Planned a month before for this trip with my sister family. Initially i thought a lot, whether to go for this since when i think of kodaikanal, the only thing come to my mind is just that lake, park and some view points as i already went at my early stages. Finally i decided to go to enjoy time with my sister family. Now am thinking like, "thank god i didn't miss this trip" :)
As my sister working in postal, she got govt provided cottages to stay which is decent enough. We booked a month before for Rs.5 per day :)
We(myself,sister,uncle n little boy girish) started from trichy on friday morning 13th july'12 6:30AM. Reached vathalakundu at 11 and from there hill area. At ground level, its very dry and on going up, slowly cool air started blowing. But there is no hair bin bend in the path and only ups and downs of lots of hills. on going itself we can able to see spectacular view points.
Below pics taken from inside the bus:
We reached kodaikanal at 12:30. Checked into the room and got refreshed and straight to hotel "HILL TOP" which is the only famous non-veg restaurent in kodaikanal. Came again to room and took rest. Rain started and lasted upto 1 hr.
we came out at 4:30 and started our first place "coakers-walk" which is a famous walk-way there for about 2km around a hill surrounded with view points.
Coaker-walk pics:
Finished that at 6:30 and started shopping near-by and came to a veg restaurent "Astoria" which is the only famous one for veg there. we came out and booked a travel for next day trip. There are some packages available like Kodai full day sight seeing, Village tour, Forest tour. we decided not to take the usual sight seeing this time and took forest trip and local trip combo. They charged 1300 + 200 for guide. Specially for this forest trip we need to get approval from forest dept and they will allow inside only 20 vehicles per day. Guide explained all this very neatly and he said its a reserved forest and they keep it very clean and secure
and all this to make way for next generation peoples. Weekly one day, they will close this forest trip and fully clean the path ways and other maintenance stuffs.
Guide said that this is the right time to visit kodaikanal since at season time we never get entry to forest and lots of crowed will be there at each points. Now even its rainy season(june-aug), there are some crowed at each point which is OK that we got enough privacy and free to see each points.
First point, we went to silent valley which is actually a view point. Guide know where to go and view, since in the actual place for this view point if you go, you cant able to see any view as it is always covered fully with snow. But these guides know very well where to see actually. He let us in a side way and walked a bit ahead inside and there comes a end of the hill and there is nothing for support to stand there. we stopped a feet before and there a panoramic view but fully covered with snow and doesnt able to see the real height. Guide said to wait for 10 mins and some mins later, snow slowly cleared and we saw a breathtaking view with steep depth and couldnt able to imagine that much deep. From there guide pointed out a village too and there still adivasi peoples living and they visit river banks rarely.
PICS of silent valley:
Next we travelled some km and reached "Fire tower" which is actually a old tower(not in use) that forest dept people use to go to the top to see if any fire in forest. we spent little time there and started to next place.
"Berijam lake view". This is a long top view of beijam lake which is located inside the forest. They constructed a small tower and we can able to see the full view of the lake from top angle. There a little crowed since its a very good place to take snaps.
PICS taken at berijam lake view:
Next we went to "Cap's Fly Valley". Its located at the top of one hill and from there a way lead upto to the bottom of the hill. Specially at that hill top, there are lot of graviatational force which make way for this magic. If you throw any lighter objects like cap or kerchief, it will return back to us but we didnt try there.
PICS taken at caps fly valley:
Next we started to a very dangerous place "Mathikettan forest view". Before some 50 years, at british time, people went inside this forest and become mad. Thats because of some medicianl plants smell make our mind to mad state. After that nobody went inside and that forest is restricted for anyone. Even recent records are there about 25 years back that some people went mad who visitied inside this forest. On seeing that forest, it seems like an art work with coloured trees.
PICS at mathikettan forest:
Next we visited the last point inside the forest "Berijam lake" which is very long landscape and a lake at middle. Animals from inside forest used to come to this lake to drink water. But we didnt see anyone at that time. There are quite some crowed at that lake area since its a place where we can relax ourselves in the landscape. we shoot some snaps there and started to leave forest.
PICS at beirjam lake:
Again we saw all places from inside the car on return and reached "Moier Point". At british time, a guy named (sorry forgot name) who discovered a way from TN border to kerala from inside that forest with his horse and for his rememberance they raised a pillar with his name and named that place as moier point.
PICS of moier point:
Next we started the local usual site seeing and first we visited the "suicide point". Its fully covered with little snow and there a tree at the edge and we climbed that and took some snap. Thats the place where recent "Kalugu" film was taken (climax)
PICS from suicide point:
Then we visited "Pine forest" which is a very famous place with lot beautiful pine trees. we took lot snaps there and visited pillar rock, golf course, guna caves etc quickly and finished the trip at 3:30.
We took some rest in room and started for lake at evening and had boating and local shopping there.
PICS from lake:
Next day morning, we started to "bryan park" which is the usual park at kodaikanal and spend some 2 hours there and finished our trip. we purchased a lot fruits, home made chocos, tea packs, red wine etc.
PICS taken at bryan park:
We started our return journey at 3:30 and reached trichy back at 9 and had a sound sleep with kodai dreams in mind.
Still a lot must see different places are there. Do a visit and enjoy a vacation there.
