Varun Asok is a great blogger and a traveler who is working in an MNC company. When he travel to different destinations he write those experience whether it is good or bad. In a recent blog he has written his experience with Gowdahalli Forest in Varun's Travelogue. A blog entry is not just a block of text, but a slice of humanity and an opportunity to begin a real conversation. Thank you so much Varun for sharing this blog. Happy travelling :)
~Jeevan Maradi
0 Comments
Kanni Cool Water Falls located near Mudigere, Chikmagalur, Distance from Mudigere it is 21 km. And from Gowdahalli Forest Homestay 8 km. This hidden falls near Mudigere is accessible only by 4x4 Jeep. From the pick point 3 km 4x4 Jeep Drive one side and trek down hill about 1 km Tariff (per trip): Rs 1500 up to 10 members, Rs 2000/- for 11-15 members. Activity Duration: 2 to 3 hours
Shishila Hills/Ettina Bhuja located in high altitude hill with nob shaped summit, offering hikes and picturesque views from the peak. Even low ground clearance vehicle will reach till Nanya Byreshwara Temple, from there three and half kms we will have to trek in jungle and grassland to reach the peak. While passing this path we can see divider stone between Mangalore and Chikmagalur. Its a beautiful trekking in Sakleshpur and also who are near to Mudigere.
Birds Photography by Sivaguru Noopuran in and around Forest Homestay in Sakleshpur. Some of the birds we can spot near by Malabar Grey Hornbill, Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Black and Orange Flycatcher, White Bellied Blue Flycatcher, Rufous Babbler, Blue Winged Parakeet, Grey Headed Bulbul and much more.
Magajahalli Falls is located in place name called Magajahalli, Hanbal, Sakleshpur. Also its called Abbi Falls / Hanbal Falls. It is accessible easily from any low ground clearance vehicle, from main road walk-able distance of 100 mts. It’s calm, serene, undisturbed and easy to miss unless you have a local person with you. Very nice waterfall cascading for about 20 feet in its glory. Water-flow will be there almost throughout the year. It’s just 11 kms from Forest Homestay Sakleshpur.
Frankly, first we didn't prefer this stay as we wanted to stay in Forest homestay, maradi. But as there is no availability in maradi we decided to stay here after discussing with Mr. Jeevan, owner of the stay but we must accept that it is nothing short of an experience we desired. Jeevan is so calm , composed and helpful in planning our entire trip.
Homestay is in midst of lush green surroundings which gives tranquility. With the use of GPS link we reached there quite easily. It has all the basic amenities and the rooms are decent and comfy. They had enough activities to keep us engaged. We had a great time playing rifle shooting and carrom. We missed out swimming in the river nearby which is really unfortunate for us. Food served is quite good and thanks to the cook for putting in all the effort. You don't get proper mobile network other than Airtel, it is only a plus. Dileep, the care taker shud have a special mention. He is one of the best in business with smiling face. He helped with all our requirements. Dileep took us for a trek to a nearby hill which is serene and a falls nearby which is an adventurous experience. Both remains as the unforgettable experience of the trip. His Photographing ability is impressive and should be mentioned in particular. There was no major setback in the stay. This stay is for those who wants to have a break from hustle and bustle of the city life. All said , its a lovely experience and only we wish we could have stayed for more number of days. Thanks Jeevan and Dileep. Thanks to Sankareswaran and Team. (a review on TripAdvisor) The Western Ghats are a chain of hills that run along the western edge of peninsular India. Their proximity to the ocean and throughorographic effect, they receive high rainfall. These regions have moist deciduous forest and rain forest. The region shows high species diversity as well as high levels of endemism. Nearly 77% of the amphibians and 62% of the reptile species found here are found nowhere else.
The trip was intended more for the pleasure of drive and hence Stay was not considered important. But the unimportant became the main attraction and that was Forest Homestay. Booking was not done efficiently. Normally my spouse coordinate for this piece and hence as usual i took it for granted, forgetting it is a lone trip. A mail to Jeevan was all I did, still was fortunate to find a tent waiting for me. Yup, do collect the number of at least 2 , 3 staffs and Nuthan and Jeevan as connecting to them is a tough ask do you network issues.
Location - Beautiful but difficult to reach. Any one who love their cars / anyone who has car with less than at least 175 mm ground clearance, please listen to Nuthan / Jeevan, leave the car at their parking shed in main road and reach the resort in their Jeep. For some one interested in offroading, there can not be a better opportunity. My Eco-sport did come out in flying colors and with battle scars ( mainly due to my inefficiency in handling diesel engines). Otherwise, the place is awesome, right at the tip of a coffee estate facing what looked like thick forest. Later I was told that forest was some 30 kms away. Facilities - There are two kind of stays at the homestay, one is a tile roofed building which can accommodate around 10 people and another is tent. Tents will be pitched as many required, though i was informed 30 is the maximum affordability. The roofed building is for the sophisticated traveler as it has means to entertain yourselves like air gun, bow & arrow, etc. For tent dwellers the entertainment is pure nature, the sight and the sounds. The tent & the toilets were immaculately maintained. Food - I had ordered for pork and it was one of the best I have had till date. If you don't specially order any meat, you get chicken, which is not the best in the world. The spread is less, but the food is tasty. Ideal scenario will be ask them to prepare, pork, mutton and fish, as the preparation is excellent. Service - Since I was alone and the other tent was vacant, i was allotted two service boys, Mr. Vijay and Mr. Manju. End-to-end service, is what i was offered with. Vijay joined me in my car to show me the route and ended up returning with me to show me the way out. And the boys really work hard running from the kitchen to the tent (which is a good 500 mts) as many times as the guest asks for. 5 stars for them. Finally price - The place is worth every penny spend. It costed me half what would have in another other resort, but double the fun. There was no body in the other tent helped the double fun. While normal resorts try to make money out of every single instance possible, the boys at forest homestay helped me reduce the bill, even without me asking for it. Additionally, the return trip didnt see the kind of traffic sighted in Mysore road and south Bangalore and I was home in exactly 5 hours. :) Will I be back? Yes of course! Will I recommend? Yes of course, Don't expect too much, if you are in for nature, good food, clean facilities and very friendly staff, surely should try Forest Homestay! Room Tip: If you want to really feel the place and the nature around, go for the tent. But a couple / solo mig... See more room tips |One our guest's review on TripAdvisor| |
Jeevan MaradiPhone: 9986499045 Archives
March 2020
Categories
All
|