Wildlife Trekking Tours

Silent Valley National Park recently launched a monsoon package to Keerippara . A day trekking to Keerippara was available for a long time, in between it was off-limits for sometime due to Maoist trouble.  Earlier i had tried unsuccessfully (twice) to go on the Keerippara trek, but this time successfully booked the new package (we were the fourth to take it since launch).  We started around 3 p.m. from Mukkali. Shibu (a 21 year veteran Watcher) and Sudheesh  our guides for the trek, purchased provisions for our food at a local grocery and we're on our way. The trek route starts on the Mukkali-Anaikatty highway close to the bus stop. It was a kucha road, fully motorable and was easy to climb. The mist had also descended and it was a pleasant start.  Keerippara Trek Route Slowly it started drizzling and later became a bit heavy. We stopped in between to wear rain protection and unwittingly became easy targets for the leeches. Before we realised, they wer...

Dhoni Waterfalls, Dhoni Hills palakkad Dhoni Waterfalls nestled in the Dhoni Hills Palakkad has been on my radar for quite a while and finally I got the opportunity to visit the place. The checkpost at the foothills is around 8 KM's from  Palakkad Junction and can be reached in 20 mins. There are direct buses to the Dhoni every hour.  Reached there by 9.30 and got to know that they were letting in only by 10 a.m that day(25-Jun-2017). As soon as the forest guard on duty reached they started issuing tickets. At the ticket counter they check the bags for plastic bottles and covers, note down the count in the register and collect an additional 100 rs that will be returned only if the visitors brings back all the plastic. This seems to be working beautifully as i could hardly see any plastic or for that matter any litter thrown around. This is really worth emulating in all ecotourism centers. Dhoni Waterfalls Dhoni waterfalls - Ticket Counter Dhoni Waterfalls ...

As this is the beginning of the season in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary i thought i'll compile the eco-tourism options available and also do a review of them so that it can be of some help to people planning to visit shortly. Basic information 1) Best Season For Birding - December to January (may be till early Feb) 2) Best season for Sighting - Mid- October to December 3) Accomodation booking is controlled centrally from Munnar. Booking Contact 4) Trekking in chinnar is purely depended on the availability of guides. If you have an accomodation it will be taken care of, but if you plan for a day trip reach early. (also avoid month beginnigs- apparantly the guides don't return till they have spent all their money drinking :) ) Chinnar Eco-tourism Centers There are two eco-tourism centers in Chinnar,  Alampatty and Chinnar Check Post. Chinnar Check Post Chinnar Check post offers the widest options of the two. Chinnar Trekking Options 1) Hard Trekk...

Dhuvanam waterfalls(Amaravathy range, Anamalai Tiger Reserve) The first time I came across this name was through  SUBHA J. RAO 's article in The Hindu " Go trekking on Nature's trail - The Hindu ". Inspired by her article (her articles on travel have been a source of constant inspiration to me and my wife and set us on many an expedition. I take this opportunity to thank her for the same) i went to amaravathy in feb-2009  and met the Ranger. Unfortunately my trip coincided with that of the Conservator of Forest, Anamalai Tiger Reserve . Everyone in the range was busy attending to him and his needs and they couldn't spare a guide for me. I stayed overnight in Udumalpet, came back in the morning and tried my luck. The ranger flatly refused to give me a guide and i had to return home disappointed. Later I came to know that Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary  was offering accomodation and  trekking to thoovanam falls as part of its ecotourism intiative. Intially I ass...

Trekking in Chinnar part I :  Churlipatti Log House Riverine Trekking To reach Pambar Log house there were couple of routes. As it was hot we chose to walk along chinnar river. One has to walk 2 kms along chinnar and come to the confluence of Pambar and Chinnar  (called the Kootar),   then walk a km along P ambar to reach the log house. Hardly few meters into the path we realised we had made the right choice. Chinnar Riverine Trekking This riverine ecosystem with its thick vegetation and excellent bird life is in total contrast with the scrub forests and adds to the diversity of Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.  Riverine path to Pambar Lodge My knowledge of birds is extremely limited and it was almost non existent then. Above that I made the blunder of not noting down whatever species my guide (who was pretty good) was identifying for me. I can only recollect Paradise Flycatcher, the big brown fish owl, serpent eagle apart from drongos, io...

The Original Plan Shiyas (my friend and managing director Esteem Holidays) and I wanted to do a followup on our BR hills(hope to write on it shortly) trip. After establishing  Esteem Holidays  he had done a full tour of Munnar and surrounding areas and recommended Kolukkumalai Estate and Thoovanam falls . So we finalised on a trekking trip to  Chinnar-Thoovanam-Munnar-Kolukkumalai . On Feb 5th we decided to meet in Chinnar . I landed there by 11 a.m and shiyas was there on his KTM duke by 1. We were informed that there was no water in Vasyapara hut. We had to opt for an alternate accomodation or pay  for porters to carry water to the hut that was 7kms inside the jungle. We decided on taking another acco and were allocated Churlipatti Log House . Churlipatti Log House Churlipatti log house is 3 kms from the chinnar checkpost on the banks of Chinnar. We started walking on the forest track at around 3 p.m. towards the log house with high spirits. The spirit...