Masinagudi - Paradise for wildlife lovers

A beautiful hill station and sanctuary, Masinagudi is located in the Nilgiris district and is known for its beautiful vegetation and peaceful environment. It is about 250 kms from Bangalore and 115 kms from Coimbatore.

Masinagudi is a treat for animal lovers and can find wild animals such as tigers, elephants, Langurs, reptiles, wild boar, jungle cats, and sambar and so on. It has rich-biodiversity and is known for succulent green vegetation and unique wildlife.

Things to Do in Masinagudi:

Trekking, wildlife safari, bird watching, and campfire. Tourists can choose a good stay to wake up to chirping birds in the midst of dense trees. Tourists can also find wandering deer’s and elephants during the morning walks and can also visit nearby attractions such as Nilgiris tea plantations, the Nilgiris mountains and the lush green tea plantations that are present in the area.

Wildlife Safaris in Mudhumalai and Bandhipur Reserve forests will be a memorable experience.

Some photos from our trip to this wonderful place in July, 2016.

There are few local small restaurants in the town area of Mudumalai and tourists can also find Cafe Coffee Day. Masinagudi has a range of organic produce such as teas, oils and spices, which are a must-try and can find vegetable fruits and other basic necessities in the local shops. Masinagudi nightlife includes events such as bonfires, and camps.

Connectivity:

For travelers from Bangalore, Masinagudi is well connected and one can reach in 6 to 7 hours.

By Bus – There are regular buses leaving Bangalore and Mysore at regular intervals and the places covered on the way are Channapatna, Mandya, Gundulpet and Bandipur. Time for travel is approximately 5 to 6 hours without stops and the distance to be covered is 237 km.

By Train – Bangalore to Masinagudi train travel is not possible as there is no railway station in Masinagudi. The closest is located at Coimbatore (Coimbatore Railway Station) and is 116 km from Masinagudi.

By Flight –Bangalore to Masinagudi flights cannot be taken as there is no airport in Masinagudi. The closest airport is at Coimbatore (Coimbatore Airport) and is around 115 km from Masinagudi.  Bangalore to Mudumalai Masinagudi flight travel though impossible, can be shortened by travelling to Coimbatore by flight.

By Car – Bangalore to Masinagudi by road will take 5 hours and the best way to reach using NH 948 to avoid the Mysore traffic. The stretch through Bandipur is closed for vehicular traffic from 9 to 6 pm.

Hotels in Masinagudi

There are many hotels in Masinagudi. You can choose from various Bed and Breakfasts, budget hotels as well as top-end lodges and home stays.  One should book these in advance during the holiday season as they can fill up pretty quickly.

Best time to visit Masinagudi - Jan to June

Kodaikanal - Princess Of Hill Stations

Kodaikanal is one of the very popular holiday destination hill resorts in South India. This hill station stands 7200 feet above sea level and situated in Palani hills of the Western ghats. It is about 540 kilometers from Chennai and 470 kilometers from Bengaluru. Kodaikanal is also popularly known as the princes of Hill Stations.

Things To Do:

The cool and misty weather, the scenic beauty of the rolling hills and the wooded forest of Kodaikanal and its surroundings will mesmerize any visitor throughout the year. Walk through the wooded forests, row in the lake, bath in one of the splashing waterfalls, go for horse riding and cycling around the lake or simply admire the views. Try hot tea in local shops and taste the home made chocolates. And visit all the places mentioned here.

Silver Cascade, 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) from Kodaikanal at a wide bend in the long and winding Laws Ghat Road, at altitude 1,800 meters (5,900 ft), is a 55-meter (180 ft) waterfall 

 formed from the outflow of Kodaikanal Lake. This impressive waterfall is a popular stop for first-time visitors.
There are a few souvenir and fruit vendors and many monkeys here. There is also a smaller but more serene waterfall below the bridge which crosses the stream here.

Kodaikanal Lake, is an artificial, roughly star-shaped 45 ha (60 acres) lake built in 1863. Rowboats and pedalos can be hired at the Kodaikanal Boat Club. Horses and bicycles can be hired beside the lake for short periods. The 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) path that skirts the periphery of this lovely lake is a favorite walk for the locals and tourists alike.

Bryant Park: Just east of the lake and 500 meters (1,600 ft) from the bus stand, is a wonderfully maintained 20.5 acres (8.3 ha) botanical garden. The park was planned and built in 1908 by a forest officer from Madurai, H.D.Bryant, and named after him.

With 325 species of trees, shrubs and cacti, the park is a rainbow of stunning flowers during the peak season. A large section is dedicated to nearly 740 varieties of roses. There is an 1857 Eucalyptus tree and a Bodhi tree which adds a religious significance to the park. Ornamental plants are cultivated in a nursery for sale. The park organizes horticultural exhibits and flower shows every summer, to coincide with the peak season. The entrance fee to the park is nominal, and it is open all year. 

Coaker's Walk, 500 meters (1,600 ft) from the bus-stand, constructed by Lt.Coaker in 1872, is a 1-kilometer (3,300 ft) paved pedestrian path running along the edge of steep slopes on the southern side of Kodai. The walk, winding around Mount Nebo, starts in front of the Van Allen hospital, running parallel to the Van Allen Hospital Road and joins the main road beside St.Peter's Church, providing a stunning panoramic view of the plains.

On a clear day one can view as far as Dolphin's Nose in the south, the valley of the Pambar River in the southeast, Periyakulam town and even the city of Madurai. A fascinating rare phenomenon called Brocken spectre can be witnessed, when a person can see his shadow on the clouds with a rainbow halo. This occurs when the sun is behind the viewer and clouds and mist are to the front. There is an observatory with a telescope halfway along the walk. Entrance fee to the walkway is nominal and it is open all year.

Pine forests, In 1906, with a view to growing valuable timber, Mr. Bryant started the Kodaikanal pine plantations in the south-west of Kodaikanal.

Shembaganur Museum of Natural History, 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) from the bus-stand, founded in 1895, is open to the public (except Tuesdays) for viewing their outstanding taxidermy collection of more than 500 species of animals, birds and insects and a living collection of over 300 exotic orchid species. The museum is affiliated with Loyola College in Chennai and exhibits artifacts of the ancient Palaiyar tribes people whose descendants still live in these hills.

Pillar Rocks, 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) from the bus-stand, is a set of three giant rock pillars which stand 122 meters (400 ft) high. Managed by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, The viewpoint can be crowded but is not commercialized. There is an excellent public garden adjacent to the viewpoint.

Berijam Lake is surrounded by nature at a distance of around 20 km from Kodaikanal. Boating is

prohibited as the lake is a source of water for villages. Forest department permission is required and limited number of vehicles are allowed to enter the forest area where the lake is situated. On the way to Berijam Lake, there are lot of tourist attractions on the way like Madikettan Solai which is a dense forests with medicinal herbs and shrubs and Silent valley. And spotting India Gaurs here is very common.

Mannavanur, 35 kilometers from the bus stand, is a

scenic place with the  Mannavarur lake ( a fresh water lake) at it’s center and surrounded by beautiful grasslands and natural landscapes. The road to mannavanur goes through dense forests. On the way to Mannavanur, there is an amman temple in a scenic place surrounded by green all around. Going further one can enjoy the village view of Poombarai and the step farming practiced here.  After close to a hour driving, sight of Mannavnur lake will be refreshing and cheerful.

You can walk through grass lands surrounding the lake and have a coracle ride in this beautiful lake. After spending time in lake and walking in grass lands, one can enjoy the tasty food prepared by the locals with fresh vegetables grown in the villages near by. The food will be tasty and refreshing.

Hotels & Accommodations:

There are many hotels in Kodaikanal. You can choose from various Bed and Breakfasts, budget hotels as well as top-end lodges and home stays.  One should book these in advance during the holiday season as they can fill up pretty quickly.

How to reach:

Air:

The nearest airports are Madurai (135 kilometres or 84 miles), Coimbatore (170 kilometres or 110 miles)

The nearest international airport is Tiruchirappalli International Airport (200 kilometres or 120 miles) and Cochin International Airport (276 kilometres or 171 miles).

Train:

The nearest railway stations are Palani Station (64 kilometres or 40 miles) north, Kodaikanal Road Station (80 kilometres or 50 miles) south east, Dindigul Junction (100 kilometres or 62 miles) east.

Bus:

Frequent buses available from Dindigul and Madurai.

The 2–3-hour drive to Kodai via the steep and winding Ghat roads from Batlagundu or Palani is a memorable experience. Travellers may stop at turnouts on the road and enjoy the scenic beauty of the Palani hills. 

What is the best time to visit Kodaikanal?

March to July and December, January.

Note: All Photos here are taken during our visit to Kodaikanal in June, 2016.