Masinagudi @ Ooty foothills and Kukke Subramanya

hisunil · 9th September 2010, 21:28

Hi Guys,

I am combining two travel logs in to one thread, I know I am lazy

Right after Somwarpet OTR had been to Kukke via BisalGhat road, its about 40kms the first 15 is smooth tight Twists the later 15 odd kms is no roads just path way to be driven in 2nd gear, the route is spotted by many many streams all the way, lots of mist & provably the first tie I felt worried about the destination coming close & the journey ending !! Green Green Green everywhere just a couple of vehicles in the entire route took 4 hours for 40 kms, lots of stops for pics Birds etc.

Me My Wife & Tejas did the trip, We stayed at SRS residency, lovely place for a price for 550 Rs !!! The next day, took the same route back to Somwarpet & then to Bangalore, I cannot think of another vehicle that can do a OTR like Somwarpet, and can be trusted to take the family in to a lonely jungle the next day without even a water wash, the following day to back track via ghats broken road & BLR about 300 kms. I am loving it.

The Masanagudi trip was 4h to 6th sept, Bangalore-Mysore-Gundelpet-Bandipur-Mudamlai-Masanagudi, Our family, My Bro's Family, Cousin & his Family, Mom made it in Gurkha & Sonata V6 AT, We sa a heard of elephants 30+ of them very very close to road, some Indian Gaur, lots of peacock's a pack of 8 to 10 Fox or Dogs?

We did some offroading at Masanagudi forest, first for Mom @ 55 & now she has a Hip pain :(

Let the pics say more..

Kukke Trip:

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Masanagudi Trip:

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Video's :

YouTube - Trax Gurkha Crosses Moyar River

YouTube - Tilt Climb & aun on the Spair wheel

YouTube - Rock Climbing

YouTube - Gurkha Crosses & Honks

YouTube - Gurkha Comming Down hill

YouTube - Gurkha Climbs a steep mud

YouTube - FarFox

YouTube - Elephant with Baby cub

YouTube - Trax Gurkha Climb's a Hill on its Own

Cheers Sunil

hvkumar · 9th September 2010, 22:55

Spectacular and very plucky, but wasn't it a big risk doing OTR driving without support vehicles, and that too in wildlife-infested jungles?

hisunil · 10th September 2010, 06:56

HvKumar WoW What Vocabulary !! I had to goggle to know what Plucky means

Ye you are right it was a wee bit risky to take entire family in to the jungle, especially after seeing so many wildlife the pervious night. but trust me it was Irresistible and we played it safe, I actually wanted to drive in the rive for a couple of kms, trace the jungle & wander in it for sometime but MoM's presence was a strict NO to any of that, she constantly kept saying we might get lost & not be able to find our way back out, guess what, it actually happened, we crossed the stream while returning back, as no path way or track was present missed a turn & were very frightened for a moment. Also did a drill to see how fast people to get in to the Jeep if need be & found an elephant could easily rampage us 4 times by the time we all can get into the Jeep, so in a nut shell, it was calculated (fortunately nothing happened) Risk, & really resisted many temptations inside the jungle for fear of me getting stuck, the other vehicle we had was a sonata & it couldn't make it to the OTR, BRo's Gypsy was back home @ BLR.

CHeers
Sunil

svsantosh · 10th September 2010, 09:02

Hi Sunil, see how good the Gurkha looks in a video... very nice vids. You seem to be having a blast on the new vehicle... njoy.

Kandisa · 10th September 2010, 09:42

Amazing setting to drive your 4wd with family. Fantastic pictures & videos.

rahultomahawk · 10th September 2010, 09:51

hi sunil, nice pictures , btw what was the mercedes doing in the otr.did you use diff-lock during your trails in the jungle

fazalaliadil · 10th September 2010, 10:05

Thats a great place to be in perfect vehicle in a awesome weather.
Reminds me of my 09 trip to these very places when the forest had started to turn lush green in June at Nagarahole more than in Masinagudi and Ooty.
Looking forward to more.
Regards,

hisunil · 10th September 2010, 11:44

Hey thanks guys,

Yes I had a great time & did use the diff locks couple of times, my tyre are worn out, so need hem more often than would actually require.

Cheers
Sunil

The Wolf · 10th September 2010, 12:22

Hey Sunil, each time I browse through Tbhp I see a new travelogue from you. good going mate! Loved the pic and vids, very nice locations. One question, do you ascertain the locations you wana venture prior to the trip or is it impromptu?

p.s: Be sure to extra caution when you dont have a backup/rescue vehicle especially when you have the women folk around. Nature can bite back without warning on a warm sunny day!!!

hisunil · 10th September 2010, 20:09

Hi Wolf Thanks, Ye I have been traveling quite a bit off late, natural as I bought A Gurkha & Sonata recently.

No I had rough Idea to venture in to the forest, but not exactly how or where, always found that talking to the cattle grazing cow boys/grandpa's about Jeep tracks in the vicinity & also about the safety of location always helps. Do fully listen to there recommendations, DO NOT take the route part & Ignore ANY warnings they list.

Yes Have to be very careful with, have to team-up with more 4wd families that have similar interests, I am sure to find many out here.

Cheers
Sunil

madhkris · 11th September 2010, 07:52

Great place, excellent pics and Video Sunil. How's Mom now? :-)
Your Gurkha looks stunning especially near the water!!

hisunil · 11th September 2010, 17:57

Mom's fine now, Had requested & insisted her to have a Imol+ or eazypiren the same night, she declined saying she was fine, I don't know if its just me or its common to have extensive body pain after each OTR, of-course I am 34 too :(

OT: I saw a heavily modified MM550 with 2 seater Bucket seats, Over sized MT Tyre & A Winch right in Masanagudi it had AP regn & was driven by one who looked like a local.

Cheers
Sunil

hisunil · 16th December 2010, 12:01

Second round Exactly same place more info & video's here:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post2176654

Cheers
Sunil

B-2R · 25th December 2010, 20:14

Sunil,
good going...great to see you and the family using the vehicle for getting out into nature. Agree with the comments on the need to be safe...but had to say, its great to see someone using a vehicle the way its meant to be. if you ever need company and a backup vehicle - drop a note ! i'm going to try and emulate the no of trips you seem to be able to manage and the places you are getting to with the Gurkha!!
Cheers
- Bhaskar

hisunil · 26th December 2010, 16:26

Hi Bhaskar,

We met in Avalakonda right? Trooper Bhaskar, yes you are right, need to be careful especially without a winch.
You are welcome to join sir, in fact did try to call you about a week ago, but cell was not reachable, sent you a sms too.

Cheers
Sunil

9th September 2010, 22:55	#2
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	Spectacular and very plucky, but wasn't it a big risk doing OTR driving without support vehicles, and that too in wildlife-infested jungles?
	() Thanks

10th September 2010, 06:56	#3
hisunil BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: GardenCity Posts: 261 Thanked: 26 Times	HvKumar WoW What Vocabulary !! I had to goggle to know what Plucky means Ye you are right it was a wee bit risky to take entire family in to the jungle, especially after seeing so many wildlife the pervious night. but trust me it was Irresistible and we played it safe, I actually wanted to drive in the rive for a couple of kms, trace the jungle & wander in it for sometime but MoM's presence was a strict NO to any of that, she constantly kept saying we might get lost & not be able to find our way back out, guess what, it actually happened, we crossed the stream while returning back, as no path way or track was present missed a turn & were very frightened for a moment. Also did a drill to see how fast people to get in to the Jeep if need be & found an elephant could easily rampage us 4 times by the time we all can get into the Jeep, so in a nut shell, it was calculated (fortunately nothing happened) Risk, & really resisted many temptations inside the jungle for fear of me getting stuck, the other vehicle we had was a sonata & it couldn't make it to the OTR, BRo's Gypsy was back home @ BLR. CHeers Sunil Last edited by hisunil : 10th September 2010 at 07:02.
	() Thanks

10th September 2010, 09:02	#4
svsantosh Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Dubai Posts: 3,996 Thanked: 6,278 Times View My Garage	Hi Sunil, see how good the Gurkha looks in a video... very nice vids. You seem to be having a blast on the new vehicle... njoy.
	() Thanks

10th September 2010, 09:42	#5
Kandisa Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Noida Posts: 1,118 Thanked: 559 Times View My Garage	Amazing setting to drive your 4wd with family. Fantastic pictures & videos.
	() Thanks

10th September 2010, 09:51	#6
rahultomahawk BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Thane Posts: 175 Thanked: 62 Times	hi sunil, nice pictures , btw what was the mercedes doing in the otr.did you use diff-lock during your trails in the jungle
	() Thanks

10th September 2010, 10:05	#7
fazalaliadil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 2,022 Thanked: 672 Times View My Garage	Thats a great place to be in perfect vehicle in a awesome weather. Reminds me of my 09 trip to these very places when the forest had started to turn lush green in June at Nagarahole more than in Masinagudi and Ooty. Looking forward to more. Regards,
	() Thanks

10th September 2010, 11:44	#8
hisunil BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: GardenCity Posts: 261 Thanked: 26 Times	Hey thanks guys, Yes I had a great time & did use the diff locks couple of times, my tyre are worn out, so need hem more often than would actually require. Cheers Sunil
	() Thanks

10th September 2010, 12:22	#9
The Wolf Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,118 Thanked: 71 Times	Hey Sunil, each time I browse through Tbhp I see a new travelogue from you. good going mate! Loved the pic and vids, very nice locations. One question, do you ascertain the locations you wana venture prior to the trip or is it impromptu? p.s: Be sure to extra caution when you dont have a backup/rescue vehicle especially when you have the women folk around. Nature can bite back without warning on a warm sunny day!!!
	() Thanks

10th September 2010, 20:09	#10
hisunil BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: GardenCity Posts: 261 Thanked: 26 Times	Hi Wolf Thanks, Ye I have been traveling quite a bit off late, natural as I bought A Gurkha & Sonata recently. No I had rough Idea to venture in to the forest, but not exactly how or where, always found that talking to the cattle grazing cow boys/grandpa's about Jeep tracks in the vicinity & also about the safety of location always helps. Do fully listen to there recommendations, DO NOT take the route part & Ignore ANY warnings they list. Yes Have to be very careful with, have to team-up with more 4wd families that have similar interests, I am sure to find many out here. Cheers Sunil Last edited by hisunil : 10th September 2010 at 20:14.
	() Thanks

11th September 2010, 07:52	#11
madhkris BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bengalur Posts: 292 Thanked: 83 Times View My Garage	Great place, excellent pics and Video Sunil. How's Mom now? :-) Your Gurkha looks stunning especially near the water!!
	() Thanks

11th September 2010, 17:57	#12
hisunil BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: GardenCity Posts: 261 Thanked: 26 Times	Mom's fine now, Had requested & insisted her to have a Imol+ or eazypiren the same night, she declined saying she was fine, I don't know if its just me or its common to have extensive body pain after each OTR, of-course I am 34 too :( OT: I saw a heavily modified MM550 with 2 seater Bucket seats, Over sized MT Tyre & A Winch right in Masanagudi it had AP regn & was driven by one who looked like a local. Cheers Sunil Last edited by hisunil : 11th September 2010 at 18:01.
	() Thanks

16th December 2010, 12:01	#13
hisunil BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: GardenCity Posts: 261 Thanked: 26 Times	Re: Masinagudi @ Ooty foothills and Kukke Subramanya Second round Exactly same place more info & video's here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post2176654 Cheers Sunil
	() Thanks

25th December 2010, 20:14	#14
B-2R Newbie Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 15 Thanked: 2 Times	Re: Masinagudi @ Ooty foothills and Kukke Subramanya Sunil, good going...great to see you and the family using the vehicle for getting out into nature. Agree with the comments on the need to be safe...but had to say, its great to see someone using a vehicle the way its meant to be. if you ever need company and a backup vehicle - drop a note ! i'm going to try and emulate the no of trips you seem to be able to manage and the places you are getting to with the Gurkha!! Cheers - Bhaskar
	() Thanks

26th December 2010, 16:26	#15
hisunil BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: GardenCity Posts: 261 Thanked: 26 Times	Re: Masinagudi @ Ooty foothills and Kukke Subramanya Hi Bhaskar, We met in Avalakonda right? Trooper Bhaskar, yes you are right, need to be careful especially without a winch. You are welcome to join sir, in fact did try to call you about a week ago, but cell was not reachable, sent you a sms too. Cheers Sunil
	() Thanks