Upcoming Treks in Tamil Nadu

About Place: One of the lesser known treks in the Tamil Nadu circuit, trek to Vattakanal is on the difficult side of the trekking spectrum. Completing the whole trek in a day would make it comparable to the strenuous nature of Kumara Parvatha trek. After reaching Theni early on Day 1, we head towards the base where we freshen up and start the trek. First hour is a warm up and is easy on the eyes with couple of deeply hidden waterfalls. After a refreshing break is when the trek becomes taxing. Constant steep under the thick jungles of the Western Ghats make it a tiring journey. The views when the forests rarely open up are majestic. Spotting wildlife is highly probable with Bison, wild goats, porcupines being the more common species. Mist laden forests make it a spooky environment and walking the trails feel like a true adventure. After trekking for 10kms, we reach Vellagavi, a 50 house village with no road connectivity. They have to either come down to Kumbakarai or go up to Vattakanal for selling the fruits and spices which are in abundance. Oranges, Butter Fruit, Papaya, Banana, Guava, Passion Fruit, Jack Fruit are some of the many varieties of fruits available here, which make it a mouthwatering experience. Deep in the jungle, an aptly named camp site �Into the wild� is where we�d camp on Day 1. Day 2 welcomes us with an unforgiving winding path which is continuously steep and equally spooky with the mist. After a tiring 3 hour hike, the warmth of lemon tea in the cold weather of Vattakanal concludes a satisfactory trek. The trek ends at Dolphin Nose in Vattakanal. Difficulty level Moderate to Difficult Approx Temperature 20/25 degree Accommodation type Tented Accmodation with Sleeping Bags or Dormitory Washrooms Only at Base Camp Food Basic Veg Meals Food Transport A/C Private Coach Distance from Bangalore 450 kms (one way) Total trekking distance 18-20 kms approx. Attraction Forest. Waterfalls. Mountains and View Points. Few important points to note before you decide to register:Click Here read more read less

About Place: Kotagiri is a hill station in Niligiris District situated at the height of 5,890 feet. Most of the trekking trails are unexplored in this region due to its connectivity to Nilgiri Range which is prohibited to outsiders by forest department. The pleasant weather and fluctuating temperatures add up to the beauty of this place. The trail starts in the tea estates and continues down the valley on the river - path to end at Mettupalayam - Kotagiri junction. The major attractions near Kotagiri include the Catherine Falls, Elk Falls, Doddabetta Peak and the Rangaswami Pillar. Catherine falls is the second highest waterfall in Nilgiri Mountains after Kolakambai Falls.   Difficulty level Easy to Moderate  Approx Temperature 18/20degree  Accommodation type Dorms seprate for Gents and Ladies  Washrooms Only at Base Camp  Food Veg & Non-Veg Food  Transport AC Private Coach  Distance from Bangalore 380 kms (one way)  Total trekking distance 10/12  kms approx.  Attraction  Waterfall, Tea Plantations Few important points to note before you decide to register:Click Here read more read less

Kurangani Hills near Bodi in Theni district is a perfect place for trekkers as well as nature enthus. The 12 km hike from Kurangani village to Top Station through Central village is a journey to be cherished. The trekking route here is covered with the dense woods and plain grasslands of Kurangani Hills.enthus. The 12 km hike from Kurangani village to Top Station through Central village is a journey to be cherished. The trekking route here is covered with the dense woods and plain grasslands of Kurangani Hills. Although Kurangani Hill is near the famous Kolukkumalai Hills, which is the highest place for tea plantation in the world at an altitude close to 8,000 feet, the place is still not known in the tourism circuit. However, several foreign tourists do come here. Some nature lovers within the state also frequently visit Kurangani Hills. Film-makers too have been charmed by nature here. Frequently changing weather, low-hanging clouds, chilly atmosphere and strong winds coupled with a wide range of flora and fauna are the things to enjoy in the hills. It takes four to five hours to complete the trekking from Kurangani village to Top station, whereas two-and-a-half hours for the return trip. Trekkers often spot Indian guars, barking deer, langurs, wild cats and sometimes the presence of leopards and tigers. Top Station offers a panoramic view of the majestic Western Ghats. The rare Neelakurinji (Strobilanthus), for which the destination is popular, blooms once in twelve years. Few important points to note before you decide to register:Click Here read more read less

About Place: Being the highest organic tea estate in the world, Kolukkumalai is one of the best places to have a refreshing cup of tea and trek around. There is a tea factory building built in 1930 where the tea is processed in a traditional way. The trek starts from Kurangani village at 3,800 Feet and continues up toward a grassland till a single pine tree which is a resting point before entering the forest. From here, the trail is steeply uninterrupted and traverses right into the forest. While hiking through this trail we get mesmerizing views of Kurangani hills and cool breeze continuously hits our face. Once we hit the forest we are completely covered with the jungle canopy all the way till Kolukkumalai. There are around forty to fifty hairpin bends we have to criss-cross throughout and the only way to reach our destination. As we hit the last stretch of the trek, the pine trees welcome us with unique high altitude environment with birds chirping around in the fog covered tea estates. Kolukkumalai is at 6,800 Feet above sea level and it has some excellent views of the far off plains in the bordering state of Tamilnadu. It's a charming sight to witness the distant hills slipping in and out of the mist. After reaching the destination, we will relax for some time with little exploration around the tea gardens and head toward the camping site for overnight stay in tents followed by a dinner and camp fire.  Few important points to note before you decide to register:Click Here read more read less

About Trip: Bandipur National Park Bandipur National Park is regarded as one of the most beautiful and the better-managed national parks of India. Located amidst the picturesque surroundings of the towering Western Ghat Mountains on the Mysore-Ooty highway in Karnataka, Bandipur National Park covers an area of about 874.2 sq km. Together with Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala and Nagarhole National Park in the North, it creates the India's biggest biosphere reserve popularly known as the 'Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve'. Bandipur also has a sizable number of Tigers. Other natural inhabitants of this lovely forest are gaur (a type of bull), sambhar, chital, mouse deer, four-horned antelope, wild dogs, wild boar, jackal, sloth bear, panther, malabar squirrel, porcupines and the black-knapped hare. Birds like jungle fowl and green pigeon are also found here. Doddabetta Peak Doddabetta is the highest mountain in the Nilgiri Hills at 8,650 feet. There is a reserved forest area around the peak. It is 9 km from Ooty, on the Ooty-Kotagiri Road in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu, India. It is a popular tourist attraction with road access to the summit. It is the fourth highest peak in South India next to Anamudi, Mannamalai and Meesapulimala. The area surrounding Doddabetta is mostly forested. Sholas cover the hollows of its slopes. Slightly stunted, rhododendron trees, in the midst of thick coarse grass, flowering sub-alpine shrubs and herbs are common, even very near the peak. Mysore Palace The Mysore Palace is a historical palace in the city of Mysore in Karnataka, southern India. It is the official residence and seat of the Wodeyars and rulers of Mysore, the royal family of Mysore, who ruled the princely state from 1399 to 1950. The palace houses two durbar halls (ceremonial meeting halls of the royal court) and incorporates an array of courtyards, gardens, and buildings. The palace is in the central region of inner Mysore, facing the Chamundi Hills eastward. Mysore is commonly described as the City of Palaces. There are about seven palaces inclusive of this; however, Mysore Palace refers specifically to the one within the Old Fort. Built by the Maharaja Rajarshi His Highness Krishnarajendra Wadiyar IV, Mysore Palace is now one of the most famous tourist attractions in India, after the Taj Mahal, with more than 6 million annual visitors. Ooty Lake Ooty Lake is an artificially constructed lake with picturesque natural surroundings. Originally constructed for the purpose of fishing, the lake has become all but an important tourist landmark in Ooty. An evening cycling around the lake (cycles are available for rent), or a quiet morning with your beloved by your side and the lake in front is enough to bring calm to yourself. Originally extending a much larger area, Ooty Lake has shrunk in size over the years giving way to other structures like the race course. For any clarification email us at [email protected] or call on 9611102222 Few important points to note before you decide to register:Click Here read more read less

Palani Hills Trek : If you want to truly absorb the splendour of Kodaikanal outdoors, there is only one thing to do and that is to walk through its wild. The drama of landscapes begins from the great Palani Hills passing through the lush green peaks and jungles with completely serene environment. One can hear the sounds of nature, echoing for miles and miles. In the dark, humid forest floor the wildlife here, normally hidden, presents itself as you will be able to spot bisons and elephants from the reasonable distance.   We reach the campsite early morning on Saturday for a freshen up, breakfast and with the short briefing about the terrain, we start the trek with a pack-lunch. The trek continues through the small streams and dense forest where morning sunshine glitters throughout the jungle canopy. After walking through the thorn infested forest, we reach out in an open grassland where, we can witness the peak before attempting it. It offers a beautiful view of Palani Hills and you can feel that adrenaline rush after making it to such a height. Once we reach the peak, we spend some time relaxing and exploring around with the delicious pack lunch. Later, we head back towards the waterfall, which marks as an ending point of the trek. On reaching the waterfall, we will regroup and spend some  time in the water, followed by a riverside walk to the campsite. Few important points to note before you decide to register:Click Here read more read less

We start on Friday night for a 300 km drive from Bangalore and enter the majestic Nilgiri Hills. We drive past Wellington (the home of the Madras Regiment) into the expansive tea estates in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. Segotaraayar Peak (1800 meters) is located right on the Border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and overlooks The Palakad Silent valley on the south in the distance and Mukurthi National Park on the West. This range has a number of tribal settlements including the Irula, Toda and the Badaga communities. The trek begins at the Irula hamlet called Mooperkaad bordering the forest. The trek to the peak takes us through mixed terrain including shola forest, tea and coffee estates. One of the features of this trek is that you will have the opportunity to spot wildlife including Gaur (Indian Bison), Barking deer, and come across plenty of signs of Sloth bears. This trek is an excellent choice for first-time trekkers, nature photographers, children and corporate teams. We recommend this trek for anyone who would like to getaway from the city and have a laidback adventure over the weekend. read more read less