[sarmarishi]

Lovely pics and thanks for the info. So it will take approx 8 hours from here to Valparai. Were you driving in excess of 80 or below? Just trying to see if it can be done a little faster and on a long or short weekend if one leaves early

Which estate did you stay in?

[ch.nathan]

Originally Posted by sarmarishi

Were you driving in excess of 80 or below?
Which estate did you stay in?

On NH-7 we can easily do 90-100kmph consistently. Diversions, food-intervals and traffic are the factors affecting.
We left Bangalore at 5am and reached Valparai at 13:30 for lunch.

BTW, we stayed in "Waterfall estates". It spreads for more than 1000 acres, has a Tea factory, hospital, school and everything in it.

[jacs]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

BTW, we stayed in "Waterfall estates". It spreads for more than 1000 acres, has a Tea factory, hospital, school and everything in it.

How much did it cost for a family room? Or was it a cottage?

[ch.nathan]

Originally Posted by jacs

How much did it cost for a family room? Or was it a cottage?

They have home-stay bungalows with double bedroom suites.
Tariff for a family per day - Rs.1500/-
Food Nonveg=Rs.450 per head per day. Veg=Rs.350/- per head per day.
Common kitchen and dining room.
Great food (of your choice), good service.

[ampere]

Places looks nice esp, the various shades of green!
By Sep it should be all green! Hope to go there then.

[vinay.pillai]

@ch.nathan - Very good travelogues....Nice Landscape shots, I enjoyed it.
One question - Is that animal on tree in picture, a black monkey or a Giant Malabar Squirrel

[jacs]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

They have home-stay bungalows with double bedroom suites.
Tariff for a family per day - Rs.1500/-
Food Nonveg=Rs.450 per head per day. Veg=Rs.350/- per head per day.
Common kitchen and dining room.
Great food (of your choice), good service.

So my family (Me, Wifey & <2 year kid) can enjoy the place for 2400 per day with food .

Originally Posted by ampere

Places looks nice esp, the various shades of green!
By Sep it should be all green! Hope to go there then.

Good news! We already reserved Sept 10-12 for outing being a long weekend for both of us (Holidays doesn't match always since I am into IT and wifey is a teacher). So I have one more place to debate (already Wayanad, Kodai, Hyderabad, Pondicherry are in the list).

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

Spotted a black monkey:

Attachment 372015

This looks more like a Malabar Giant Squirrel to me...did the guide refer it as Nilgiri Monkey or so.

Lovely travelogue, thanks for sharing, did you stay at the "Waterfall Estates" - Did not see your answer already..sorry..its a nice place to stay.

[ch.nathan]

Originally Posted by vinay.pillai

One question - Is that animal on tree in picture, a black monkey or a Giant Malabar Squirrel

Oops. My memory has gone so bad. That's a Squirrel.



More PICs of Day-1 evening (A walk into the forest):


Finding a Parking slot is never a problem here, it appears so :








Entry into the forest:





All we could see were these Bisons:





Joy of natural colours:











Do you see a shape in this?





And he decides to call it a day:

[gops]

Originally Posted by ch.nathan

They have home-stay bungalows with double bedroom suites.
Tariff for a family per day - Rs.1500/-
Food Nonveg=Rs.450 per head per day. Veg=Rs.350/- per head per day.
Common kitchen and dining room.
Great food (of your choice), good service.

Nathan,

Very good travelouge!

If I am not wrong, the place you stayed looks like the Tennis court cottage of Waterfall Estate. I had been there with my friends some time back. The cook / care taker named Veeran or Verraiyan prepared awesome food & great hospitality.

~Gops

[ch.nathan]

Originally Posted by gops

If I am not wrong, the place you stayed looks like the Tennis court cottage of Waterfall Estate. I had been there with my friends some time back. The cook / care taker named Veeran or Verraiyan prepared awesome food & great hospitality.

~Gops

Gops, you are 100% correct. It's Tennis court bungalow, though the Tennis court is not maintained properly.
No complaints from my side though. Anyone would rather relax on the lawn than to sweat-out playing tennis on a vacation !!

And btw, first day we stayed here in this bungalow and the next day we shifted to another bungalow named "Valley View" (of the same estate). That's another awesome place with another great caretaker.

Watch this space for more photos - including "Valley View".

[vinay.pillai]

Beautiful pictures, enjoying each & every shot especially the last few shots of sunset.

[ch.nathan]

This is the other bungalow I was talking about, "Valley View" :







Imagine waking-up in the morning and this is what hits your eyes:





Scenic Views:







Nirar Dam:







Temple:





More views:

[Fordmanchau]

Hey Nathan,
Wonderful travelogue.
After your accident thread, this is a welcome change.
Photographs are too good, and I am so jealous that you can cover 450 km in half a tank, damn the petrol prices!!!!

[ch.nathan]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

Photographs are too good, and I am so jealous that you can cover 450 km in half a tank, damn the petrol prices!!!!

Thanks Fordmanchau.

But I have to live with the extra NVH from the Diesel engine under the hood.
I don't actually need a horn when I am driving through the residential neighbourhood late in the night. Am I making you more jealous?