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Old 11th September 2013, 13:07   #1
h14
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A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

With Sep 7,8,9 being a long weekend, I was preparing to head to Coimbatore. It was also time to leave my S10 back in Coimbatore. Also with my sister and family already planned to spend the weekend in Parambikulam I too decided to join them on Sunday and Monday.

So plan was to drop my S10 in Coimbatore and start off to Parambikulam in someother car.

Friday, Sep6 got delayed at work and so I started off to Coimbatore from Chennai on saturday morning around 6:30 with a friend whom I had to drop in Salem. Since it was a long weekend, traffic on the GST was heavy and it lasted till ulundurpet.

Stopped at Ulundurpet A2B for breakfast and it was utter chaos in there. Somehow managed to get some food and we started off to Salem via Attur.

At A2B

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-1.jpg

The Attur Salem stretch was completed and the additional toll plaza was also functioning.

Also, the toll rates have been increased by Rs. 3 at all tolls starting from Vikravandi.

Dropped my friend in Salem and headed back towards Coimbatore. Had one break on the way near Perundurai

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-2.jpg

Reached coimbatore late in the afternoon and the S10 was very happy to be back home

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-3.jpg

Was now pretty eager to hit Parambikulam. It was more than 10yrs I last visited that place. Now came the dielemma on which vehicle to take to Parambikulam, the choice was either my Amby or my BIL's Hurricane.

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-4.jpg

It was a very tough decision. My heart wanted to take the Hurricane, but my wallet strongly recommended something diesel!

As always went ahead with the hurricane. I had not driven the hurricane after ooty rally, and so around 8pm took it out for fueling, that's when disaster struck.

It started in half crank and idled perfectely, but when revved it would struggle and seem to die. I believe this is to do with the carb setting and so decided to take at drive along race course to see whether it improves once the engine gets warmed up, but it did not happen and was very difficult for me to keep it moving. It was too late in the day to get hold of a mech and so with a heavy heart, decided to drop the plan of taking the hurricane.

Next choice was Amby. But my BIL said that the roads from Sethumadai upto Yanapadi check post was in very bad shape. Did'nt want to put the amby into such stress and that's when I remembered that my BIL's diesel CJ3B was free and avaialble in his farm. I would be passing through his farm anyways.

So Sunday morning, I started at 6 am from Coimbatore in my Amby. Plan was to drop Amby in his farm and pick up the CJ. This one is a Mahindra Cj3B and now running on Isuzu G1 with 4x4. This is a daily use vehicle in the farm. Mostly used with its trailer to carry agri stuff.

Reached the farm, dropped the amby and the CJ was waiting to hit the hills.

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-5.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-6.jpg

Few pictures enroute:

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-7.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-8.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-9.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-10.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-11.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-12.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-13.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-14.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-15.jpg

Spotted Deers were in plenty on entering KL limits

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-17.jpg

Family was already there with the Camper and Innova. The Innova was there to recieve us at the KL checkpost and to guide us to the accomodation. We had booked the tree-top house on the banks of thunakadavu lake along with another one.

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-16.jpg

Some pictures of the Tree-top hut and its surroundings:

The hut on the banks of Thunakadavu dam:
A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-18.jpg

The view of the dam once you are out of the hut!
A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-19.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-20.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-21.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-22.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-23.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-24.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-25.jpg

There were quite a lot of such hoardings enroute:
A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-26.jpg

Another shot of the hut
A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-27.jpg


After checking in had breakfast and then we were off to Parambikulam to catch up with the others in the camper.

This hoarding was near Parambikulam
A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-28.jpg

Last edited by h14 : 11th September 2013 at 14:48.
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Old 11th September 2013, 15:22   #2
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

Some pics from Parambikulam:

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-1.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-2.jpg

And the brothers meet

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-3.jpg

Headed back to Thunakadavu for lunch and spent the afternoon in there and decided on a drive to Kannimara teak in the evening.

Around 4:30pm we started to Kannimara teak.

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-4.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-5.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-6.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-7.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-8.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-9.jpg

While driving back from the teak, spotted a group of elephants! This was the first time I'm seeing wild elephants!

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-10.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-11.jpg

After watching them happily roaming around, we headed back to the rooms and retired for the day.

Next morning, we went on a drive upto the Yanapadi check post. Enroute we spotted a huge heard of spotted Deers! Should have been atleast 100 of them in that group.

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-12.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-13.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-14.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-15.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-16.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-17.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-18.jpg

Also saw quite a lot of Niligiri langur and Peacocks were in plenty too. I believe that its due to the vehicle movement restrictions of not more than 3 vehicles permitted per hour etc are main contributtors for such easy animal spotting.

Saturday night, there were two elephants who visited the tree top hut around 7:30 pm and upon seeing people chatting in there they ran away!

Kuddos to the Kerala forest department for maintaining this place so beautifully and naturally.

The interpretation center is one example to how serious they are with this place.

Would love to visit this place once again in a more leasure manner and cover finer aspects of the place.
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Old 12th September 2013, 16:14   #3
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues Section. Thanks for sharing!
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Old 13th September 2013, 12:02   #4
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

H14, nice guided tour of TopSlip sanctuary. Photos were very good. Could you add more snaps of the Thunakadavu and Parambikulam reservoirs ? The location of the Tree top hut looks very inviting. Although elephants roaming around can be really scary, especially in the dark. Does elephant sightings happen regularly in the vicinity of the treetop hut?
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Old 13th September 2013, 16:47   #5
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

H14 fantastic place and nice photos. I had been there a couple of years ago and this has been the best maintained forest that I have seen, kudos to them for keeping it so very beautiful and so rich with wildlife.

We had come face to face with a group of bisons early morning around 6.30, then elephants were spotted far away. Also at the Kannimara tree, exactly in the direction where your camper was parked I spotted a leopard for the first time in my life and what a thrilling moment that was. Thanks for sharing, have marked this place to visit with family.

Did you book online for the stay.
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Old 13th September 2013, 18:00   #6
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

Quote:
Originally Posted by majumon View Post
Did you book online for the stay.
Online booking on is not working on their site now. There is a banner mentioning it is under maintenance not sure if it was working before.
http://www.parambikulam.org/civetvalleythunakadavu.php
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Old 13th September 2013, 19:14   #7
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

Your travelogue reminds my visit to Parambikulam but it was in 1999 on a rented Mahindra Jeep from Thrissur during December for Vanamahotsavam festival.
I'm glad to see Kerala Government's effort to retain the sanity of this forest. Also during my stay next to spotted deer massive bisons was the most seen wild animal; may be now they are becoming endangered species you couldn't spot one.
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Old 14th September 2013, 13:34   #8
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

Quote:
Originally Posted by majumon View Post
Did you book online for the stay.
The website is under maintenance now. I had been to Parambikulam during May 2013 and had booked my accommodation through the official website of the sanctuary. You will be directed to make the payment to their bank account with the State Bank of India, Pollachi branch and will be required to carry this payment proof when you visit the sanctuary. In my case, though I had forgotten to carry this proof, the conservator office at parambikulam village had a printer and internet connection, so I could take this print there. Very very helpful officials, I would say. And one of the very few sanctuaries maintained properly by involving local tribes in the process. I will give a detailed account in a separate thread. By the way, I have mobile nos of two staff there and contacting them may be of help to you. Mani - 9486701663 and another no.+919442201690. Their land line no is +91 4253 245025. Try your luck.
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Old 14th September 2013, 21:37   #9
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

Nice travelogue h14. Enjoyed reading it.
Parambikkulam is in my "menu" for the last couple of years.
Sure I will make it soon.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gokrish View Post
The website is under maintenance now........... Mani - 9486701663 and another no.+919442201690. Their land line no is +91 4253 245025. Try your luck.
Thanks Gokrish for the info.
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Old 16th September 2013, 11:34   #10
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

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Originally Posted by venkatt1800 View Post
H14, nice guided tour of TopSlip sanctuary. Photos were very good. Could you add more snaps of the Thunakadavu and Parambikulam reservoirs ? The location of the Tree top hut looks very inviting. Although elephants roaming around can be really scary, especially in the dark. Does elephant sightings happen regularly in the vicinity of the treetop hut?
Thanks venkatt1800! The pictures that I shared are from my mobile. Will share some more pictures once I get them from my cousins cam. Elephants we were told do venture out on the roads, but have'nt been harmful. Hope it stays like that

Quote:
Originally Posted by majumon View Post
H14 fantastic place and nice photos. I had been there a couple of years ago and this has been the best maintained forest that I have seen, kudos to them for keeping it so very beautiful and so rich with wildlife.

We had come face to face with a group of bisons early morning around 6.30, then elephants were spotted far away. Also at the Kannimara tree, exactly in the direction where your camper was parked I spotted a leopard for the first time in my life and what a thrilling moment that was. Thanks for sharing, have marked this place to visit with family.

Did you book online for the stay.
Thanks majumon! I was not able to spot any bisons since I landed there a day later than the others. My family who was there on saturday did spot quite a lot of bisons.

Stay was booked by my BIL. Not sure how he did it. Will check with him and update.

Quote:
Originally Posted by treadmark View Post
Your travelogue reminds my visit to Parambikulam but it was in 1999 on a rented Mahindra Jeep from Thrissur during December for Vanamahotsavam festival.
I'm glad to see Kerala Government's effort to retain the sanity of this forest. Also during my stay next to spotted deer massive bisons was the most seen wild animal; may be now they are becoming endangered species you couldn't spot one.
treadmark, yes there is tremendrous amount of effort being put in here and the KL forest department needs special mention. Bisons I was not able to spot, but was spotted by my family a day earlier. Will get those pictures and share them.
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Old 16th September 2013, 12:33   #11
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

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Thanks majumon! I was not able to spot any bisons since I landed there a day later than the others. My family who was there on saturday did spot quite a lot of bisons.
It is better to avoid tree top houses, if one wishes to spot lot of animals. The pluses and minuses of tented niche and tree top are as follows:

Tree top: Best suited for those who love privacy and silence. The other plus point is that those staying at tree top have the option revisiting kanimara teak tree early in the morning after 6 am when the parambikulam village forest gates are first open. Due to nil traffic then, one has a very good chance of spotting animals on the way to kanimara teak tree. In fact, comparatively a very good chance of spotting leapards or tigers. Minus is that guests staying at treetop house will have return by 6 pm to their accommodation and the forest department and guides are strict about this.

On the contrary, guests staying in tented niche, have a very good probability of spotting animals on their return journey from parambikulam to their tents as they will be taking this route after 6 pm. And only tented niche guests have this opportunity of travelling after 6 pm. More over, we could spot a lot of deer, pea cock, and Indian Gaurs (they are not bisons but are known as Indian Gaurs in India) which freely roam around the tents after the sun is down. However, there is only one guided tour in the whole package and followed by a bird watching trip in the morning. But, depending on our equation with the guide, we can actually take a 10 km trek into the nearby dam which is again an eerie experience.

Alternatively, we can stay at bison valley or civet valley which is again an experience in itself. My advice is not to chose Honey Comb Complex as this does not offer either of the above experience.
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Old 16th September 2013, 13:01   #12
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

Nice thread and good pictures. Good to see that there are places in India which still maintains virgin forect cover and the tribals in the area play a major role in conservation. Incidently there is a news article today in TOI about this place.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/22616437.cms
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Old 17th September 2013, 22:00   #13
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

As promised some more pics from a proper cam

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-camper.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-bison.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-elephant.jpg

A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps-elephant1.jpg

Will share more as and when I get them.
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Old 17th September 2013, 22:30   #14
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

Interesting!

Spotted the same jeep 5 years back at my regular workshop near Pollachi!
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Old 17th September 2013, 22:59   #15
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Re: A quick visit to Parambikulam with the Jeeps

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Originally Posted by ramzsys View Post
Interesting!

Spotted the same jeep 5 years back at my regular workshop near Pollachi!
Wow ramzsys, you have fabulous memory to remember and pull out a pic from 5 yrs back! We have this CJ since the early 90's and it is in my BIL's farm near Pollachi (Thathur to be precise on the location)
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