Adventure Travel in the Western Ghats in India

8/10/2019 Adventure Travel in the Western Ghats in India

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Exploring the Western Ghats in India, aUNESCO World Heritage Site

Authored by: www.adventureclicknblog.com

SUMMARYThe Western Ghats are a mountain range that runs almost parallel to the western coast of India. It is a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site.

Exploring the Western Ghats a UNESCO World Heritage Site


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Being a women adventure traveler with a toddler, it gets difficult sometimes to go for a

long adventure trip but a 2-day weekend trip to Western Ghats is always on.

The Western Ghats are a mountain range that runs almost parallel to the western coast

of India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A total of 39 properties including national

parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests were designated as world heritage sites - 20

in Kerala, 10 in Karnataka, 5 in Tamil Nadu and 4 in Maharashtra. These hills cover

160,000 km2 and the average elevation is around 3,900 ft. The area is one of the world's

10 "Hottest biodiversity hotspots". Western Ghats is one of the 33 recognized ecologically

sensitive zones in the World.

Western Ghats range has 3 distinct mountain ranges that are Sahyadhris in Maharashtra &

Karnataka, Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu and the Anaimalai Hills in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Important rivers in Western Ghats include the Godavari, Tungabhadra, Krishna and Kaveri.

Adventures in Western Ghats

For an adventure seeker, Western Ghats are a dream destination as good as the Himalayas.

For me, it is even better.

Trekking / Camping: Western Ghats have 35 designated mountain peaks, most are 1-2 days trekking

expedition.

a. Anamudi, the tallest peak in Kerala (8839 ft.): Anamudi, the highest peak in theWestern Ghats is in Idukki district. The meaning of Anamudi is Elephant Forehead

as it looks like elephant head.

b. Mullayanagiri, the tallest peak in Karnataka (6330 ft.): Mullayanagiri is located inChikmagalur. This stretch is fairly steep (almost 60 degrees) and first passes

through brush and low trees.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mullayanagirihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mullayanagiri


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c. Kalsubai, the tallest peak in Maharashtra (5500 ft.): Known as the Everest of theSahyadris. There are three ladders on the way to Kalsubai and one needs to be

careful while negotiating them.

a. Chembra Peak Hike (Peak Height 6888 ft.): Chembra Peak is the highest peak inWayanad. A heart shaped lake on the way to the top of the peak is stunning. The

lake is believed to have never dried up. After getting to the lake you need to trek

another halfway. This is special to me as it was my first trekking experience in

Western Ghats.

b. Trekking at Anamudi peak (Peak Height 8839 ft.):Anamudi, the highest peak in theWestern Ghats is situated in Idukki district. The meaning of Anamudi is Elephant

Forehead, as the mountain looks like elephant head. The p lace looks like a rain

forest and I suggest you go in September, right after the monsoon season gets over.


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a. Trekking at Mullayanagiri (Peak Height 6330 ft.): Mullayanagiri, the highest peakin Karnataka is located in Chikmagalur, Karnataka. This was an impromptu trek in

2013. We went there in 2013 for camping and went for the trek after learning about

it.

b. Trekking at Kudremukh (Peak Height 6212 ft.): This tropical evergreen mountain isthe largest one in Karnataka. Trek difficulty level from "Mullodi" to Lobo's house trek

is easy. From Lobo's house to "Ontimara" difficulty level is Moderate.

c. Trekking at Kalsubai (Peak Height 5500 ft.): The Everest of the Sahyadris,Kalasubai is the highest peak of the mountain range of Sahyadri. There are three

ladders on the way to Kalsubai and one needs to be careful while negotiating them.

Rock Climbing Because of the wide range and variety of rock formations across Western Ghats, rock

climbing has been a favorite activity in Western Ghats.

a. Hampi & Badami: Badami's red sand stone cliffs have horizontal crack systems,similar to Gunks. There are over 150 bolted routes and multiple routes for free
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mullayanagirihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mullayanagiri


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climbing. Hampi ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Both these place is visited

by the rock climbers from India as well as abroad.

b. Hadbi chi Shendi: Hadbi chi Shendi in Manmad has always been a very prominentand curious looking projection. The height of the pinnacle is roughly 150 ft. and

this is sitting on top of a hill that is about 350 feet high. The climb here is Tough.

Rafting It is safe to say that rafting is the second most popular adventure sports activity in Western

Ghats after Trekking.

a. Coorg: Barapole is the river to Raft, considered to be the deadliest in Coorg due toits turbulent flow and the ambience that surrounds it.

b. Kolad: The greatest attraction of Kolad is the Kundalika River. Typically by 08:15hours, water from the Dam gets released making the water levels great for rafting.

c. Kali in Dandeli: The Kali River in Dandeli is ideal for a thrilling, adrenaline pumpingrafting experience.


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Cycling / Motor Biking / Road Trips The Western Ghats are best enjoyed on wheels and the best time is the monsoon season.

The Pune-Mumbai-Goa in Konkan region is probably the best circuit to go for cycling or

road trips. Biking is also hugely popular there. Cycling in Kerala backwaters near Munnarand Kovalhm are hugely popular. Karnataka is very much the cycling capital in India.

Mysore, Ooty (Tamil Nadu), Coorg, Mangalore and Chikamanglur are few dream

destinations to visit on wheels.

Scuba Diving / Snorkeling Definitely an experience to go for before you die. The west coast India is definitely the

destination to be for scuba.

a. Nethrani Islands in Murudeshwar: Nethrani Island is 10 nautical miles off the coastof Karnataka from Murudeshwar. Many organizers from Goa, Mumbai, and

Bangalore regularly organize diving expeditions.

b. Goa: What more to say it has more than 29 diving sites and considered the best inIndia by far.


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Paragliding / Skydiving Extreme aero sports is not so popular in India and few places in Western Ghats are home to

extreme sports.

a. Paragliding in Kamshet: Kamshet, located midway between Mumbai and Pune offersa diverse range of flying sites. Tower hill and Shelar are the destinations for

paragliding.

b. Sky Diving in Aamby Valley (23 Km from Lonavla): The first place to offer skydivepackages year-round in India, Currently, 10,000 ft. tandem jumps are the only

offering.


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Wild Life Wild Life is obviously the best way to experience the Western Ghats. The jungles here are

dense and apt for wild life camping.

a. Bandipur National Park & Nagarhole National Park: Bandipur National Park,established in 1974 as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger, is a national park located

in Karnataka. Together with the adjoining Nagarhole National Park, Mudumalai

National Park and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, it is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere

Reserve totaling 2,183 km2 (843 sq. mi) making it the largest protected area in

southern India.

b. Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is a Tiger reserves in Chandrapur district ofMaharashtra. It is notable as Maharashtra's oldest and largest National Park. It is

one of India's 41 "Project Tiger".


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Surfing Surfing in Western Ghats is fast picking up as a favorite adventure activities in the WesternGhats. When I went to Kovalham, the waves were not breaking and hence could not do it.

a. Kovalham, Kannur, Mahe and Varkala in Kerala: These beaches in Kerala are bestvisited during October and November for Surfing.

b. Gokarna, Marvanthe and Murudeshwar in Karnataka: Considered among thestunning beaches in India, they do have the facilities for surfing.


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Adventure Travel in the Western Ghats in India