Trip to Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta

Day One 23rd Nov 2012

On 23rd November sharp 6 PM left office, and reached Kannur by 9 PM and took a break of  the day. 

NH66 at Morning

 Day Two 24th Nov 2012

Next day morning at shart 5 AM vacate the room and start the journey towards Koyilandy on NH66. Road condition was good, traffic was comparatively low but oncoming truckers headlamps blinds the eyes and it's hard to ride on such a narrowed single land highway.

Around 6:30 AM reached Koyilandy, from here onward took SH34 Koyilandy-Chungam Road, near the Thamarassery spent 15 minutes for breakfast, typical Malabarian style - Vellappam and Green piece curry and headed towards Kalpetta. 

Our next aim was Pookode Lake near the Kelpetta town. After crossing Thamarassery ghat section starts.

Ghat roads are excellent but  very sad thing is no vegetation found, all most all the trees are cut down and complete environment changed in to rubber plantations. if it continued in this way then after 10 years it will be like a desert.

View from the top

Valley

Wayanad District border

Around 9 AM reached Pookode Lake, boating facilities available for the tourist, some of the shops selling natural products like honey, handcrafted bamboo products etc.

Boating at Pookode Lake

There is huge scope to develop this area, now the surroundings of the lake was badly maintained. After taking few snap headed towards Kalpetta, where my colleague Dhanooj was waiting for us at his Uncle's house.

After crossing Vythiri reached Kalpetta town. After taking delicious Chertta Putt and Cherupayar curry (Steam cooked dish mad out of rice powder and coconut using coconut shell as a bowl and Mung bean curry) along with hot coffee made out of fresh coffee bean and Jaggery  our second round breakfast completed.

Dhanooj

Chinthu and Chinju..........

Our next destination is Soochipara waterfalls, which is located on outskirt of the Kelpetta town on Ooty road. To reach here one has to take diversion from small town called Meppadi, from here onwards winding roads nestled inside the tea estated takes to the waterfalls.

Harrison Malayalam Limited, one of the famous tea estate also located on this area. On the way we got chance to view tea leaf plucking.

Fresh Tea leaves 

 As like typical tourist place this place also over crowded by the tourists. After getting entry tickets has to walk one km on unpaved road and steps, near the falls condition of the steps are worst and especially senior citizens are suffering to reach over there.

Traffic jam made by tourist bus

Entry gate to the falls

Soochipara waterfalls

Tourist enjoying

 After taking some snaps around falls returned to Meppadi town, on the way rain started and it continued heavily, around 2:30 PM reached Meppadi and took lunch in a small typical Malabarian style hote. Rain ws continued along with thunder and lightning.

According to our original plan we would cover Meenmutty waterfalls and  Edakkal caves but it was already late, so skipped this two places and headed towards Sulthan Bathery, in case we covered these tow spots it's difficult to reach Gundlupet by evening and also its very dangerous to cross the dense forest at night.

Muthanga Forest Area

From Sulthan Bathery took NH766 Kozhikode-Mysore-Kollegal Highway to reach Gundlupet, distance between these two cities around 60km. Road passes through Muthanga and Maddur Forest area. 

In Muthanga forest area forest was very thin and road condition was also poor, but as soon as cross the border the entire picture changes, thick forest, deer, jungle fouls start to appear, road condition also superb.

Traffic Jam on check post near Muthanga

Maddur Forest area

Deer herd

 To control the motorist in every single kilometer speed breakers are provided. On the way found two elephants eating grass in the woods.

Elephants on the way

Around 6 PM reached Gundlupet and took rest on lodge.Gundlupet is a small town located in Chamarajanagar district, out skirt of the town covered with fields and main agriculture crops are Jowar, Ragi, Sugarcane, Vegetables etc.

Gundlupet Sarroundings

Its also junction for Mysore-Ooty and Mysore Calicut roads. In the field side farmers selling vegetables.

Ravi with fresh Beetroots 

On the field side farmers are selling vegetables. Town was well planed and lot of parking area available on the road side. Lodges, hotels, fuel pumps are handy. So we took one of the lodge located near the fuel station.

Day Three 25th November 2012

At sharp 5:45 AM left the lodge and headed towards Bandipur National park, Jungle safari starts at 6:30 AM, chances of safari available first cum basis, distance between Gundlupet and Bandipur forest office is just 20kM, superb road with zero traffic breeze to ride.

At 6:15 AM reached Bandipur and got safari tickets which cost Rs.300 per head, for the tourist groups jeep facilities also available which cost Rs.1700 for six passengers. Well mainatined Eicher took us in to the tiger territory, almost all the tourist were come from Tamilnadu.

Entry to the Bandipur National Park

As soon as entered inside the dense forest small animals and birds like Jungle foul, Mongoose, deer, peacock and lots of un-identified birds are start to appear.

Mongoose

After travelling few kilometers our Van  took scratching stop and suddenly reversed and took U turn and starts to fly back on mud track.

Track Inside the forest

Nobody know what happened, everyone asking the driver what happened, but after crossing just half km driver stopped the van where other safari vehicles were parked and switched off the engine.

and pointed his hand towards bamboo trees 'God there was a Tiger' who was sitting calmly and planning to attache some deer. Every one stunned by looking this, pin drop silence, only camera's shutters are making sound.

Peacock

 After spending half an hour over there returned to the Forest office. Our Next destination was Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta (Hill) which is inside the core area of Bandipur National Park and also is the highest peak in the Bandipur National Park. On the top 700 years old Venugopalaswamy temple located. This place is also know for it's picturesque view of surrounding hills. Trekking, picnicking in these area are punishable.

Left Bandipur at 7:45 AM and headed towards Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta which is located 16km far from Bandipur National Park. To reach here has to take diversion from Hangala Village, a narrow road passes through the village takes in to the 'Betta.

Both sides of the roads are covered with Jowar, vegetables and Sunflower fields. After passing 9 Km got a forest check post. To enter the premises on has to pay the entry fee and time fixed is One and half hours. Entry was restricted between 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, they charged two wheeler's for Rs.25.

Sun flower fields

Ravi was in queue for the entry permit I was standing near the bike, a man with beards wearing Dhoti and thick sandlwood past marks oh his forehead riding yellow coloured Honda Twister reached there, he was shouting in Kannada "Side please".. one young man and one small boy riding as his pillion, by dress code I thought they are Poojaries (temple priest) of the temple. and it's found true. As soon as they came forest guards are cleared the traffic and saluted them and allowed to climb the Hill.

Watch tower made by the villagers to protect their fields 

Climbing the Hill road

From here onward steep ghat section roads starts to climb the hill, distance between hill base to to is 5 Km. After visiting the temple start to descending the hill, on the way met a family from Mangalore, whole family is Royal Enfield Fans, kids start to taking picture of my Blackbird.

At 10:30 reached Hotel at Gundlupet, after the brake fast vacated room and started the return journey.

Junction after at Beguru

Receiver near Sargur

Nugu Dam

Field 

Auto carrying cotton 

Donkeys

We planned to reach Madikeri Via Nagarahole National Park but when we reached Heggadadevana Kote public informed us, due to Elephant attacks two and three wheelers are not allowed on this route. So instead of Nagarahole took Hunsur route and reached to Kasaragod via Madikeri by 8 PM. Total distance covered under this trip is 730km.