Sunday 1 May 2011

Vazhvanthol waterfalls


Vazhvanthol waterfalls are located near Vithura, around 45 km from Thiruvananthapuram. Initial 1 km from the check post to waterfalls can be covered by vehicle; the rest you have to go by walk itself. It is about 2.2 km trekking path just beside the river itself.

Route
Trivandrum - Vellayambalam - Peeroorkada - Nedumangadu - Vithura. Take right from Vithura (Bonacaud route) about 10 - 12 km, you will reach Kaanithadam checkpost. From the check post you need take the pass of Rs.35 per person and Rs 25/- for the vehicle.
Trip
Trekking path is about 3 km. Initial 1 km from the check post to waterfalls can be covered by vehicle rest 2 km will be the trekking path just beside the river. Trekking time will take about one and half hours.
Preparations and Precautions
Carry enough food and water (even though you get pure stream from which you can drink) and of course first aids
Try to reach the spot by 10 am and start back by 3 pm. Don’t delay the trip back more than 4 pm, as the spots are famous for elephant crossing. So when you trek back it is going to take minimum 2 hours.
If you love trekking then Vazhvanthol Waterfall is one of the best places. It is a nice place and also dangerous too because no forest guards near the big waterfall.

About the trip

You can proceed further for around one km from the check post in your vehicle and need to walk 2.2 km through the forest after the parking near the settlement area. It will take about one to one and half hours, depending on your athletic ability, to reach out the blistering waterfalls deep inside the forest.
The spot has got a terrific atmosphere with the music of waterfalls and the song of birds adding spice to it. The waterfall is not that dangerous as the water flows flat after the falls. Of course you have to be careful while walking through the rocks which may skid.
The effort in trekking for about one and half hours faded out when we reached the waterfalls. The feeling of freshness and coolness of waterfall was a huge sort of relief from the extreme summer heat.
When you reach the top, You can enjoy the beauty of the waterfalls and many rare specious of birds, the atmosphere is calm and rejuvenating. But be extra careful while when you walk over the rocks there, because they are slippery. There are no forest guards, but you can still get some guides from that place.
There is a lake, down in the forest, where you can get bamboo rafts, but please keep life jacket with you, because some parts of that lake is very deep and frozen. But that would be very adventurous and thrilling to raft through that natural lake.
There are no major tour operators offering the trips to Vazhvanthol, and not many visitors that too often. so you can enjoy the real beauty of the place in a very calm and natural manner.
Hotel Rohini International in Vithura (Phone: 0471 857337) were operating a daily package to Vazhvanthol including the guides and food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) earlier. Lunch will be served within the forest itself, and that is a very good experience. especially once after you finished with the trekking. Their chefs are really good, and you can enjoy Naadan Kappa, Meen curry with other dishes. They used to arrange you the facility for the team building activities in their resort (if you opted for that).and charges are very reasonable, and their hospitality is really good and worth every penny you give them.

Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary


The Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary constitutes the catchments of the Peppara Dam on the Karamana River near ThiruvananthapuramIndia.


The Peppara Dam was commissioned in 1983 to augment the drinking water supply to Thiruvananthapuram city and suburban areas. Considering the ecological significance of the area, it was declared a sanctuary in 1983. The area was formerly a part of the Paruthippally range of the Thiruvananthapuram Territorial Division. Forests consist of part of the Palode reserve (24 square kilometres (9.3 sq mi)) and part of Kottoor reserve (29 square kilometres (11 sq mi)). The total water spread of the reservoir is 5.82 square kilometres (2.25 sq mi). Recently, a joint effort has been made by Kerala Tourism with the State Forest Department and the Kerala Water Authority to beautify the dam site and provide more entertainment and leisure facilities here.
Location
The Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is situated on Thiruvanthapuram-Ponmudi Road, about 50 km northeast of Thiruvananthapuram.
Animals

The sanctuary has a rich population of mammalian fauna and is emerging as a big attraction to wildlife enthusiasts and ornithologists. 43 species of mammals, 233 species of birds, 46 species of reptiles, 13 species of amphibians and 27 species of fishes are reported from the sanctuary. The common mammals found are TigerLeopardSloth BearElephantSambar (deer)Bonnet MacaqueNilgiri LangurNilgiri Tahr etc.



Tourism Details
The Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is 44 kilometres (27 mi) by car from the nearest railway station, at Thiruvananthapuram, and 49 kilometres (30 mi) from the Thiruvananthapuram airport.
  • Accommodation: - No facilities by the Department. IB of Kerala Water Authority is very near to the headquarters.
  • Best season to visit: January to March
  • Closure Period: Open throughout the year
  • Special Attractions: Trekking to forest area – Bonafalls, Vazahuvanthole water falls, Kalarkad waterfalls, visit to settlement areas etc.