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-   -   Experiencing the Monsoon - On the Horse Face and on top of KA - A Trekkalog (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/89283-experiencing-monsoon-horse-face-top-ka-trekkalog.html)

This trekkalog is actually a combination of 2 treks which I did in the past 2 months. After completing the Amedikallu trek, we had initially planned to do a monsoon trek in June. But, due to various reasons, we could not do it. We usually plan to do a trek every month and for the past 3 months we could not do anything and we were totally frustrated. One fine day, my trek partner (Bhpian 'optimystic01')suddenly calls up and says, lets go somewhere the next weekend.

Trekkalog of the Amedikallu trek :
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...trekkalog.html


I weigh the Pros and Cons of this weekends trip.

Pros: Get out after a looong time.
Cons: FIFA world cup 3rd place match and final on Saturday and Sunday nights. I will miss it if I go on the trip. It was supposed to be raining heavily at our destination.

After carefully examining the pros and cons, I decide I will go on the trip this time.

We discuss some options and finally decide on a place. Initially, this was not planned as a trek. We were supposed to spend sometime relaxing in his cousin's estate. But, as we say 'You can take me out of the trek, but you can't take the trekker out of me':D, things never go on as planned.

Finally, We left for the trek on the weekend of July 11, 2010. Here is a picture of the Horse Face. Any guesses where this is?






More pictures coming tomorrow.....

Aaha. Kudremukh in all its glory. Bring it on Addy. There are two trekkalogues I relish reading. Your's is one of them. The other one is hiding and I guess I will have to entice him with a rat back to T-BHP.

Kudremukh looks very serene! Great one Addy.
MX The cat will not let itself out of the bag, so easily, come what you do!

"Kudremukha" has a charm of its own, lucky you been treeking a lot on the hills:)

waiting for the pics!

Here comes a trekkalog from Addy! Wow man the opening pic is good. Had driven to Kudremukh sometime in May and had enjoyed it a lot. The natural beauty and the dense forest is a sight to see.

Bring it on!!

Waiting for more, Addy!
Had been to Bhagavathi nature camp an year back exactly.

Sorry for the delay guys, I was not able to access T-Bhp from the morning. Anybody else have the same problem?

Pics coming right up!!!!

Thanks MX. Hope I'll live up to the expectations.

Thanks Amp,

True. It has a charm of its own.


Coming right up!!

How was the camp? I have never been there despite planning for it a couple of times.

Waiting for the pics. We had done one to Kudremukh 10 years ago. We camped for a week there and the crisp streams and moist nights are still fresh in memory. We did it in April.

As most of you have guessed, the picture is of Kudremukh. I had told earlier that this was originally not planned as a trek. We initially wanted to go to my friend's cousin's estate in Horanadu and relax there. We decided to take my Swift D for the trip this time. We were 4 of us this time.

As always we started late in the night, around 12 am, drove non stop until we reached CCD in Bellur Cross. It was raining pretty heavily on the way and we were pretty optimistic about us encountering heavy rains at Hornadu (yeah, we love rains). After a small break in Coffee day, we headed to Mudigere. The route we took was

Bangalore-Magadi-Kunigal-Hassan-Belur-Gendehally-Mudigere

The previous night, I had asked tbhpian sushrutha about the route conditions to Mudigere and he had suggested us to take the Gendehally road to Mudigere. We took that and found that it was a good choice and reached Mudigere at around 6 am. Except for a couple of potholes, the whole route was good.

The approach to Mudigere


After Mudigere, we drove non stop to Kalasa.
Sights between Kottigehara and Kalasa




The early morning mist was everywhere




The Tea estate seen here is the Kelagur Tea plantation.


Yours truly posing:D


A bungalow on the opposite hill


The sun rising over us


Mountains of mist



By this time everyone in the car had woken up and we were deciding what to do. Our plan was to reach Horanadu, take rest, freshen up and later go to Kudremukh. But, we decided to go directly to Kudremukh and enquire about trek opportunities for that day. So Kudremukh it was!!!

We stopped for breakfast in Kalasa and reached Kudremukh check post at around 9 am. Upon enquiring with the guard, we learnt that it was too late to trek to the peak and that we could do trek to Gangadikallu and Kurinjal Peaks inside the National Park and had to get permission from the Kudremukh Forest office in Kudremukh town. Disappointed, we thought of doing the smaller treks, but later thought we can come back and do the trek to the Kudremukh Peak tomorrow.

We then took the entry pass from the check post and went straight in. Our first stop was the KIOCL office. KIOCL is short for Kudremukh Iron Ore Corporation Limited. But now, the mining operations have stopped here although the offices and the township are still functioning. We enquired at the KIOCL office if they would let us visit the plant. But the security guards refused entry saying permission had to be secured from the Bangalore office of KIOCL.

Views near the KIOCL office





We moved on back to the highway and towards Hanumangundi Falls. On the way we passed by the Kudremukh Iron Ore plant. This plant is visible from the highway.

Kudremukh Iron Ore plant


View from a bridge


Hanumangundi Falls





For some info on Hanumangundi falls, check this link
Hanumangundi Falls - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On the way back, we stopped at the most beautiful stretch of road I've ever driven on.







Continued......

I think I need to do a trip with you for sure!
5 Stars for that one snap of open road and mountains in the backdrop!

You look amazingly fresh a whole night drive. Were you the lone driver?


PS: By the way no one needs to guess from the snap! The title gives it away! :)

That is why that stretch of road is my favourite. I had to wait for quite sometime to get the pic with no vehicles in it.

Nope, there was one more guy. He caught his 40 winks during the night an during the day he did all the driving.

About the title, I knew it was easy, was just pulling legs:D

Stunning pics. We had stopped at exactly the same bridge and the same road with the mountain in the backdrop to soak in the beautiful landscapes around us.

Going good so far. If the pics of the drive are so good, i am just imagining how the pics of the trek would be :)

That pictures from the road with the mountains in the background is mind blowing. Did u sit down or lie down on the road to that that close to the road??
Brilliant effort.

If i want to do a trek at the main peak at Kudremukh, whts the procedure?? Have you got any contact details of offices that I need to apply for permission??

Subs

I'm sure you'll like those pics too.

Sorry to keep you waiting:). Where exactly did you camp in Kudremukh? spending a week in Kudremukh must have been an awesome experience.
Thanks subs. Actually, we just kept the camera on the road and clicked.

You need to take permission from the Range Forest Officer at Kudremukh Township. I'll post the pic of the letter and details in the next post.

Kudremukha is more of a biker's paradise, especially when one bikes it up from Bajagoli. Oh man, those roads are terrific. Nostalgia. Nostalgia. Happy to see all those photos Addy.
How is the route between Mudigere and Kudremukha? Especially between Kalasa and Kudremukha? Any idea about the road condition from Kalasa to Horanadu?