Aranyakam Homestay ~ Mepaddy
This small town was another bumpy drive 4 hours south from Kodagu. The hotel we stayed at had a commanding view of the surrounding hills and valleys from it's adorable hillside bungalows.
We went on a 15 kilometer trek and wildlife spotting expedition into Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary via the nearby town of Muthanga. Throughout the hike there was an occassional scent of eucalyptus, sandalwood, cinnamon, and sometimes citronella blowing on the breeze. All these plants and more were growing profusely around us as we hiked across the rolling hills. Only the songs of birds and the rustling breeze stirred the humid air...
In the unlikely event of a leopard or tiger encounter, our guide was equipped with a rusty rifle to fend off overly curious cats...
The variety of landscapes here was impressive. We passed from bamboo to eucalyptus and hardwood forests, and crossed meadows and swamps that were dotted with small ponds and rivers...
After an hour, we sighted a herd of perhaps 30 spotted deer across the meadow. As they noticed us and bolted, I managed to snap this blurry photo...
Strange plants and fungi were around every corner...
Our guide stated that this plant had use as a herbal remedy in traditional Ayurvedic medicine...
Huge termite mounds could be spotted every few hundred meters. This one was taller than Chelsea...
After Wayanad, we took a visit to a waterfall, which was bustling with locals who were bathing and swimming in the water...
About half-way up we stopped for a photo at this lake in the middle of the meadows. From this point, the trail grew steeper and became more of a scramble than a hike. The mid-day sun beat down, and the loose rocks and dust did us no favors as we pressed towards the summit...
Finally we reached the summit in the early afternoon. With a cool breeze at our backs, we stopped for lunch. The view stretched many miles off into the hazy distance.
Our guide relaxing at the peak. He spoke almost no English, but we were able to determine that he was 19 and had been guiding treks here for 3 years. Despite his credentials, he wore a pair of pink foam flip-flops with the heels worn nearly through. The strap of one also appeared loose, and it was a miracle he managed to do the climb without spraining his ankle or breaking a toe on the loose and jagged rocks that dotted the trail...
The hike down was mostly uneventful. Near the top, our guide's flip-flop broke completely, and he did the rest of the descent barefoot over the sharp rocks and gravel, to our amazement. At the end of the trip we tipped him well, hopefully so he could purchase proper hiking shoes in the future...
This small town was another bumpy drive 4 hours south from Kodagu. The hotel we stayed at had a commanding view of the surrounding hills and valleys from it's adorable hillside bungalows.
One of the things about staying in a jungle shack is the strange creatures that visit in the night. Here is a locust which appears to be missing one leg...
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
We went on a 15 kilometer trek and wildlife spotting expedition into Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary via the nearby town of Muthanga. Throughout the hike there was an occassional scent of eucalyptus, sandalwood, cinnamon, and sometimes citronella blowing on the breeze. All these plants and more were growing profusely around us as we hiked across the rolling hills. Only the songs of birds and the rustling breeze stirred the humid air...
In the unlikely event of a leopard or tiger encounter, our guide was equipped with a rusty rifle to fend off overly curious cats...
The variety of landscapes here was impressive. We passed from bamboo to eucalyptus and hardwood forests, and crossed meadows and swamps that were dotted with small ponds and rivers...
After an hour, we sighted a herd of perhaps 30 spotted deer across the meadow. As they noticed us and bolted, I managed to snap this blurry photo...
Strange plants and fungi were around every corner...
Our guide stated that this plant had use as a herbal remedy in traditional Ayurvedic medicine...
Elephant dung! Alas, we didn't see anything of the elephants at Wayanad besides their recent and quite massive droppings...
Huge termite mounds could be spotted every few hundred meters. This one was taller than Chelsea...
After Wayanad, we took a visit to a waterfall, which was bustling with locals who were bathing and swimming in the water...
After this, we re-fuelled on curry and rice at the fanciest restaurant in town. Here's our driver Aji looking quite satisfied with his meal...
Chembra Peak
The next day brought more trekking, as we set out to climb the lofty 2300-meter Chembra Peak. Approaching the trailhead through sprawling tea plantations, we could see that the trail followed a steep ridge most of the way up, so there would be few chances for shade or water. We started in the late morning, just as the heat of the day began to build...
Finally we reached the summit in the early afternoon. With a cool breeze at our backs, we stopped for lunch. The view stretched many miles off into the hazy distance.
Our guide relaxing at the peak. He spoke almost no English, but we were able to determine that he was 19 and had been guiding treks here for 3 years. Despite his credentials, he wore a pair of pink foam flip-flops with the heels worn nearly through. The strap of one also appeared loose, and it was a miracle he managed to do the climb without spraining his ankle or breaking a toe on the loose and jagged rocks that dotted the trail...
The hike down was mostly uneventful. Near the top, our guide's flip-flop broke completely, and he did the rest of the descent barefoot over the sharp rocks and gravel, to our amazement. At the end of the trip we tipped him well, hopefully so he could purchase proper hiking shoes in the future...
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