominations starting from as high as Rs.500 to as paltry as a sum of Rs.50. And that frankly was a big turn-off. Thankfully we got a quick darshan and we were out in no time. The best part however was that you get to touch the Atma Linga in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

After the tryst with the atma linga we walked to Gokarna beach and without spending another minute(going by past experiences) started walking towards kudle beach. Kudle has been one of my favorite beaches ever since I went there almost 3 years ago. But going there after all those good memories I was a little apprehensive. In the last 3 years, surely Kudle must have been commercially sold out. There sure is going to couple of resorts, some tens of night clubs an hundred little shacks. I dreaded the thought of watching such a sight. Thankfully I was not entirely proved right. But Kudle is slowly and surely going that route. Another couple of years and Kudle would have gone the Goa-way. Sigh! After another wonderful Sunset (a Kudle speciality), we headed back to Gokarna. A laugh-riot dinner later we started to head back to… Damn I don’t even want to mention that name… L

Getting there: In the heart of Gokarna town. The temple is right on the beach.

Must-Do: Touch the atma linga.

Must-Don’t: Waste time at Gokarna Beach. Instead head straight to Kudle.

My Rating: 6/10

Dudh Sagar Falls Trek, Karnataka - Goa

The ever-persistent chirping sound of crickets, the lazy croaking of the frogs, the early rising birds on the look-out for food and the steady sound of flowing water streams. It is not every day you wake up to such an assorted collection of sounds. I unzip the opening of the tent and calmly crawl my way out, to avoid waking the others. The sea of green and the milky water stream greet my eyes... and my senses. How I wish I could get a hot cuppa coffee now. Just as I try to evade thoughts of greed from my head my attention is diverted to a troop of monkeys who are making their way towards our camp. They look for food for themselves and their little ones. While the elders are busy raiding all the plastic covers and trash left behind by some mindless tourists, the young ones entertain themselves by flinging from one tree to another and playing rat-and-mouse game. Once the elders are satisfied there are no more food to be hoarded, the troop continue to their next destination.

Just as I begin to convince myself that I’m indeed in heaven, along chugs a 126 tonne, 4000 hp turbocharged, V16 cylinder mean machine to shatter the morning calm. This WDG4 diesel-electric engineering marvel with a top speed of 120kmph pours cold water (or must I say hot steam) on my morning musings. A total of 5 WDG4 engines are required to take the nearly 100-odd goods bogies through Braganza Ghat section. The blaring noise and the heat generated from the train passing barely couple of meters from our tents hardly woke anyone. This could be attributed to fact that most of the troop members were by now immune to the noise by now. The extensive physical activity of walking on the uneven surface of the Railway line was another cause for this lethargy.

My mind couldn't but wander to the previous day. But after much dilly-dallying there were 9 of us who set off from Bangalore to a larger-than-life image of the majestic Dudh Sagar Falls. Timing, logistics, planning and execution for this trip were crucial and thankfully for us, it was spot-on. Train booking at the eleventh hour, buying an extra tent, buying and distributing ready-to-cook MTR packets, eatables and water bottles were all planned and executed exactly as planned. After getting off Rani Chennamma at Hubli Junction we first booked tickets to Castle Rock station in the Unreserved compartment. With one more hour before we can catch our next train (Chennai-Vasco) we had a sumptuous breakfast at the Railway canteen. As expected we made an experience out of travelling in a General compartment after all these years - for couple of them it was their virgin train journey!

After getting down at Castle Rock Station we re-packed our bags by distributing the MTR Read-to-cooks, so that the weight each of us carried was not skewed. After a customary photo at the station we started off along the tracks on our 14km long trek. This was our first Railway trek and it posed its own little challenges. Now even though the surface is not uphill, it can still be a minor inconvenience considering all the gravel and of course human waste. It takes a a while to get used to walking on the planks especially since you have to take short steps all the while avoiding gravel and human waste. Initially you forget to watch the landscapes as you are busy watching the track, but as you make progress the visuals on offer are too hard to resist. Your feet start to strike the right rhythm and your eyes start to wander. The thick vegetation mostly covers the views that Braganza Ghat has to offer. But when it reveals itself, it’s a sight to behold. Even the 9 year old lion-heart in our group takes a minute or two appreciating nature, before he gets going leaving the others behind.

And then there are the tunnels. One after the other and one bigger and darker than the other, with the longest being half a kilometer. And if you get caught in a tunnel with the train passing, that’s an experience of a lifetime. Not only is it a good photo-op but also a hair-raising experience - literally. The heat and noise generated by the engines is so high, it can send shivers down your spine. By the time the train passes you, you would have turned two shades darker and suffer from momentary deafness.
After a lot walking which included a long haul at a mini waterfall, we finally reached the halfway mark - Caranzol Station. Always a group to start a conversation with the locals, we found out from the station master that there would be a Goods train arriving anytime now and heading towards Dudhsagar. The good station master advised us to take the goods train to Dudhsagar and spend some quality time at the Falls rather than walking on the tracks. Apparently they find nothing amusing about walking on the tracks. After a quick group huddle we decided to take the goods train after all, which later turned out as a blessing in disguise. Within no time the goods train arrived at Caranzol and with the station master having a word with the Guard in the train, we bundled ourselves into the Guard's compartment. And thus started the group's first Goods train ride of our lives. With no ticket counters at any of these stations, we got ourselves a free ride to Dudhsagar after cleverly wriggling out of paying the Guard. The waterfalls is another 1km walk from the station. As always, even before we could see the falls, we could hear it. And this always heightens the excitement. We made a dash to the final stretch and Voila! Nothing much has changed about Dudhsagar in the last 18 years since I last saw it in a school trip. Since it wasn't monsoons yet, there wasn't much water - but just enough to have a great time at the base of the falls.

The walk to the base of the falls is very challenging. The rough and uneven terrain can squeeze every ounce of your strength. But the result is much more rewarding that the effort put-in. The view from the base of the Falls is wholly different sight. It looks majestic to say the least. Even the little oasis formed at the point where the water finally reaches ground zero looks straight out of a movie scene. No sooner than we set our first tent, did a forest official come and informed us that we cannot camp here for the night as there will be an inspection by some senior officials. Disappointed by this we had to go back up to the railway track where there is a provision to camp for the night. After the demanding climb back, we immediately set up our tents there and started a campfire and cooked our MTRs. And then one by one crawled into our respective tents and sleeping bags for a good night's sleep.

I was woken out of my reverie by a second troop of monkeys who came looking for food. This batch was much more daring and adventurous than the earlier troop. By this time everyone was up and we had a hard time keeping the monkeys away from getting to our belongings. But they too eventually left and we cooked some soup packets for breakfast. We then lazed around all morning and headed back to Dudhsagar station around noon. And then another first in our lives. After much pleading with the drivers we got a once in a lifetime opportunity to ride in a WDG4 diesel electric engine. The train took us till Castle Rock after which we took another goods train to Londa in the Guard's room.

With time to kill we filled our stomachs with Vada Pavs and hearts with talks that ranged a variety of topics. With friends like these there's never a dull moment. By the time Rani Chennama rolled out of Londa we were already starting to dread the hectic life of Bangalore - the only comforting factor being that we will be re-united with our loved ones. Thank God for such little happiness....

Getting-there: From Bangalore, trains are the best option. Hubli or Londa are the major stations near to Braganza Ghat Section. If you wish to trek, Castle Rock is where you start. It’s a 14 km trek to Dudhsagar.

Must-Do: Railway Trekking is fun and different. Get to the base of the falls if there isn't much water. Camp near the falls.

Must-Don't: Littering and troubling the monkeys (remember we are intruding their territory)

Other Attractions - Ancient Thambi Surla Temple and Tambi Surla Falls (From Dudhsagar go to Kullem and then to Mullem)

My Rating: 7/10

Kumara Parvatha Trek. Day II

Continued from here

Stepping on a rock on an inclined climb I lost my balance and fell backwards. The jerk I caused scared the person sleeping next to me in the tent. I thanked my stars it was just a dream, which also reminded me to pray to the sky for the day ahead of me. It was 5 in the a.m and it was time to hit the terrain again. Three quarters of an hour later we dropped our luggage at the Forest Office and headed to the mountains. The initial 2km is relatively flat grass lands compared to the remaining 5, which is if anything, steep. As soon as we started the ascent I realized why Srikanth and Sandeep were here for the third time. It’s not the ego of not scaling the peak that brought them back nor is it an attempt to prove their physical prowess. It was just the beauty of nature in its full glory that pulls them back to this place again and again.


Focusing all my energy and attention on the climb I had forgotten to admire the surroundings. The clear blue skies, the golden sun waiting to make an appearance, the heavenly white cloud beds, the carpet of greenery and the dark shades of the mountain ranges in the distance all painted their pictures on the canvas of nature. Kukke Subramanya may have a temple some 7kms “downtown”. But he surely resides somewhere right here – among his creation. I could feel His presence in everything around me. With the Sun still not out, we made full use of the pleasant weather by walking as much as we could without taking a break. About a couple of hours later we reached tiny water stream with cold freshwater. The forest officers (possibly) have cleared some area here for the campers to pitch their tent and spend the night. Another option to camp here is the Kallu Mantapa just a few meters from here.

After drinking water and refilling our bottles here we continued our ascent. Another couple of hours of slow ascent mixed with photography sessions we reach the peak of Sesha Parvatha. A quick calculation revealed we do not have enough time to summit Kumara Parvatha which stands at 1712mts. Though its about 1.5 kms from the peak of Sesha Parvatha, we did not venture to forward, since we wanted to avoid travelling in the dark from Bhattare Mane. Our ego was taking another beating that we were unable to reach the peak. But in the war between ego and KP, KP wins. We decided to take the fight to another day. We nevertheless went a little further from Sesha Parvatha to bottle some water in the stream there.

The descent is always comparatively easier and quicker. We reached Bhattare Mane by 3 in the afternoon, and I had my biggest meal in quite some time. Just as we were ready to leave by 4, the skies opened up and let through a deluge of rain. In a fix as to whether it is safe to leave now in the slippery and dark forests, we consulted Bhatta. His advice was clear, if it stops raining now, you can leave as long as you have a torch and walk back slowly and carefully. Since 3 out of 5 wanted to go back to Bangalore, the other two thankfully obliged and we were on our way back.

Never did anyone of us imagine that this return journey from Bhattare Mane to Kukke would be the biggest adventure in our lives. We had travelled half way through before the sun set and we brought out our torches. After it was a slow and painful walk back. Add to that the fatigue, the slippery rocks, heavy backpack, leaches and pitch black forests – a truly memorable experience that one of us will ever forget. By the time we touched ground, I was so tired that I was delusional. I promised myself I will never come back to KP but I knew I was lying to myself. I’m ready to go through all this pain and more to relive the moments we spent in the ranges up there. But most of all I cherish the company who made this trek less arduous by keeping me in high spirits and sharing my load when I was struggling. So, will I make another attempt to summit KP. Heck yeah!

Must-Do: Travel light – just water bottles, food and camera.

Must-Don’t: Littering. Start late from Bhattare Mane to Kukke, unless you want in on an adventure.


My Rating: 9/10

Route1: Kukke -> Bhattare Mane -> Sesha Parvatha -> Kumara Parvatha.
Route2: Somwarpet -> Kumaraparvatha -> Sesha Parvata -> Bhattara Mane -> Kukke

Kumara Parvatha Trek. Day I.



Sesha Parvatha

Ego is a very nasty thing. One cannot imagine the things it can make us do and the heights it will make us scale – literally. Barely some 7kms into the trek and I was in no mood (or should I say no shape) to continue with Mission KP. But looking at 8 year old Anoushka, a couple of 10 year olds and a few middle-aged women had me hanging my head in shame and spurred me ahead. And boy did that help… almost. We huffed, we puffed. We screamed out in pain and we drenched in our sweat. We were sacrificed to a thousand leaches and exposed to the rugged nature. But in the end it was the proverbial, so near yet so far.

But rewind a little and I find that the picture was not all that grim. At least that’s what I imagined. For someone who travels a lot, walks a lot and hits the gym oh-so-frequently, I never had a doubt that Mission KP would be any trouble at all. But in the end I’ve narrowed down the “struggle” to not having hit the gym for the last 2 months following a bout of viral fever and having lost 3 kilos in the process. That defense should hold fort in any court of law. Shouldn’t it?


Bhattara Mane


Lessons learnt from this failed attempt:

- Travel as light as possible. And when you are satisfied, empty a few more contents.

- DSLRs are as much a liability as they are an asset in such treks.

- Stay in a good shape consistently.

- Leach socks are a must.

 Though I was a frequent traveler, this was my first real Trek. It has always been a dream to go on an all-encompassing walk in nature’s lap. It took me all of half a second to say yes to our organizer and frequent travel companion, Srikanth when he put up the idea. Srikanth and Sandeep, a veteran of 2 failed attempts (for their own set of reasons) to summit KP were determined to complete the mission this time round. The first-timers in Kishor and I were renegaded to back. But another first-timer in Somashekar showed surprising agility throughout the trek.



Viewpoint



An overnight bus from Bangalore dropped us at the foot steps of Kukke Subramanya temple. After the morning ablutions and a satisfying breakfast at the highly-recommended Neo Mysore Café, we shouldered our bags and walked in the direction of the forest trail. Our first pit-stop was the renowned Bhattare Mane (House of the Bhats). The almost 7km trek from Kukke to Bhattare Mane winds through a dense leach-infested forest. Let me dedicate a few lines to leaches, since I won’t be talking about them later. The leaches are your constant companion in the 13 km trek to KP. If the land is marshy and wet with the slightest hint of shade, then you can be sure of finding them there. Do not stop (for more than 10 seconds) to take leaches out. Keep walking as much as you can. You might also want to try leach socks. Expect to be bitten at least 20-30 times by their blood craving creatures. Also watch out for the vampire leaches – the ones that fall from the trees and go for the neck.



As if the steep climb and the leaches were a deterrent by themselves, the rocky terrain adds to your woes. In retrospect, the rocky terrain serves dual purposes – to give you a good grip while traversing and stop soil-erosion during the rains. There’s absolutely no possibility to lose your way as long as you stick to the beaten track. The final 2km stretch to Bhattare Mane is, thankfully, through grass lands. Bhattare Mane is oasis in this rugged terrain. This is place where you get to eat, drink, rest and sleep – all for a nominal fee. Bhatta has a consort of transporters who make at least 3-4 trips a day to Subramanya town carrying heavy loads. It’s a highly commendable job these people do. The food is prepared at Bhattare Mane and served hot, three times a day. A satisfying meal of Rice, Sambhar, Majige, side-dish and Pickle come at a miserly Rs 60. The man of the house is a humble, witty, quirky and wise man who fluently speaks Kannada and Malayalam.



Sunset as seen from Viewpoint



After a sumptuous meal we lay in the hot Sun to soothe our aching bodies. A quick power nap later, we were raring to go again. We unloaded a few stuff at Bhattare Mane and walked in the direction of the Forest Officer’s check post. But looking at the cloud formation, the Forest Officer advised us against going to the peak. He suggested us to camp near the check post and start early in the morning. The nice man he was he offered us to stay in the guest house and also asked us to leave our excessive baggage with him and carry only water bottles the next day.

We decided to heed to the Forest Officer and since we had a tent with us that could house 3 people along with the luggage, 2 of them decided to stay in the guest house while the rest chose the tent. It could not have been a better place to set the tent than the viewpoint. The panoramic view from the viewpoint is worth all the trouble we took to get here. On all four sides we were surrounded by hill ranges as far as the eye can see and beyond. The sunset was a bit of a let-down what with all the clouds wrapping the sun in its arms. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing on the benches and monkeying around taking pictures and conversing with other trekking groups. After dark set-in we collected wood from the forest and started a campfire. We cooked MTR’s ready-to-eat rice items for dinner and retreated to our tents/guesthouses for a good nights sleep. Tomorrow we summit KP, if only the sun and the terrain cooperate. I also wish my le..g….s……

Getting-there: Overnight buses and trains available from Bangalore and Mysore. It is around 280kms from Bangalore.

Must-Do: Travel light. Carry sleeping bags, tent (if you want to sleep in natures’ lap), lots of water, ready-to-eats, leach protection socks, first aid kit, raincoat.
Must-Don’t: Littering, smoking, alcohol consumption, wear shoes inside Bhatta’s house.

Best Time to Visit: October to January.


My Rating: 7/10

Watch out for the concluding part of this trek here.

Kemmangundi, Chikmagalur

Garden near Raj Bhavan

Eight months ago, I had undertaken a trip to Chikmagalur which on retrospect was the third best trip of my life. So when the opportunity beckoned to partake in another Chikmagalur trip, this time with near strangers, I did not think twice. The fact that the "team" were all like-minded people with interests in Travel, Photography and Nature appreciation, made the decision a no-brainer.

Shanti Falls

It was half past 11 PM when we left Bangalore behind and on to Tumkur Road. Sometime during my sleep I entered a dream. The misty environs, the cool crisp air, the lush green cover, the smell of earth and everything good made me not want to wake up from the dream. But it was not to be, since I realised it was not a dream and I had indeed woken up into the cradle of mother earth. I could indeed see the mist, feel the cool air, smell the damp earth, taste the dew drops and hear the crickets chirping. Where else can you find a place close to Bangalore that can stimulate all your senses but Chikmagalur?

Kemmangundi was in our sights as the first stop. But with locales that can make you stop every minute of the way that was not to be. We stopped at the sound of waterfalls. Yes, we heard it first before we saw it. Dawn hadn't broken into Chikmagalur yet and the 3 metre visibilty meant we heard the falls rather than see it. The visibility was so poor, two of the entry-level DSLRs failed to capture the spectacle. Anticipating better things ahead, we moved on. In the drive up the hill, we witnessed many water streams criss-crossing our way.

At the break of dawn we alighted at Kemmangundi. During all the photoshooting of the environment, the gang got split up, thanks to incorrect infomation from the people there. Z Point was our proposed destination, but my gang ended up at Raj Bhavan. Raj Bhavan in itself offers good views not withstanding the mist.

With some help and lot more asking-around, we headed towards Z Point. Kemmangundi literally translates to "A Place With Red Soil". Now I couldn't vouch for that fact because all I see is green. It was as if a mammoth green carpet was spread across all "creation". The approximately 4 km walk to the vantage Z Point is sprinkled with magnificient views of the Baba Budangiri Ranges. To complete the visual splendour is Shanti Falls. This fresh water source on the way to the top quenches your thirst like nothing can. The closer you get to Z Point, the harder it gets to breathe - not out of exhaustion, rather for the breathtaking beauty of the place. It is so overwhelming that you wish you had never come here, for saying goodbye to this place is a difficult task. I had missed Z Point the last time I had been to Chikmagalur, but I guess I could not have seen it at a better time than this.

Z Point

 

Getting-there: 53 kms from Chikmagalur. Hiring a car will be a better (only?) option, unless you have your own transport.

 

Must-Do: Get there as early in the morning as possible. Watching sunrise is not an option, because of the fog. But the fog adds to the beauty of the place, early in the morning. Carry sufficient water for at least a one hour trek. Check out both Raj Bhavan viewpoint and Z Point. Also check out Rock Garden on the way to Z Point.

 

Must-Don't: If you are carrying water bottles with you, make sure you bring it back with you to base camp. Please don't litter this paradise.

 

My Rating: 9/10.

Om-Half Moon-Paradise Beach Trek, Gokarna.

We started Day 2 watching an invisible sun rise at Gokarna Town Beach, followed by breakfast (Hotel Nisarga) at the very same beach watching the fishing boats and the odd dolphin. From there we walked to our-now-favourite Kudle beach, spent a couple of hours and from there we kept walking to Om beach. The phoren-ers had given us the exact path to take to Om beach and also told us about markings on the ground which lead to Om beach. They also warned us that the rickshawallahs would try to mislead us by saying that we must take the rickshaw to Om beach. As it turned out, we dint even need the markers on the ground as there were enough people walking towards Om beach.

It took us about 20 minutes to reach Om beach. A somewhat demanding climb in the sun, I must say. As expected the beach is in the shape of an Om or more aptly the shape of 3. Unfortunately, Om beach does not have the same appeal as Kudle Beach, but at least looks a tad better than Gokarna Town Beach. It was way too hot for us to even think of venturing into the waters. From Om you could take a ferry to Half Moon and Paradise Beaches. It’s an expensive affair though. Initially the boatsmen demanded Rs. 500 for a roundtrip for a person. After bargaining, we decided to take a one way ferry for Rs. 100 each. The plan was to walk back from Paradise to Om and then back to Kudle and finally to Gokarna. A tough ask, but an exciting one.

The ride to Paradise was pretty much uneventful and short except for some Dolphin-spotting on the way. Ten minutes later we were at Paradise Beach – if you can call it a beach in the first place! Paradise Beach could be compared to a small Oasis in the middle of great Desert. The shore at Paradise beach cannot accommodate more than 25 people at any time. But of course there are at least four shacks that provide food here!!.

After buying some soft drinks and Water Bottles to keep us hydrated we started walking back – towards Half Moon Beach. The trek up till Half Moon is very exciting with lots of rocks of all shapes and sizes and all that at mostly sea-level. The key to keep going on the right path is to stick to the well-trodden path. 15 minutes later we were at Half Moon Beach. If Kudle beach was breath-taking, then Half Moon is a killer. Very quiet and serene and hardly crowded. We found not more than five tourists in the more than three hours we spent there.

Half Moon is truly a paradise of a beach. After a relaxed lunch we hesitantly decided to continue our journey back, since we wanted to be in time for the sunset at Kudle which was breathtaking the previous evening. The path to Om climbs higher from Half Moon, which results in some breath-taking view of the sea. The whole path is right along the edge of the cliff, with absolutely no safety barrier. One wrong step and it’s an open invitation to the Abyss.

Thirty more minutes of breathtaking (literally and visually) walk and we were at Om beach. By now we so eager to reach Kudle that we did not even stop to catch a breath at Om and proceeded straight to Kudle and crashed there.


Getting-there: You could walk all the way from Gokarna Town Beach to Om to Half Moon to Paradise and back. It is physically very demanding but worth every drop of sweat. There’s always the ferry if you think you cannot make it.

Must-Do: Keep a full day aside for this trek. Try to start as early in the morning as possible and walk back as late as possible before getting dark.

Must-Don’t: Saying Yes to the outrageous prices quoted by the boatsmen for the ferrying. Littering.

My Rating: 8.5/10. (I’d give a 9/10 for Half Moon Beach too)