Wayanad, Kabini and the Monsoon…

'Waynad' means 'land of paddy fields'

It is raining in Bangalore after a session of hot summer weeks, and evenings started becoming cooler ensuring us that we are indeed in Bangalore! When it rains, I couldn’t help remembering a trip Shemy and I had last September. People, often are reluctant to go for trips during rainy season, and I also was like that. But this trip changed my perception about rain; I started noticing the inherent beauty of rain and the mystic feeling it brings to our eyes and hearts.

I said I was reluctant for the trip, but I was some what forced to go for this trip since it was our first wedding anniversary. Since I enjoy doing things differently, I decided to do away with conventional ways of celebrating wedding anniversary like gifts, parties, or restaurants, instead booked a cottage at Kabini River Lodge (KRL) for one day. Getting the booking in KRL was difficult, as we have to book there almost one month in advance. But we managed to get the booking since it was off-season, again because people travel less in rainy season! We had four days and remaining 3 days we decided to roam around places near to KRL.

We started on Friday evening and managed to drive up to Srirangapatana before sleeping there in a lodge by 11 P.M. Saturday morning 7A.M we are ready to go and planned our route for today. Our booking in KRL was on Sunday. KRL is on the way to Mananthavadi in Waynad from Mysore and is around 30 K.M from Waynad border. So we decided to go to Waynad first through Bandipur and Gudalloor. This is a round about way of going to Waynad, but we didn’t have any thing urgent to do in Waynad, so we decided to take this less known, less traveled village route. Again we came to know about this route from a small mention of it in the Outlook magazine.

On Gundalpet-Bandipur route

We reached Bandipur by 10.30 A.M; the safari time was already over, so we headed to Gudalloor. Gudalloor is in Tamilnadu and is around 30 K.M. from Bandipur. We saw an Elephant near Mudumalai forest on the way to Gudalloor. We both were excited on seeing an Elephant in forest. We stopped and had many clicks of that cool chap. Later when we where about to leave, we noticed chains in its legs and a caretaker (Ana Pappan) near by! It was a domestic Elephant used by forest people. All our excitements gave way to a laugh.

On Gudalloor-Wyand route

We reached Gudalloor by noon and had lunch there. The roads in Gudalloor town were pathetic; the ugly combination of rain and bad roads made the Gudalloor town look dirty. But all our grievances about coming to Gudalloor went away as we started our journey to Waynad through Pandalloor, Mangorange, and Meppadi route.

The road was good, though not wide, and it was through small villages and tea estates.

On Gudalloor-Wyand route

The drive through this route was the most scenic drive I ever had. It was raining through out and entire area was full of mist.

On Gudalloor-Wyand road

The mist, greenery, and rain cornering us in a car in an unknown, lonely place made us wondering if we were in a dream! It was first time we are seeing mist so close to us, and whenever rain allowed, we got out to enjoy the misty environment.

On Gudalloor-Wyand route

These photos are taken at around 3’o clock in the evening.

On Gudalloor-Wyand route

We entered Kerala at Mepadi and we saw board about Meenmuti waterfalls. There are two routes to see the waterfalls. One route needs around 3 K.M walk through tea-estates and forest. This need a guide, and I had heard that attempting this path without guide is dangerous since the way to the waterfall could be the way to your own fall! Since we had no hope of getting a guide in this rainy evening, we took the second route.

Meenmutti Waterfalls

This needs around 1.5 K.M of climbing a hilly village, and it gives a panoramic view of the waterfall than a closer look, the first route would have given. The panoramic view of Meenmuti waterfalls was fantastic; the fall seemed so wild and steep that I would never attempt go near to that falls. We were seeing it from a hill with small tea-estate, and down the hill was very deep with dense forest.

Around Meenmutti Waterfalls

It is part of the Nilambur forest, which starts from here and extent up to Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad district, and this ever green forest with thick vegetation is home to wild animals as well as wild humans like timber smugglers, ganja cultivators and poachers; the fact that even foresters don’t dare to enter these geographically challenging terrain, makes it a convenient play ground for poachers and ganja cultivators. We left Meenmuti water falls, one of the nature’s wildest incarnations, and headed to Kalpetta which is the near by town to stay. We managed to get a comfortable stay at Kalpetta.

On Kabini-Wyand route

Sunday morning, we are ready to go to KRL. The check in time is around 1.30 P.M. We had breakfast at Kattikulam, which is a small town near Karnataka border. The route to KRL from Waynad is through Mananthavadi, Kattikulam and Bavali. From Kattikulam to KRL, the 30Km stretch is only forest.

On Kabini-Wyand route

We entered Kanataka at Bavali and continued through the forest road. Again this route is also dramatically scenic, the Monsoon had painted green all over. We could see many Peacocks and Dears on the roadside.

On Kabini-Wyand route

The road is really bad, and at places it is a mud road. We have to travel around 25km in first or second gear, the forest dept. intentionally have not given permission to repair this road to reduce traffic and thus to save the wild life. We can only imagine what will happen to the animals crossing the road in the night, if all the trucks and buses going to Calicut in Kerala go through this short cut road. Unfortunately this is also an important road connecting Mysore to Mananthavadi in Waynad.

Bison Inside Nagarhole Park

KRL run by Karnataka government adjacent to Nagahole National Park (Rajiv Gandi National Park) is a very good resort and is the best place in South India to see wild life. They took us for forest safari in the evening and morning. We saw many animals including Elephants, Bear, and Wild Dogs etc.

Road to Kabini River Lodge

This forest has a healthy population of Tigers. But the Tigers and Leopards still do not seem to have the courage to come face to face with us! Summer is the best time to see wild life here as animals come to the banks of Kabini to escape from hot summer, but if you are looking for scenery, the tail end of Monsoon is the best time.

On Kabini-Wyand route

We were wandering in deep jungles in search of animals; the jeep driver from KRL is very cooperative and is very enthusiastic to show us as many animals as possible.

On Kabini-Wyand route

During our morning safari, another tourist, with his family, in our jeep sounded funny and at times irritating when he insisted that he should see an Elephant now. This forced our jeep to wander in forest even after the permitted time up to 9A.M., but unfortunately for him, we couldn’t get an Elephant on our way.

Inside Nagarhole National Park

We went to the banks of Kabini, and the overflowing river looked like a backwater lake. We had small boat journey in the river and could spot many birds and Peacocks on treetops.

The Kabini

In summer, this place is a game area, where a number of animals, especially Elephants, could be spotted when they form a beeline to drink water from the narrow river. In the bygone era, this was a favorite hunting place for the Maharajas.

Lazy afternoon in Nagarhole!

Since we have one more day, we again went back to Waynad border instead of going to Mysore. We don’t want to leave any stone on our way untouched, so when we saw kerala tourism’s board to Kuruvadweep (Kuruva Island), we took a turn to Kuruva islands.

On the way to Kuruva Island

It is an uninhabited island surrounded by the Kabini River. There is a boat service to crossover to the island. There are around 6 small islands in this area, which can be accessed only during summer. The Kabini River is turbulent here compared to near KRL since it is close to its origin. So entering the water is highly discouraged during monsoon. During summer, we can cross the chain of rivers by walk and is a good place for team activities like crossing the river using ropes.

Furious Kabini around Kuruva Island

From Kuruva we headed to Tirunelly for staying that night. Tirunelly is a temple town on the foothills of Brahmagiri.

On the way to Tirunelly

On the way to Tirnunelly, we could see many boards of upcoming Elephant corridor, which is like a highway for elephants commuting between Nagarhole forest in Karnataka and Aralam forest in Kerala, so that they don’t come in direct conflict with villagers staying around during their journey between forests!

Way to upconing Elephant corridor

Tirunelly is know for the temple and is often called 'Kasi of South'. From Tirunelly there are many trekking routes through Brahmagiri.

On the way to Tirunelly

A one day trek from here would take you to the Karnataka side of Brahamagiri near Iruppu Falls in Coorg district. I kept this adventerous trek for a later trip.

Brahmagiri near Tiruneely Temple

Tuesday morning, we started our journey towards Mysore. We took the Kutta-Nagarhole-Hunsur Route.

Inside Nagarhole near Hunsur

Again we could see many Dears, Peacocks and different kinds of Monkeys during the 30 K.M. drive to Hunsur.

Their school is just at the entrance of Nagarhole

Then comes the most exciting part of our trip. When we were very close Hunsur gate of Nagarhole forest, we noticed a big wild Tusker in the middle of the road. I stopped the car immediately and took reverse so that we are ready to fly away in case the tusker decides to shake hands with us. Still Shemy was shouting, “Where is the elephant?” Shemy’s ability to notice things on the road is well known to me and so didn’t wonder me much. After taking the reverse I took time to show her the tusker standing in the middle of the road about 100 meters ahead of us! In the middle of excitement and fear, we forgot to capture the majestic tusker in our camera. Seeing the fear in our face, the gentle man tusker didn’t take any time to slowly enter into the forest, giving a clear green signal to us. We saluted the kindness and calmness of the tusker and proceeded with our journey to Bangalore.

Wild Pig Inside Nagarhole

By evening we are back in Banagalore with our batteries fully charged for our next trip!

Route Info

Route we took: Bangalore-Mysore-Bandipur-Gudalloor-Pandalloor-Kalpetta-Mananthavadi-Bavali-Kabini River Lodge - Kuruva Island -Tirunelly-Kutta-Nagarhole-Hunsur-Mysore-Bangalore.

Accomadation:

Kabini River Lodge: http://www.junglelodges.com/

Rent: About Rs.3000 per person.

Some of the good budget hotels i have stayed:-

Sultan battery(Wayanad):

Hotel Regency. Ph: 04936220512.

Mandya (near Mysore):

Hotel Haripriya. Ph. 08232226112.