Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Kodachadri Trekking

Well this was also a long planned trip. For the 1st time we had planned to go to Kodachadri in October. That time we couldn’t get the bus tickets to Kodachadri, we diverted the trip to Madikeri and spent 2 days there. I booked the tickets to Kodachadri in the starting of November for 4 people. As the publicity increased 4 more guys joined us and our count to Kodachadri Trekking became 8 from 4, in one week. We had planned to go to Kodachadri on 22nd of November’2008. I contacted Umesh who is from Nittur (a village on the way to Kolluru) to book the bus tickets and the guest house on Kodachadri for us. I got his contact from Rajendra, who was the in charge for the Guest house. Umesh and Rajendra organize trekking events. On 21st Nov’08 night around 8 o’clock in the evening, we reached Majestic. Praveen was with me, we both started together from Marathahalli. Sunil and Sameer were already in the Majestic. With them Surendra and Sameer’s 2 friends Rajneesh and Prasanna were there. Later Shivu also joined. From there we went to catch the bus near Swathi Hotel, Rajeev Gandhi Circle (near Natraja talkies). We reached Swathi Hotel and had dinner there. Then we boarded the bus to reach Kodachadri. I met my hostel friend Ambareesh, who also planned to Kodachadri with his friends. Bus left Bangalore around 9 o’clock. After that night travel on the bus we reached Nittur around 7 in the morning, where Umesh was there to receive us. We got into the hotel, where we needed to fresh up with all our routines. We’d a nice break fast there and waited for a guide to come. Finally Mr. Guide, Ganapathi arrived and we started to trek at 8.30 AM.

10.30 AM: crossed 2 villages

11.00 AM: reached a small water falls on our way


1.00 PM: reached the jeep track


2.30 PM: reached the top of Kodachadri


By then we were tiered and retired. After having nice lunch in the travellers bunglow on the top of the hill, we slept for 3 hours and few of us missed the sunset part. Around 7PM Ganapathi arranged for the campfire. After some enjoyment at the campfire we went for dinner. The dinner also was wonderful. Around 9.30 PM we thought of sleeping early so that we can catch the sunrise part in the morning without miss.

As per our night plan we got up at 5 AM in the morning and went towards the sunrise point. After the sunrise we headed towards the bunglow. We got fresh up ourselves and finished the breakfas. By 9.30AM we started to towards the Nagara - Kollur Highway. By 12 noon we reached the highway and took bath in the small steam of water and cought the bus to Kollur. After the Mukambika Devi darshana we finished our lunch in the temple and thought of going to Nagara so that we can cover the Fort in that place before catching our return bus to Bangalore. By 6 o'clock we reached Nagara Fort by catching up another bus and roamed around there for an hour or so. After having dinner in a hotel in the Nagara Bus Stand we waited for the return bus which arrived around 10PM. The next day morning around 7AM we reached Bangalore and dispursed to our destinations.

More snaps of Kodachadri can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.co.in/nlgirish/Kodachadri