This was one of the many weekends when I've packed my bags to join a group to explore a place in Tamil Naidu call 'Kotagiri' near Ooty.
Kotagiri is a hill station in the Nilgiris District situated at the height of 5,890 feet. Most of the trekking trails are unexplored in this region due to its connectivity to Nilgiri Range which is prohibited to outsiders by the forest department. The pleasant weather and fluctuating temperatures add up to the beauty of this place. One can reach this town from Ooty or Coonoor, which is about 29km away in distance.
When tracing the trajectory of colonial footsteps into the Nilgiris, this is the most relevant stop.
Kotagiri’s most popular hiking trails are the ones to Rangaswami Pillar, Elk Falls, and Catherine Falls. Since the area is a biodiversity hotspot, hikers are bound to encounter an array of flora and fauna. Day-long hikes or advanced treks through the jungle can be organized by Kotagiri-based Nature Watch.
The clouds keep moving over your head & winds gushing through your hair! Splendid view of mountains as far as 50 Kms & of course mountains behind them too.
Just sleep on the rocks gazing at the sky & enjoy the wind :)
We all left at night from Bangalore and reached around 8 am in the morning..after a quick fresh up and breakfast at the campsite, we all left to explore some of the most iconic spots of this region. We were all lacking sleep and dying to take a short nap but that was not an option as there were enough things planned for the day.
Our first spot was a suicide point:-) literally!!! this spot was facing a valley from all sides and had a great view of a waterfall that was on the other side. On a cloudless-fogless-clear day, the view can be great. This viewpoint is at the edge of a cliff facing the falls and has protective railings - but it is unnerving to look at the sheer drop below us. The path to the viewpoint is through a well-kept tea estate and walking through is a pleasant experience. After a quick photo op, we all had to trek to reach the other side towards Catherine Falls.
Note - Carry your own food, snacks, beverages as the shop at the official viewpoint tower has literally nothing, but outdated water and chips.
Our next stop was Catherine Falls as I said can be seen up-close from the Viewpoint. You can see the white thin waters dropping from a good height into a deep gorge below. It could turn thunderous and muddy in the monsoons, but when we visited it was gentle and perfect to take a dip.
In my opinion, If you visit Kottagiri, one cannot miss this waterfall, you can trek for 20-25 mins across the tea estate to the falls and take a dip there. Try to reach there by 3.30 pm latest so that you can return back before it gets dark. There are Bison in this region so locals always suggest avoiding venturing anywhere after dark.
We did manage to spot Bisons...
This is the third time I was visiting Nilgiri hills, though never towards this side...I just loved the walk through the tea gardens enjoying the picturesque view of the surroundings and the cool and unpolluted atmosphere.
We spent about an hour over here...by the time we reached the camps back it was time for lunch...we lazed around for an hour then left for another adventure.
To reach the trekking start point we had to walk through the tea state gardens. It was a good start since we all boarded in an open tempo truck to reach the trekking point for the next leg...We all stood behind this open truck..
The road seemed to be going round and round and the heavy lunch took a little toll on few of us but nothing really happened to anyone...the breeze at that hour was a little cooler than usual but perfect for trekking. It was beautiful winding roads with lots of picture-perfect mountains..this short ride ended in just 20 minutes but worth every bit...Sooner we landed at the starting point, we realized this is gonna be a pretty long route for walking for half a day. We were all excited about it and ready to go. We went and stopped at the base of the hill which was carpeted with tea plantation. It was was a beautiful view. We did not know what to expect but we started the trek through the tea plantation and slowly the road started getting steeper and steeper. Few times we lost our way but finally figured to step out of the tea gardens. There was an off-road we had to take for about a km to reach this spot which was leading towards another side of the viewpoint from the rocks.
View point from Rangaswamy Pillar
We trudged up the stony path which was getting steeper and steeper after every step... From this spot, we started our climb. After all the searching/asking we managed to reach here. The path up was full of dry tall grass, in some places the grass was burnt out. We kept wondering if we took the right route. We sort of made our way up by a bit of trial and error. Rangaswamy pillar which was a huge monolith some 2100 meters above sea level. We were quite awed by the scenic view that greeted us… mountain ranges all around us, that moment I wished we would have camped here instead of in the town...
It was a tough climb but after some time we all got used to the momentum of the walk and it was easy to carry on…we stopped at that spot for an hour...relaxed and enjoyed the marvel of Nilgiris...The view was worth all our perseverance! Some boulders on the way and at the top are balanced in such jaw-dropping positions.
The mind-blowing expedition to ascend a mountain of such majestic beauty enveloped by an imposing atmosphere of serenity is one such memory. A novice to the challenging field of trekking, a multitude of emotions encompassed me: the excitement of delving into the depths of Nature, the unpredictability of the challenges to come, and the zest of traveling with a diverse group of people united by the acute sense of adventure.
The course of the trek switches mesmerizingly between walking through dense forests and emerging into clearings to be welcomed by an astounding view of the surrounding valleys and hills. Just a couple of hours into the trek, we walked into an offbeat trail and entered a forest of breathtaking and unblemished beauty.
Once we ascended upon the peak point, we rewarded by a spectacular panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, cloaked white by the low-hanging clouds and green by the forests. We sat mesmerized, drinking in every detail of that particular spectacle, as the sun played hide-and-seek amongst the clouds. We began our descent reluctantly, consumed by euphoria and taking with us a million memories, as dark-grey clouds appeared among the cheerful light blue skies. We finally had to say goodbye to this spot to head back to our camps which was a loooong walk back.
It was around 5 pm in the evening the time we managed to reach midway to the starting point...this walk was extremely tiring plus most of us were sleep-deprived because of the previous night road journey, all of this was making this walk a bit tougher for me...after half an hour or so we reached the starting point of the trek. I thought we are wrapping up the day now and will be heading back to the campsite for rest..but by then few pals decided to trek further, I was a little cranky by then as I wanted to rest a bit but nobody was accompanying me coming back from there. Though I would have gone alone but unfortunately I was suggested to stay put with the group.
Famous Neelakurinji flower
We had to climb another hill to see this rare flower 'Neelakurinji' which blooms only once in 12 years.
Neelakurinji : The spectacular carpet of these pale purple flowers blossoms at an altitude of over 2,500 m on the Nilgiris bloom after every 12 years! The peak blooming season is from August to October. One of the other places where you can see these flowers is in Munnar. Eravikulum National Park is one of the best attraction to check for this flora. Due to this unique diversity, this region is recognized as India’s first biosphere.
We reached the top around 6 pm, it was time for sunset also. We sat at that hillock till 6:30 pm to get some fantastic sunset shots..we were told by the locals to leave the spot before 6 pm so that we don't encounter bison on the way back but nobody listened to them.
We ran down our way to the roadside as it was getting darker. Now the entire gang was dead tired. Luckily most of them got a lift in a local truck again till the campsite. Don't know how I felt energetic all of a sudden, I gathered myself, along with one more person from the group and one guide joined back on the walk back to the camps... I was kind of okay to walk down at that hour to get some valley shots...this was about 30-40 minute long walk but all worth it since the weather was superb at that hour.
On our way back to camps
I ended my day by having early dinner near the bonfire where two Northeast folks were playing guitar...I wanted to stay there for a little longer but my head was hurting badly. I ended my day with a feeling to be more energetic the next day to at least participate in some more activities.
Next day I got up early to get ready before any of the group mates woke up. Around 9 am we all packed to leave for Bangalore. On our way back we stopped at the Chocolate and tea factory..which was worth a visit. Though the tea factory was kind of closed because of some festival, But we spent a good amount of time at the Chocolate Factory.
After some shopping at the factory we straight away left for the Bengaluru..only time we stopped on our way was to have quick lunch at some restaurant call 'The khans'. Around 8:30 pm only I managed to reach back home. I was tired but happy that I did something exciting that very weekend...While it is important to capture the beautiful memories made, it is also even more important to thank the people who made it possible. From bringing together a group of strangers and relentlessly encouraging to them conquer the peak at their own pace; the team of Plan The Unplanned has made this a memorable experience for each and every one of us. Thanks, Jatin & Rahul for arranging this trek. Look forward to many more with you guys:-)
Tips and things to remember:
1. Tips for self-drive: The road to the viewpoint is pretty narrow but well kept. If you are driving your own vehicle, you have to be pretty cautious, especially towards the end of the drive - where there is a steep descent through a winding road. Remember to honk at curves and drive slow. The directions to the viewpoint are not well marked, so make sure you ask people; There is a right turn that takes you to the top of the waterfalls instead of the viewpoint - that road is dangerous to drive on and is best avoided. It is the left turn that takes you to the Viewpoint. Drive Safe.
2. Don't litter while trekking carries a separate bin pouch to throw your waste.
3. Water bottle/ Sunscreen/Hat or a cap / Shades- These things are must carry, you don't see enough shops on this trek to buy these essentials. The sun can be harsh in this region so don't forget the sunscreen.
4. Food can be a problem for few in this region, their aren't enough Dhabas in this region..my suggestion is to carry packed food or ready to eat stuff.
5. Nights are cooler so a jacket will be required. I wasn't prepared and didn't carry one with me. But it was cool enough to carry something warm.
6. Do carry rain covers as the weather is very unpredictable here. It's best to be prepared.
Photo Ops in the tea gardens with locals
Saw some wild animals:-)