[mallumowgli]

This was a trip which happened 3 months back and here goes how it happened...

How do you keep an 8 year old inside a house cooped up for 2 days? My nephew was coming visiting and this was the most difficult question in my mind. Only a weekend available, I’ve some work at office on Saturday, leaving us with only a day and half to get of to some place before he brings the house down. And that too his parents were not with him to keep him under control

But Palakkad and Coimbatore is blessed with lots of spots around and there is actually a problem of plenty. I remember our master traveller Laluks’s excellent travelogue on Nelliyampathy and the wonderful stay he had at a resort. Called up the same resort and booked for a night.

Saturday comes and the little one is full of questions – are we going to the forest? Will there be Lions? Will there be Giraffes? No dear, there will not be any Lions or Giraffes. He was disappointed. But I told him there are lots of monkeys and birds. I did not want to talk about Elephants or Bison and then disappoint him when they don’t show up

Then the dreaded question…Will there be leeches?? He remembers our earlier trip to Siruvani last year where I was bitten by leeches and he saw blood!! Don’t worry about leeches – leeches wont bite you if you wear shoes - I tried to calm him. He fell silent, but it was clear he was not convinced.

We packed and started from home by around 10am – I decided not to go to office that day – and we soon left Palakkad town behind and within an hour we reached Nenmara town from where we have to divert towards the hills.

The ghats start a little after Nenmara. We made our entry at the forest check post, manned by a grumpy official. “I won’t allow you if you return back after 6” he said. “We are not coming back at all today” I replied. “Grmmph” he said and let us go

This visit was made in October. This season's erratic and mistimed monsoon in Kerala had taken a breather that weekend and we were left with some stunning scenery as soon as we started the ascent

The roads were very good and the though the sky was heavy with monsoon clouds, we were spared the rains except for the occasional drizzle.


Heavy rains that extended beyond September meant that the entire route was dotted with some beautiful water falls and streams.











Our journey became slower as every turn was followed by ‘Hey Look’, ‘Vow’ and then stopping and spending some time. Sometimes we did not take any photos, just came out of the car, breathed in the fresh air, got back into the car to drive on when the birds looked on curiously


By and by, we reached the view point.


There were a motley group of tourists, a chai wala selling hot tea and stale looking groundnuts.




The views there seconded my decision to move to Palakkad from the big cities




After all it’s just an hour’s drive from where I live and I could do it every weekend. It’s a different matter that this is my first trip to this place in-spite of being in Palakkad for over two years and it needed a brilliant travelogue from Laluks to inspire me.






We decided to have tea – any hot drink is heavenly when consumed in such misty conditions, even hot water with a spot of milk like in Britain during the good old Asterix days.

After filling our lungs and brain with the freshness, we were energised to move on.

Soon we were at Nelliyampathy town – Jeep operators flocked around the car and offered to take us to go rock climbing in their jeeps. I know that there is a spot called Mampara where only jeeps can go – but the local DFO has put a ban on visiting this spot. But the Jeepwalas said that there were more such spots where there is no ban –but I said no thanks and preferred to go to places where my Santro would take me. They showed me the directions to Poabs estate and we set off.

We again found spots to slow our journey – mist covered valleys, small streams, flowers and cows and goats!!










Wifey, a Vet, checks out some prospective patients



Finally we reached Poabs estate

[jeevmenon]

So finally its here. Mallumowgli is back with a bang. Late Sunday night posting, I see here - the most peaceful time to sit and pen down stuff. Its indeed wonderful to be amongst misty mountains and clear hill streams/falls. Well captured.

The 8 yr old is on his own in pic 10, bubbling with energy.

From CBE and PKD there are lots of places as pointed out - I repeat it each time I cross the 20km Palakkad gap - North of the gap (Ooty/Nilambur + Malampuzha/Silent-valley) and South of the gap (Valparai/Parambikulam/Munnar.) You are at the perfect location there MM. Lucky you!

I burn 8 hours and 540 km of flat land to reach the Walayar checkpost - lot of waste of everything. Damn!

Keep it going and more snaps. Please start one of your Bandipur TL as well.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

The ghats start a little after Nenmara. We made our entry at the forest check post, manned by a grumpy official. “I won’t allow you if you return back after 6” he said. “We are not coming back at all today” I replied. “Grmmph” he said and let us go

What timings at the check posts? Where exactly is the check post (kms after Nemmara)?

Soon we were at Nelliyampathy town – Jeep operators flocked around the car and offered to take us to go rock climbing in their jeeps.

What a change from earlier days! When I first went to Nelliyampathi in 1997, you had to search for people!

[laluks]

@mallu mowgli - Beautiful. I am already getting nostalgic.
Nelliyampathy is such a wonderful place.


The same checkpost guy was baffled when I landed up at the checkpost at midnight and wanted to go up to Nelliyampathy. But he let me go after doing the necessary checks including checking with the resort.

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

What timings at the check posts? Where exactly is the check post (kms after Nemmara)?

The check post guard said 6 to 6. But I think the guys there may relax this if you are returning or else some known contacts there calls up, like in the case of Laluks. Its definitely not as strict as Mudumalai or Bathery. The check post is around 12 kms from Nenmara, just after Pothundi Dam, as you enter the ghats

What a change from earlier days! When I first went to Nelliyampathi in 1997, you had to search for people!

Even now the town is very very small with very few shops. But I think the visitor crowd must have increased multi-fold. In spite of this there are no good restaurants at Nelliyampathy town, only kinda run down eateries. Only way is to book at the resorts

Originally Posted by laluks

@mallu mowgli - Beautiful. I am already getting nostalgic.
Nelliyampathy is such a wonderful place.


The same checkpost guy was baffled when I landed up at the checkpost at midnight and wanted to go up to Nelliyampathy. But he let me go after doing the necessary checks including checking with the resort.

Thanks laluks. I was in fact narrating your midnight experience to my family when we were reaching the check post.

[NFS]

Nice pictures and wonderful narration of the travelogue. Please keep writing such wonderful travelogues in future too.

Do include some information about your stay and travel routes with approximate kms covered. Really wanted to venture out once through these tracks.

Happy & safe travelling.

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

So finally its here. Mallumowgli is back with a bang. Late Sunday night posting, I see here - the most peaceful time to sit and pen down stuff. Its indeed wonderful to be amongst misty mountains and clear hill streams/falls. Well captured.

The 8 yr old is on his own in pic 10, bubbling with energy.

From CBE and PKD there are lots of places as pointed out - I repeat it each time I cross the 20km Palakkad gap - North of the gap (Ooty/Nilambur + Malampuzha/Silent-valley) and South of the gap (Valparai/Parambikulam/Munnar.) You are at the perfect location there MM. Lucky you!

I burn 8 hours and 540 km of flat land to reach the Walayar checkpost - lot of waste of everything. Damn!

Keep it going and more snaps. Please start one of your Bandipur TL as well.

Jeev : Sorry missed out your post earlier. Yes Sunday night is supposed to be the most peaceful time for posting, but I did it because I got free only by then

Thanks for the comments - as you say this place is blessed with must see places. But though you have 540kms to burn to reach GOC, you seem to be getting to such places more often than I do. Separate South Kerala and North Kerala trips and what not!! I shall post the Bandipur TL after this

Originally Posted by NFS

Nice pictures and wonderful narration of the travelogue. Please keep writing such wonderful travelogues in future too.

Do include some information about your stay and travel routes with approximate kms covered. Really wanted to venture out once through these tracks.

Happy & safe travelling.

Thanks NFS, for the encouragement. Nelliyampathy is roughly 50kms from Palakkad town and we stayed at Cicilia Heritage.

Ciscilia Heritage - Welcome to Ayurvedic Resort

Details of the resort in subsequent posts - hopefully by tonight

[Ride_4_Fortune]

Nice pictures mallumowgli.

Thanks to laluks for his excellant travelogue. Neliyampathy has become one of my favourite places after visiting it last year. I didn't explore much in the region as my visit was for one day. I visited the place again few times for the excellant ghat ride it offers and less crowd compared to other hill stations. I have recommended the place to others also.
I would like to know if there is any possibility of reaching Parambikulam from Neliyampathy and where to get the forest permission. Any route available for this ?

[mpksuhas]

When you said on friday night on update of pics coming soon I didnt guess you were saying of a new travelouge. As I had said before the roads looks very inviting, makes you all the more bugged on seeing reading this on a sleepy monday afternoon in office.
As jeevmenon said, hope to see your bandipur / BR hills posts too soon.

[kaushik_s]

Nice photographs MM. Rain adds so much of magic to the hills. Neliyampathy seems to be a lovely place. Gosh, still so many places to visit..

[laluks]

Originally Posted by Ride_4_Fortune

I would like to know if there is any possibility of reaching Parambikulam from Neliyampathy and where to get the forest permission. Any route available for this ?

There is one trekking path used by the tribals to reach Nelliyampathy from Parambikulam. There is a jeep route also - but requires permissions from forest officials is what I was told. Since I had no inclination to do that, I did not check it further. But trail is considered tough.

[jeevmenon]

MM: What happened next? Spice garden walks, food, resort rooms, views, temperature, staff?

[Nutty Nair]

Originally Posted by laluks

There is one trekking path used by the tribals to reach Nelliyampathy from Parambikulam. There is a jeep route also - but requires permissions from forest officials is what I was told. Since I had no inclination to do that, I did not check it further. But trail is considered tough.

Thanks for the info, Lalu. I love tough trekking paths
MM - Nice way this TL is shaping up. Loving the misty photos. Pl. post more of them.

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by Ride_4_Fortune

Nice pictures mallumowgli.

I would like to know if there is any possibility of reaching Parambikulam from Neliyampathy and where to get the forest permission. Any route available for this ?

Thanks Ride_4_Fortune. I think Foby Sebastion had mentioned about some route in one of his posts. But nowadays forest officials are a bit strict in these parts

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

When you said on friday night on update of pics coming soon I didnt guess you were saying of a new travelouge. As I had said before the roads looks very inviting, makes you all the more bugged on seeing reading this on a sleepy monday afternoon in office.
As jeevmenon said, hope to see your bandipur / BR hills posts too soon.

I was talking only about posting bandipur pics in Picasa, but change of heart

Originally Posted by kaushik_s

Nice photographs MM. Rain adds so much of magic to the hills. Neliyampathy seems to be a lovely place. Gosh, still so many places to visit..

Thanks Kaushik

Originally Posted by jeevmenon

MM: What happened next? Spice garden walks, food, resort rooms, views, temperature, staff?

Originally Posted by Nutty Nair

Thanks for the info, Lalu. I love tough trekking paths
MM - Nice way this TL is shaping up. Loving the misty photos. Pl. post more of them.

Guys, you need to excuse me for another 5 days. Not in town now. Thanks NN for the appreciation

[Coooolcat21]

Sir,
Fabulous Pics. The mist and the clouds are so soothing.
I have seen such countless small waterfalls formed during monsoons on our route from Bangalore to Mangalore via KG hills.
Waiting for more.
Regards