Day4
This is a day when again Venkatesh started the day with a surprise. We found the new Xylo refused to start in morning. On enquiry, finally understood, he watched movie in Car DVD player till late at night at thus the battery got drained out. He had an amazing ability to create a problem out of no where 🙂 After lot of push finally it started and so our day. We headed to Soochipara waterfall first, a nice place and a 2 km walk from parking would lead you to falls. Nice big falls with heavy flow of water but the ambience was turned not so good with even a heavier flow of tourists. God only knows how come on a weekday morning 11.00 so many crowds could come there.
After Soochipara we visited sunrise valley view point further from Meppadi towards Ooty road. On return have a quick lunch at Meppady and then visited the Lakkadi view points over western ghats, basically infested by monkeys and then proceeded towards Phookot lake. A boating experience there is nice especially in early morning or late afternoon. From Phookot, we went to Banasurasagar which is an artificial lake but quite big and watching sunset there was really bliss. A speedboat ride in the lake is interesting too.
Car Odo Reading:
Kalapetta – 44742
Meppadi – 44752
Soochipara – 44768
Sunrise Valley – 44796
Lakkadi View Point- 44834
Phookot Lake – 44837
Banasurasagar – 44864
Kalapetta – 44886
The amazing Waynad (around Meppadi):
Butterflies so colorful:
Soochipara Falls:
On the way towards Sunrise Valley:
Phookot Lake:
Banasura Sagar Speed Boat Ride:
Banasurasagar – An unforgettable sunset:
Day5
We started early as we planned to proceed to Kuruva Island via Mananvady and Kattikulam. Kuruva is a lovely group of islands on Kaveri and you may spend a whole day there if you want and ready to get wet as you have to walk between islands in waist deep water. We spent some good time there before back to Kattikulam for lunch. Ventakesh got the car skidded while returning, not sure how but it was certainly a narrow escape. We had lunch and via thutta road (Where the left road goes to Thirunelly) we moved towards Tholpetty. Tholpetty Wild Life Sanctuary is part of Waynad Forests (Other side is called Muthunga) and its a connecting corridor for wild life through Nagarhole, Bandipur, Mudumalai. You will see a lot of bamboo trees in the region and wild elephants are very common sighting on road in this stretch. The section is extremely scenic and you would enjoy every turn and bend of the road.
Tholpetty WLS as like Muthunga has a safari timing between 7 to 10 and 3 to 5. So we thought of utilizing our time by traveling to Iruppu Falls which needs a km walk from car park. Nice big falls that you enjoy in a serene ambience. Tholpetty Safari was also interesting where you would be able to see lots of deer, sambars, wild boars, Indian Gaurs and Wild Elephants. We met a tusker on our way back from Tholpetty to Thirunelly and this whole route was through dense forests and encounter with wild life is almost inevitable after sun down. It was so close, we didn’t even dare to stop but somehow Venkatesh parked the car just beside the tusker and asked me to take a snap. It was at touching distance where the tusker was breaking bamboos. I have really never been so close to a wild elephant. The more I was pleading to run away, Venkatesh was insisting with his big smile and “Parwa Nehin”. That evening I really felt, I should know Kannada just to save my life, we were lucky the elephant didn’t misbehave as it was busy eating.
Car Odo Reading:
Kalapetta – 44886
Mananvady – 44920
Kattikulam – 44931
Kuruva – 44938
Tholpetty – 44962
Iruppu Falls – 44974
Tholpetty – 44993
Thirunelly – 45011
Kuruva Island:
Iruppu Falls:
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