Trip to Kolli Hills Part - 2 (Hogenakkal Waterfalls)

Day Two Hogenakkal Waterfalls, Tamil Nadu 2nd September 2017

As per schedule wake up at early morning 0445hrs and freshened, our destination was Hogenakkal waterfalls, Tamil Nadu, located 125Km from M M Hills. So exact 0600hrs we started our journey towards Mettur. It was foggy morning, visibility was very less, last night drizzled lightly it make road little bit slippery.

 Foggy Morning (In front of Nagamale Bhavana)

After crossing Check post started descending towards Tamil Nadu side, well tarmacked winding ghat roads passing between huge valleys are treat to eyes. Mettur is just 50km far from M M Hills but it took more then 3hours to cover this distance.

Superb scenery does not allow ride fast, we enjoyed every single corner of the ghat road, huge mountains, fog covered valleys, hairpin bend gives fresh energy to our mind, really fantastic experience. 

Cow herd on the road

Bull😀

While descending the ghat light shower started, after the ghat section bad road started,  while cruising this bad stretch of the road we observed many fresh elephant dungs, it indicates elephants were just crossed the road.

Bad stretch of the road

After the bad stretch we reached a small village junction, from there one can travel to Karntataka side Hogenakkal waterfalls via Gopinatham Village. I have already traveled on this route in my earlier trip.

Gopinatham Junction

Thanks to Visit M M Hills Wild life Sanctuary

Crowd waiting for Bus

Forest entry gate towards the forest

Tamil Nadu Bus Service

So headed towards Mettur, after crossing boarder check post entered into Tamil Nadu territory as soon as entered crossed the River Palar, while crossing the bridge found a herd of deer  crossing the river.

Boarder Check post

Bridge

View from the Bridge

Deer Herd Crossing the River (Pic. Credit -Karthik)

After traveling half kilometer in Tamil Nadu forest road  a huge cow herd came on the road from opposite direction it forceed us to stop our motorcycle on the side of the road at the same time K.S.R.T.C Bust also coming from opposite direction.

Beautiful Cow Herd

K.S.R.T.C Passing the cow herd

After passing few kilometer met a beautiful village its typical Tamil Nadu Village its entirely different type, I have only seen such a villages  in  movies only.

Beautiful Village

My Green Bull😃

Bird (Pic. Credit -Karthik)

After taking few pictures headed towards Mettur, we planned to take our breakfast at Mettur but before that found a small hotel on one the village it was around 0730hrs so decided to take breakfast in that hotel.

Typical Tamil Nadu style breakfast

After eating hot Tamil Nadu style idli with Sambar and Coconut chutney prepared by using red chilies, sipped a cup of tea nearby shop, because tea or coffee are not served in these hotels they are provided separately near by shops which sells bakery items too.

After finishing breakfast headed towards Mettur, the beautiful Highway passes through lush green agricultural land and Tall Palm trees. These Palm trees are one the attraction of Tamil Nadu and official tree of Tamil Nadu.

 Banana Plantation

Locally these trees are called as Doub Palm, Palmyara Palm and Tala Palm, Toddy was collected from these trees by taping the top shoots and its fruits also eatable. Leaves are used for making Mats, Baskets, Umbrella, Fan, Hats etc. 

Apart from this all olden days manuscripts are written on this Palm leaves by using sharpened iron needle. Locally its called as "Karpaha Veruksham"it means every part of this tree is useful to human.Young trees are cooked as vegetables.

The soil type of these area is mixture of black and red it looks like brownish and  it holds water and mist drops. Once it contact with the water form very sticky and very slippery.

 Check post on the way

Mettur Reservoir visible from long distance

Around 0830hrs reached near Mettur, on the way one can point out the Mettur Reservoir, first we visited Mettur Dam, we didn't entered inside because photography was prohibited from inside so took some snaps from outside and headed towards our next destination i.e Hogenakkal Waterfalls.

Locals fishing at Mettur Dam

View From Bridge

 From Mettur we took Omalur - Mecheri Road to reach this road one has to cross the hill opposite to Mettur town, beautiful ghat road takes us to Mecheri Omalur Road junction, from the top of the hill we can see whole Mettur town, bridge and dam.

Climbing the Hill Road

Mettur town and bridge view from the hill top

Before joining the Omalur road a beautiful bridge built on the way, it was sunny morning, took some pictures and continued our journey.

Bridge on Omalur Road

View from the bridge

Distance between Mettur and  Hogenakkal is 80km, we continued on Omalur - Mecheri Road road was superb especially the landscape changing in every corner. While riding we are used GPS it rerouted into short route and took us inside small beautiful village and joined the main road.

Narrow Village Road

Beautiful Roads

Weather was very hot scorching sun on top of us but fine landscapes make us to forget everything and we feel like riding on heaven. Somewhere near Mecheri winding road took us on top of one of the hill, as soon as start to ascending the hill on other side forced us to stop our motorcycle, I have never seen such beautiful road constriction. Landscape looks marvelous.

Winding Roads

Around1100hrs reached Pennagaram road and took diversion towards Hogenakkal waterfalls.From this place just 16km to reach Hogenakkal. From here onward landscape start to change again, level plain land, huge tamarind trees on both side of the road looks nice give little relief from scotching sunlight.

Power Lines

Tamarind Trees

Karthik Taking rest...😄😄

Small town covered under Tamarind trees

Once reached near Hogenakkal a check post welcomed us, they charged entry fee of Rs.10 per motorcycle. Near the check post one white colour Mahindra Thar was parked under the shade, "DHARMPAPURI POLICE" written on it.

Winding roads after crossing check post

Sub Inspector of Police (Traffic) proudly sit on chair kept under the shade, a plastic table also kept in front of him , Police constables are asking for Driving Licence and Registration documents. As soon as I show my DL he asked all other documents are proper ? and let us to move from there.

Once we crossed the check pos,t scenery dramatically changed winding road goes through forest and beautiful valleys took us to Hogenakka Town here we parked our motorcycle at parking bay and started explore the beauty of Hogenakkal.

Valley

Road Safety Mirror Installed on blind corners

Bridge inside forest

Here we met Mr. Subramanyam and team who helped us to explore the Hogenakkal. They charged 2500 including 3hours of Coracle ride and auto fare.

Its around 1200hrs we took some water and biscuits and ready to go. In the meanwhile Subramanyam make ready one of the Auto Rickshaw we and we traveled in Anchetti road were Coracle ride starts.

Auto Rickshaw

Anchetti Road

One the road a small shops were built they are selling fried fish, It was fresh fish from the river, Sudheer and Karthi would like to taste the fish, they make it ready on the spot and   packed the item and moved towards the starting point of Coracle ride.

Lady Frying the Fish

While preparing the fish Auto driver returned to the Hogenakkal  to drop another party and while coming back took large Coracle on top of the Auto. He took us inside the forest land from were the ride starts.

Ride starts..

Coracle

Coracle is a round shaped bowl type boat which made out from Bamboo, plastic gunny bags are tightly rapped under the body and black tar was applied on these gunny bags to prevent water entry inside the boat, building cost was Rs.650 and lost long for 1 year, once in a every six month Tar coating required. It will carry 8 passengers at a time and also carry's motorcycle, goods etc.

View from the River Kaveri

Karthik Tasting River  Fish 😎

The River Kaveri was in its peak, Mysore KRS Dam water was coming towards Hogenakkal and goes to Mettur Dam, so water level was high, brave hart required for Coracle ride. Some times water come inside the Coracle due to waves created in the river, in some area it moves too fast, heavy rocks are located beneath the water.

Subramanyam Our Coracle operator

But our Boatman cum guide Subramanyam masters the art of controlling the Coracle in any tough conditions. He is grown up playing in the banks of River Kaveri, know each and every corner of the River and forest. His family consist wife and Three daughters and One Son, elder daughter was married, second one is went to Plus two and no more interested in studies and helps his mother at home. Small daughter and son going to boarding school, he want to give good education to them.

After floating around 2km, he took the Coracle to river bank and took rest for 15minutes. Some tourist are enjoying the water, some are taking bath, somebody cooking, frying the fishes on tree shades.

Subramanyan informed us that night stay also possible here they will charge 10 to 12K per Coracle for 4 to 5 members. It's just like a packaged tour they will provide all the facilities like food stay etc. If you don't want to night stay they have day option also. ( For more details you contact him 944 28 54689)

While we are taking rest he was busy with cleaning the Coracle and kept it under the tree to drain, after spending 15mintues our coracle ride again started. Finally we reached neat the Hogenakkal waterfalls point.

 Birds on the bank of River Kaveri (Pic. Credit - Karthik)

He dropped us in the river bank of Karnataka side, form here on has to walk in the wood for 10minutes to reach Hogenakkal waterfalls view point. A small bridge was built on the top of river, have to cross this to reach the view point. Rs.10 per person collected at this point.

 Goat in the woods

These locals are well known about Veerappan, t hey cannot believe the encounter in which Veerappan was killed. They says the encounter story was fake. Actually he was trapped, some one mixed poison in butter milk and gave it to him, due to this he was died. After this the encounter story was created by government.

Bridge to the View point

We don't the reality but most of the local peoples believe this. Subramanyam also tells the same story and in my earlier trip I met boat man named Muthu he is also telling the same story.

Waterfalls

From the view point you can see fantastic view of Hogenakkal water falls, roaring Kaveri look like a flowing milk. Its fantastic view. after spending half an hour we returned to the pick up point and headed towards Tamil Nadu bank. after half an hour he dropped us in the Tamil Nadu bank and from there our Auto driver was ready we took auto and went back to the Hogenakkal were we parked our motorcycles.

More Pictures

Closeup view

Karthik

Surroundings

Moving shops😄😄 

It was around 1430 so we decided to leave the place and headed towards our next destination i.e Yercaud. There were two route option, one is via Mecheri - Omalur - Selam another is via Dharmapuri - Dhanishpet. We chose second option because we don't want to ride again and again in same route and another this second route was passes through some beautiful villages.

En route to Yercaud

My Green Bull, Palmyrah and little hut😎😎

After traveling arouond 45km via Hogenkka - Pennagaram - Dharmapuri road joined to NH44 one of the longest running National highway to North to south India. It runs between Sri Nagar and Kanyakumari. It also part of AH43 (Asian Highway).

 After crusing 45km on NH44 reached the place called Deevattipatti from there diverted to Danishpet Road. It was around 1730 hrs, we didn't took lunch so stopped near Danishpet railway gate and had some Tea and Chenna Dal Wada's at near by shop. 

Railway gate Danishpet

Bommidi Road

 After traveling 10km in Bommidi road took diversion into the Yecaud road, we have to cover 27km to reach Yecaud, the narrow road passes between mountains and lot of potholes in the road forced us to settle in low pace. One of the corner met a TATA1210 truck he advised me to go carefully because the road condition was too bad.

Road heading towards Yecaud

But beautiful scenery refreshes \s and give energy to ride, some fantastic view one this route but due low daylight not able to catch all these on Camera. 

When we reached near Yecaud Coffee plantation starts, narrow winding roads goes between big coffee estates. One of the junction I have confused because Karthik and Suheer kept little distance from after a while I so a car coming from opposite direction I have stopped the direction he clearly directed the way.

At last around 1900hrs reached Yecaud and  took a room in nearby lodge and ended 2nd day ride. It was very foggy and as soon as reached Yercaud rain started, around 2030 went nearby hotel and had dinner and went to bed.

Total distance covered : 267Km

Riding hours                : 13hrs