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Deep Dive to Malvani Ocean
To be honest, Goa has always been one of my favorite holiday destinations, but one of my friends who hails from Ratnagiri recommended this beautiful place. About 70 km before Goa lies an old city with history of glorious past and the destination of the future. A long coastline and pristine clear waters make this beach ideal for a romantic escape. On a clear day, one can see the bed unto a depth of 20 ft. It is gaining popularity due to plethora of water sports available here at affordable rate.
Ideal for water sports and adventure lovers, the State's first International Scuba Diving Training centre is situated right here in Tarkarli. It boasts of 350 years old Sindhudurg Fort, built by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj welcomes on the frontier of the sea. You can be a lazy tortoise at the beautiful beaches.
The place doesn’t have many hotels and big resorts but offers good homely stay right at the beach. For adventures, one can head to Tsunbami Island to enjoy water sports like Paragliding, Jet Ski, Bumper Ride, banana ride, Scooter ride, kayaki. For scuba diving which is perhaps the cheapest and the best bet for first timers is very near to the Sindhudurg fort offers mind blowing experience. Once in Malvan, you can be rest assured of the great food here, the Rava Fish, the malvan Curries and the awesome Solkadi. Do try this amazing experience.
How to reach: • By Air: Nearest airport is Chipi Airport (Proposed) 3 km & Dabolim Airport in Goa. • By Railwas: Sindhudurg Station, but all trains do not stop there and connectivity by means of bus and rickshaw to Tarkali are not very good. So not recommended • Kudal on the Konkan Railway. This is around 1 hour 15 minutes by road from Malvan. Buses are available to and fro Malvan in every 30 minutes. Frequency less in the evening. If you want to go to Tarkarli directly, taxis and rickshaws are available from kudal station east. • You may get taxi at good rate after a bit of bargaining which takes you directly to tarkali beach road where you can find accommodation quite easily • Kankavli on the Konkan Railway. This is around 1 hour 30 minutes by road from Malvan. Buses are available to and fro Malvan in every 30 minutes. Frequency is slow in the evening. By Road: Tarkarli is easily accessible from Malvan by bus and rickshaw. Tarkarli is 475 km (Panvel Kochi Road, NH 17) and 576 km (Mumbai Kohlapur Road NH 4) away from Mumbai. Private, luxury and State Transport bus service are available from various parts of Goa, Mumbai, Pune to Malvan. • Buses from/to Panaji: direct buses run from bus bay #2 at the KTC bus stand in Panaji to Malvan, take 4.5 hours and cost 125 rupees. However, Malvan lies off the national highway (NH-17) so direct buses are infrequent (they also take a longer route). The faster option is to break the journey in parts - Panaji to Sawantwadi (56 rupees; 1.5 hours), Sawantwadi to Kudal (the closest town to Malvan on NH-17; 19 rupees, 0.5 hours), and Kudal to Malvan (30 rupees, 1 hour 15 minutes) - the total time is thus reduced to 3 hour 15 minutes. When returning from Malvan, remember that buses are infrequent (at least one leaves at 2 pm to Kudal) so take whatever you get to Kudal and take connecting buses back to Panaji as described above(all prices Mar '14). Don't worry too much about the names of the bus stations if it is too much, ask the bus conductor where you need to break the journeys.
Abut the Author: He is a marketing professional and passionate about trekking. He treks to many destinations in and around Maharashtra and to the east. Now -a -days, difficult to find time together but still manages to squeeze in some time to travel like this one.
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Raigad Fort – An Epitome of Maratha Kingdom
Our Journey to one of the seven wonders of India and truly a trekker’s paradise, the great fort of Raigad kicked off at Thane. We all were immensely excited just by the thought of the place because of it’s sheer contribution to the glorious Indian history of the emergence of one of the greatest emperors of all times, Chatthrapati Shivaji.
A group of 5 adventurists began their journey early in the morning to reach Pune by 9 A.M. Two friends added to the group in Pune. We took a bus to Gunjawane from Swargate and reached the base. All were hungry to the core so we decided to have food at the base. We rested for a while before we started ascending at 3PM.
After a long walk of 1737 steps we reached the top where the fort temple is, sun was just setting by then. We all were awestruck to see the glorious sight of sun setting at the backdrop of the fort. As the night darkness about creep in, We all ensured that sleeping mats are in place. We wanted to spend the night in the temple.
We finally reached top and visited the temple where we planned to stay at night. We had asked villagers to arrange dinner for us. As it was a weekday there was hardly any other visitor other than us. There were few other spots like Padmavati Machi, Suvela Machi, Balekilla, Sanjivani Machi, Hattiprastha which are equally fascinating.
Temple is located on Padmavati Machi. We were so exhausted that the first thing we thought of after reaching the temple is to sleep. Next day morning we visited Suvela machi and Sanjivani Machi. It is one life’s bif opportunity to be at these locales as they are widespread and the architecture is fantastic. One can see mind blowing horizon. We ended the day by visiting Balekilla as well. Balekilla is the top most point on fort. All the grains, Queens palaces are located on Balekilla.
We started descending the next day by 11. Reached base by 1.30 P.M. and alighted in a bus for Pune.
Quick Bites: Capital of the Maratha king Shivaji, Raigad is a hill fort in Mahad, Maharashtra. Strategically located on a wedge-shaped mass of rock, the fort was the second capital of Shivaji. Built in 1030, it was earlier called Rairi. However Shivaji renamed the fort as ‘Raigad’ after it was captured from Chandrarao More in 1656 AD. Raigad fort is accessible only from one side through a pathway, while the other three sides are surrounded by valleys. The gates of the fort — Nagarkhana Darwaja, Mena Darwaja, Maha Darwaja and the Palkhi Darwaja – still stand and are a pointer to its grandeur. While Maha Darwaja was the main entrance of the fort, the Palkhi Darwaja was the one Shivaji used. Among the attractions inside the fort are the queen’s quarters, ruins of watch towers, the balekilla or the citadel and the durbar hall. Perhaps the biggest attraction inside the fort is Shivaji’s samadhi or tomb alongside which is a memorial to his pet dog Waghya, who is believed to have jumped into the king’s pyre.
About the Author : He runs a company where his team organizes Treks to most adventurous yet unknown unseen places.
His passion, similar to 10kya's, is to encourage people to take on tours to adventurous places and open up to the unknown.
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Meditation at Vellingiri Hill
The Kailash of the south, Vellingiri hill is about an hour drive from Coimbatore Railway station. The seven hill range emanates the lasting reverbrance that these peaks have absorbed from the innumerable sages and seers who walked these hills. This Mountain is known as the Seven Hills because if you climb, there are seven undulations which make you feel like you are going up seven hills. The last peak is totally wind-blown – nothing grows there except grass.
Those who wish visit the hill need to begin at Poondi, a small village and 2 km away from the Isha Yoga Center. Buses start plying between 6 A.M. to 9 P.M. at every hour from Coimbatore. But if you are going in a group then our strong recommendation would be to book a cab. The hills have rich spiritual values. It is told that, Lord Shiva came to South India and while returning back, he rested for a while on the 7th hill. Now you know why it is called “Kailash of South”. Many Yogis and people from Yoga Center ascend the hills daily to meditate. There is a Lord Siva temple at the bottom of the hill. You have to pass the temple to begin to ascend. The hill is considered to be sacred so people will request to remove the shoes and walk without footwear. However you can wear it after passing the temple if you want, but it is not advisable. During Shivarathri function, the shops are available around the hills. Rest of the year, There are no shops. It is better to take all necessary things before you start off.
I started at 4.30 in the morning with a group from Isha Yoga Center. There is no electricity available. We used torch light. There are seven hills. The first hill has steps, so it was bit easy to ascend. It took almost an hour to cross the first hill. At the end of the first hill, there is a small temple. The Second hill does not have steps. We have to walk on a footpath bare foot. It is the longest hill of all. The path is uneven and little dangerous during the night. After you cross the second hill, the path is relatively smooth and easy till the 6th hill, except in some places we need to ascend and descend. We have to be more careful during the rain, the path becomes very slippery. Since many people do not wear footwear, few fell down at some places. One needs to be cautious while passing through 5th hill. I reached the sixth hill around 10am. People who ascended before told us to remove the shoes and backpacks since the wind current was too strong and path is more slippery.
The climate of the7th hill is entirely different than the other hills. The moment you step on to this hill, you will feel the chillness of the wind. The path here is more slippery than other hills. After scaling half the distance, the strong and fast cold wind engulfed us making further progress difficult. There was not any visibility beyond 10 feet of the hill. I was progressing almost blindly. The other other problem was leeches in the path. There are ample of then on the path and on the grasses which made the walk even more difficult. Many Yogis along with I was travelling slipped and got hurt. It took more than an hour to travel to the top of the 7th hill. There were two big rocks at the top of the hill under which Panchalingas are kept in a 6 feet carved cave. I worshipped and sat in the place for 10 minutes. Many people sat and meditated around the rocks. There is another rock near where Sadhguru used to meditate. Because of the strong wind, we were unable to go there. After meditating for half hour the time came to descend. We came back to a place where I kept my bags. Took rest for another half hour over there began descending. It took as long as 6 hours to reach the foothill. I must confess that descending was as difficult as ascending. At the foothill you will find cabs and auto for transportation. Best time to travel here is around May. If you are travelling in winter season, frequent rains and wind makes it very difficult to move ahead. And best time to begin ascending is at 4 in the morning because that way you can come back before 4 in the evening. During the summer season, it better to start in night to beat the rising temperature. It was my first time to that hill and it was unforgettable experience especially the experience on the 7th hill was awesome. The freshness & spirituality of the place will make you to visit again and again.
About the Author : I am working as a software engineer working in the reputed MNC in Chennai. I am passionate about traveling and trekking in hills. When ever I get time, I used to visit different places with my friends. My favorite sport is badminton and I play everyday with my friends.
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Kerala – God’s own country
I usually love travelling, especially travelling to "God's Own Country" Kerala. Every time I visit a place in Kerala I just get amazed by the sheer beauty of nature. Places like Wayanad, Allepey, Munnar are simply breath taking.
This time we planned to visit Allepey. I was about to realize a long nurtured dream. We usually travel in our own car. Long drive adds up to the excitement. We started off after having lunch from Bangalore. We reached Coimbatore and stayed there for a night. Next morning we started early and reached our hotel lake palace, near Allepey. A perfectly maintained resort; already felt like living in paradise.
In Allepey, our first stop gate was Marari beach. Wow, it is quite a little heaven out here. Unlike other beaches, this one was super clean, quiet and climate was just sensual. Even kids can play to their hearts content without disturbances. From here we moved on to go to Kerala’s most famous backwaters. One should come here at least once to admire its serene and unperturbed natural beauty.
We went to a lake in Thirumala ward Chungam which was in proximity to our hotel. The lake was just gigantic. Trust me, after you reach here, you forget the past and future and just live in your present and enjoy. We were so mesmerized by its beauty so much so that we decided to jump in to a boat house for that night. The stay was unprecedented and unforgettable. Just a note, hotels and resorts here also offer Allepey backwater tours at competitive prices.
The next whole day we scouted around the little town and went for shopping. The sea food here was awesome and at its authentic best. The journey might have come to an end, but it will just get better the next time when we come back again. After all as they say Kerala is truly “GOD’S OWN COUNTRY".
How to get there:
Alleppey by Air:
The airport is located near Allepey. The Cochin International Airport and Trivandrum International Airport are at a distance of just 75 km and 150 km respectively. Since regular flights operate from both these airports, one does not find any difficulty to reach Allepey. If you wish to go by bus, you can go to Trivandrum from where the distance of Allepey is merely 150km
About the author:
Hi, I am a software engineer in a leading MNC in Bangalore, I love Travelling a lot whenever I can squeeze in some time for me. I travel across India to uncover its hidden beauty. I am passionate about long distance biking for sheer fun.
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Spine Chilling Trek to KalavantiDurg Fort in rain with zero protection ascent
I came to know about KalavantiDurg Fort about a year ago from an article posted on a travel website. I browsed a lot on the net to find more about the fort. I found a detailed content on KalavantiDurg fort. It is one the 35 beautiful abandoned places in the world. Shivaja won the fort back from Kesar singh, a mughal sardar. At the time of attack the fort was governed by Kesar Singh and was the only fort to put up a strong resistance. Singh died during the battle but Shivaji in an act of kindness made sure that singh’s mother and her grandchild were allowed a safe passage out.
After some regular internet research I came to know about Prabalgad too which is adjacent to KalavantiDurg Fort. It is located on the edge of Matheran in the state Maharashtra, at an elevation of 2300 feet above the sea level in the Western Ghats. After a one year, finally the day came when I decided to visit KalavantiDurg Fort with few of friends on a weekend, and what better way to end the week than a whiff of freedom and a feeling of fullness?
So, on a beautiful Saturday morning, at an around 8 O’clock in the morning we all gathered at Panvel Railway Station, which is the closest to KalavatiDurg Fort. August, being a Monsoon Season, though there was not a single rain cloud in sky. It was a perfectly hot sunny day. We hired a vehicle from station to village Thakurwadi. The entire mountain can be seen from the Mumbai-Pune express highway. It took us around 45 minutes to reach the village. The vehicle dropped us to the foothill. Here on, we started ascending the mountain towards the plateau called Prabalmachi, named after the village located up on the plateau. The way towards the plateau was bounty with nature. We also saw some Baboons playing on a tree. Wait, I am not sure whether they were playing or fighting. There were lots of Fig trees on the way with fruits on them, we grabbed some fruits to eat and they were not bad at all, not very sweet but perfectly edible. After 2 hours of incessant ascend we finally reached the plateau. Due to monsoon there was a small stream of water flowing down from the plateau, the water clean enough to drink and had a great taste.
We halted for 15 minutes on the plateau; and we started to walk towards the base of KalavantiDurg fort. The KalavatiDurg fort wasn’t much difficult to ascent but it was dangerous because of the nerve breaking steep climb. The stairs leading to the fort were cut out of the rock of the hill. There were no safety rails on the edge or no ropes on the wall to hold on to. As we finished the scary stairs we had a steep ridge of about 3 meters in front of us to climb on. It wasn’t easy but somehow we all managed to get to the top of KalavantiDurg Fort. The view from the top was breath taking. The hardest part was now to descent. Due to rain, mud from top was flowing down to the stairs, which made it slippery. Slowly yet carefully, step by step, we were able to make it down to the plateau. It is a sigh of relief after spine chilling experience.
As the descent was over and we were on the plateau, we went to a small hotel up on the plateau owned by a local villager. They had Dal-Chawal, Roti with some sort of sabji. We had amazing food with mesmerising view
Things to Know:
- There is a dense forest up, so one should hire a guide if not sure about the route. - Do wear proper trekking or hiking shoes or boots with good grip. - Carry at least 5 litres of water
How to reach
- Own car – Drive down to Thakurwadi (from Shedungphata – Kalamboli-Mumbai bypass road meets the Mumbai-Pune highway) - Via train- reach panvel station and then either hire a vehicle or a State Transport Bus to thakurwadi village. - There are two State transport buses available in the morning, one at 7:00 A.M. and the other at 8:30 A.M. The Last bus from Thakurwadi to Panvel railway station is at 8:00 PM. - Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Is nearest to Panvel.
Location
- Google coordinates 18.971193, 73.225293
About Author: Ketan Shide
Hi! My name is Ketan, I am just 21 years old college student living happily in Mumbai. My passion is to travel to unknown places. I travel to places because I do not just want to see it in books or television. For me, it is a great opportunity to experience and observe our great mother nature that surrounds us as a protection layer from all odds and also holds a great beauty in itself.
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Escape to Dodi
On Saturday, 12th September, a group of 8 cycling enthusiasts embarked on a 100 Kilometers joy ride to Dodi, a place situated at a mid way of Bhopal and Indore.
Our group of cycling Enthusiasts, nicknamed "The New Golfers" organized a bike trip to a Highway resort at Dodi, which is about 100 Kms from Bhopal. This was going to be a “first ever 100 kms cycling experience” for most of our group members who showed up on the day for this particular trip.
[START] Bhopal (Chunabhatti) --> VIP Road --> Bairagarh--> Fanda --> Crescent (Sehore) --> Barkhedi --> Astha --> Dodi [END]
The Trip was planned by our captain and chief motivator, Mr. Chandra Mauli Shukla, who ensured all the logistics are in place and an active participation from members.
On Saturday, six members assembled at Chunabhatti. We began our journey at around 5:30 A.M. from Chunabhatti. Two more members joined us at V.I.P road. Atmosphere was just perfect and pleasant as it should be in an early Morning. We rode till Bairagarh, our next stop fairly quickly and halted for 5 minutes to have tea.
From Bairagarh we progressed further to Fanda, our next stopover for water and refreshment. So far we covered ground of 30 kms and at this point two of our members left back for Bhopal to meet some pre planned engagements later in the day.
Rest six of us proceeded ahead towards Crescent resort in Sehore, the midpoint of our journey. We reached there at 8:45 A.M. and the weather was still pleasant, perfect for a cycle tour. We decided to step up the speed and pedal faster as the day was sunny and it would get hotter to make it difficult for us to pedal on after 10:00-10:30.
We left from Crescent around 9:00 A.M, and rode for next hour and half to our next stopover at Barkhedi . As expected, it got bit hot and pedaling on road was getting tougher due to hot weather. From here onwards, we decided to stop every 10 kms or so for water and refreshments so that no one gets dehydrated.
Ultimately around 1:00 P.M. we reached our destination. Our first Century Ride of the Group.
I am a entrepreneur and dabble with all things in mobile. I am based out of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
I am passionate about sports namely, Cycling, Running etc. I am passionate about Tech toys as well.
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Trekking at night at Kunti Betta
Just a day before friendship day, 21st August afternoon, five of us decided to celebrate the friendship day in a memorable way. We tossed with some options but the one that got all of us excited about was to go for a night trekking. We zeroed in to a location after checking couple of blogs about Kunti betta. This was my first trekking experience in Karnataka and was pretty excited by the thought of it. It was a pleasant day. We booked our tickets from a website and we received complete details about the Trek beforehand, much before we actually started.
We finished our dinner and got ready by 9:00 PM to catch the bus near Marathali. Bus came as per the schedule. There were forty more travelers including us. Around 11:30 PM we stopped at Ramnagar, our base camp. We had some refreshments and relaxed for some time before we boarded the bus again to reach Kunti Beta base by 12:30 AM. The atmosphere was electrifying. We all got soaked in cool breeze blowing gently over us. We carried a torch and camp fire wood sticks. The trek started little over mid-night. Kunti betta night trek was increasingly becoming fascinating experience to remember as we moved along in staunch darkness. Here a word of caution, one needs to be very careful during the trek because you will be ascending in night and more so in the dark. We had to combat the darkness with the help of torch lights and lamps. The experience was really little scary but full of excitement. My friends and I also helped few fellow travelers while trekking and became friends. After two and half hours of incessant trekking, we reached the peak of kunti betta. The organizers arranged a camp fire with sticks which we carried. We enjoyed the ambience and the serenity of the location as the atmosphere was blessed with unperturbed silence. We waited there for about 3 hours and got drenched with the falling moon light and warmth of the camp fire. The view from the peak was unprecedented. We celebrated friendship day on the peak of Kunti Betta by cutting cake. It can’t get better than this.
Around 5:40 A.M, we all witnessed the beautiful and vivacious sun rising; it was gently yet majestically appearing from the mysterious clutter of cloud. Soon the entire location was encompassed with affluent sun light. Around 7:00 AM, we started descending and reached the base camp at 8:30 AM. From here on, we went to a lake nearby for boating and swimming. We swam, played and enjoyed our heart out in the cool and clear water of the lake. Again by 10:30 we left from Kunti betta and stopped in a small village for breakfast, food was yummy. We finally boarded the bus back to Bangalore and reached by 2:00 PM. The entire trip was organized by Escape2Exlore team.
About the Author I am a software engineer working for MNC in Bangalore. I am passionate about exploring the beauty of nature as I Hail from Amalapuram a beautiful town in East Godavari. And also passionate about being close to the nature as much as I can.
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Biligiri Hills One day trip - A Must Visit
The road trip to Biligiri Rangana betta was a wonderful experience The Biligirirangana Hills, commonly called B R Hills, is a hill range situated in south-eastern Karnataka, at its border with Tamil Nadu in South India. Being at the confluence of the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, the sanctuary is home to eco-systems that are unique to both the mountain ranges. The area is called Biligiriranganatha Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary or simply BRT Wildlife Sanctuary. The hills are famous for the temple of Lord Ranganatha or Lord Venkatesha which is situated on the highest peak of the hill range. This is also a tiger reserve and if lucky, you will spot tiger, cheetah and many other wild animals, well nothing can be more satisfying than spotting a tiger in a jungle. There are a large number of "champaka" trees together with several covering the area with thick shadow. To the east of the riverbank, of the river Bhargavi (a tributary of the cauvery) stands a gigantic champaka tree, about 43 meter in height and the girth of trunk measuring about 20 meters. Trekker's who are visiting BRT wildlife sanctuary would like to visit Doddasampige by trekking. The forest area is a home for many medicinal and other endemic species. The BR hills links the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats allowing animals to move between them and facilitating gene flow between populations of species in these areas. Thus, this sanctuary serves as an important biological bridge for the biota of the entire Deccan plateau.
Not many people explore this part of Karnataka Drive towards this place would be a memorable one, you also have an option to go for jungle safari, the weather here is awesome.
How to reach B R Hills : Bangalore - Maddur- Malavalli - BR Hills By Road (From Bangalore): Take the Bangalore – Mysore highway, and drive till Maddur. Turn left after leaving Maddur and drive till you reach Malavalli. Continue driving past Malavalli and get to Kollegala town. BR Hills is another 30 minutes drive from Kollegala. Those who come from Coimbatore can take either KSRTC or TNSTC to reach Chamarajanagar, buses ply every 20 minutes. Train: Nearest train station is in Chamarajanagar, 40 km from BR Hills. Daily 6 trains connect Chamarajanagar with Mysore and one among the six goes to Tirupati via Bangalore. Flight: Mysore Airport is the nearest Domestic Airport, Which has tri-weekly non-stop flights to Bangalore operated by Spicejet. Coimbatore Airport, 185 km from BR Hills, is nearest International Airport. But Coimbatore has less connectivity compared to Bangalore International Airport is 220 km from BR Hills. I suggest people to go visit this place once in his / her lifetime.
Things to keep in mind before starting: There is no food available on the way, you need to take away food near Maddur or take away from KFC / Dominos on Mysore highway Weather is chilled, warm clothes are recommended Do not miss to visit the BR hills Safari. You must be lucky to spot tigers Stags, deers and elephant are common sightings Weather is pleasant around 19 degree, slight drizzle, make sure you are equipped accordingly Food Facility : No food , you will get food if you stay nearby home stay or resort. If you are going for one day outing you need to take away food. Do not throw plastic and play loud music. Your vehicle will be checked and you will have to sign in and sign out. The only vehicle available is Jeep
About Author: I am from Bangalore and I plan for outings every 15 days, I am an engineer working with an MNC and am always on the lookout for new places to get myself rejuvenated. It adds a rush to my adrenaline whenever I imagine a tiger spotted in a forest. I am passionate about travelling in uncharted areas of my state Karnataka.
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Trek to the Valley of Flowers amidst the alpine Himalayas of Uttarakhand
The beauty of the lofty Himalayas is unsurpassed showing a different facet in every state, town and the remotest of the villages that the range crosses. Who would have imagined that one such replica of the gardens of heaven would be nestled within the lap of this extravagant being – The Valley of Flowers or ‘Phoolon ki Ghaati’ as traditionally known. The valley covering an area of 87.5 kilometers is part of the Zanskar range of the Uttarakhand Himalayas and is home to about 521 species of alpine flowers and offers an unimaginable sight in the monsoon months of July and August, which is the best time to visit. Behold the lively dance of white and yellow Anemones, Angelicas, Himalayan Balsams, Calendulas, Geraniums, Blue Poppies and many more wild flowers amidst lush green meadows of the valley. These high-altitude meadows are locally termed as ‘Bugyals.’ Indeed, you truly need to see it to believe it. The plethora of rioting colours, the intoxicating smell and the seamless foliage transports you to an artist’s dream for that perfect portrait. The Valley of Flowers National Park has been well protected due to its uneasy accessibility and in the year 2005 it was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list of natural sites.
Getting to the valley entails a trek of 19 kilometers from Govindghat, which is 15 kilometers away from the closest major town in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, Joshimath. Joshimath is well connected by road to both Dehradun and Haridwar. The trek in itself is an experience creating everlasting memories and is a trekker’s paradise. Visitors usually make it a two-day trek covering the first 15 kilometers from Govindghat to Ghangaria which serves as the base for visiting Valley of Flowers and is the last of human habitation in this alpine valley, on the first day and reserving the following day for the visit to the enchanting valley. Due to unpredictable weather changes, all tourists are strictly advised to start descending from the valley by 1.00 in the afternoon and overnight stays are prohibited. I would like to thank 10kya for uploading my blog and providing the opportunity to share my experience. It feels great!
About the author:
Zainab Limbidwala - When people ask me what is that one thing that always brings a smile on your face? It is the prospect of travelling, anywhere that may be I quit my full-time job a year ago and now, am working as a freelancer in content development and editing, and it allows me to take off every once in a while. The joy of meeting new people, learning where they come from, experiencing new landscapes, new environments and cultures and that unfamiliarity from all things home is something that keeps me going. I know have only just started, but I want to make memories all over the world!
Click here to see all Adventure gear :http://www.10kya.com/adventure.html
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A beguiling bike rove to the peninsular tip
Planning;
as they say, is essential before you set out for a journey but I never cared to do that. As long as you have the urge inside, journeys will never shrivel you from having a ramble across the dry and hard terrains. This would not have been my opinion, had I decided not to let my name get thrown in to a two-day junket planned by friends. The destination was set explicitly at Dhanushkodi, the south eastern tip where raspy flairs beckon. There never was any route-map neither was there any planning of “When” and “How” even though we had the final nod good few hours ahead of gripping ourselves to the journey.
And finally we set out for a journey of more than 700 kilometers. During the journey, we did not come across any predicaments, thwacks, or snags as alarmed by our friends. What we embraced with was some grueling yet vigorous hours of a fervor- ride which only got coupled with the pinnacles of felicity unwinding ourselves from the drilled urban lifestyle. At this point, I must confess that it has never been my choice to have two days trip on bike. But I had no regret in rejigging my thoughts and it is not just one thought, but many. Being a travel enthusiast, I somehow was drifting away from the traversing instincts in recent years. It was only after this voyage, I realized that it was only kept inert. All it required is a spark in you. In my case the spark got well ignited by this exotic trip. The journey taught me about the most important things to consider ahead of your plan for a trip like this one. It is the journey and not the destination which thrills. There are moments when you await to peck your destination but such thoughts never flashed in my minds even for once during this adorable journey. All I wished was to just roll through the dreary, yet stirring roads through which we moved our way ahead.
Let me mention the places where we spent some quality time. Rameswaram is one of them, but just let it be, the beauty of being there can never just be contained in my scribbling. You have to be there to feel the exquisite charm.
The Pamban bridge, the ruined island of Dhanushkodi, and the escapade through bumpy roads in a forest (pardon me, I forgot the exact name of the place) are just few of the many capers that is welcoming you in this south-eastern tip. I could only say, if given a chance to visit here again, I would embrace it with no second thought, and with utmost passion and pleasure, yet again, with no forethoughts drawn up in my mind. That's how I feel it must have worked out.
It will be a sin if I miss out to mention to the rural restaurant vendor who served our appetite well with the flavors of local cuisine during midnight, along the outskirts of Thirunelveli.
About Dhanuskodi:
is ruined island severely damaged by cyclone in 50 -60 years back. Dhanushkodi is situated to the South-East of Pamban. Danushkodi is about 18 miles (29 km) West of Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. The Dhanushkodi railway line running from Pamban Station was destroyed in the 1964 cyclone and a passenger train with over 100 passengers drowned in the sea. Dhanushkodi has the only land border between India and Sri Lanka which is one of the smallest in the world-just 45 meters in length on a shoal in Palk Strait. Before the 1964 cyclone, Dhanushkodi was a flourishing tourist and pilgrimage town. Since Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) is just 19 miles (31 km) away, there were many ferry services between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar of Ceylon, transporting travelers and goods across the sea. There were hotels, textile shops and dharmashalas catering to these pilgrims and travelers. The railway line to Dhanushkodi, which did not touch Rameswaram then was destroyed in the 1964 cyclone, went directly from Mandapam to Dhanushkodi. Dhanushkodi in those days had a railway station, a small railway hospital, primary schools, a post office, customs and port offices, and other buildings. It was here in this island in January 1897 that Swami Vivekananda again set foot on Indian soil, after his visit to the west to attend the World's Parliament of Religions held in the United States.
How to get there:
By Road- Bus, Car or Bike; By train- there's only train that gets you to the island of Rameswaram, but I'm not sure of the timings.
About the author: Akhil Unnikrishnan is a Public relation professional based out of Trivandram. He uses his time well during festival holidays to travel through the less known places in his beautiful state of kerala. Travelling by bike and organizing such tours with his friends is his passion.