Kodachadri Trek and Hidlumane Falls

Kodachadri conjures up a lot of images right from Mookambika temple to Sarvanjapeetham. But what remained in my mind from my last visit (read here) was the off-roading jeep ride from Mookambika temple with magnificent vistas and the final climb to Sarvanjapeetham where the scholar Sankaracharya once meditated. I had then decided to trek Kodachadri from the base, but it turned a reality only a couple of years later.

When it dawned, the bus with a group of strangers (had enrolled myself with BMC for this trek) from Bangalore was heading past arecanut trees on either sides to the home stay. Most trek routes across the western ghats in Karnataka have a Bhat's house (usually a priest) somewhere close to it and this was no different. Post freshening up and breakfast, we headed to Katinahole, from where trek trail begins. From the asphalted main road, we took the muddy jeep trail that leads to Kodachadri. The muddy track is used by jeeps to ferry pilgrims to Sarvanjapeetham.

It was the onset of summers and the sun was out pretty early. A quick introduction later, we were on the trail following each other, building camaraderie and getting to know the fellow trekkers better. Less than a kilometer later, we took a detour off the jeep track, crossed a stream, went past a few paddy fields and entered the jungle trail. From the muddy wide road, it was a drastic change in the landscape to the narrow jungle trail with bushes, fallen trees and foliage. Sparse canopy allowed sunlight to percolate onto the thick dry foliage which had fallen and covered the pathway. Slowly, the bushy path turned into a forest trail with thick dangling roots and giant tree trunks.Not being thickly vegetated and a couple of short breaks helped us trudge faster along the gradual descent and keep pace with our local guide. Laced with beautiful tall trees, brown fallen leaves and intermittent sunlight, this gorgeous landscape ended with an open vast land with sparse vegetation, distant hills and a house with a small shop in the middle of nowhere.

The first taste of buttermilk which was to be a constant partner through the trek was at this tiny shop. After gulping down a few glasses of the spicy thirst quencher, we walked down onto the ridges of  paddy fields and cut across them to re-enter the forest trail. A small stream flowed alongside us as we went deeper. A while later, what lay ahead of us was a huge rocky terrain with a tiny perennial stream cascading its way to the small pool below and then further down. For a moment I mistook this to be Hidlumane falls, which we were to encounter during the trek. The trek from here was a steep precarious short climb to the right of the huge rock. The narrow path after the rock climb was a short trail that led to Hidlumane falls. The falls wasn't impressive with very little water sprinkling over the rocks covered with green overgrowth and dangling creepers. We climbed over a few boulders to get close to the falls. It did not seem as trickle as we went closer. There was enough water to get under the falls and refresh yourself. Apparently there were a few hooligans enjoying their act under the falls that made me stay away from the same. I happily gazed at the falls and the natural setting from a boulder as the sun rays cut across the frame.

Hidlumane Falls

The climb from the the falls was quite an interesting one. It was a vertical climb where we had to hold on to the bulging roots and pull each other up. This was probably the toughest part of the trek and it led to further jungle trails. It slowly opened out and what lay ahead was a long trail over tall brown grasslands with gorgeous vistas on all sides. For the first time during the trek, we felt the heat beating us down. Vast open grasslands isn't the ideal place to hike at mid noon during the month of March. Respite from the heat came in the form of panoramic views of the brown hills, thick canopy, distant water bodies and a couple of vantage points. The climb was quite steep and the gravel track made the hike an exhausting one. On reaching the top, we could see the the trail meandering its way further, past tiny brown hills onto many more. The long hike finally led to a small shola grassland where the trail ended and we opened our lunch packs. 

Steep climb after the falls.

Gorgeous vistas

Steep climb

Meandering trails

 The packed lunches was gobbled down quickly and washed with loads of buttermilk. It was another long climb to reach the jeep track which we had parted ways with at the beginning of the trek. A look back from the jeep track and we had lovely vistas of the trail we had taken alongside beautiful hills. All frames had the evident brown, while green was minimal. We hiked along the jeep track from there on with magnificent deep valleys and intermittent hills on to the left. The muddy jeep track ended at a guest house which is also the drop off point for jeeps. One needs to climb the last stretch from there even if you hire a jeep.

More buttermilks and refreshments later, we began the final hike to Sarvanjapeetham. Unsurprisingly, there were more pilgrims and buttermilk vendors on this stretch. The path slowly turned into a ridge walk as we trudged carefully amidst fog that wrapped us without a cue. The sun had become milder and there was chillness all around for the first time during the trek. Onto our left were breathtaking views of the valley  which was incessantly covered by fog. It was a sheer drop and the views left us spellbound as we made our way through the fog. This definitely had to be the best stretch of our trek. We climbed higher and the Sarvanjapeetham was visible covered in fog after a while. We had conquered Kodachadri! The small shrine is where scholar Sankaracharya had once meditated.

Valley view

Sarvanjapeetham

The vantage points from the shrine were mind blowing as floating clouds and fog wrapped  the enchanting valley. Despite disruptions by the fog, photography session continued for long. Undoubtedly a delight for landscape photographers. The sun was about to set and we made a quick dash back through the fog to the guest house to gulp more buttermilk. The return trek was along the jeep track throughout and not the trail we had taken during the day. Layered with red mud and stones which kicked up dust every time a jeep crossed us, we trod on them and raced against the setting sun. As the sun set, red became the explicit and prominent colour everywhere, be it the sky or the jeep track. The white fog however, made its presence felt amidst all those redness as we made our quick steps with flashing torch lights. 

The red muddy jeep track

 The last hour was amidst pitch darkness following the person in front with flashing lights. Though the trek seemed never ending in the darkness, a while later we were at the point where we began the trek in the morning. Gulping more buttermilk, we ambled into our bus to head to the home stay after a successful, refreshing and exciting trek. A sumptuous dinner later, we were offered one of the best beds ever- open to sky. How exciting is that? The day long trek had its tiring effect as we succumbed to deep sleep amidst the arecanut trees despite gazillion stars twinkling at us.

The ideal time to trek Kodachadri would be between the months of September and January when the vegetation is lush green and Hidlumane is at its best.

Signing Note- A trek that offers everything to the nature lover- shola grasslands, waterfalls, rock climbs, ridge walks, unending trails and breathtaking vistas...!!

Trek distance- 14 Kms (approx.)- depends on the route you take
Distance- 385 Kms
Route- Bangalore- Tumkur- Tarikere- Shimoga- Arasalu- Hosanagar- Katinahole- Kodachadri

Jog- The Mighty Falls...!!

It drizzled as I crossed Shimoga and the dark clouds that hovered for miles, made me smile. Rain was what I longed for, and thankfully it rained intermittently all the way past the winding roads and the green carpet of paddy fields on either sides. The beautiful landscape made it a delightful drive through the western ghats to Sharavathi adventure camp, the newly opened resort from Jungle Lodges and Resorts. 6 Kms away from the camp lay the reason behind this travel- to see Jog falls in the monsoons. My last visit to Jog wasn't really a memorable one. Jog is best experienced between July and September when Sharavathi river gushes at its furious best.

The road to Jog falls

Talakalale reservoir as seen from Sharavathi adventure camp

It was a pleasant surprise to hear that the Linganamakki dam had been opened up due to the previous night's rain. This happens only 4-5 times during the year, mentioned my guide as he stopped our vehicle on the bridge over the dam during the early morning drive from camp to the falls. I was thrilled to see the huge volumes of water thrusting its way and was even more excited at the prospect of seeing Jog at its very best as it is the same waters that take the plunge at the falls. Sharavathi flowed beautifully thrashing the jutting rocks between the thick vegetation on either sides. It drizzled as our vehicle made its way through narrow roads and splashed puddles en-route the Jog. The heavenly drizzle, the wet earth, the petrichor and the lush greenery made Western ghats absolutely mesmerising and surreal.

Water gushing when the Linganamakki dam opened

I gasped for a while staring at the furiously flushing falls as I got out of the vehicle. And then, all I did was to stare in oblivion for a long time. It was quite misty and drizzled intermittently. Mist covered the falls for a few seconds and then opened up spreading the beautiful four falls that make up Jog. The mist appeared and disappeared throughout my stay at the view point. Sharavathi was at its glorious best, plunging many meters and thrashing on to jutting rocks on its way down. Never have I seen a falls with such brute force looking so beautiful. It was a spray of droplets everywhere and seemed like fog as it splashed itself on to the rocks below.

Jog falls which is also known as Gerusoppa falls and Jogada Gundi, is made up of four falls, namely Raja, Roarer, Rocket and Rani. Raja is at its majestic best and is well known for being the second highest plunge waterfalls in the country at 830 feet after Nokhalikai in Meghalaya. Roarer is only partly visible as it falls through a vast concave drop before meeting Raja on its way down. Roarer is the most furious of the lot and one can have a better view of the same from the view point across. Rocket spurts out numerous jets and is definitely the most gorgeous of the lot. The way it splashes as it hits a jutting rock and creates a spray of fog all over is absolutely mesmerising. Queen is the elegant one of the four and makes her way amidst the greenery that sprout all over the rocks during the monsoons. It is not a plunge falls and cascades over the rock as it makes its way to the bottom. There are also many more tiny falls which are not as majestic and beautiful as these four. The two twin falls between the Roarer and the Rocket remains unnamed but are quite attractive. 

Rani to the extreme right, Rocket next to it and Raja to the extreme left. Roarer is invisible from this view point

There are steps which takes one to the base of the falls, but was closed the day I visited. One can also visit the the British bungalow viewpoint opposite the main view point which offers a different perspective to the falls with amazing views of the same. Roarer is best viewed from here. One visit did not satiate me, and despite the drizzle, I visited Jog falls again on my way back to Bangalore. All that I did was to gape at the falls and soak in the monsoons as the mist played around and curtained the falls frequently, only to open up shortly and spread the breathtaking scene at its very best.

Signing Note- Majestic, furious and spectacular...!!

Route- Bangalore- Tumkur- Arsikere- Tarikere- Shimoga- Sagar- Jog Falls
Distance- 385 Kms

Rising Mist...!!

Western Ghats, Kannur, Kerala. August 2013.

The Evening Sky...!!

Sun splashing its myriad shades as it disappears between the many hills of Western Ghats while creating a colourful palette of the evening sky. December 2012.

Kumara Parvatha Trek- A Tall Climb...!!

Kumara Parvatha (KP) is the second highest peak in Coorg, fifth highest in Karnataka and the trek to its summit is considered one of the toughest in western ghats. Also known as Pushpagiri, KP at 1712 meters is the highest peak in Pushpagiri wildlife sanctuary which spreads over the borders of Coorg and Dakshina Kannada districts. It has two trek routes- one from Coorg (Somwarpet) and the other from Kukke subrahmanya. The trek is a total of 22 kms while entering from somwarpet and exiting via kukke. The trek route cuts through grasslands, forest patches and massive rocks, as expansive vistas of green carpets spread out.

What happens when someone who is not a frequent trekker and does not have any commendable previous experience of trekking decides to conquer KP without any proper preparations usually taken before an arduous trek? Add a wrong attire and a sagging heavy shoulder bag, and the trek becomes a gruelling one.
From now on that 'someone' stands corrected as 'I'.

The tiny bus stand of Somwarpet had just woken up as the group alighted from the bus. A couple of shops were open and after the morning ablutions we headed to one of those small shops which served hot idlis and dosas. Gobbled down a few idlis and washed it down with a hot coffee before meeting our trek guide. The group ambled back into the vehicle and then a short drive past small villages and vast paddy fields led to Beedhalli, where we disembarked. The trek was to begin from Beedhalli, where all we could see was a lonely house, a couple of stray calves and the road meandering along the paddy fields. There was nobody around except for us. After distributing the tents and food onto different hands we followed our trek leader along a narrow path that cut across a paddy field. It was a small group of 11 members and Santosh (organiser) and myself were the ones to trod behind. The first frame of greenery arose before us, as hills and trees sprung up from nowhere. The narrow path across the field led to a small forest patch and suddenly the openness of the paddy fields with the beaming sun gave way to shades and gradients. The path wasn't well defined, but we just needed to follow the person ahead of us. With long stumps for support we trudged forward and soon there was more greenery and hills all around. We made our way through the frail forest path with knee high bushes all along. The forest patch cleared up after a while and we were knocking the doors of the forest office for the permission and passes.

First glimpse of greenery and forest

The real trek was only about to begin and I could already feel the weight on my shoulders. While on a trek, common sense says carry minimum requirements. In addition to the fact that my shoulder bag was not a proper backpack, I carried a 1500 page guide book (Did I think my guide wouldn't know the trek route?), a few travel magazines (Did I imagine that I could snooze off under a tree with the magazines providing a shade while on the trek?) and an extra jean pants in addition to the one I was already wearing (Does anybody wear a jean on a trek?).

As Santosh and our guide completed the formalities at the forest office, we trekkers walked to a stream that flowed just ahead. Water was only ankle deep and we had to cross it to trek further. We played in the waters for a while and captured the absolutely serene surroundings. The water slithered over slippery round pebbles and made its way deep into the dark green forest as the sun's rays seeped through the canopy and glistened the beautiful stream making an idyllic setting. There is a broken bridge above the stream which was used by trekkers and forest officers sometime back. Now all begin the trek by wading across the stream.

The stream we cut across

The formalities finished in a while and then we moved forward into deeper greenery. Sun rays very rarely seeped through the thick canopy as we walked over the thick foliage that had covered the forest trail. We went past many massive tree trunks which lay by the side. The undulating forest landscape looked beautiful with trees, entwined roots over the ground, fallen leaves, trunks, very little sunlight and the meandering trail to KP. We went past many moss gathered stones which defined the path feebly and the small trickling streams which were on the verge of being completely dry very soon. Monsoons were over and the for the gleeful crowd, the place was devoid of any leeches. It was stoned pathway at many places.

Lovely foliage

The meandering trail to KP

The weight of the books and clothes on my shoulder pulled me down many a time. Not undertaking any prior preparation for this arduous trek slowly crept in as I could feel the tiredness and fell way behind the group. Though we did take very short breaks in between, the bag and the jeans wasn't helping. I had my first cramps on my left leg shortly. I sat down, had a few sprays and was back on my feet. Struggling, I trudged forward and had taken only a few steps when cramps caught my other leg too. I needed rest and sat down for a while with a couple of them from the group. After the rest, I was back on my feet and we walked quicker to catch up with the group that went ahead. The pain waned slowly and we walked deeper into the forest.

We had to crawl over a small rock and climb further before breaking at a clearing to have our packed lunch. Vistas opened up before us and only then did we realise how high we were and how far we had climbed. Hills covered in green canopy and distant valleys spread before us as we gazed for a while before satiating our hunger. Though I did not have any further cramps, the pain on my shoulder was slowly got the better of me. Santosh pointed out that, the bag I had was not a proper backpack and that could be the reason for the pain. I just nodded at my ignorance. It had been more than three hours since we began the trek and we had covered less than half the distance before the break. After the long lunch break, we trekked further up, collected water that trickled through the cracks in rocks, and enjoyed the vistas that opened up intermittently between the foliage. Animal presence is a rarity on the trek but we did spot a few elephant droppings on the way. Our guide passed on the information that elephants are sometimes found wandering in the night through the corridor which we had cut across.

Magnificent vistas from where we stopped for lunch

Our tired legs trudged forward through the thick canopy for long and after a while the greenery disappeared and what lay ahead of us was a massive black rock at forty five degrees. It was a tough climb with that heavy load on my back. Crawled, clambered and scrambled my way up the rock with a little help from my guide. However, the spectacular views from the top more than made up for the tough climb. We rested for a while as we took in the vistas and relieved my shoulder off the backpack (or was it a rucksack?). Brown hill tops made their presence felt and peeked through the verdant canopy that spread out like a vast green ocean. The blue sky in the background made for a lovely landscape frame. Shortly we were in for another rock climb, and this a tougher one compared to the earlier. The climb was longer as the rock was a larger one and the small stones and gravel made it a bit precarious. With short breaks, scrambled over the large rock and made my way up with much difficulty. I kept looking down to see the distance I had crawled and that made me skip a beat. It was indeed the toughest part of the climb. All had the much needed rest after that tough climb. I got into lighter pants which helped a lot and my trek mates chorused that I should have done that much earlier. Took off my shoes and my feet were relieved to take in the fresh air. The panoramic vistas from the top were spectacular and for the first time during the trek I felt I had covered a lot of altitude. The fresh air, beautiful vistas, lots of greenery, distant brown hills and the clear blue sky recharged my mind and little bit of my body before we set for the final leg of the climb. 

First rock climb

Vistas after the first rock climb

The second rock climb

Relieved!

We had to encounter one more rock, which was fairly easy before the final stretch which was purely rocky. The final climb too wasn't strenuous and we finally made it to the top of Kumara Parvata. It definitely was a moment of excitement, happiness and contentment on conquering the 1700 meter KP. There is a small shrine on top and the place is pretty much flat surfaced with lots of space for campers. Though we hardly met any trekkers till then, once up, we were in for a surprise as numerous trekkers had made their way up and already set up their tents. There is a small water hole on top from where trekkers can refill their bottles. We were in a hurry to set the tents as the sun was about to set. Few ran to get the bottles refilled while other put up the tent. Post that I wandered around and all I could see were tall peaks, distant valleys, widespread greenery and the orange sky as the sun went down the horizon.

The final leg to the top

Atop KP!

Views from the top of KP

It got dark pretty fast and we had an early dinner after the campfire was set. It got quite cold and windy as we went deeper into the night. People in other tents were awake and singing at the top of their voices as we snuggled into our respective sleeping bags inside the tents. The wind was blowing quite hard and we were quite apprehensive about the tents being blown off and we sleeping staring at the beautiful night sky. Would have been a considerable option if not for the wind. We were also told that though animals are a rarity, it is best advised not to wander around in the dark. It was cold inside the tent despite being inside the sleeping bags and with the constant sound of the wind, it was tough to get some sleep even with the day's tiredness. I suddenly felt something move outside the tent. Must have been a stone or a wood piece that hit the tent because of the wind pressure is what I told myself. However, it kept me intrigued for a few seconds and then my co-trekker inside the tent said,"Niranjan, what was that?". Silence prevailed for a moment and wild thoughts ran through my head before I laughed and said that there must be something that is lurking outside. So that definitely was 'something', but we did not dare open the zip of the tent to check. 

Dozed off in a while and woke up at the break of dawn to witness the sunrise. It was cold and hazy outside the tent and I slowly crawled out of it. Trekkers sheepishly gathered as darkness gave way for light and the sky cracked with a splash of orange hue. Undoubtedly the sun's rise made a beautiful frame with the magnificent landscape in the foreground. We dismantled the tents, packed and trekked our way down via Kukke subrahmanya side, another route. This is the route that is normaly taken by most trekkers while trekking KP. The route is also comparatively a longer one. After a photo shoot with other trekkers we began trekking down the rocky stretch. After the initial easy walk, it was a sharp slanting drop which was quite adventurous and slightly risky. The path was almost a right angled one and I precariously made my way down that stretch. Definitely one of the most dangerous stretches on the trek.This was the only rocky path on the way down before it led to the forest patches and open grasslands. However, there were teenage trekkers in slippers and sandals going down rock in minutes. They just whizzed past me as I struggled to take each step. Must be frequent trekkers, I thought.

Sunrise

Down the treacherous stretch

 The last stretch was over big stones and it ended at a small stream where we prepared maggi for our breakfast. That steep walk down did make me quite nervous and I was happy to be back on the forest path. It was back to undulating pathways, greenery, foliage and trees with sunshine seeping through. There were a few climbs and shortly we were in front of Sheesh parvata with majestic views of the low lying valleys and distant hills painted in different shades of green. We ambled along the path and captured the views of magnificent landscape from dizzying heights. There were many rocky protrusions which made for some spectacular vantage points. Spent a considerable amount of time enjoying the vistas and then trekked further. 

Sheesh Parvata

Many of the hills that we saw from the vantage points had to be crossed before we touched Kukke town. The further paths were along the ridges of the hills with 360 degree view of the surrounding hills and valleys. From the ridges the path slowly made its way through grasslands over hill tops from one hill to another. On the way up, we escaped the sun's beat due to the forest cover which was present during most part of the trek. While on the way down we lacked that and got us tired very early into the trek. I spent time capturing the wonderful vistas and lost a lot of time due to this. Santosh urged me reduce the time spent on photography in order to catch up with the group which had gone ahead. I lagged behind during a major part of the trek, due to tiredness, heat and photography. The frequency of my breaks increased and that made it all the more tough to catch with the rest. Kukke town could be seen at a distance, way down between the hills and that seemed like a long long walk past the numerous hills that stood between the town and me. The grasses were almost knee high and I held onto them at a few places where the path seemed a bit tricky. I had run out of water and the sun along with the heavy shoulder bag (I kept cursing it during most part of the trek) took a toll on me. Meanwhile, we crossed path with many trekkers who were on their way down. 

The white spots is Kukke town, the finish point

After a while I saw Mantapa, a stone structure at a distance which is used by many trekkers as a camp site. The place also has a water source and my group waited for me as I made way through the tall grasses. Rested there for a while as I gained back my strength to trudge forward. There were numerous trekkers near the mantapa and the trek ahead was a bit crowded one. The path turned slightly treacherous from mantapa but the tall grasses helped balance myself. Slowly the density of trekkers reduced, my breaks frequency increased and the gradient of the hills came down. I could see my group far ahead as the hills became vast open grasslands for a while with flat paths. That was helpful, but I was quite tired and even the breaks did not help. I reached a vantage point with a few seats where Santosh waited for me while others had just left. The sun was right above and I did not rest for long so as to catch up with the rest. The path further led to a small forest patch and soon we crossed a pond. I was sure we were quite close to Bhat's house, where we were to break for lunch. Bhat is a temple priest who has his house in the middle of nowhere and almost all trekkers take a break and have food at his house for a very nominal amount. I was exhausted by the time I walked into Bhat's house. All that I wanted to do was sit, eat and quench my thirst. I took off my shoes and bag, stretched my legs, washed with some cold water and happily sat down to have lunch with others. That meal was definitely one of the most satiating ones I had ever had. 

Mantapa amidst the grasslands

After resting for a while and a photography session later, we were back on our heels. My energy levels were up again and I walked ahead of the group with our guide. Sun was the only concern as it brought the energy down considerably. It was more open lands and slowly the group caught up with me. Most in the group were surprised to see the slow tortoise lead the group for a while. It was not long before they went past me as I took more breaks along the winding paths that entered a forest patch. My tired legs almost gave up as the path took me deeper into the forest. The group was ahead of me and I could hear their sounds and they called out frequently to make sure I followed them. The forest patch turned into a thick one and the gradient got steep as I walked deeper. Even though the sun had not gone down, light had reduced considerably and I was alone for the entire part of this last stretch. Tiredness had the better of me and my legs almost gave up at many places as it was tough to get up after each break. Exhaustion made the stretch seem like the toughest part of the trek. Engulfed with foliage, entwined roots and trees, I felt I was in the middle of a jungle. It was absolute silence as I made my way through the forest with fading light and no soul in the vicinity. It did feel eerie at times. My group was way ahead of me and I had to reach down before it turned totally dark. I did not carry a torch and the last 15 minutes of the trek which seemed like an hour was in almost darkness without any rest. I took each step with immense difficulty and was extremely happy as I heard voices soon. I was close to the finish point. I smiled, was relieved and let out a cry on seeing others wait for me. I had achieved it! I had conquered Kumara Parvata!

The last forest patch

Even though I go on a few treks after this, KP has been the toughest trek I have ever done. There were instances when I had doubts about completing the trek, but am glad that I scrambled, crawled, pulled myself up at many points, overcame exhaustion and conquered it with utmost contentment. The spectacular vistas that the trek offers is breathtakingly beautiful and would leave you spellbound for long.


Signing Note- A body and soul wrenching trek, worth every single sweat...!!


Starting point- Somwarpet (Coorg)
End point- Kukke Subrahmanya (Dakshina Kannada)
Distance- 22 Kms (8 Kms uphill and 14 Kms downhill)
Contact- Santosh Nair (Exotic Expeditions)- 09986450370