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We are a group of friends, who are bitten by travel bugs. We love to travel, We love to see the unseen. We love to explore the unexplored.

01/01/2020

A Sneak-Peek with History-Trier (Germany)

If all you want is to go back to the past and admire the sculptures and structures of the Romans then Trier (called Treves in English) is a perfect escape to the History. Trier is said to be the oldest city of Germany which was built in around 16 B.C by the Romans on the bank of Moselle River. Yes, you read it right; the history of Trier goes back to 16 B.C! It is an apt place to visit for a day or two from Luxembourg.

How to Go:

Tourist/ residents who are in Luxembourg and want to visit to a foreign country in a weekend, then Trier is the place. But be ready to get a feel of the Roman Era.

Trier is connected to Luxembourg City by SNCF trains in every one hour from the Luxembourg Station (Central Gare). You can buy the tickets from the Inter-country ticket counter. For a round trip the cost is 9.60 euros as declared in 2015. The journey is of 45 minutes. By road it takes 40 minutes to reach Trier from Luxembourg by taking the E44 motorway. The distance is approximately 50 kms. We went by train from Luxembourg to Trier.

For map please click the below link:

https://maps.google.co.in/maps?biw=1920&bih=986&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.85464276,d.c2E&um=1&ie=UTF-8&gl=in&daddr=Trier,+Germany&saddr=Luxembourg&panel=1&f=d&fb=1&geocode=KUchIcq5RZVHMe-S0wL2YNtk;KcX7HNGbfJVHMUtyzU2lowz-&dirflg=d&sa=X&ei=rnzYVLLYOpapuwSH-YEY&ved=0CCEQ-A8wAA&output=classic&dg=brw

Trier is also connected to the other German cities as Koblenz (100 km), Saarbrücken (100 km) and Cologne (190.5 km) by hourly trains and motorways.

Essential things to note once you reach:

Once you reach the station, please visit the Information Centre and get hold of a map which will have a walking trial to all the places of interest.

Places of Interest:

1) Porta Nigra: As you start walking straight from the station for around 5-7 minutes you will get a view of the Porta Nigra on your left side. This is the 30 metre high city gate which was built during the Roman era. It is also called the “Black Gate” as it is built by grey sandstone. As you go inside, traces of the double church, Roman stone masons' marks, and date inscriptions are visible. The sheer thought of the age of the gate will transmit you from the 21st century to 180 A.D when this gate was built. You need to buy tickets to go inside the building and there are different combinations for the ticket. Please visit the following link for the updated ticket and timing info:

http://www.trier-info.de/english/porta-nigra-prices-and-times

One can also book a guided tour of the city from the above mentioned site.

2) HauptMarket: After admiring the Roman gate as you walk across the road decorated by the lights you reach the Market Square of Trier. This is a typical European market place called the Haupt Market. The Square has some beautiful buildings and statues. The market becomes colorful and vibrant during Christmas. You can sit and have some snacks and a cup of coffee in one of the several cafes while viewing the sheer contrast of the market having pubs, restaurants and cafes with the historical Porta Nigra!

3) St. Peters Cathedral (Dom): Have a glance on the map and start walking towards the DOM. Even if you miss in the map you cannot possibly miss this huge structure in one of the many roads which starts from the market square. This Cathedral is the oldest in Germany and holds the robe (The Holy Tunic) worn by Jesus when he died. St. Helen (Emperor Constantine's mother)'s skull is the well-known relic enshrined here. The Church is open on all days from 6:30 am to 6.00 pm but one cannot enter the Church during the services and concerts. The entry to the cathedral is free but ticket is required for the Treasury room. Please visit the following link for the updated ticket and timing info:

http://www.trier-info.de/english/cathedral-prices-and-times

4) Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche): This church is built just beside the Dom. It has the shape of a rose. The church was restored after the war and hence this will not give you a very old feeling but nevertheless it is beautiful when seen from outside as well as from inside. The entry is free of cost.

5) KornMarkt Square: This is another market square which has a beautiful statue with fountain. The fountain named as St. George Fountain is one of the most beautiful rococo fountain in Germany. You will pass this square while walking towards the Aula Palatina.

6) Museum am Dom: You can visit this museum if you are not running out of time while walking to reach the Aula Palatina. This museum has mostly the Roman paintings and ruins. It is open on Tuesday-Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm and on Sunday and holidays from 1 pm to 5 pm. It is closed on Monday. The ticket costs 3.50 Euro per adult person.

Please visit the following link for the updated ticket and timing info:

http://www.trier-info.de/english/bishops-museum-prices-times

7) Evangelin Lutheran Church/ The Basilica of Constantine (Aula Palatina): As you take the road along the Church of Our lady and walk down the main road following the map, crossing the KornMarket square, you will find yourself in front of a structure which resembles exactly as the Colloseum ! You are now standing in front of the Constantine Basilica which was built by the Emperor Constantine around 310 A.D. as his Throne Hall. It is the largest surviving single-room structure from Roman times It does not have much to see inside but the feeling of standing inside a building which is 1700 years old surpasses everything! There is no admission charge except for the concerts. The opening hours are as below:

Opening hours

November - March:
Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 12 noon and 2 - 4 p.m.
Sunday / Holiday 1 - 4 p.m.

April - October:
Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday / Holiday 1 - 4 p.m.

Please visit the following link for the updated ticket and timing info:

http://www.trier-info.de/english/basilika-prices-times

8) Kurfurstliches Palais: The Electoral Rococo Palace of Trier can be reached walking beside the Aula Palatina. We visited Trier in January when the whole Trier was covered with snow. The garden in front of the Palace was in a breathtaking color of white. The snow had actually enhanced the beauty of the garden which is very well maintained with statues, water bodies with swans, fountains and tress. If you are here with your family/ friends on a snowy day then you can have a lot of fun in the garden area with snow balls and snow man! The inside can be
visited only on certain days as this building is used as an administrative building. Visits outside times of public functions are possible only by appointment with the District Administration.

9) Rhineland Museum (Rheinisches Landesmuseum): The Museum is located near to the Palais garden. As you walk down the gardens of the Palais enjoying the beauty you reach the Museum. From the entrance of the Museum the palace can be seen and it is a good place for some great pictures! This museum basically displays the history of Trier and Mosel valley from the Neolithic to the medieval time periods. It also displays the Roman antiquities. The museum has a mummy and a gold hoard which are not to be missed. The museum is open from Tuesday-Sunday 10 am to 5 pm. It is closed on Monday. The cost for the ticket is 6.00 euro for an adult.

Please visit the following link for the updated ticket and timing info:

http://www.trier-info.de/english/archaeological-museum-prices-times

10) The Imperial Roman Bath (Kaiserthermen): After coming outside the Museum you will get a glance of the Kaiserthermen ruins. It was visited by Constantine and is around 2000 years old. You can go inside and walk around imagining how the Romans, 2000 years back utilized this bathing complex! You will be amazed to see how the Romans made hot water baths, water sports ground, gambling places, massage centers, beauty routine centers, etc. When we visited it was closed for maintenance. It is open every day from 9 am to 6 pm in summer and 9 am to 4 pm in winter. The ticket costs 3.00 Euro per adult person.

Please visit the following link for the updated ticket and timing info:

http://www.trier-info.de/english/imperial-baths-prices-times

11) The Amphitheatre: To reach the Roman Amphitheatre you have to walk for a km from Kaiserthermen. This place was used by the Romans for gladiator fights and animal games. It was built in the 2nd century A.D. It has a seating capacity of 20,000 people. The amphitheater has an underground cellar which was used to keep the criminals sentenced to death by animals and a movable platform took them to the arena. You can get a guided tour by Gladiator Valerius showing the different parts of the amphitheater. It is open every day from 9 am to 6 pm in summer and 9 am to 4 pm in winter. The ticket costs 3.00 Euro per adult person.

Please visit the following link for the updated ticket and timing info:

http://www.trier-info.de/english/amphitheater-prices-times

12) Karl Marx House: Trier is known as the birth place of Karl Marx the founder of Marxism/ Communism. It is around 2 km walking from the Amphitheater. Do not go with an expectation of seeing something extraordinary. It is a simple, ordinary house from outside which has now been converted into a museum. Interested people can take tickets and visit the interior of the house and view the writings of Karl Marx and the history of Communism. It is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm in summer and 11 am to 5 pm in winter. The ticket costs 4.00 Euro per adult person.

Please visit the following link for the updated ticket and timing info:

http://www.trier-info.de/english/karl-marx-house-prices-times

We ended our escape to History with the karl Marx House and walked towards the HauptMarket square. It was evening and the market place was lit with lights which looked very mesmerizing. As we approached near the Porta Nigra , the black structure stood radiating an awe in the lights of the street as well as that from the building itself. So it is advisable to take a train after 6:30 pm to enjoy the Porta Nigra in night light.

If you are planning to stay in Trier for another day then below are the places which you can visit on the 2nd day:

1) St. Paulin-Kirche: This church is not on the tourist route in Trier. It is around 10 minutes walking from Porta Nigra. It has beautiful ceiling paintings by Balthazar Neumann. It is built in Baroque style in a Roman cemetery. There are no entry fees except for concerts. The opening hours details are as following:

Opening hours

Mondays, Wednesdays - Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesdays: 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sundays: 10:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Please visit the following link for the updated ticket and timing info:

http://www.trier-info.de/english/st-paulin-prices-times

2) St. Gangolf: This is a small church located in HauptMarket. There is an effigy of St Gangolf in the grounds. . There are no entry fees except for concerts. It is open daily from 7 am to 6 pm.

3) St. Mathias church: It is quite far from the Trier center towards south, around 1.2 km from Kaiserthermen. The church has the tomb of one of the 12 Apostles (Disciples of Jesus)-Apostle Matthias. It is open daily from 8 am to 7 pm. With advance booking, small groups may visit the Early Christian subterranean burial chambers under the St. Matthias cemetery.

4) Dreikonigenhaus (House of the three Magi): The specialty of these houses is that the entrance to the houses is through a window. It is near the Porta Nigra (around 200 meters).

Special Tour in Trier:

Wine Tasting Tour: Germany is famous for its wine (eg Riesling wine, Blauschiefer, etc). So, the wine lovers here is your chance to grab a glass or two of the famous German wine while you stroll around the streets of History. Trier is considered the cradle of German wine culture as anything to do with German wine started from Trier. From the Trier Amphitheatre there is a wine trail of around 2 kms which takes to Olewig known as “Wine Village”. Here you can have a
taste of some fine wines from the wineries. Do not miss to taste VIEZ which is a wine made from apples and is available only in this area. Beside wine the tourist can also taste a local Champagne known as SEKT. There are guided tours conducted by the Trier tourism which will explain the process of wine making and take you to wineries for free wine tasting. Some of the wine tasting places are Oechsle Wein- & Fischhaus (taste 120 types of wine bottles @15 euros/taste 8 types of wine bottles @ 10,50 euro/taste 6 bottles of wine @ 7,50 euro), Wein-Information at the Basilika (individual tasting), in the Domstein (individual tasting) , Bischöfliche Weingüter (group tasting), Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium (group tasting), Kesselstatt (group tasting), Vereinigte Hospitien (group tasting), and Weinbaudomäne (group tasting). Please click on the below link for the booking details of Wine tours in Trier:

http://www.trier-info.de/english/wine-culture

Where to Stay:

Budget

· Youth hostel Trier, about €20/night.

· Treviris camper parking, In Den Moselauen (Under Mosel Bridge). Big parking area. Showers, toilet. No power.

Mid-range

· Blesius Garten, Olewiger Str. 135, 54295 Trier, ☎ 0651 / 36060, Very welcoming hotel, based in the Olewig area of Trier, has its own brewery on site. Rooms are well maintained, staff were friendly & helpful. About 1.5 miles outside of the city center. From €100.

· Casa Chiara, Engelstraße 8, ☎ +49-651-270730, Around the corner from Porta Nigra, this is a solid 3-star hotel with vaguely Italian-style rooms and a sunny roofed garden for breakfast. From €70.

· Nells Park. About 2 miles out of Trier, easily accessible by bus, and as the name suggests, within a park. All rooms are individually decorated and in varying states of renovation (ask for a new one). Parking was a bit tight, but plenty of parking on the road next to the hotel. Excellent food too. From €100.

Where to Eat:

Some of the cheap restaurants with good food ans wine options are listed below:

· Oechsle Wein- & Fischhaus

Address: Palastgarten 5-7 | 54290 Trier, Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

· Das Weinhaus

Address: Brueckenstr. 7, 54290 Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany (opposite to Karl Marx haus)

0651 - 170 49 24

· de Winkel

Address: Johannistrasse 25 | 54290 Trier, 54290 Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

+49 651 4361878

· Theo

Address: Simeonstrasse 59, 54290 Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

065144888

· Chopsticks

Address: Fleischstr. 39, 54290 Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

0651 / 99 41 288

Shopping:

Since Trier is famous for wine, you can buy some good wines for reasonable prices.

30/08/2018

LALBAGH:-----A common place seen through an uncommon lens!!

The Lalbagh Botanical Garden is a quite famous picnic spot in Bangalore. If you are stressed out and want some fresh air and greenary to clear your mind and heal your soul then put on your slippers and head to Lalbagh!!
This garden dates back to the 18th century during the reign of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. So yes it do have lot of history attached to it :)
It is in south bangalore and can be reached by roads and also now by Namma Metro!!
Lalbagh has a glass house which host 2 flower shows (15th aug and 26th jan) when tourist flood the park.
Apart from the diverse flora and fauna the garden has a Shiva Temple on a rock and a beautiful Nursery from where lot many plants are increasing the beauty of my garden!!!!
It also houses one of the oldest rock which dates back to 3000 million years called the Lalbagh Rock.the garden has diffferent sections for bonsais , cactus, etc. and is designed in the Mughal garden style.
Please note that the timing for the garden is from 6 am to 7 pm and an entry fees of rs.20 is charged.
So next time on the weekends when you are bored and dont know what to do visit Lalbagh and enjoy the closeness to nature.

04/06/2018

MIRJAN FORT:
This beautiful fort is located on the west coast of north karnataka in Kumta town. As per some historical records, it was build in the 16th century under the reign of Queen Chennabhairadevi. Its a part of the sight seeing if you are visiting the Murudeshwara town(58 km) / udupi(158 km)/ gokarna(21km). There is no hotels for stay and hence its best visited as a part of the sight seeing from the above mentioned places.
The timing for the fort is from 9 am to 5 pm and there is no entry fee. It will take you around 2 hours to explore all the corners of the fort.
This place gives you the feel of the forts in goa famous for the "Dil chahta hai" movie. From the fort you will be able to view the magnificient weatern ghats.
If you are going there in the summer season then avoide going in the noon as its a open space and dont have much shaded areas for rest.
Recently this place have become a hub for pre and post wedding shoots!!
If you are planning for north karnataka visit then including this fort in the itinery will make you see an indian fairytale castle!!!!
Happy travelling!!!
Till I come back with a new place to share with you google and plan to visit this fort in the coming monsoon season!!!

Pic courtesy: riddhiman bhattacharyya aritra banerjee Priyanka Bagchi

01/04/2018

Birthi- a lesser known destination!!!

01/04/2018

Birthi- Uttarakhand:

Birthi is a serene small hamlet in the lap of the Kumaon Himalaya region of Pithoragarh district and is about 6500ft in height
Birthi can be reached from Delhi via Chaukori en route to Munsiyari on the Thal- Munsiyari road. We visited this beautiful place on our way to Munsiyari . It is about 63 km from Chaukori and 35 km from Munsiyari.
Birthi is famous for the Birthi Falls(50 meters drop) and the Birthi KMVN which gives you the perfect place to stay in the midst of mountains, forest, waterfall, and peace which is hard to find in today's world. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of city Birthi is your place to connect to nature. If you want to view the full grandeur of the falls then Rainy season is the best. We visited in the month of April and that time also it was quite impressive.
Birthi Falls is around 1-2 km trek from the KMVN. You can either walk the path before your lunch in the KMVN or after. We started walking after our lunch session with mouth watering dishes from the KMVN cook. It was a cloudy day and the elders warned us of rain and hence refrained from joining us. But the sight of the falls and the want to get drenched in its fresh water was much more alluring than the warning of the sky. So we started our walk. The zig zag path is through the forest. Sometimes you will get some opening which will give you an awesome view of the valley below and the mountains as the backdrop. With the black sky, green valley , dark green /brown mountains, wild wind blowing, the atmosphere was perfect to celebrate nature and our existence.
The falls was calling us and we were walking faster to get close to her and feel her beauty. The place and the path covered with dry leaves is a perfect place for photographers. Amateur photographers like us also became awesome ones just because of the beauty of the subject. Finally we reached the falls. If you are not talking then you only hear the sound of the Birthi falls talking to you, sharing her secrets , making you fall in her love and in love of the nature around. When we were busy enjoying the nature , suddenly the sky made us aware of his presence. Rain started and we had no clue where to run!! Fortunately we saw a covered place which had some sitting arrangement inside and hence we took shelter inside. The experience we had with the sound of the falls growing louder as the rain increased its speed, rain water splashing us every now and then from the broken window, cold winds making our bones colder was something new for us. On one side we were feeling extremely fantastic to taste the raw nature around us and on the other side we were afraid what if the rain don't stop today- how do we reach down. The elders had already started to call us as the rain was increasing and we were still 35 kms behind Munsiyari which was our night halt.
After some half an hour, our driver Bhupender Singh emerged from the forest like an angel with the umbrellas. With lot of difficulties of managing the umbrella and looking for the slippery path which became very difficult to walk , we somehow managed to come down without falling down.
Once our parents got our glimpses they started shouting and scolding but the experience we had that afternoon was worth it.

Birthi KMVN contact: Birthi KMVN Tourist Rest House, Pithoragarh Address
KMVN Tourist Rest House Birthi
Pithoragarh,
Uttarakhand, India
One can also book online from KMVN government web site.

05/03/2015

Ooty- The Queen of Nilgiri

Ooty, the modern name for Udhagamandalam, is a very popular hill station in South India. It is located in Tamil Nadu and is a good weekend destination if you are near Chennai and getting roasted under the famous South Indian sun rays! It is at an altitude of 7350 feet above the sea level on the Western Ghats of the Nilgiris.
Visiting Ooty was not a planned outing, rather an accident for us. We were undergoing the famous Infosys training in Mysore when we planned to visit Munnar as a weekend trip. We were 6 people and booked a Tata Sumo for the tour. We planned to start in the evening so that we could reach Munnar by late night. After an hour of travelling, we came to know that Munnar is too far to be reached by night and we will only be reaching there in the early morning! It came as a shock as we were novice in tour planning, so agreed to whatever the driver said. After having dinner on the way, we reached Coimbatore at around 12 am. We were about to climb uphill from here to Munnar but the traffic police informed that the road is closed in the night because the elephants have come out on the road and hence tourists are not allowed to invade their temporary territory! The road will be opened in the morning so we need to spend the night in Coimbatore.
The driver asked us to go back to Mysore but it was our first outing and how could we go back? We started enquiring him what are the nearby places where we can reach by night. At that time, Ooty came as a suggestion in our plate. Yes, I know it’s kind of strange but destiny wanted us to start our independent tour career with Ooty!
This was our story of reaching Ooty but we will provide you a proper itinerary to ensure that you do not land up in Ooty without proper planning!
How to Go
You can reach Ooty by road from Chennai (535 km), Coimbatore (80 km), Mysore (155 km), Conoor (18 km), Kozikode (187 km), Bangalore (290 km), Kochi (281 km), Kodaikanal (236 km).
If you are planning to visit Ooty from other parts of India then you can board trains and get down at Ooty Railway station or any of the above mentioned places and then hire a cab.
If you are travelling by car in night then we will advise you not to sleep at all till you reach Ooty as the beautiful view you can get of the twinkling city lights below and the starry sky above while you cross the hair pin bends one after the other will be a lifetime experience!
Start in the evening and reach Ooty by late night or early morning depending on the place from where you are coming.
If you are in Ooty for a 2 nights and 3 days tour then we will suggest you to enjoy the experience of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) which starts from Mettupalayam/ Metupalaiyam at 7:10 am in the morning. The next train timing to Ooty is 1 pm. Take a train to this station which will arrive in early morning in between 4am-5am as to board the Nilgiri Mountain Railway you need to be in the queue for the token by 5 am (only 30 tickets are issues on spot.). Once you get the token, take it to the ticket counter and get the tickets. Please note that all the group members need to stand in the queue for the tickets. The train will take around 5.30 hours to reach Ooty as the speed will be only 5-10 km/hr. So you will lose a lot of time but what you will gain is the scenic beauty which will be embarked in your heart forever. When the train is moving you can even get down from it and walk a bit with the train! This route is rich in scenic beauty, so no doubt, you will be tired of clicking the camera to capture the views!
What to See
Day 1
We reached Ooty at around 3.30 am in the morning and checked into a hotel where the driver took us as we did not have any booking. After sleeping for 2-3 hours we woke up and got ready to explore the Queen of the Nilgiris! In Ooty you have a lot of places to visit as local sight-seeing, so, start early by 7am to cover most of the places, especially if you are here for 2days 1 night plan. If you have planned for 2 night 3 days then you can divide the places as per your convenience over 3 days.
1) Doddabeta Peak: We started our day with visiting the highest peak of the Nilgiris; South India to be precise; the Doddabeta Peak. This peak is 2623 meters high and is only 10kms from the Ooty market place. You can catch a bus from the bus stand for Rs.10 but you will need to walk around 3kms from the dropping point to the peak. It is one of the best view points of Ooty. If you are lucky to have a clear sky then you can even view the flat highlands of Mysore! When we reached we were mesmerized by the blue sky above and the Ooty town view below. It seemed as if the painter has poured down the blue color from his palate on to the sky! It is a perfect place for photography.

2) Ooty Botanical Garden: Ooty synonyms with the Botanical Garden. It is very near to the city, only 2 km. If you have seen some old movies which had their shooting location in Ooty then there will be at least one song in this beautiful garden. It is maintained by the Horticulture department of the state. The garden is divided into 6 sections as Lower Garden, New Garden, Italian Garden, Conservatory, Fountain Terrace, Nurseries and has more than 650 species of flora. When you are inside the garden do not miss the Fossilized Tree which is 20 million years old. The garden also displays some rare trees like the cork tree, paper bark tree and monkey-puzzle tree! If you are visiting Ooty in May then you can be lucky to see the flower show here as it is one of its kinds. The entry fees are Rs.20 for an adult and Rs.10 for a child. You need to shell out an extra Rs.30 for still camera and Rs.100 for video camera. The opening time for the garden is 8.00 am to 6.00 pm every day and you may need 1-2 hours to visit the complete garden depending on your pace of photography!

3) Ooty Rose Garden: This is a huge rose garden which looks beautiful when all the roses bloom (April-May is the season)! It was built to celebrate the Centenary Flower Festival. It is around 1 km from the bus stand. When we went it was not a season for full bloom but still we could see a lot of the roses welcoming us with their colorful smiles! The garden has around 20,000 rose plants of 2241 varieties, so you can imagine how colorful the view can be during the blooming season.

4) Tea Factory: Visit the tea factory to get a chance of witnessing the tea making process. You will come across several tea gardens on the way and you can spend some time in photography if you feel.

5) Pine Forest: This is a place for natural beauty with thick pine forest. The environment is same as in the shooting point pine forest. You can also do horse riding here. If you have less time, then you can skip this place as it is similar to shooting point.

6) Ooty Lake: The Ooty Lake is again another shooting place. This lake is 65 acres in area and is an artificial Lake which was created by Mr. John Sullivan. It is about 1 km from the city. Here you can enjoy the Boat House /boating in the lake or having a trip in the Mini Train.
There is a Lake Park on the banks which is illuminated in dark giving the place a different feel.
Visit this place in the afternoon after you are done with your lunch, when the sun is a bit low so that you enjoy the boating. For an hour the paddle boat may cost you around Rs. 240. You can roam around the lake to any direction you want and enjoy of the vastness.

7) Thread Park: It is located just opposite to the Ooty Lake. It is world’s only thread garden where all the flowers and plants have been created with the help of only threads manually and no needles were used in this process. This was done by some disabled ladies and it took them around 12 years to complete it.

8) Deer Park: After the boating visit the Deer park which is near the Ooty Lake. It is one of the high altitude zoos in India. Here you can see Sambar, Chital and other species of the Deer. It is advised not to spend too much time here as the Shooting Point and the Pykara Falls are too beautiful to be missed.

9) Shooting Point: If you have watched the movie “Raaz” then once you reach the place you will find yourself right in the middle of the forest where the last scene was shot! It is around 18 kms from the Ooty bus stand on the way to Pykara Falls. A lot of shooting used to happen here. You can do horse riding in the open field or you can run down the open slopes towards the pine forest below! It’s a pure shooting place with natural beauty all around and hence you can start your shooting as soon as you reach here!

10) Pykara Falls: This beautiful Falls is situated a bit far from the city, around 21 kms. It is not a very big one but definitely a very beautiful one! In addition to the Falls you will get the chance to see the Pykara Lake and Pykara Dam. The Falls is the main attraction as you get a chance to get down in the water and feel the water flowing over your feet and falling down the slope! We all had got down and spend some time enjoying the cool water. The Falls is safe as it is securely fenced but still be cautious when you get down in the water as the stones are extremely slippery. If you are not the adventurous type then you can sit beside the falls in the benches and enjoy cool breeze and a great view. You will have to walk for some time to reach the Falls and on the way you will get some local tea shops where you can taste different flavors of tea. It was here that I was completely bowled out by the Chocolate Tea!
The Pykara Lake is a bit far away from the Falls and you can do a boating here if you have missed the boating in the Ooty lake due to long queue. A speedboat for 2 will cost you around Rs 600 (as per January 2015 rate).

We ended our day 1 sight-seeing with Pykara Falls and returned to our hotel from there. If you are not tired after returning to the city, you can stroll around in the market place for some home –made chocolate shopping and tasting a few of them. Have your dinner a bit early for an early sleep as you have an early morning wakeup call the next day!

Day 2:
On day 2 get up early and head for the following places as part of the Day 2 activity. For Upper Bhavani Lake and Avalanch Lake you will need special permissions for private cars from the Forest Department in Ooty.

1) Upper Bhavani Lake: The Upper Bhavani Lake is in the Mukurthi National Park. It is still an unexplored area as it around 40kms from Ooty and not many travelers know about it. Since it is not so popular, you can expect some breathtaking views here. On the way, you will get Avalanche Lake and Emerald Lake also. But keep them for your return journey. For the Lake you need prior permissions from the Forest Ranger (Forest Department DFO office) in Ooty if you are planning to travel in private car. In case you have not booked any car and planning to visit the lake then you need to take bus/jeep from Forest Check point. The ticket counter opens at 9.00 am in the morning. Try to take the first bus at around 9.30 am and it will reach there in around 1.5 hours as the road is rugged and full of pot holes! The bus ticket is Rs 300 per head. At Upper Bhavani Lake you will get a 15 minutes break before you start for the return trip. There are 3 trip timings at 9.00am, 12 pm and 3 pm and the total trip time is around 2 hours. Alternatively, if you want to save time and spend more time at the attraction points as per your own convenience then you can book a jeep at around Rs.1200 from the bus stand. It is advisable to book cab from Ooty itself as it will allow you to start early and visit the lake in a less crowded, serene environment. The rate can be somewhere around Rs.1500 for Indica/ Santro. Please note all the rates mentioned here are as per 2015 rates and can vary depending on the season.
Once you reach the lake you will feel you have entered a different world of wide huge mountains, lakes and valleys with no civilization around. The view of the lake from top will be a treat to your eyes and you will be compelled to think how such a heavenly place can exists on Earth! Enjoy the moments by strolling around and taking pictures. You can also engage in boating and other fun activities which are set up in and around the lake. If you are hungry then you can have light snacks from the small shops set up there. Please note after 3 pm tourist are not allowed to enter the forest area.

2) Avalanche/ Lakkidi Lake: While returning from the Upper Bhavani Lake visit the Avalanche Lake. This lake is named because of an avalanche that took place in the 1900 s. For this lake also you will need the permission letter which you obtained for the Upper Bhavani. You have the same option of bus and jeep from the check point to this lake. But it is advisable to have your own booked car so that you do not have to wait in the long queue for the tickets. This lake is also situated inside the forest with mountains on both the sides and hence a feast for eyes! It is around 28 kms from Ooty. It is a very beautiful lake surrounded by thick shola forests which even the bright sunlight cannot pe*****te! There is a temple on the way to the lake and if you are lucky you can get the view of “Kurunji” flowers which booms every 12 years, the next season being in 2018!

3) Emerald Lake: While returning from the Avalanche Lake you will get a deviation which will take you to the Emerald Lake. It is after the check point when you are coming from the Avalanche Lake. It is named so as the color of the water is “Emerald”. There is a dam (Emerald Dam) nearby from where you can have a picturesque view.

Now if you are in Ooty for a 1 night 2 days trip then try to finish the Lake tour by 12.30- 1 pm and return back to the city. Have your lunch in the city and start for Bandipur Forest Reserve/ Mudumalai Forest Reserve on the Ooty- Mysore road. If you have plans for a 2 nights and 3 days tour then you can either spent time in the Mukurthi National Park trekking to the Mukurthi Peak or visit the Ooty Lake in the evening and have a leisurely evening, then plan for either Bandipur or Mudhumalai Forest Reserve as per your convenience on the next day. Ours was a 1 night 2 days plan and hence we returned to Mysore via Bandipur Forest Reserve the 2nd day. We will provide the information for both Mukurthi and Bandipur Reserve.

Mukurthi National Park/ Mukurthi Peak: As mentioned above in Upper Bhavani Lake, this park is around 40 kms from Ooty and is India’s first International Biosphere Reserve. It is the home to the Nilgiri Tahrs. The trekking route is through the forest road and you can come across sambars or Nilgiri tahr if you are lucky! It will take you around 2.5 hours to reach the peak which is at a height of 8300 feet above the sea level. If you are planning to trek then do take the permissions from the DFO office when you will obtain the permission letter for the lakes. You will come across the Mukurthi Lake on the way. Once you reach the peak you will see the Shola forest on one side and the Silent Valley on the other side. Enjoy the afternoon there; take some photographs of the beautiful rolling hills, of clouds floating around the places and of the lake which will appear as a stamp size photo from the peak!

Bandipur Forest Reserve: Bandipur Forest Reserve is around 60 kms from Ooty and it will take around 2 hours to reach. It is actually in Mysore so people who are coming to Ooty from Mysore or Bangalore can visit this park in their return journey. This a Tiger Reserve which served as hunting ground during the reins of the Mysore Maharajas.
There are government conducted safaris which you can take to spot various animals. We took the 3.30 pm safari but if you want to increase your chance to spot a tiger then opt for 5 pm safari or early morning safari in case you are planning to visit the park on day 3. You will spot monkeys, deer, peacocks and elephants very easily but spotting a tiger is a real luck affair. The bus safari cost Rs 300 for 1 hour and you have to shell our Rs 1000 if you have cameras (as per 2015 January rates). The rates are quite high as compared to the experience you get. It is good for a first timer in safari and is not recommended for a repeat visit.

Day 3:
If you are in Ooty on day 3 then visit the Madhumalai Tiger Reserve in the morning and head for your return destination after lunch.
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: The Mudumalai forest is at the junction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. This park can be reached by 2 different routes from Ooty. One way is via Kallatty (36 kms) crossing 36 hair pin bends and the other is via Gudalur (67 kms). Mysore is around 90 kms from here. The ticket for entering the forest is Rs 150.
Below is the map for the forest area:

It is said that in this Tiger Reserve there are around 45 tigers including Bengal Tiger and Indian Leopard. It is also a paradise for the bird lovers as you get to see the near threatened black-and-orange flycatcher, Malabar trogon, Malabar grey hornbill, different species of hawk eagle, crested goshawk, besra, different species of owl, hornbill, golden oriole, chloropsis, paradise flycatcher, etc.
Inside the park you can visit the Chief Minister’s View Point, Kargudi View point from where you can spot a tiger, Ombetta Lake, Moyar River which is the drinking water source for the wild animals, the Moyar Gorge where the river plunges in the gorge below Theppakadu creating the beautiful Moyar Falls, the Elephant feeding camp, museum. It is an out and out place for nature lovers with beautiful natural views all around.
The TN Govt has arranged for safari in van or on Elephant from Theppakadu which can be availed to get a closer look at the wildlife in the sanctuary. The Elephant safari do not take place every day, hence it is advisable to contact the park officials for the timing directly. The van safari charges you Rs 135 per head. Try to take the safari either early morning or evening as it is the best time to spot the animals. There are private jeeps too which charges around Rs 900 for a 45 mins ride. It is advised not to take these private jeeps as it is wastage of money. We recommend you to either take the Government organized safari or trek inside the forest with an experienced guide to get the feel of the forest and its wildlife. Also the park is not well-maintained and hence the ride will be bumpy and painful.
CONTACT:
Wildlife Warden
Mudumalai and Mukurthi National Parks and Sanctuary,
Mount Stuart Hill,
Ooty – 643001 Reception Range Officer,Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary & National
Park,Theppakadu,
The Nilgiris.
Ph: 0423-526235

Where to Stay: You have a lot of budget hotels and resorts in Ooty which you can choose as per your pocket and taste. Please click on the following links for information on some budget hotels in Ooty:
http://www.cleartrip.com/hotels/india/ooty/?sort-by=price&sort-order=up
http://wikitravel.org/en/Ooty
What to Buy: The homemade chocolate is very famous in Ooty. Hence buy some before you leave. You will be allowed to taste chocolate from most of the shops before you decide which flavor to buy. For Ooty home-made biscuits called Varkey visit Taj Bakers in the Main Bazar. You can also buy spices from Ooty market.
Tour Tips:
Keep dry food with you so that in case you are running out of time you can satisfy your hunger with them.
If you are booking cars from the hotel for sightseeing then make sure there are no hidden costs like parking fees, etc.
It is advised not to stay in a hotel suggested by your cab driver as in most of the cases the drivers get a commission. Hence book a hotel in advance.
To visit Upper Bhavani Lake, Avalanche Lake and Mukurthy Peak get the permission from the DFO office Ooty on the first day you reach.
If you have booked a car clearly communicate that you wish to visit Upper Bhavani Lake as sometimes they will take you to Avalanche Lake and tell you it is Upper Bhavani Lake.
The best time to visit Ooty is November-March when the weather is cold so that you have the real feel of a hill station.

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