https://indiahikes.com/deoriatal-chandrashila-peak/#available-dates
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Himalayan Trek and places not crowded
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/the-other-side-of-the-mountain/article9043763.ece
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/a-trekkers-guide-to-the-himalayas/article9036412.ece
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/a-trekkers-guide-to-the-himalayas/article9036412.ece
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Monday, August 27, 2012
Kookal in kodakannal
Woods, water and wonderful sights
Enveloped in mist(clockwise from above)Kookal lake, Grey headed flycatcher, Grey breasted laughing thrush and the gaurPhotos: The Nature Trust
Far from the city bustle, SOMA BASU spends a quiet day in the grasslands of Kookal
All through our 45-km journey from Kodaikanal to Kookal, it drizzles. “There have been four-to five leopard kills during the last one month.” Founder of Chennai-based The Nature Trust, K.V.R.K Thirunaranan shows me photographs of the kill on his digital camera. I swing between thrill and fear and miss out on the first 15 minutes of the view when driving past the stunning shoals.
“This is the last batch of shola forests in upper Palani Hills” says Thirunaranan. “The evergreen tropical forests are shrinking due to the monoculture of imported pine, eucalyptus and wattle. The ground ferns are also affecting the grasslands in Kookal, which hold four types of ecosystems — the swamp, freshwater, shola and grassland.”
“The Government should step up its efforts to protect the area. The Kookal lake has to be conserved. There are lot of endemic birds here,” he explains. Though the road is bad and the car bumps over potholes, my eyes feast on the wooded slopes and green hills in the distance. Suddenly we reach a scenic ‘sangam’ of rolling hills, verdant valley and water body. The Kookal Lake curves and cuts through the sholas. The mist plays hide and seek over the lake. There is quietude only broken by the occasional car and sometimes voices of people washing hill carrots at the lake’s edge. Two young boys with fishing rods share a joke. When the sun shines , Kookal is a wonderful place to trek. Deciduous forests and waterfalls beckon en route to Kudiraiyar Dam. There is another walking track to natural cave formations on a hill top, believed to be home to the descendants of the leaf-clad Paliyan tribes till the mid-1980s.
But on this day, I am advised to hang around by the lake as rains make the trekking route leech-infested. Left with no other choice, we sit on the bank trying to spot animals on the other side through the binoculars. Birds appear closer even though the chirping is faint. You suddenly discover that even your whisper echoes here. I look through the binoculars and see a big bushy tail hanging from a tree across the lake. That’s the Malabar giant squirrel. There is jubilation as we spot more.
Breathing in lungs full of fresh air, a leisurely walk around the lake is like being in a Botany class. Amidst rare single fern trees, rudraksha, jamun, cinnamon and shenbagam flower trees you sight butterflies and birds such as the Black and Orange Flycatcher, Grey Headed Flycatcher, Grey Breasted Laughing Thrush, the Nilgiri Flycatcher, the large Pied Wagtail, the Oriental White-Eye, the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon and the Nilgiri Pipit that are relatively uncommon.
The grasslands that circle the lake make a wonderful site for day picnickers and night campers too. But the Forest Department’s permission is mandatory. Thankfully, the leopard stays off and by the time we leave I have all forgotten all about its kill. And as we leave Kookal, an Indian Gaur sees us off.
48
Kookal
GETTING THERE:
Kookal is 40 km from Kodaikanal, nine km from Mannavannur and 155 km from Madurai. Road travel is the only option.
WHERE TO STAY:
Good hotels suiting all kinds of budgets are available in Kodaikanal and Perumal Malai
Monday, April 30, 2012
Bird watching and Kyaking in Thattekad near Kochi
A haven of peace
The tranquil Thattekad
There's more to Thattekad than just birds. We return smitten by its pristine and tranquil beauty
Thattekad is no stranger to visitors. Located about 60 km from Kochi, the town nestled along the banks of the Periyar River receives both a variety of migrant birds and avid birders from different parts of the world. The renowned Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary (now partially closed) is a haven for bird watching. Frogmouths, hornbills, drongos, minivets… you will spot these and more at Thattekad. Birding is so ingrained in the spirit of the place that when I got into the cab to reach my destination, I spotted a pair of powerful binoculars and the “Birds of the Indian Subcontinent” by Grimmett & Inskipp (the Bible for Indian birders) on the dashboard.
Break from the bustle
What led me to Thattekad was not just birding. I had primarily wanted a break from the hustle and bustle of city, and after much research on the Internet, I zeroed in on the Hornbill Camp at Palamattom, Thattekad.
I learnt this was the lean season for birding and that I would be able to sight only resident birds as migrant birds would have left. The birding season in Thattekad runs between mid-August and February, with monsoon setting in during May, June and July.
The eco resort was located on the banks of Periyar river and amidst lush vegetation. The view across the river of the mountains and the woods was breathtaking! The cottages were simple, and we were happy to while away the daytime watching birds and butterflies flit past us.
Cormorants and kingfishers perched themselves on the dead branches protruding out on the river provided ample entertainment. The treat was when we got to see the Southern Birdwing one of the largest butterflies in India hovering over the flowers in the garden.
Thattekad had more in store for us — kayaking. I had never been on a kayak before, and thanks to guide and State champion in kayaking Praveen's brief (and useful!) training session, it turned out to be a wonderful experience. Floating in the kayak and looking at the terns and the herons fly overhead, it was almost like being one with the universe. We ventured into a few of the hidden coves in the river and spotted sambar and monkeys playing around in the trees. “The elephants come out in the summer. You can even see the path they have made right there,” pointed Praveen.
There were bicycles one could use to explore the nearby villages and plantations during humid afternoons when the skies seem pregnant with rain. It was a marvellous opportunity for me to admire the beautiful Kerala-style houses built in the area. It was also interesting to look at the plantations — rubber, plantain, cocoa and more, all in the surrounding area. “I developed it as an eco-resort for birders six years ago, but this place can attract a broader range of visitors as well,” says Motty Mathews, owner of the camp.
No trip to Thattekad can be complete without the birding, and our expert guide took us hiking to Irulanthanny amidst the woods. The highlight was sighting a frogmouth so well camouflaged that it looked like a piece of deadwood and learning that a racket-tailed drongo could mimic over 20 different sounds. If this was off-season, I wondered how many more birds I could have seen during the peak season. On our way back, we noticed pilgrims making their way to a Devi temple nestled in the hill.
With more time, we could have visited the Kodanadu Elephant training camp and also the Bhoothathanket Dam. Unfortunately, we had to leave much too soon to our liking, but were feeling refreshed and recharged for the days ahead.
With so much to offer, Thattekad can be an ideal destination for a variety of tourists. Whilst its core attraction is the birding and the bio diversity, the location lends itself not only for adventure and activity but also as an idyllic and quiet weekend getaway.
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