Upcoming Treks in Tamil Nadu

About Place: One of the lesser known treks in the Tamil Nadu circuit, Vattakanal trek 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 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 Non A/C Private Coach Distance from Bangalore 450 kms (one way) Total trekking distance 14 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

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 Non 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

Rayakottai trek - the trek to a fort on the hill top is a good one day outing from Bangalore. It’s an easy trek and beginners can complete it with ease. The fort is situated within the town of Rayakottai which is one of the ancient fortress in the Krishnagiri district. It is now one of the protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India.In the 18th century Hyder Ali and Tipu sultan ruled this fort. The fort was captured by Major Gowdie during the third Anglo-Mysore War in 1791. According to the Treaty of Srirangapatna, this fort came into the hands of the British. 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

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  18/20 degree  Accommodation type  Dorms (separate for Gents and Ladies)  Washrooms  Only at Base Camp  Food  Veg & Non-Veg Food  Transport  Non AC Private Coach  Distance from Chennai   540 kms (one way)  Total trekking distance  12  kms approx.  Attraction  Waterfall, Tea Plantations Few important points to note before you decide to register:Click Here read more read less

About Place: One of the lesser known treks in the Tamil Nadu circuit, Vattakanal trek 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 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 Accmmodation with Sleeping Bags or Dormitory Washrooms Only at Base Camp Food Basic Veg Meals Food Transport Non A/C Private Coach Distance from Chennai 490 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 the Place: The Pachamalai Hills, also known as the Pachais, are low mountain range in the Eastern Ghats System. They are located in Tamil Nadu state, southeastern India. In the Tamil language, Pachai means green. The word Pachamalai literally translates to Green Hills. The range's vegetation is greener than some of the other hills in the region. One can see many peacocks around this region. Pachaimalai jungle trek has many unexplored trails. The green hills jungle trek is an unexplored jungle trail. One will be amazed by the diversity of the fauna found in this jungle. It is a home for a wide variety of birds making this trek a mandate for any bird lover. After a sturdy walk of about 7 kms the trail ends at a viewpoint.   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