Kerala Day 10 | Off to Kodaikanal
Its 10 days away from home, wandering in Kerala. Woke up in Munnar to the beautiful backdrop of the mountains and peaceful silence.
Juicing out the moments spent here, its now time to step out from God’s own country to the Queen of Hill-Stations. Around 170 km from Munnar, the interstate journey is through the mountains in Kerala and into the mountains of Tamil Nadu.
Joycy is now full of souvenirs already, only to add more on the way ahead! We kicked off around 830 AM after a filling breakfast, courtesy of the host (One of the best part of the journeys!).
Swirling down the mountains, soon crossing the Kerala border surpassing the majestic views and cliff roads. Blinded by fog many times, the path is guided by the sun breaching once a while through the trees and high peaks.
Descending to TamilNadu, into the villages. From white lungis to colorful ones, you can easily notice the change in the culture and way of living as you venture forward.
Soon reached the bottom of the hill station, beginning of The Wildlife Sanctuary of Kodaikanal. Upward the winding road, into the hills, the path is guarded by monkeys at each and every turn.
As we stopped at a curve to enjoy the Manjlar dam view, yet to exhale the deep breath we took in, realized we were being looted for a water bottle by a scary monkey family!
Left hurriedly, saving other stuff and reached the Hill station. Crossing the check post, you see the silver cascade waterfalls on your right hand side. Kind of true to its name, though small, silvery water gushing down the steps and flow under you. Crowded a little, spent a few minutes before taking off towards our stay for next 2 days, Zostel Kodaikanal.
Just after these falls, you will cross the Kodaikanal pine forest. Since we already had our share of pine in Kerala – Vagamon, took a rain check and moved ahead. Famished, reached the town center and gobbled at the first decent restaurant in sight.
After a 10 min ride, it was Zostel Kodaikanal at around 3 / 4 PM. Located on a Cliff-side, has an amazing view of the town center. Colorful roof top decorate the view of the hills around it. The temperature starts dropping here drastically even before dusk and was around around 16/18° at 430 pm.
After unloading the luggage into the room, we set off for a sunset boat ride in the Kodai lake (Do not miss this one), It’s a 5 min ride from Zostel. An average queue for a paddle boat in a beautiful lake at the heart of the town at 515 PM.
Around 40 – 50mins of a peaceful ride without any hustle around, and if you reach there just in time (about 5pm), the sun starts setting in drowning the place in a beautiful contour of orange. You can rent a bicycle and ride around the lake, although, cannot use to venture any further than the lake road.
You can enjoy the evening hustle and the market that runs along the lake on the bicycles. Marked the Kodai cheese shop here to pack few of those later.
Kicked off to a nearby church, Mount Zion Lutheran Church. Out there in an unknown place, faith is what keeps one’s spirit high. Lit some candles and prayed before heading back to the Zostel.
Called it a day and headed back to Zostel in the chilly late evening. With the temperature dropping at 12°, reached and got into the hoodie right away. Dinner was cooked at Zostel itself. Couldn’t stand the chilly wind outside and had food in our room. With loaded stomach, there was a need for a quick stroll, but the night had set in with a temperature of 4 degrees by 11 PM. As time flew by, with a shivering stance, we were quick to crash in to the bed.
Kerala – TamilNadu Day 11 | Kodaikanal
The following day starts with a delicious live breakfast counter with ample options, very difficult to choose! Filling our tummies, we set out towards the first destination of the day, Coakers Walk at 10pm.
An entry fee of about Rs 50, it’s an amazing place to take a walk midst a view of the Kodaikanal town situated between the hills with the clouds under your feet. Earlier you go there, merrier the view and climate will be. Wise to carry an umbrella/shades as it gets hot by the day and nothing much for shade.
After a nice stroll, next is dolphin nose point. On the way, you will pass by Liril falls (a pass by place.) and Vattakanal falls (you can spend 10/15 mins here as the place is serene and shaded by tall eucalyptus trees) and a little traffic if you are driving by a car. Post this it’s a concrete but uneven road till Dolphin nose Start point.
Disclaimer: Do not wear clothes you’ll get hot into or carry too many stuff if you plan to take this trek till the end.
Parking at the start point, it’s a good 45 mins trek from here. Stones, rocks, tree roots and 3/4 refreshment shops. The steps half way are nothing but tree roots forming steps and a way forward.
Having worn all my riding gears, it was damn hot for me even in the chilly winds. With my tank bag and helmet along, reached the point all sweaty almost not giving up till the end. But damn it was worth it.
The fog might keep you blind of the view but the place is much more than what you paint in your head on your way. Damp, fog hovering, trees covering you around with a very little sunlight shining around. A perfect place to meet one’s soul.
The rock shaped as Dolphins nose gives this place the identity. A little trek ahead and you will reach the echo point. Skipped that point as it was nothing but fog and spent some quality time here.
The trek is refreshing and you get to see a lot of views are different break points. Was back up by 230 PM and left for my next stop, Berijam Lake. Yes, thought could go there.
Took the pillar rock route only to find out that it was closed and was only a one-way road. Don’t go this way if you plan to visit.
Dejected about likely to miss the places, charted an alternate route via Poombari road that merges ahead with the Pillar Rocks road. Zup zap zup. as fast as I could, via the golf course – Vattakanal junction and onto Poombarri road.
Passed the Kodaikanal solar observatory and through a less traveled road reached the junction. At the check post got to know that prior permit was required and no 2 wheeler were allowed as the place is reserved and only a limited number of visitors are allowed
You can get the permit from the forest department office or contact any tour travel agency. Keep private travel as the last option as the guys charge a lot and chances are that you skip places. Take own or rented cars if possible.
Turned back and took the pillar rock road towards Guna caves. Well may be a good co-incidence that Berijam and Caps fly high view point was off the trip, got to visit Guna caves A.K.A. Devils kitchen. Well the place justifies the name once you see it.
It was 4pm, reached the place just in time before the place closes at 430pm. An entry fee of Rs. 5 per head and we were in. It’s a 2-3 min walk up to the dense trees sitting on the throne of their roots covering the place with their immense presence. Thick giant roots have formed a grid, crawling everywhere making it look like a devil’s lair.
You can enjoy an amazing view of the valleys and mountain from here if the fog god lets you, if you be a little patient. Spent a great time marking off another place from the list. You can further explore the place around. The Sun peeks through between the huge branches of the trees, making it a picturesque spot for many and a soul satisfying energy for some.
Thirst bound after climbing and clicking at every possible corner whilst the sunlight was still there, left at around 5pm. After this on the pillar rock road, you can visit the pillar rock point. Turns out to be too crowded and foggy, a poor combination, and hence decided to skip it and make use of the evening for shopping. All covered in fog, the one-way road cleared once a while to let you see through ahead. Rode to the market, passing the crowds and traffic.
Picked up chocolates from a shop, saree, lungi and a few souvenirs. Booked the famous Kodai cheese to be taken back home on the lake road and headed back to Zostel.
Looking back, it was a fun filled day with amazing places and treks endured and of them shopping left us exhausted! Although could have been better if we hadn’t missed some spots. So now I have a reason to come back to this place I’m awestruck with! Finally, called it a day post a delicious dinner.
For next day was my trip towards home via Coimbatore and a few unplanned stops as I had leisure days.
Kerala – TamilNadu Day 12 | Off to Coimbatore
Left at around 10 am, picked up loads of cheese and headed towards Coimbatore. Why Coimbatore? Well, one needs to visit places for things to buy and not just mere souvenirs. Ride along to find out.
180 km from Kodaikanal, I booked an Oyo near the airport. Initially planned to visit Adiyogi, but dropped the plan as I took a leisure ride and reached a little late at around 3/4pm. Well, what do you know, now I have 2 reasons to come back! Oh and Cheese would be the 3rd and also the most important one 😉
Unloaded and set off to buy some sarees at D.R.Ganesh Sah Silks & Sarees . Bought 4 of them with plans to order more from Mumbai 😉 . Have many sweethearts back in Mumbai with a liking for them. One of the reasons I chose Coimbatore
Then visited Sree Annapoorna Sree Gowrishankar restaurant, one of the famous ones in Coimbatore for a nice dinner. You should visit this if you happen to be here. Had loads delicious, lip-smacking snacks and rushed back to the Oyo. My Seconds reason to be in Coimbatore
Called it a day after dropping of my friend at Coimbatore Airport.
Kerala – Karnataka Day 13 | Off to Bangalore
Next stop was my usual place on every trip, like a toll stop, Bangalore! How could I miss it?
Bangalore is like a central point to start off to many places in the south making travel faster and convenient. That’s what I have experienced.
Appx. 330 kms from Coimbatore, it’s a smooth ride till my adobe near Koramangala, where I planned to meet my cousin, a very special one. After a quick bite at Harry’s, called it a day. A leisure day to buckle up for the next day’s 1000kms ride to Mumbai.
Kerala – Maharashtra Day 14 | Off to Kolhapur
The last day of the year 2019, I left at 8 AM from Bangalore. Decided to halt at Kolhapur, around 650 km from Bangalore and spend my NYE here. Reached at 530 PM, at the same place i stopped by during my Coorg – Chikmagalur Ride. Enjoyed the local delicacy and enjoyed the new year night in Kolhapur.
First day of 2020, visited the Mahalaxmi temple. Before reaching there, stopped by a Suzuki service center and got the engine oil changed as the oil level had dropped considerably.
The temple is swarming as usual, but the divine aura never fails to capture your soul. Started my new year with blessings.
Kerala – Maharashtra Day 15 | Off to Mumbai
Picked up some Kolhapuri jewellery, the one famous Kolhapuri Saaj and Kolhapuri Thushi along with few others for the beauties back home. If you visit Kolhapur, do check out these jewellery, but be cautious of the fake ones and bargain. It ranges from Rs 400 and goes well beyond 10k.
It’s 2 PM already after all the shopping there, and I kicked off towards Mumbai. After crossing the Kini Toll booth, stopped for a chai and got into chatting with the shop owner.
After a while, a sugarcane loaded tractor parked besides and the owner happily took out few of them and loaded onto my bike for my return journey. A goodwill gesture of the people with a big heart staying in small villages 🙂
Got 1 of them cut to munch at pit-stops and about 10/15 to take back home. Started off from there, Zup zap zup, in very less traffic, soon I was in Pune. Took a left from Dehu road onto old Mumbai -Pune highway, a usual pit-stop in Lonavala,- Panvel – traffic – Vashi and I was Home! Well, Almost!
Satara 
Mumbai
Touched down around 9pm with Mom waiting right in front of the gate, quickly unloaded, went home and got fresh, with the joy and excitement still at its peak.
A long 15 days away from home, wandering unexplored places among unknown people, a different world altogether and there you are, in your bed like a journey into another universe with the adventures of life awaiting ahead.
All you can hear is your heart beats and a sense of peace with your soul with nothing but a blank slate and a sound sleep for the Night.
And like a serendipity, on the first day in office after a long break, you login and see a wallpaper with freezing mountains and valleys, hinting for the next ride plans? May be! 🙂
The words that swirl around in my head after this particular trip are –
“You showed me the mountains, You showed me the waters, you gave me memories by far the greatest of all, you mesmerize me, you put me in awe, dear Kerala, truly a God’s own country you are! “
Ride Statistics :
Total km ( Entire Ride): Appx. 4080kms
States: Mumbai – Kerala – Tamilnadu – Karnataka
Bikes: Gixxer SF
Duration: 15 Days
Missed Places: Wayanad
0 Comments