Prior to hitting the open roads, I put on the 3M ear plugs for insulation from wind noise.

BHPian WalterWhite recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Ride to Nelliampathi - Feb, 2024

After my last update in July 2024, here I am with another ride update. The ride itself actually happened more than a year ago. As usual, my tight work schedule and my laziness in writing things down made this post take much longer than expected. But here I am, better late than never!

Nelliampathi had been on my "go-to" list for a long time. Most of the time, other places took priority, and Nelliampathi always ended up at the bottom. But finally, it’s off my list now!

Nelliampathy is a hill station located in the Palakkad district of Kerala. It’s part of the stunning Western Ghats, known for its natural beauty. So one fine Sunday took my Akira there.

Route

Kochi -> Trichur -> Vadakkanchery -> Nenmara -> Nelliampathi

Started off at 8 AM. The traffic was mild most of the time. But once the Angamaly is over, this is where I get straight highways with less traffic. Some junctions are already equipped with flyovers, while others are still under construction. For the junctions under construction, I had to detour onto the service road and then merge back onto the highway, requiring extra caution. On the open roads, the Akira is off the shackles, and the beast comes out once I cross the 8K RPM. 8K to 13K: This is where the fun is and should be explored on open highways. Prior to hitting the open roads, I put on the 3M ear plugs for insulation from wind noise. This works like a charm upwards of 120Kmph and cuts out most of the wind noise. By 10:00 AM, I had exited the Kuthiran Tunnel and was approaching Vadakkanchery. By 10:45 AM, I reached Nenmara, the starting point of the Nelliampathy road. It took me another 45 minutes to reach Nelliampathy. The hot weather was quite tiring.

From here the uphill climb starts.

Somewhere in the uphill journey, Pothundi Dam reservoir in the backdrop

Pothundi Dam Reservoir

Almost at the top Akira posing for a side show

The Seethargund Estate entry: This is the main attraction in Nelliampathy. Providing a view stunning to the Kollengod village of Palakkad

The Seethargund viewpoint with the signature tree in the foreground and the Kollengod in the background.

A wide angle : Akira in the backdrop of the Pothundi Reservoir

The Seethargund viewpoint

The Seethargund tea plantation

The way to Kesavan Para : another viewpoint

The 10-minute walk slowly revealing the top rock formation

The view : Pothundi Dam. The heat was unbearable here.

The dry fields are begging for a thunderstorm...!

Well, overall the ride proved to be tiring because of the scorching heat. I chose the wrong season for the visit - February. The Palakkad district altogether was burning, and let alone, I went for a ride to the top. The takeaway of this ride is that I got some open stretches to unleash Akira and have a lot of fun. Went straight back to home after visiting the Kesavan Para! Maybe during monsoon or right after monsoon I will try this place again. See you all in the next update..

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With summers peaking in NCR, Wifey and I decided to drive to Manali for an impromptu trip over the long weekend in April

BHPian saurabh89 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Started post midnight on Thursday night, took breaks at Murthal, then Haveli (before rupnagar) and reached Manali by 11:30 am. The traffic on Chd highway was annoying to say the least with continuous truck traffic through the night. Have been driving all these years on this highway and every time I am further disappointed with the increasing menace. Through the hills, 16/21 tunnels are now operational (if I recall correctly) and it’s a cakewalk until Pandoh.

We had lunch at one of our fav restaurants in Manali (Kyaroo House) and decided to crash for a few hours. Evening was lovely relishing trout delicacies at Johnsons!

I was particularly excited for Saturday morning with Atal Tunnel on the cards. I had to turn back 900 mts before Atal Tunnel few years ago due to a jam and this time the plan was start early (8 am) from Manali to beat the tourist traffic. We reached the south portal by 9:30 am, and after few mandatory clicks at the entrance we made way towards Sissu. The 12-15 mins drive through the 9.5 kms tunnel kept me wondering at the engineering marvel built by GOI / BRO.

Here’s the car with north portal in the background

On our way back we saw a jam of over 15 kms on the other side and thanked our decision to start early. Practically, the roads were chocked after Solang. Afternoon was a breeze enjoying majestic views of the meadows from The corner house restaurant at Mall Road and some fantastic coffee at the Fat Plate

Saw the newly launched Toyota Land Cruiser 300 GR-S with PB registration parked there and couldn’t take my eyes off the beauty!

The drive back on Sunday was eventless with sad traffic post Ambala until Delhi.

Overall, the odo now stands at 45k and I’m happy with the way the machine is performing. 

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Since I have bought the bike I am having sleepless nights just in excitement to ride it and of course finish the 1st service and see how it is in it un-bridled form

BHPian masterChief007 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Since I have bought the bike I am having sleepless nights just in excitement to ride it and of course finish the 1st service and see how it is in it un-bridled form. So trying to rack up the service limit miles, decided to do a Penukonda fort ride. Purpose was pure riding and non-stop riding experience of 300 km. So didn't take any coffee/tea/breakfast breaks in between. Only stop points were to click a few photos and drink some water.

Started off the day at 5 am, previous Trip 1 was reporting 28kmpl with 70/30 highway/city ratio (highway ~300 kms city ~150 kms) at 450 km total odo. This trip 300 km it gave around 30 kmpl with speeds mostly in 85-95 kmph ranges. With occasional 70 kmph sedate riding and a short burst at 110 kmph. I would say these are great numbers.

Also first time felt that the tyre noise is quite a bit at 90+ kmph speeds, as this time around I had my LS2 Storm 2 in place which reduce the noise from the stormy winds outside . The quickshifter works very well when going up or down the hairpins, though I do 90% of my shifts manually, when there is too much going on this is a good option on steep sections, as pulling the clutch and engaging the new gear time difference is reduced down to almost zero. But since I don't want to loose any skill learning, I was shifting manually.

There were 100s of bikes parked and people taking reels etc on the road, I went to the top, and parked it and drank some water and switched the engine off after it ran 150+ kms non-stop. After 5-10 mins started my ride back. 21 inch front I am not used to so held myself back from leaning too much. It is a skill and confidence I will gain more and more I adjust to the bike, but just off the bat, the 19 inch setup in such cases will be more easier to get adjusted too.

Some notes/observations based on this ride:
1. Buzzing noise after fixing the new number plate, I think they will tighten the screw/add some padding if I complain.
2. Tyre noise at 90+ kmph speeds, it is a bit loud but not much of a deal breaker if you ignore - sort of when in childhood bicycle is under inflated you get some noise, that is the nearest I can explain the sound.
3. 21 inches needs getting used to in hairpins during leaning, not worse than himalayan, but definitely 19-17 inch setup will be more intuitive.
4. Some noise from engine (?) - I have to keep my ears open for this. Observed it when bike was idling at top of penukonda fort. Not the valve/tappet clatter but with more bass tok-tok-tok sound, forgot to record this time !!
5. Some sound from the front tyre? - When pulled in my clutch and at slower speed, some sound was coming from front tyre. Ignored after found a stone stuck there. But have to look for this too in my next ride.

Finally some narcissism with my twin (same orange accent on both of us ):

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At the end of the journey, we also touched upon the 10,000 km mark.

BHPian sayakc recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Exploring the snows of North Sikkim

It all started with the idea to celebrate the 6 month ownership of the Scorpio-N – and what better place to travel than the unpredictable North Sikkim – with a couple of days chipped in at Kalimpong.

Enroute Yumthang/Zero Point

***

Itinerary:

• 24-Mar-25: Kolkata - Siliguri
• 25-Mar-25: Siliguri - Kalimpong
• 26-Mar-25: Kalimpong
• 27-Mar-25: Kalimpong - Lachung
• 28-Mar-25: Lachung - Yumthang/Zero Point - Lachen
• 29-Mar-25: Lachen - Gurudongmar - Dzongu
• 30-Mar-25: Dzongu - Raiganj
• 31-Mar-25: Raiganj - Kolkata

24-Mar-25 Kolkata to Siliguri:
We started from our Kolkata home around 12 in the afternoon. NH 34, which was fearsome monster in its heydays is now a predictable highway and it took us 11.5 hrs door to door with lunch breaks thrown in. This time we stayed at a new hotel in Siliguri – The 4 Vedas. The rooms were luxurious, food was excellent – but the only vegetarian fare was a dampener. However considering that it was only a transit halt, that was manageable.

25-Mar-25 Siliguri to Kalimpong:
The next day we started around 11ish, with Kalimpong as our objective. We had stayed at a lovely place, Windsongs before and we were booked at the same place and the same rooms for this stay too. The idea was to laze around for a couple of days.

[
Cherry Blossoms

Breakfast at 4 Vedas, Siliguri

The traffic on the Sevoke road has increased manifold and with speed cameras in place, you need to maintain a sedate pace. As we crossed the Sevoke railway line, the hills started. The idling Teesta river and blue skies keep company as one crosses the Coronation bridge. We had been on these roads only 3 months back, on the way to Biksthang. Only this time, we depart from NH 31/NH 10 much earlier at Teesta Bazaar from where the switch backs of Kalimpong start. Comparison comes immediately to the mind because I had climbed these hills in my Swift where I had to rev it high but in the ScorpioN, the climbs are not stressed.

At Windsongs, Kalimpong

And around 2 PM we enter Windsong and as you enter the gates, you can feel that the banter of the roads and traffic have disappeared and you get to hear literally the chirping of birds and winds. Being late March, the day was hot.

At Durpin Monastery

Stay at Windsongs is synonymous with relaxation and good food and good sleep. And in those two days the relaxation provided a much needed break from our stay. One of the days was also wife’s birthday which was celebrated with a cake and some extra savouries from the owners. From the rooms, one can simply gaze at the Tarey Bhir ridge at the top and the deep Teesta valley at the bottom and on a clear day the Kanchenjunga appears over the ridge. The next day we went to the Cactus Nursery and in the evening to the Durpin monastery. Coming to the food, be it the breakfast spread of Puri subzi or the Toast/Sausages and the lunch/dinner of Dal, chicken curries or the custard seems and the icing on the cake has to be the custard..

The breakfast view

27-Mar-25 Kalimpong to Lachung:

So, after spending two relaxing days at Kalimpong, we were on the road again and this time headed towards North Sikkim. The road to Gurudongmar lake, a common adventure spot in the Eastern Himalayas, was closed for close to 2 years (?) due to a Glacial Lake outburst and was reopened in January 2025. However 2 weeks before the trip we came to know that the road had closed down again due to a broken bridge and we had excluded it from our itinerary. But only the previous day we came to know that the route was reopened which was good news for us. The permit had to be done from Mangan and Rikzin, a local, had arranged for the same.

We enter North Sikkim at the Dikchu checkpost

We took the following route: Kalimpong – Rangpo – Singtam – Dikchu. At Dikchu we came to know that the usual route through Mangan is closed (Google was indicating that – but did not suggest any alternate route, and nor did we enquire because I felt there must definitely be some way). At Dikchu, we had the ubiquitous maggi for lunch and lost a good deal of an hour for the getting the permits…before we crossed over to Dzongu.

I found it strange that Google map wasn’t showing any route map here. It was a long detour of ~40-45 kms – several sections of which were steep, narrow and broken. The road, first climbs up and then rapidly descends to the river bed at a place called Sankalang. From Sangkalang it rises again in a series of 46 switchbacks, some of which was quite steep and you can feel the altitude at times. The road is very narrow and making way for the uphill traffic is quite common till you reach the check post of Tung.

Snowed out landscapes at Zero point

We had started from Kalimpong at 9 in the morning and it was around 4 that we reached Tung. Lachung our destination for the night was around 40 kms away. At Chungthang we saw the devastation caused by the flooded glacial lake, so much so that the river changed its course, uprooting trees at least a 100 feet higher than its course and as we learnt later, washed away 14 bridges on the Lachen side. However, the road from Chungthang to Lachung was in top shape. It had rained sometime back and then the skies had cleared up for a moment revealing the orange glow of the setting sun that fell upon the still wet blooming magnolias and rhododendrons in the evening light. It was around 6 that we checked in to Etho Metho hotel at night.

But I was worried about fuel, I had presumed that the route will take me through Mangan where there is a fuel station. But this new road alignment was a surprise. In fact I did not fuel up at Dikchu, thinking that I will any way fill up at Mangan. Anyway, thinking of Lachung now where I had been first in 2005, was a small village, but is now a series of hotels. And where there was hardly mobile networks, now has even 4G WiFi. It was rainy, windy and quite chilly in evening.

However, the next morning, was bright and sunny, Vivek Gurung, the hotel manager was quite supportive and he drove me to a few places where he knew we could get Diesel – but we were out of luck. In fact, whatever be my feedback on the hotel, we will always have words of appreciation for Vivek.

Morning at Etho Metho, Lachung

Rhododendrons have start to bloom at the lower altitudes

28-Mar-25: Lachung – Yumthang/Zero Point - Lachen
So, with the problematic fuel situation, we started towards Yumthang/Zero Point. The fuel situation was so bad that we we would be bound to cancel the Lachen leg, if there was no replenishment. But in that bright morning with the snow peaks glistening in the distance and the conifers swaying in the wind, the worries disappeared. We took it slow absorbing the beauty of the place. A few miles out of Lachung, the snow line started. At places the Lachung Chu came close to the road and at times it slipped away by a few miles. And there were times when we crossed over boulder zones which were probably part of the river bed.

We climbed up further crossing South Yumesamdong and then further up where it was very cold and completely snowed out. The road goes further , but we stopped our journey at the place where all the cars were standing. It was a snowed out zone. The breeze sometimes increasing in intensity to a strong wind as evident from the fluttering prayer flags.The sun had disappeared by then and it was dark and cloudy - quite ominous.

While we were having tea with the the worry of the low fuel in the mind and I just thought of asking the tea seller if he knows where we get diesel in Lachung or Chungthang..? He told me I needn’t go any where but will get diesel here itself and then someone came with a 20 litre can. An cab driver opined that this fuel might not be good for BS6 cars. That was a risk I was prepared to take and then filled up the diesel. So with fuel in the tank and an updated range and some more tea, we drove down hill. At Yumthang we had lunch and started pondering where to stay at Lachen.

Continue reading BHPian sayakc's travelogue for more insights and information.

Return drive is always painful as there is back to back traffic. I reached home a little after 4:00pm marking the end of a quick drive of 100 km round trip.

BHPian mobike008 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Sunday Drive (4/27/25) drive to Stevens Pass, Washington.

Last Sunday, I had a few hours to kill in the afternoon and also saw that weather was nice. Sunny and cold and I checked the weather at the location I wanted to go- Stevens Pass which is around 60 miles (100kms) from home and about 1-hour drive. It was showing sunny so I decided to head out for a nice drive and fly the drone for a bit.

Left home around Noon’sh and reached a little after 1pm and entire drive was fabulous and exhilarating as I put the BMW through its paces after a real long time. Entire route was like back-roads with multiple cornering opportunities which the BMW took with aplomb.

Reached Stevens Pass and I was a bit disappointed for two reasons 1.) There was literally no snow- 2.) It became super cloudy.

This is a magical place during winters and is one of the most popular skiing destinations in Washington (out of the 25+ Ski Resorts we have here). Whenever I have a few hours (3-4 hours), I do a fast drive to Stevens Pass and come back home. It feels liberating after this drive.

I decided not to spent too much time as it was cloudy. So I took out the drone and practiced a bit and flew it till the battery was nearly over (about 60-odd mins) and then packed and drove back home.

Return drive is always painful as there is back to back traffic. I reached home a little after 4:00pm marking the end of a quick drive of 100 kms round trip.

Some pictures from a cloudy afternoon at Stevens Pass, Wahington !!!

Couple of Drone Videos of Stevens Pass, Washington

https://youtu.be/tpdJZDNwxjE

https://youtu.be/9QVpBoB4s74

My trusted steed for these fast runs...

Drone'ing in the mountains. It needs a lot of practice to control this airship..lol!

Do you spot something "desirable" in this picture?

Stevens Pass from up and above- Not used to seeing it so bare bones.

Never get bored of this view.

Beautiful route all through.

Base camp, Stevens Pass. From here folks take ski rides to the mountains for their ski-runs.

Plenty of cornering opportunities.

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For me, it looked like exactly the same Singapore with the same cleanliness and the same discipline everywhere. Even the Changi Airport looked stunningly the same.

BHPian Mystic recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Opportunity to experience a yearning for past time and place came to me last week. My son, who is a professor in California, called me and said that he is attending an AI conference in Singapore in the last week of April 2025 and is planning to stay for a couple of days there. It has been a couple of months since I met him in the USA and asked him if his mother and I could join him for some quality time with him from Visakhapatnam, and he said why not. I felt very happy looking forward and nostalgic to experience the place with my son as he studied his 1st grade in Singapore before I relocated to the USA.

Honestly, it is astonishing that nothing changed visually at first glance with Singapore, as far as I am concerned. A lot of developments might have changed in the past 2 + decades, but for me it looked like exactly the same Singapore with the same cleanliness and same discipline everywhere. Even the Changi airport looked stunningly the same as in olden days, except that there were only 2 terminals, but now expanded to 4 terminals and a 5th terminal in construction (some of my classmates still are working in its construction for decades). We had a high-tech immigration walkthrough without any human intervention. I think the e visa and online arrival card, which we fill up online, are linked to the passport and photo. The camera recognised my face and opened the gate. I wonder if Singapore police can track my movements in this small country of 735 square kilometres wherever I go, using AI technology and facial recognition with cameras everywhere.

We stayed at the nostalgic Marina Mandarin hotel (The hotel has one of the largest open atriums in Southeast Asia, which rises through 21 levels and is permeated by natural light ceiling. Each of the 575 rooms is accessed from the balconies overlooking the inside atrium, and has amazing views of the Singapore harbour and the city skyline. Being a structural engineer myself, this hotel amazes me with stunning views. We took 2 rooms on the 17th floor and the view of the atrium inside and the skyline view outside, is stunningly the same - with cleanliness and maintenance as if it is just constructed recently, even though it is almost 4 decades old. This hotel has a new name now, as ParkRoyal.

For a view of the Singapore skyline, we went around on a river cruise on calm waters and were wondering why it is always calm. The guide clarified that the Singapore River's end is marked by a massive dam across the Marina channel, which further helps to regulate water levels and create a more stable and calm environment.

As we are strict vegetarians, we relied on Komala Vilas for both lunch and dinner with a complimentary breakfast at the hotel (only fruits and coffee for vegetarians without egg). I felt nothing changed at Komala Vilas restaurant with the same ambience and menu with the same cleanliness, which is typical of the Singapore template.

We now have a Scoot direct 4-hour flight from Visakhapatnam to Singapore. The plane is full on both sides with a lot of tourists.

Old Singapore photos

Changi airport:

Theatres:

Komala Vilas:

New Singapore photos

Park Royal Hotel:

Singapore skyline views from the River cruise:

Bird Paradise:

Gardens by the Bay:

Aquarium:

Museum:

This is worth seeing as we tend to learn a lot about the geopolitics in this part of the world. The impact of world wars on Singapore is clearly depicted in the form of videos, etc. There is a huge presence of Indians in Singapore, especially by the Tamilians. One has to be prepared to spend a lot of time here in the museum.

On 9 August 1965, Singapore separated from Malaysia to become an independent and sovereign state. The separation was the result of deep political and economic differences between the ruling parties of Singapore and Malaysia. Even before the proclamation of the formation of the Federation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963, leaders from both sides of the causeway were mindful that these differences could not be wiped out overnight. At a press conference announcing the separation, then Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was overcome by emotion and broke down. Singapore’s union with Malaysia had lasted for fewer than 23 months.

I saw the video of this emotional breakdown by the PM.

Night Safari:

Night Safari in Singapore is the world's first nocturnal zoo. Don’t be misled by the word Safari, as in East Africa, where an overland journey to observe wild animals is done.

For all senior citizens, they have trams that take people to big animals, and some of the small animals can be viewed only by the 4 trails available. We walked on all 4 trails to see the small animals and took the tram in the end to see again. The experience of seeing animals at night is unique and I had already seen safaris in East Africa and also in our own Bangalore itself in daytime.

We just enjoyed the tour and couldn’t take many photos as we needed professional cameras to take photos in low light.

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Six years ago, four carefree guys with zero responsibilities and unlimited enthusiasm decided to go on a road trip. It was one of those classic “What if we just went?” kind of evenings

BHPian speedster786 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Six years ago, four carefree guys with zero responsibilities and unlimited enthusiasm decided to go on a road trip. No wives, no babies, just us, our backpacks, a half-dead speaker, and an old Google Maps route that tested our patience more than the traffic ever did.

We weren’t just on a trip — we were on a mission to make memories... and maybe find a dhaba with the cleanest washroom (spoiler alert: we failed).

It was one of those classic “What if we just went?” kind of evenings. The plan was made over coffee that tasted like ambition — strong and slightly bitter. No detailed itinerary, no hotel bookings, no PowerPoint decks. Just a bunch of friends, a mad road map, and four days of freedom ahead.

Packing took exactly 30 minutes. Nobody brought sunscreen. One guy brought three pairs of sunglasses for the drama. Someone else packed only t-shirts, forgot pants. Essentials? Overrated.

We rented a beast — the mighty XUV500 from Miles. She looked like she wanted an adventure too. The bags were tossed in, the music was cranked up, and with one last look at Bangalore’s traffic lights, we started rolling out by 10 PM sharp.

And just like that, the bachelor ride was on.

Our first destination was Dhanushkodi Beach — a place so serene, it made our chaotic group look like monks in denial.

We drove through the night, fueled by samosas, Red Bull, and 90s Hindi music.

Stop 1: Rameshwaram — Where Land Meets Faith and Trains Fly on Water

After cruising through the night like highway pirates with a mission, we reached Rameshwaram by noon the next day — tired, slightly sunburnt, but high on excitement.

As we neared the famous Pamban Bridge, the excitement in the car reached a fever pitch. “Bro, the train, the train!” someone yelled, already half out the window with a camera app loading at 2G speed.

And just like that, as if on cue from the Universe’s own director, the iconic train began its journey across the legendary bridge, gliding slowly over the turquoise waters like something straight out of a movie scene.

We pulled over, hopped out with the grace of clumsy flamingos, and stood there — spellbound.

That moment — the first glimpse of the train crossing the endless sea below — was magic. The kind that gets seared into memory without needing a filter.

That was the first shot. A perfect memory.

Three idiots on the Pamban Bridge, living the moment while the fourth captures the madness!

We headed to Dhanushkodi Beach to soak in the sun and play in the stunning blue waters. Just a few miles away, Sri Lanka peeked from across the sea — some of us even caught Sri Lankan mobile signals!

The beach was absolutely breathtaking — endless blue waters stretching to the horizon, making it feel like we were standing at the edge of the world.

Here stands the iconic old Pamban Bridge — a marvel of engineering — with colorful fishing boats gently swaying in the calm sea, like they're taking a peaceful nap under the coastal sun.

After getting thoroughly drenched and sun-kissed at the beach, we were drained but grinning. With sandy clothes and salty hair, we hit the road again — this time toward Kanyakumari, chasing the southern tip of the country for our next adventure.

Kanyakumari: Chasing the Sunrise

We reached Kanyakumari late in the night and wrapped up the day with tired feet and happy hearts. But sleep took a backseat for me — the anticipation of catching the first light had me wide awake. As someone who loves photography, the idea of framing the sunrise over the confluence of three seas was thrilling.

Here’s a serene capture of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial taken just before the sun peeked over the horizon — calm waters, soft light, and a moment of stillness before the day begins.

And when the moment arrived, it didn’t disappoint — here are a few sunrise shots we managed to capture.

One of my Favourite sunrise shots.

As soon as the sunrise hit, the real show began—everyone posing like it was a runway event! Who knew nature's beauty would bring out the inner models?

The next tide took me off from the stone.

As the ferry sets sail, it carries us toward the iconic Vivekananda Rock Memorial—where history, serenity, and stunning views await.

Perspective.

After having fun in Kanyakumari, we hit the road to Kodaikanal. Now, in every gang, there’s always that one friend who never gets tired — the one who keeps driving day and night, while the rest of us fall asleep as soon as the journey begins.

Enter Mr. Kareem — the man with a walking GPS in his head. He remembers every detail of every trip, no map or navigation needed. His brain is his personal GPS, and he drives with the confidence of someone who’s been on the road a thousand times. He’s also a Team BHP aspirant, and we’re all eagerly waiting for the day he becomes a BHPian!

We reached Kodaikanal by night and checked into Woody’s Hotel. The place was fantastic — cozy yet offering that perfect touch of luxury after a long journey. I snapped a quick picture as we entered the hotel,

We called it a day after reaching the hotel, tired but excited for what was to come. The next morning, we were up early, fueled by the excitement of the day ahead. After a quick breakfast, we set out to explore Kodaikanal. The weather was perfect, and the scenic views around every corner made us feel like we had stepped into a postcard.

Amid the mist and cool breeze, I got the chance to ride a horse.
I couldn’t wait to hop back on for another round!

We did less roaming and more resting in Kodaikanal, and it was exactly the kind of peaceful escape we needed.

After soaking in the tranquility of Kodaikanal, we headed to Ooty for our next adventure.

Our journey in Ooty took us to the heights of Doddabetta Peak, where we stood on top of the world, feeling on top of our game. The views were nothing short of cinematic. We then ventured through the lush tea plantations, surrounded by endless rows of green

We also made our way to the famous shooting spot in Ooty, where countless films had been shot. It was surreal standing there, imagining all the iconic scenes that had unfolded in that very spot. As if that wasn’t enough, the air was suddenly pierced by a series of gunshots — the police were practicing drills nearby.

We then headed to the serene Pykara Lake, known for its peaceful vibes and famous boating experiences. The calm waters and the surrounding greenery made it feel like we had stepped into a tranquil escape, with the only ripple in the water coming from the boats gliding through the lake.

The locals shared an intriguing piece of information — wild animals from the surrounding forest often visit the lake to drink water. Imagine the thrill of seeing a tiger or elephant stroll by, just a few feet away, as you peacefully drift on a boat! It was nature’s wild charm at its finest.

After an unforgettable boat ride, we reluctantly headed back to Bangalore, bringing our trip to an end. But not before taking the scenic Bandipur route. As we drove through the forest, the adventure continued — wild sightings everywhere!
We were greeted by elephants grazing in the distance, impalas gracefully bounding across the road, and deer quietly roaming in their natural habitat.

Encountered this Langur.

We returned to Bangalore with muddy shoes, heavier hearts, and 2,000 photos we never fully organized.

Six years later, we still talk about that trip in every group chat.

We're married now. Some of us have kids, others have kombucha subscriptions. But whenever we hear “Pal” by KK or see an XUV500, something stirs.

That trip wasn’t just a getaway — it was a goodbye wave to our bachelorhood.

We don’t know when we’ll hit the road again. But when we do, you bet it’ll be dramatic, unscripted, and unforgettable.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Overall, the roads were good though abruptly smooth 4-lane highways would give way to ‘diversions’ which were little more than dirt tracks or in one case a dry riverbed!

BHPian Aben62 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Sharing a brief writeup on our recent trip from home in Pune to Northeast India and back in our 2009 model i10 Sportz.

My wife and I now in our early 60s decided to do a road trip to Manipur where we have been spending time as Volunteers since 2016. We normally fly Pune – Kolkata – Silchar and then proceed by road to Jiribam in Manipur. This time we decided to travel by road and make a sightseeing adventure of it. Our trusted i10 was available and recently serviced. Two years ago, I replaced the old tires with Continental brand tires which had significantly improved the ride quality. After installing the new HSRP number plates, fog lamps and dashcam we set off from Pune on the 9th of Feb and returned to Pune on 19th April 2025.

Some General Information:

We normally drove from 8 or 9 am to 4 or 5 pm at a speed of 60 – 80 kmph. Both of us drive, though I prefer highways while my wife prefers town driving. We made it a point to check into a hotel before dark and strictly avoided night driving.

On the advice of a friend, we switched over to premium petrol for the trip since the car is already 16 years and has 90K on the odometer. This improved performance noticeably, especially while (uphill driving) climbing.

I normally did not make any advance hotel reservations. I would check the options, availability and tariff on Google Maps and online sites and then physically visit the preferred hotel and check the room before closing the deal. For homestays, I would call ahead a day in advance.

Overall, the roads were good though abruptly smooth 4-lane highways would give way to ‘diversions’ which were little more than dirt tracks or in one case a dry riverbed! Beware, during the monsoon!

We carried our own electric kettle and Borosil electric pot along with ready-mix tea sachets, noodles, soup powder, rice etc., which came in handy on numerous occasions. We frequently bought fresh eggs and hard-boiled them for the journey which served us for lunch along with fresh and dry fruits. We also carried a clean bedsheet, our own pillows and light blanket for use at the cheaper hotels. Luggage was packed in duffle bags for easy storage on the rear seats and boot.

We found the front seats of the i10 comfortable for long drives. Both of us have back issues so we use seat cushions bought online and back belts for additional lumbar support. We carried along a tube and tablets of painkillers for occasional muscle relief. Other than feeling stiff on some mornings, we came across fit and fine.

We relied heavily on Google Maps (on mobile), which usually worked well enough but in tight spots, would suddenly reroute us which led to many tricky situations.

We were surprised to see mainly smaller cars like ours on the long rough stretches. Hardly any Thar or Jimny to be seen where they are most needed!
I regularly read posts, especially Travelogues on the Team-Bhp site which helped me plan and execute this road trip.

The car did admirably well on this 6700 kms road trip and brought us home safely without any breakdowns. I sent it to the Hyundai Service Centre yesterday for a thorough checkup. The Service Advisor informs me that apart from the usual, there is a small hole in the silencer which will need to be changed, a ribbed belt needs to be changed, tire rotation and alignment to be done.

The Itinerary we followed was:

Feb 9th – March 5th Pune to Jiribam (Manipur). Total Distance Covered 3400 kms.

States traversed: Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur.

Day 1. Pune – Ch. Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) via Ahilya Nagar (Ahmednagar). We left after breakfast and drove the 250 kms reaching late afternoon.

Day 2. Ch. Sambhaji Nagar – Wardha via Samruddhi Mahamarg. We got on to Samruddhi using the Jalna entry gate. It was an awesome experience driving along the Mahamarg with hardly any traffic. Late afternoon we exited Mahamarg at the Wardha exit and drove towards Sewagram.

Day 3. Sewagram. We visited Gandhiji’s ashram. The complex is well maintained, and it was a moving experience to walk through the same cottages and rooms where Gandhiji lived and worked together with his companions during the years of the freedom struggle.

Day 4 – 9. Wardha – Rajnandgaon - Bilaspur - Ambikapur - Daltonganj – Bodhgaya. We had originally planned to go to Gaya via Katni but heard that the highway was jammed due to the Mahakumbh traffic. So detoured via Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. The road was not that great, but we got to see the rural sights and mining areas. Sad to see the environmental havoc and air pollution. Overnight we observed a layer of soot settled on the car parked out in the hotel open parking at Rajnandgaon. Driving through, we observed that Jharkhand has better forest cover.

Day 10. Bodhgaya. We visited the Mahabodhi temple, Museum and other sights. The Mahabodhi temple complex is well maintained, and we were moved to see devotees from so many southeast Asian countries spend time in serious worship and meditation.

Day 11. Bodhgaya to Darbhanga via Patna bypass, Muzaffarpur. Roads were generally good. Hit a rough patch entering Bihar from Jharkhand; Google maps took us on a tricky route bypassing Patna. At Muzaffarpur city we were stuck in a traffic jam.

Day 12. Darbhanga to Gajaldoba via Fulbari. Good roads except for a few kms of moonscape when entering West Bengal from Bihar. We wanted to avoid the crowds at Siliguri and decided to take the scenic route to Assam via Gajaldoba on the Teesta River.

Day 13. Gajaldoba. We visited the Teesta Barrage and enjoyed boating in the wetlands to see the migratory birds.

Day 14. Gajaldoba to Bongaigaon via the Dooars scenic route. Good forest cover and tea gardens. Pleasant drive over good roads and less traffic.
Day 15. Bongaigaon to Udalguri. Google maps took us down a route which was strictly offroad for 10-15 kms.

Day 16. Udalguri to Kaziranga. Good roads but crazy rumble strips from Udalguri to Tezpur! Driving along the ‘Wildlife Corridor’ to enter Kaziranga is a scenic experience.

Day 17. Kaziranga. Awesome national park. We did the morning jeep safari which we enjoyed very much! We also visited the Orchid Park, Bamboo Park, Herb Garden, Cultural show. We were pleased to interact with the knowledgeable young guides at each site.

Day 18. Kaziranga – Dimapur (Nagaland). Good drive through scenic tea estates and forest cover.

Day 19 – 24. Nagaland. We parked the car at the hotel and travelled to the interiors of the state on a visit along with friends. Mountain country throughout.

Day 25. Dimapur – Haflong (Assam). Good roads. Haflong is a delightful hill station in the Dima Hasao district of Assam.

Day 26. Haflong – Jiribam via Silchar. Leaving Haflong we got onto the under-construction highway which was a 40 kms nightmare stretch. Single road of loose cobbles, thick dust and heavy truck traffic It was touch and go but we got through. The rest of the highway was a dream. We entered Manipur at the Jiribam town check post.

6th March – 2nd April in Manipur

After giving the car a well-deserved wash, we parked it (covered) at a local NGO office at Jiribam and travelled 6 hours (60 kms) by Gypsy to the remote village in Tamenglong district where we work. We spent 3 weeks there and then an additional one week on a trip to different villages in Tamenglong and Noney districts before returning to Jiribam. Work on the roads in Manipur hills are ongoing for past few years and an endurance test for man and vehicle.

3rd – 19th April. Jiribam – Pune. Total Distance Covered 3300 kms.

States traversed: Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra.

Day 1. Jiribam – Khliehriat (Meghalaya) via Silchar. The car started right away, and we set off in good spirits. We enjoyed a light breakfast at a roadside eatery at Silchar and took the road to Shillong. The drive on the plains of south Assam was smooth but the nightmare began as soon as we reached the Meghalaya hills. Trucks jammed both sides of the narrow highway for miles. We squeezed through hoping that the situation would ease. No such luck. The black-top simply vanished, leaving us with a stony, muddy, winding, steeply climbing track populated with heavy trucks, stone laden tippers snaking down the slope towards us (Trucks towards Shillong were halted on the plains). The car was sorely tested but we followed a couple of Altos and Sumos zig zagging through the heavies. No 4x4s to be seen! The first town we reached was Khliehriat in the midst of the Jaintia hills mining area (limestone, coal) and cement factories. We managed to get a room in a guest house before dark and thankfully settled in for the night. Again, sad to witness the environmental havoc. Taps in our hotel room ran reddish tinged water due to the pollution of the ground water.

Day 2. Khliehriat – Shillong. In the morning after breakfast, I went down to the parking lot to load the car and was greeted with a punctured tire. I was also informed that there was a strike called in the area, so everything was shut. There was still some pressure remaining in the tire, so we cruised slowly till we found someone to fill the air. We managed to reach Jowai town where we got the puncture fixed. Onwards to Shillong. Before reaching the city, we got the car nicely pressure-washed so as not to embarrass our hosts where we would be staying.

Day 3 – 4. Shillong. Enjoyed a good rest and home-cooked food at Risa Pines Homestay. We have already seen the sights during our previous visits so did not step out much except to enjoy pine-scented morning walks.

Day 5. Shillong – Williamnagar via Nongstoin. Scenic route. The road is winding with sharp turns throughout. Not much traffic. The flora changes from temperate to tropical as one crosses Shallang town leaving the Khasi hills to enter the Garo hills.

Day 6. Williamnagar. This is a small town, headquarter of East Garo hills district. We had spacious lodging so we took an additional day off to rest, do our laundry etc.

Day 7. Williamnagar to Alipurduar via Bongiagaon. Scenic drive along the North Garo hills to exit Meghalaya. Got on to highway 17 at Paikan. Crossed the mighty Bhramaputra on the Naranarayan Setu and got onto the NH 27. This is an agrarian zone and the maize crop had just been harvested and was being dried by the roadsides. Road signs proclaimed that this was the habitat of the Golden Langur, so we drove slowly. As we neared Alipurduar the road condition suddenly deteriorated due to ongoing 4-lane work. Heavy truck traffic and dense dust screen prevailed. Driving blindly, the car bumped heavily over a high hump, and I feared a breakdown. Fortunately, nothing happened. We entered Alipurduar town via a narrow road (still highway I was told) and spent the night at a comfortable hotel.

Day 8. Alipurduar to Araria (Bihar) via Cooch Behar, Fulbari. Next morning was pleasant enough when suddenly the sky clouded over, and it rained heavily. Anxiously, I inquired about the road conditions. 4-lane work was still in progress on the highway ahead, so we were advised to proceed via Cooch Behar. It was a welcome detour, driving past rural Bengal in the rain to reach Falakata. The road was good. We were back on NH 27 and reached Fulbari, continuing down the ‘chicken-neck’ towards Kishanganj. The border road exiting West Bengal was again a moonscape and many diversions later we entered Bihar. The highway improved greatly. An agrarian zone, the maize crop was still standing tall though waterlogged due to the recent heavy rain. We were able to reach Araria town before dark where we found a hotel to spend the night.

Day 9. Araria to Muzaffarpur. Pleasant drive on good highways with disciplined traffic till we reached Muzaffarpur where it became chaotic. We spent the night at a good hotel and woke up refreshed.
Day 10. Muzaffarpur to Varanasi. The drive began well on the highway towards Chapra. Then Google Maps did the usual number on us diverting us onto the Chapra bypass. Things got chaotic thereafter. We ran into heavy traffic, long jams, narrow dangerous detours. Maps seemed to be at a loss, suddenly asking us to take a U-turn in the midst of a traffic jam. The detour took us close to Arrah. Thankfully we got onto the road to Varanasi reaching our homestay on the banks of the Ganges before dark.
We were delighted to meet another couple doing a road trip from Kolkata to Uttarakhand in their Punch. We shared experiences and were inspired by their adventures.

Day 11. Varanasi to Panna. We had been thinking of spending the day at Varanasi, but it became increasingly windy and dusty. In fact, dust storms were predicted across north India at the time. We decided to carry on towards Madhya Pradesh. We reached Panna early in the evening on good roads though it was blistering hot during the afternoon drive. As we could not find a suitable room at Panna due to the long weekend and wedding season, we were advised to try our luck at Madla, a forest settlement closer to the National Park. We were fortunate to find a great homestay there where we spent a couple of nights.

Day 12. Madla. After a nice early breakfast, we drove to Khajuraho. We managed to beat the heat, and our knowledgeable guide took us on an hour-long informative tour of the temple complex. The site is maintained nicely with manicured lawns, a shaded restaurant and clean washrooms! Post lunch we returned to Madla and after a siesta we went on the night-safari in the buffer zone of the Panna national park.

Day 13. Madla – Pauni via Jabalpur. Next morning we set off once again and were blessed with good roads throughout. Intense heat notwithstanding, we made a good time reaching our agro-resort at Pauni early evening. After chai and pakoras to energize us, we strolled under the trees watching the numerous bird species flitting around.

Day 14. Pauni – Ch. Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) via Samruddhi Mahamarg. We woke up early the next morning to the sound of birds tapping on the windowpanes of our cottage. Walking outside, trying to identify the many bird species chirping in the low branches above, was a delight. A hearty breakfast under our belts and some aloo parathas packed for the journey, we got back onto the highway towards Nagpur and then Wardha where we got on to the Samruddhi Mahamarg. Late afternoon we exited the Mahamarg at the Jalna exit and drove towards Ch. Sambhaji Nagar to our stopover on Paithan road.

Day 15 – 16. Ch. Sambhaji Nagar. Rest days with family.

Day 17. Ch. Sambhaji Nagar to Pune via Ahilya Nagar (Ahmednagar). It was the Saturday of the long Easter weekend and anticipating heavy traffic, we left early. Crossing Ahilya Nagar using the new elevated corridor was a breeze and we made it to Ranjangaon without effort. After that the drive till our home in Pune was quite crowded and chaotic. Thankfully we reached home safe and sound by 4 pm.

In closing, a line of appreciation for Sanjay Hyundai Service Centre, Hadapsar, Pune who have done an excellent job maintaining our car since we bought it in 2009. Also, to ‘Care It Detailerz’, Aundh, Pune who did a paint job and fixed up the loose bumpers in 2023 and installed the fog lamps and dashcam before this trip.

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The forest in rain is an experience in itself and a part of me yearns to walk down trails in the rain.

BHPian procrj recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

A trip to the jungles was long overdue and T-log by Stryker was just the motivation I needed. What started off as a quick visit to Kabini, metamorphosed into a 4 safari plan across Nagarhole and Kabini.

Many people ask me - which forest is the best? The answer to this is simple, any forest is best vs. the urban jungle we are forced to live in. Personally, I prefer to start with a safari from Veeranhosahalli gate of Nagarhole Tiger reserve, before moving to Bandipur/Kabini. The primary reason for this is the anticipation and the thrill of the hunt. It’s a ~25 min drive from the V’halli gate to the trails of Nagarhole and it sets the stage perfectly. Some of my best experiences have been on this drive towards the trails - examples here.

Day 1 - Evening Safari - Veeranahosahalli Gate
Since camera duty was primarily handled by my wife and son, I hung on to my binoculars as we drove through the beautiful forest. My eyes scan the trees, bushes hoping for any signs of movement, while I feel the cool breeze wash across my skin. Our driver Shivanna informs us that in the last few days, there have been tiger sightings, which is what you want to hear at the start of a drive into the forest. After a relatively quiet drive on tarmac, we turn into the forest trail and make our way into the heart of the forest. As we wind our way to the first water body, we are blanketed by absolute silence around us, quietly crushing our hopes. Absence of alarm calls equates to predators enjoying their rest, away from the sweltering heat of the day. It's hard to describe the conflicting thoughts that run through my head. The absolute joy of being in the forest, breathing in fresh clean air, experiencing the natural beauty that surrounds you, pitted against the knowledge that you might not get to see a predator in its natural habitat.

The call of the wild

Just to be clear, a jungle safari should not just be just about cats. I am happy to spend time watching baby langurs swing from branches, hoopoes forage and flameback woodpeckers peck at trees. But somewhere deep in my head, greed keeps scratching the itch for a Big cat sighting. Just a fleeting glimpse, a flash of dark stripes against green foliage or rosettes blending into the brown of drying leaves.

It's been an hour of driving through the trails, and apart from spotted deer grazing about, there hasn't been much else to see. As we drive up the slope of a trail, I see a jeep parked. Anticipation spikes and our driver quickly covers the distance to the jeep. It's a female tiger lazing about in the small open area that is mostly surrounded by grass. Here is the habitat shot that I clicked later in the day when we were driving back.

Oh tiger, Where art thou

It's just our luck that she decided to rest in the open ground and not in the grass.Since we were on higher ground, we had a clear view of her sleeping form, and we spent the next 30 minutes watching. Apparently she was injured in a fight with a male tiger, most probably this one (skip to 25:07).
https://youtu.be/lAaAxPix4VY?t=1510

You can clearly see the open wound on her forehead. She was also continuously licking her right leg, which I am guessing was also injured in the tussle with the male.

Its all about staying alive

Since we were one of the first few vehicles on the spot, we had a really good view of the tigress and after 30 minutes, I urged shivanna to drive on. I did not want to spend the next 90 minutes staring at her sleeping form. All the other drivers thought we were mad, but I politely requested that we drive on. I wanted to see as much of the forest as possible, not just stand in one place staring at a sleeping tiger. I’m pretty sure that the forest gods have a sense of humour as in 20 minutes, we were staring at the sleeping form of another tiger.

Shivanna informed me that there was a male tiger that was spotted the previous evening near a watering hole, but the issue was that he was not easy to spot, as he was resting on the other side of the watering hole. Always ready for a challenge, I asked him to drive to the watering hole. A quick 15 minute ride later we are at the waterhole. A couple of other jeeps are already there and confirm that the male is lounging about. Spotting him with the binocular was easy but my wife and son had a hard time figuring out where to point the camera. Can you spot the tiger?

The thrill of spotting this magnificient beast was something else

We spend the next 30 minutes watching him, all relaxed and happy, hoping that he gets up and gives us a glimpse of his majestic form, but it was not meant to be. We drove away, happy that we got to see this beautiful creature in its natural habitat.

Lets keep it slow and on the down low

We wander through the trails again and as the angle of sunlight gets lower, shivanna turns back onto the trail where we had spotted the injured tigress. There are no other vehicles at the spot and tigress is also not visible. We wait for a minute, scanning the grassy slopes and there she is, lying down in the grass. We only get to see her flick her tail every few seconds. I say a quiet goodbye as we drive away.

https://youtu.be/Rv9GcLKFKHg

As we turn onto the main road, the three of us (wife, son and me) are happy that our jungle sojourn has got off to a great start. We drove some distance on the tarmac and near a speed breaker, the driver of an oncoming car screamed “Cheetah, Cheetah”. It's all stations alert now, I am grinning ear to ear and at the next speed breaker, another driver says “leopard ide” (there is a leopard) in kannada. “How far away” shivanna asks and he says one kilometer. I ask my wife to scan the left field as I take the right. I give my son instructions to keep his eyes trained on the trees as the jeep races down the road. While my heart is pounding away, some part of my brain keeps repeating - if it's a crossing, you have no hopes son.

I can't describe how hard it is to spot a leopard in the jungle. Their rosettes blend in very well to the dry ground, brown trees and the dry branches. Trying to spot one in a vehicle that is doing 60 kmph is near impossible. We take a curve at speed and as we slow down for another speedbreaker, we pass a broken tree that's a few feet off the ground. I thought I saw something on it.

I spy with my blurry eye...

We are 10 feet past the tree when I realize that there is a leopard on it. Shivanna slowly reverses and we see this gorgeous leopard on the branch, trying not to move his body as he digests a heavy meal.

Heavy batting maga, swalpa adjust maadi

After 20 minutes, we drive towards the gate as it's already 6.15 pm and we have some distance to cover. About 1km from the gate, a pack of 5-6 wild dogs quickly run across the road and disappear into the lantana. A few meters ahead, we see this beautiful tusker grabbing an early dinner.

Do you want me come there?

Who let the dogs out?

2 tigers, 1 leopard, wild dogs, a tusker, gaur herd - that was our list at the end of the first safari of the trip. With big grins on our face, I drove the 40 odd kms to our homestay in Kabini, hoping that I get a glimpse of beautiful magge (tigress from Kabini) tomorrow morning

Day 2 - Morning Safari - Kakanakote Gate

Mornings in the jungle are always more exciting IMO, the forest is walking up, the shades and hues are different. Early morning fog wraps everything in its cold embrace and as you drive through the forest, you wonder what creature is watching your progress from behind the screen of lantana. As time crawls to 7.30 am, the morning haze is replaced by the chitter of birds in the warm glow of the morning sun.

We drive through the trails, searching for magge but she is not to be found. We spend a few minutes with an elephant calf and its mother, before they vanish into the forest. After nearly two hours of driving up and down the trails of the forest, all hopes for a rendezvous with this beautiful kabini tigress has evaporated.

A cute littly baby elephant

As we begin to drive down a twisty trail, we see two vehicles up ahead. We crawl to a stop and someone whispers “leopard leopard”. I scan the trees but can't spot the spots. The guy next to me is busy shooting away, his lens pointed to the ground. Cursing myself, I train the binoculars to the forest floor and I still can't see a leopard. My son and wife are as clueless as me and a kind soul points to a couple of bushes and asks me to focus hard on the gap inbetween.

camo on, i'm gone!

It took me close to a minute to spot the leopard even after this as it was so well camouflaged. As I watch, this lithe creature goes into hunt mode and slowly makes its way through the dry ground, without making a sound. A spotted deer alarm call breaks through our whispers and in a flash the leopard disappears into the forest.

Stealth mode activated

We spent some more time in the area, hoping to spot the leopard again. After a quick trip to the power line, we head back to the safari point, happy that we got to watch a leopard stalk its prey.

Symmetry

Whatcha looking at?

Day 2 - Evening Safari - Kakanakote Gate

This was the Magge show. Period.

We head into the forest, cutting across Taraka backwaters area and we see two jeeps racing down the path. A quick reverse and we are also racing down the trail, onto MM road. As we zip down MM road, up ahead we see 2 jeeps and as we park behind them, I get the first glimpse of this beautiful female tigress. She is sitting on a small patch of grass, right next to the road.

The sad part was that the jeep that was right in front of the tigress was positioned such that it was hard for anyone behind them to get a clear view of the tigress. Additionally, the folks in the jeep were least bothered about anyone else getting a chance to view the tigress, and were busy standing up and taking shots/videos of her using mobiles.

Simply beautiful - magge female

While we had some view of magge, there were vehicles behind us who had absolutely no view of the tigress.After a frustrating wait of 30 min, the first jeep decided to move, which is when magge also decided to move into the forest, giving us a first row seat to the show.

https://youtube.com/shorts/7ls1sML6Zzk

Video Credit - Bhpian Jithu, who I met on the safari

During my last trip to Kabini, she made a quick escape into the forest, but this time around she decided to put on a show. The pictures and video don't do justice to the beauty of this creature. The fact that I got to spend a lot of time watching her is just icing on the cake. I was very happy that I didn't have the camera in my hands.

After spending almost 90 minutes with magge, we drove back into the forest. As we neared another waterhole, we spotted this tusker scratching an itch. Interesting part was that he only had one long tusk and seemed to be old, in terms of elephant years.

https://youtu.be/5rSB04-_tCs

Clouds darkened the horizon and a few minutes later it started to rain. The forest in rain is an experience in itself and a part of me yearns to walk down trails in the rain. After reading Kenneth Anderson and Kipling, I feel that the jungles that they experienced were very different from the ones that we see today.

Let there be rain

Perfect, for pluviophile me

The last 30 minutes of the safari was again spent watching magge in repose.

Can i get some alone time?

A riot of colors

Day 3 - Morning Safari - Kakanakote Gate
I had booked a 1.5 hour safari as the 3 hour safari was booked out, by what seemed to be a gang of bikers. As the old bus crawled its way through the trails, I was yearning for one last glimpse of magge. It was not meant to be. As we made our way through the trails, I bid goodbye to the jungles, hoping that I would be back soon.

MM Road - until next time

Continue reading BHPian procrj's travelogue for more insights and information.

The thrill of the jungle always has me counting down the days till I return.

BHPian sahil624 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR) was instrumental in kick starting the Project Tiger when it was in 1973. The conservation efforts put in at that time had given the impetus to this noble cause.

I, being from Jaipur, have a special place in my heart for Ranthambhore. The recent trip to RTR came during the Holi visit to Jaipur. Booking gypsy safari at RTR is recommended as Canter makes too much noise and with half hearted drivers and guides of Canters, they enter later than the safari time and leave from the safari gate early. However, booking a gypsy seat in a prime zone of RTR (Zone 1-5) needs to be done well in advance as they fill up as soon as the booking opens. The booking experience has been very good since Rajasthan Wildlife department has come up with a new website to book safaris.

Though the efforts since Project Tiger have proved fruitful as it has put RTR on the world map for Tiger sighting, a few drivers and guides here seem unserious about the job, which really sours the visit sometimes. My first visit to RTR was in December 2016 just three months after the world-famous tigress Machli (T-16). Often called “Queen of Ranthambhore”, RTR gained global fame due to iconic sightings of Machli.

During this visit I was reading the book ‘Living with Tigers’ on Ranthambhore by Valmiki Thapar. The book mainly revolves around Zone 3 of RTR and so all the famous Tigers’ stories I was able to imagine while doing safaris. Fortunately, I had booked 3 out of 5 safaris in Zone 3 which is the prime real estate of RTR as most of the famous tigers of Ranthambhore ruled this area which has picturesque backdrop of Ranthambhore fort and Jogi Mahal. Zone 3 has always been a favorite ruling area of the Tigers with an abundance of water due to three lakes in the area, Padam Lake, Rajbagh lake and Malik Lake. With water comes prey base for the Tigers which are plentiful here.

The current queen of this area is Riddhi tigress, and she has three sub-adult cubs. With the cubs now confident to roam around on their own and on the verge of separation from mother, there is bountiful sighting in Zone 3 mainly and at the peripheral Zones 2 and 4. Out of 3 safaris in Zone 3, I had blockbuster sightings in each of the three. The unique thing about sightings at RTR is that the jungle is so dry that sightings are unobstructive. So, whenever there is sighting, it is very good!

During the time of this visit I was reading book “Living with Tigers” by Valimik Thapar which is primarily the Tiger sighting experience of the author in the initial years of Ranthambhore. The incidents revolve around places primarily in Zone 3 & 4, like Jogimahal Gate, Padam Talab, Rajbagh, and since I had safaris in these zones, I was almost able to picturize the book which elevated my safari and book reading experience.

The thrill of the jungle always has me counting down the days till I return.

Here are some snaps from December'24 and March'25 trip:

One of Riddhi's cubs in morning safari on a December morning.

Riddhi's cubs in playful mood.

Ocelli: Nature's built-in rearview mirror.

All three of Riddhi's cubs lazing around Rajbagh lake, one of them looking curiously at potential prey.

Are you here for me?

Female cub from Riddhi's litter from Mar'25.

Male cub of Riddhi who was on the lookout for his mother.

The male cub above moved to cool off in water.

Frail Arrowhead! She has taken refuge near the Jogimahal gate.

Royal Riddhi with her two male cubs. Sadly, couldn't get clear image!

Dynamic duo of Zone 3

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