Route: Bangalore Hunsur Nagarahole National Park Kutta Virajpet Madikeri Panathur Kanhangad Kannur Calicut Kalpetta Gundlupet Mysore Bangalore Places Visited: Drive through Nagarahole National Park, Iruppu Falls, Abbey Falls, Talacauvery, Bhagamandala, Bekal Fort, St. Angelo Fort, Muzhappilangad Drive-In Beach, Kappad Beach and Vasco da Gama Memorial, Edakkal Caves, Pookot Lake, Half way up Chembra Peak.
All Right
Its Kerala again!!! After my road trip in September covering Munnar, Thekkady and Kochi, I wanted to go back and explore the Northern part of Gods Own country. Never seen a state in India packed with so much lush greenery. A state blessed with abundant streams, rivers, waterfalls, forests and hospitable people.
Wayanad was at the back of my mind, but I wanted to combine Wayanad with some other places in Kerala. I wanted to include Northern Kerala just to visit the Bekal Fort. Going through the thread on TBHP Bangalore to Kannur Road info needed, sbraj and RajeshK recommended a route from Bhagamandala in Coorg towards Kanhangad close to Bekal Fort. That was the missing link and I quickly plotted the route which is going to take me to Madikeri, North Kerala, Wayanad and back to Bangalore. Again me and wifey in my Swift D off to Kerala again!!!
Preparation:
The car has done close to 24000kms. Just a week back I had been to Pondicherry and Mahabalipuram in the midst of cyclone that lashed South India and the car was very dirty inside out. After a complete wash from a nearby service station and the air filter cleaned I was ready to go. Also had the TBHP stickers put on the car, which was ordered recently. I fill up regular diesel (Rs.1100/29.6lts.) from IOC at RV road the previous day. All the bags packed and we planned to leave Bangalore by 6:30AM on Saturday morning.
Day 1 (28th November, 2009): Bangalore Srirangapatna Hunsur Nagarhole National Park Kutta Gonikoppal Virajpet Madikeri Trip Meter 0kms to 332kms
We had to start by 6:30AM today. But due to some unforseen extra workload at office which had to be completed before my vacation, I had to slog in the office till early Saturday morning. I decide to delay the start by 11:00AM as I need atleast 5-6hrs of sleep before I drive. I am up by 10:30AM and already feeling refreshed, take a quick bath, load the luggage into the car and leave my house in Jayanagar by 11:30AM. We quickly make our way through Kanakapura road and take the NICE road towards Mysore Road. Join Mysore road by 12:00PM and go into cruise mode at 90-100kmph.
Due to the delay in start, I know by the time we reach Madikeri its going to be dark and would have to push visiting Abbey falls the next day. By 1:00PM, my grumbling tummy reminds me of the breakfast I skipped. Decide to stop at McDonalds after Channapatna. After a quick meal of Burgers and fries we hit the road again in 15mins. By 2:00PM, we are turning right after Srirangapatana at the deviation towards Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary. The 2 lane road is riddled with potholes about 8-10kms till the junction where the road from Mysore joins this road. Then the road condition gets better with occasional potholes. Then a fast paced drive on a smooth Mysore Kushalnagar SH. Take the left towards Hunsur; enter the town and another left towards Nagarhole National park. Its a single lane highway now till Nagarhole National park.
Swift D at McDonalds, Channapatna sporting the TBHP LTD sticker!!
Road towards Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary off Mysore Road.
Super smooth Mysore Kushalnagar SH.
Good single lane road inside Nagarhole National park.
Another picture during the drive inside Nagarhole National park.
Good single lane road inside Nagarhole National park.
Just loved the blue sky with tall trees around.
The road inside the forest is in very good condition. Its a slow drive now watching out for some wildlife. We spotted herds of deers and some elephants. Was a relaxing drive through the forest, cold breeze with sunlight peeping through the dense forest canopy.
A Small lake inside the forest.
This fella was chained to the tree.
I guess trying to tame a wild elephant.
This guy here running away as soon as he saw my car.
Beautiful evening sunlight in the forest.
Deers everywhere!!!
Deers everywhere!!!
Deers again!!!
This forest is filled with deers!!!
One more pic of deers!!!
Just loved nature at its best.
By 4:30PM we are out of the forest, enter Kutta town and drive towards Gonikoppal. The 2 lane road has now become a single lane road with the sides broken away due to rains. Take the deviation towards Iruppu Falls and we are at the parking place by 5:00PM. Meet my collegemate from Bangalore here who is on a road trip with his friends. The last time I met him was less than a year back at Ooty. Strange!! Its just that I usually meet him on road trips more often than in Bangalore.
Huge tree across the road. Cut the branches enough for a big vehicle to pass.
Evening sunlight on the hilltops.
We start the 1km walk towards Iruppu Falls. The weather is just perfect, with the evening chill settling in and bright sunlight on the hilltops around. It takes about 15-20mins walk to the waterfalls. The place is not much crowded and we spend about 20mins looking at the waterfalls and relaxing. Then we walk back to our car and by 6:00PM we start our drive towards Madikeri.
We start the trek towards Iruppu Falls.
The pathway towards the waterfalls.
The beautiful Iruppu Falls in the evening.
Tried some exposure stunts with the camera.
Iruppu Falls.
The road turns bad and then its no road. We are offroading and gets dusty with other vehicles passing by. By 7:00PM we are at Gonikoppal and road improved only about 4-5kms before Gonikoppal. Gonikoppal to Virajpet stretch is allright and bad roads again till Madikeri. By 8:00PM, we are at Madikeri and check into Hotel Rajadharshan near Raja seat. The standard of the hotel has gone down considerably and I have second thoughts about staying at this hotel now. Freshen up and relax for sometime. We take a walk outside in the cold night. We almost walk for a kilometer and decide to have dinner at Hotel East End. Though the non-vegetarian starter was good, the paneer butter masala was just onion paste with some raw paneer thrown in sans butter. After a not so good dinner we walked back to our hotel by 11:00PM. Off to bed by midnight.
Continued....