This was an unplanned trip. I had gone to Bengaluru to meet my friends. I reached Bengaluru at Friday midnight and immediately after waking up on Saturday morning, we decided to go to Chikkamagaluru. We started around 11 in morning by car. I was very excited for two reasons, first was that this was my first trip in South India and second was that I was going on a trip after almost 2 years. one more reason for being excited was that I was with my two best friends and we were on vacation together after a very long time.
Chikkamagaluru is in Karnataka state. It is mainly famous for Coffee. Coffee plantation in India had been started from Chikkamagaluru. BC coffee was brought to India by Chikkamagaluru in 1670. First crop was cultivated in Baba Budan Giri range. Saint Baba Budan had visited to Mecca, where he had found coffee. He had brought seven coffee seeds to India and planted those in Chikkamagaluru hills.
Chikkamagaluru mountains are the parts of western ghats and are the source of rivers, Tunga and Bhadra. This is located in Mullayagiri district, the highest peak in Karnataka. Other than coffee, it is a home of many beautiful waterfalls, like Kemmannugundi, Kudremukh, Manikadhar, Hebbe and Kallathigiri falls. It is also know for Kudremukh National park and Bhadra wildlife sanctuary.
We were four, started around 11 in morning from Bengaluru. It is around 240km from Bengaluru. We touched Chikkamagaluru city around 4.30PM. We followed the highway, NH75 till the main Chikkamagaluru city. Highway was in very good condition. Weather was pleasant. Coconut trees on the both sides of the road were accompanying us, making our journey beautiful. This was the first time when I was not interested in clicking pictures. I was so busy in enjoying the journey. Still I clicked 2-3 pictures, here are they:
Route became more beautiful after the Chikkamagaluru city. After the city, Hill area was started, surrounded with deep forest. We had planned to go to Mullayanagiri peak first. This is the highest peak in Karnataka, at the height of 6,300 ft. Road condition was good, but it was raining and was getting dark. Riding on those zig-zag hilly roads in rain was very risky. As we were heading towards the peak, the route was getting more scary and thrilling. Road was not crowded and most of the vehicles were going down. we got very few vehicles that were going up. Here is a small video:
We parked our car at the base of the hill. From there we had to climb up the stairs to reach the top. From there, the path had been started hiding in dense fog. Wind was so strong, making difficult to climb up. We got completely wet because of the fog. We couldn't enjoy the view from the top, because everything was hidden in fog. At the top of the peak, a small temple was there. Here are few snaps:
We spent approx 1 hour there after that we started descending down towards our hotel. We had booked a homestay in deep forest. We had to go down in deep forest for approx 1.4 km. This road was completely muddy and very narrow. We were alone in deep and dark forest, We had no network in our cell phones, it was raining. Believe me, this path was literally scary. We reached our resort around 7pm. It was not a fancy and luxurious resort. It had basic amenities, but located at very beautiful location, isolated from busy roads. It was continuously raining whole night. Nothing was visible in dark night, but we were able to hear the sound of the nature and it was feeling like music to our ears. We don't get chance to listen those sounds in our busy lives in these cities, full of buildings and therefore, we all should go to such places to get the true feel of nature. We spent almost 3-4 hours, sitting outside. I was feeling very sleepy but I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to sit there because those were the moments, creating beautiful memories of life.
Here is a video of the location, the small hut in video was our homestay:
Next we were planning to leave for Jhari waterfall but the caretaker told us about a waterfall at a walkable distance. He insisted to go there instead of Jhari falls. So we decided to go there. We had go to down for approx 500 meter. This was big and beautiful, safe to enjoy under the fall. Lot's of people were coming down to enjoy in this waterfall. We couldn't click pictures because we all had left our mobile phone in resort. We didn't think that it would be such a beautiful waterfall. I regretted my decision of leaving my phone in resort immediately after seeing the fall. This was the first time when I went into the fall in my life and It was scary for me.
It's been a week now and I am still getting scary dreams of that fall.
We all spent enough time in water. for coming up to resort, we got a jeep. Next we planned to visit Z-point. We packed our bags and checked out from the homestay.
I made the video of that muddy path, that was appearing scary at night but I found it beautiful in day light. Here it is:
We were heading towards the Z-point. It was again a hill, for which we had to do a small trek. but after reaching the base, we dropped the idea because it was very cloudy and rainy. Nothing was visible.
From there we started our return to Bengaluru. Before that, we stopped at a small dhaba, to eat something. I was craving for maggie. Maggie hits different on hill stations, specially in rainy season.
On our return journey, we clicked many pictures. Here are few:
Here our small vacation in Chikkamagaluru ended and we started back to Bengaluru. It took almost 5 hrs and we reached around 9.30PM. This was a very refreshing and I was completely satisfied with this small and sweet vacation. For me, the moment under waterfall was the moment I would call "Pause the moment". It was scary but beautiful.
This vacation ended there and now waiting for my next. Till then, you all take care and stay tuned Bbye.
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