Madras to Valparai, Tamil Nadu, India. A substitute road trip!

Road Trips / Vacations / Hiking / Trekking

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nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-16 16:53:48 +0500 #101

lake Nirar, mainly a catchment lake but significant in that beyond this lake is the protected forest reserve that runs for hundreds of kilometers and the only way to access this area is by trekking with licensed guides. animals roam free in this area and that is their God given right.

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-16 16:57:03 +0500 #102

lake Nirar view

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-16 17:02:47 +0500 #103

close up of the forest as we can see from the lookout point

another view of the adjacent forest from the lake NIrar lookout area

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-16 17:06:41 +0500 #104

lake Nirar view. who knows who's checking us out through the camouflage?..

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-16 17:13:49 +0500 #105

a last look at lake Nirar before we drive out of there and fast. the weather was changing on a dime and god save us if it started raining and the fog descended , especially through the forest area. one has to sign up at forest ranger posts continually throughout this stretch of road from Valparai town to lake Nirar...

thanks all for your comments.

mtmoghul (mtmoghul) 2014-10-17 08:22:10 +0500 #106

Beautiful thread

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-17 16:33:40 +0500 #107

if only i had remembered to charge my camera that morning i would have taken some amazing views of the forest as we drove along from this point onward. you can see the road winding it's way in the pic below..

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-17 16:44:41 +0500 #108

back to civilization from the forest and driving back to our guest house . the sun is still playing hide and seek and by the time we got back the gloom had descended for good...

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-17 16:51:14 +0500 #109

passed Valaprai town and heading to the road leading to our guest house. grey skies as usual over here. we were really lucky to have some sun while checking out lake Nirar

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-17 17:07:45 +0500 #110

entering the now familiar road that leads to our guest house..

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-17 17:13:43 +0500 #111

bracing myself for the steep spiral ascent to the guest house as the road winds it's way up from here on...

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-17 17:23:43 +0500 #112

we were the first to get back to the guest house for lunch.

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-17 17:34:24 +0500 #113

lunch is served and the theme is south indian.

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-17 17:38:15 +0500 #114

the riverfish was prepared in my fav Chettinad style of cooking, crisp and spicy...

as usual i remembered to take a pic after i devoured most of the food....

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-17 17:53:03 +0500 #115

after lunch and a small siesta, we were off to explore the other side of Valparai. this time there was no sunlight at all

cya and thanks for watching...

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-18 11:48:21 +0500 #116

thanks, again:)

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-18 11:50:59 +0500 #117

appreciate. i wish i had a professional camera to capture the beauty of the places i visit:)

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-18 11:52:28 +0500 #118

appreciate:)

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-18 11:57:40 +0500 #119

took a walk after lunch in the woods behind the guest house. as soon as i reached the point where i had to climb i turned back to my room for a quick snooze.it's not easy getting around in these parts by foot!

nickatnite (nickatnite) 2014-10-18 12:00:39 +0500 #120

the clouds start rolling in