7 Places in India Best Visited in Spring

India is a vast country and it enjoys a varied climate. Here the summers are hot, winters are cold and the monsoon wet. That leaves us with spring which is an exceedingly pleasing, enjoyable and vivacious season. Nature is reborn after a cold winter lull. It is the best time of the year for people to go around places in India.

Hundreds of beautiful and spellbinding cities and towns are at your disposal to visit and enjoy here. Among them 7 places can be listed as being best visited in spring.

1. Gangtok

Photo by Giridhar Appaji Nag Y, CC BY 2.0

Situated in North East India Gangtok the capital of Sikkim has a fascinating landscape and is home to the highest mountain peak Kanchenjunga. High altitude meadows, pristine white glaciers, steep valleys and path leading to the hilltops are really mesmerizing to the eye. In spring, many kinds of wildflowers that grow here come to bloom. As you are on your way to the Buddhist monasteries this scene is really a treat to watch. The cool winds of spring bring thousands of visitors to Gangtok and it is a place best visited in spring.

2. Kullu-Manali

Photo by ASIM CHAUDHURI, CC BY 2.0

Himachal Pradesh, positioned at the foothills of the Himalayas, has a stunning scenery. Of particular mention is Kullu-Manali, the hill station set in this small hilly state. The apple and plum orchards are in full bloom and pose a real attraction. It is a delight to watch them come to bloom and enjoy the sweet fragrance emanating. Occasional snowfall may be a surprise for the honeymooners who prefer the twin towns to other places to start their marital life. The enthralling trekking destinations attract the adventure enthusiasts equally.

3. Darjeeling

Photo by Jamey Cassell, CC BY-SA 2.0

 Another place that needs mention in this list is Darjeeling. This town in West Bengal is the darling of the honeymooners. Placed among the hills of the Himalayas it draws people from across the globe all around the year. It is most captivating during spring owing to a variety of flowers blossoming during this season. Clear sky, pleasant weather conditions, enthralling view of the mountains, and the fragrance of the tea estates attract thousands of visitors to Darjeeling during this time. Never forget to taste the best cuppa of the best tea while at the mystically beautiful Darjeeling.

4. Valley of Flowers

Photo by Alosh Bennett, CC BY 2.0

Uttarakhand is a small hilly state located in the slopes of the Himalayas. This national park situated here has a variety of species of alpine flora. The hills come alive during the spring what with the flowers being in full bloom at this time of the year. This sight is spellbinding and fascinating and relieves you of all the stress. It is also home to some endangered species of animals like snow deer, musk deer, Asiatic Black Bear etc. The park presents a gripping sight in the rugged hilly wilderness to the visitor.

5. Tulip Garden, Gulmarg

Photo by Abdars, CC BY-SA 3.0

Visiting Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir during the spring season gives you a feel of a visit to Switzerland. Spread over 12 hectares the garden cradled among the gentle inclines of the Himalayas offers an absorbing view of the famous Dal Lake of Kashmir. The golf lovers can enjoy a stint of the game at the lush green golf course situated to the north of the garden. The parallel running rows of multi-coloured tulips in full bloom here presents an eye riveting scene for the beholder. Not only tulips but also the other hybrid flowers of multiple hues hold you in awe and you come back really spell-bound.

6. Coonoor

Photo by Jon Connell, CC BY 2.0

Ooty, Coonoor and Kotagiri in Tamil Nadu are towns that are best visited during spring. Temperatures in Tamil Nadu start soaring even during spring but these towns are comfortably cool during this time of the year. This is the ideal time to visit these hill stations that house several British era churches and other monumental buildings. The Sim’s Park that is home to a variety of flowers is in full bloom during spring. Other places of interest near here are Lambs Rock, Dolphin’s Nose Viewpoint, Catherine Falls and of course the tea estates.

7. Thekkady

Photo by Kerala Tourism, CC BY-SA 2.0

Kerala, the “God’s Own Country” is a gorgeous place and worth visiting at any time of the year. Especially during the spring, it has a pleasant to comfortable cool climate and attracts many tourists from all over. Thekkady, a small town in this state is home to evergreen trees. The verdant mango groves are in full bloom and exuberate a mild fragrance. This draws many a tourist to them. The animals also come out of their hiding places during this time offering a surprise view to the visitors.

Hope this guide is helpful for the tourists planning to go places during spring. And the spring in the coming years is sure to keep you engaged.

P.S

This article is a guest post by Rohit Agarwal. 

Author bio:

Go through the travel experiences jotted down by Rohit, a traveller and blogger, on TransIndiaTravels.com and know about the different places all over the world that are worth visiting and also the best time to visit them.

Malaysia Magic: Exploring Penang Island and Langkawi

Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand were the swiss chocolates on my bucket list of travel destinations. And lo and behold, the universe decided to sprinkle some magic dust on me this year, granting me the golden opportunity to embark on my first international adventure in Malaysia. 

My sister had been living in Malaysia and with their presence in Malaysia, it was the perfect opportunity to explore this country together. After all, what better way to enjoy a vacation than with your loved ones?

When I shared my travel plans with my sister, her energy echoed through the phone. We wasted no time and promptly planned travel arrangements, eagerly counting down the days until our departure.

The moment we mentioned that we were going on an international trip, my Aunt Sumathi immediately insisted that we stop by KSR College. She handed me some money, telling me to buy something special there, and gave us a heartfelt send-off. With her cheers still ringing in my ears, we hopped on the flight and magically touched down in Malaysia after a mere three hours. And boy, oh boy, the moment we hit the road, we were greeted with the most pristine streets and jaw-dropping architecture that made us wonder if we had accidentally stumbled into a fairy tale.

But wait, there it was, the crown jewel of the city: the Petronas Twin Towers. Those magnificent towers stood tall and proud, winking at us with their captivating height and architecture. Naturally, we couldn't resist their tempting allure, but since we desperately needed to freshen up from our long journey, we decided to postpone our tower-trekking exploration until the cover of night.

And guess what? My uncle, insisted that the towers were even more enchanting after sunset, thanks to a spectacular display of music and flashy lights. It was like they transformed into the ultimate party destination, complete with a DJ booth and disco ball. So, with anticipation bubbling in our veins, we prepared ourselves for a nighttime rendezvous with the Petronas Twin Towers.

The next morning, our grand plan was to conquer China town and then venture off to Batu Caves. I swear I've seen that Muragan statue in every movie known to mankind. But here's the kicker: the climb to the caves involved a whopping 272 steps. Now, picture this: my adorable little nephew Sanju, who's a mere three years old, couldn't possibly conquer those stairs with his tiny legs. Poor thing, he started complaining about his achy legs. That's when Super Aunt (that's me) sprang into action. Without a second thought, I scooped up my little hero and decided to take on those 272 steps in one heroic leap!

Looking back on it now, it feels like a miracle. Perhaps it was my secret training for the mythical marathon that bestowed me with superhuman stamina. Oh, the things we do for family!

As the sun began its descent, we bid farewell to Kuala Lumpur's wonders and set off on yet another airborne adventure. Our next destination? Aquaria KLCC, because apparently, we just couldn't get enough of being surrounded by fascinating sea creatures. I mean, who needs gills when you can explore underwater worlds in style?

After soaking up all the aquatic marvels, our time in Kuala Lumpur came to a close. We hopped on another flight, this time from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Perlis.

There was not much places to visit in Kuala Perlis. One Monday morning, we were bored and decided to visit Ladang Nipah Kipli which was near to my sister home. But it was closed since it was a Monday. Then we returned home after some chit-chat. Since there are not much places to visit in Kuala Perlis, we planned for Penang and Langkawi.

Our Penang escapade kicked off with visits to the fascinating Karumariamman and Dharmikarama Burmese Temples. There's this cool belief where you pick a number, and that number reveals some mystical fortune. I don't know about that, but I was practically buzzing with excitement as I entered the Buddha temple. I mean, who wouldn't be attracted to Buddhism when you feel those positive vibes coursing through your very soul?

Next up, we frolicked in the Penang Botanic Gardens and got lost in the magical world of the Penang Butterfly Farm. Oh, the sheer joy of having those delicate creatures fluttering around us, their vibrant wings painting the air with a kaleidoscope of colors. Trust me, this place is a butterfly enthusiast's paradise!

But wait, there's more! Penang is a treasure trove of captivating attractions, like the Toy Museum, Penang State Museum & Art Gallery, and the awe-inspiring Penang Khoo Khongsi. You'll need a good four days to fully immerse yourself in the wonders of Penang. And let's not forget the Penang Bridge, a mesmerizing spot to cruise along during the enchanting evening hours, taking in the breathtaking beauty of the island.

Our final stop on this whirlwind journey was none other than Langkawi. While it may not boast as many attractions as Penang, it still has its fair share of must-see wonders. We couldn't resist soaring high above the clouds on the Langkawi Cable Car, striking a pose in front of the iconic Eagle Square, and delving into the mysterious depths of the underwater world.

With our camera filled with cherished memories, we bid farewell to Langkawi and made our way back to Kuala Lumpur, where our return flight awaited us. This trip will forever hold a special place in our hearts, as it marked our very first international adventure. The memories we made, the places we explored, and the joy we felt will forever be etched in our travel journal of unforgettable experiences.

3 day Bangalore Trip

3 Day Bangalore Trip

Dear Readers,

Looking for a blue print for a 3 day Bangalore trip? Below is a plan that I came up for a 3 day trip. 

• Day 1:

Innovative filmcity/Wonderla:

If you are going for a trip with Friends then wonderla is the best place. If you are taking your parents or people aged 45+, chances are they will not enjoy the rides and water rides. In that case, Innovative film city is the best place. 

•  Day 2 (all temple visits) Temple timings (9 A.M to 12 P.M and 4:30P.M to 9 P.M)

1. From your place to Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Kalena Agrahara.
2.  Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple to OMKAR HILLS (15 KMS)

The below one is optional, based on your timings:

Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple to Ragi Gudda Sri Prasanna Anjaneya Swamy Temple

Ragi Gudda Sri Prasanna Anjaneya Swamy Templeto Omkar Hill  (15 KMS)

3.       OMKAR Hills (via Kenchena Halli Rd)– Gopalan Arcade Mall – 5.1  KMS

4.       Gopalan Arcade Mall  -à Rajarajeshwari Temple, Kenchenhalli, RR Nagar. (1.6 KMS)

5.       Rajarajeshwari Temple, -> Sri Shanmukha Temple, RR Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560098  (3.4KMS)

Day 3 (Museum)

1. From your home to KEMFORT temple 
• Temple Timings – Open 24 hours.
• Address of Kemfort Temple - 97, Old Airport Road, Behind Kemp Fort Mall, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560017
2. KEMFORT temple to HAL Heritage Museum-  10 min (3.4 km) 
• HAL Museum Timings - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Address of HAL Museum - Varthur Road, Marathahalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560037.
3. HAL MUSEUM to Snow City Bengaluru (14.9 KMS)
• Timings - 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
• Address of Snow City - 5, Jayamahal, Fun World Complex, Opposite TV Tower, J C Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560006
4. Snow City to Visvesvaraya Museum  (4.1 KMS)
• Visvesvaraya Museum Timings - 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
• Address of Visvesvaraya Museum - P. B. No. 5216, Kasturba Road, Beside Karnataka State Government Museum, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001 
5. Visvesvaraya Museum to Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium - 6 min (1.8 km) 
6. Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium to Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain -  3 min (550.0 m) (Two Laser shows each lasting for about half an hour - between 7 and 7-30 PM and 8 and 8.30 PM are organized.)

North India Trip Plan Itinerary.

Here is the perfect plan for North India Trip. 

Starting the Trip

• Book a Flight that will reach Delhi around 16:00 to 20:00, depending upon your convenient time
•  Reach Delhi Airport.
•  Come outside the Airport and hire a taxi to the Hotel. 
• Option 2 come out of Airport, Take the Airport shuttle to Delhi Aerocity Station. (Rs. 30 per person). Catch the metro (New Delhi Airport Express) (Duration - 16 min ; Fare 60Rs per person) Get down at New Delhi Railway station. This is the last stop of the aero express metro]]]. If you are more than 3 people, booking cab is the cheap and best)
• Check in at Hotel. Book a hotel in Paharganj or close to railway station. So that it will be easily accessible.
• Have dinner in Hotel and take rest.

Day 1: (Delhi)   

• Get ready by 8:00 AM. Have breakfast at Hotel. 
• Walk to New Delhi Metro stn from the hotel and pick up the daily metro pass (Rs.150 per person). Metro routes can be found here - http://www.delhimetrorail.com/
• Take New Delhi Metro Station to Qutab Minar Station (38 min). 14 stops. Last stop is Qutab Minar
•  Walk 1.5 Km or hire Auto (Rupees 10 per Person) and view Qutab Minar and Iron Pillar. Time Needed to Explore – 1.30 hour. 
• Come back to Qutab Minar Station Take the metro from Qutab Minar Station to Central Secretariat Station (29 min). 11 stops.
•  Interchange and take the purple line and catch Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (06 min). 3 stops (Central Secretariat, Khan Market and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium)    
•  Allow 2 kms walk from Station to Humayun tomb (or book cab Time Needed to Explore – 1 Hour
•  Take the metro from JLN stadium Station to Akshardham (20 min). 10 Stops
•  Allow 350 mts walk from metro Station to Akshardham Swaminarayan temple (Entry to the temple will close sharp at 6:30 PM. If you are inside temple before 6:00 PM, you can view the temple till 10PM). Time Needed to Explore – 5 hours Minimum. Water show at Akshardham premises is not to be missed. Water show timings keep changing, so check with the timings with volunteers. Akshardham entry is fee. Buy the Water show and Exhibition ticket combo ticket (Rs.250 per person)
• Have Dinner at Akshardham temple.
• Take the metro from Akshardham station to RK Ashram station (7 stops)
• Reach hotel and sleep. 

Personally, You need one entire day for Akshardham temple. You have to go through a long queues for a security check and mobile deposit. Don’t miss light and sound show.

Day 2 (Delhi)

•  Have Break Fast at hotel and Proceed at New Delhi Metro or RK Ashram Metro station at 8:30 AM
•  Take Metro train from New Delhi to Central Secretariat (yellow line).(08 min). 4 stops
•  Visit India Gate which is 1.5 kms from Central Sectratariate Metro Station. Time Needed to Explore  – 15 Minutes.
• Visit Parliament House, (only outside View)
• Visit  Rashtrapathi Bhavan. You can get permission in advance to visit inside the Rashtrapathi Bhavan.  Booking must be made online - https://presidentofindia.gov.in/rbvisit/rbvisit.aspx
• Visit Gandhi Memorial at Raj Ghat. Lot of other associated Memorials like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi..etc are at the same place. Time Needed to Explore – 20 Minutes.
• Visit Gandhi Smriti. (Gandhi House). Not to be missed Time Needed to Explore – 1 Hour (If you want to explore about Gandhi in detail 2 hours)
•   Take the metro from Central Secretariate Station to JLN stadium Station – (purple line). (06 min). 3 stops. 
• Allow 1.5 kms walk from metro Station to Lodhi Gardens
• Come back to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Continue on (purple line) to station Kalkaji Mandir Station. 
• Allow 900 mts walk from metro Station to Lotus temple Time Needed to explore – 30 minutes. (To get inside the temple, it depends on crowd)
• Reach metro Kalkaji Mandir to Central Secretariat (24 min) 9 stops (Interchange at Central Secretariat to Chandni Chowk 14 min. 6 stops.)
•  Proceed to Red Fort and Lahori Gate (1 KMS walk).
• Take metro back to New Delhi Metro Station (yellow line).
• Check out from hotel and catch the GOLDEN TEMPLE Mail(19:15)

Day 3 Amritsar (Punjab):

·        

• Reach Amritsar at 05:45 AM.
• Book a hotel near to Amritsar Railway station. Hire an auto or taxi and proceed to the Hotel.
• Proceed to Golden Temple (also called Harmandir Sahib.) (Amritsar Junction to Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) 8 min (1.8 km). Lot of mini bus every 30 minutes.). The bus to temple is free. Time Needed to Explore – Depends on Crowd.
• Breakfast at Golden Temple langar hall (community kitchen).
•  Visit Akal Takht . It’s very close to Golden Temple.
• Visit Jalianwala Bagh which is right next to Golden temple.(100 meters walk) Time Needed to Explore – 15 minutes.
• Option: Lunch at Brothers Dhaba near Golden temple. 
• Take the bus to Wagah Border (2:00 PM to 7:00 PM). Note: Bag of any kind is not allowed inside Wagah. This includes Camera bags as well. But cameras are allowed. No cloak room facilities in Wagah. Advised to keep all bags in Golden Temple Cloak room (People outside Golden temple will be selling tickets to Wagahborder. You can get the tickets from them and they will guide you.)
• Make sure, you reach Wagahborder before 4:00 PM.
• Watch the parade and Flag down ceremony at Wagah Border. Depending upon the time of sunset, the flag down ceremony will starts. Usually around 4:30 pm in winters and 5:30 pm in summers.
• Catch the bus back to Golden temple.
• Visit Golden Temple; view the Night view of Golden temple. The Night View of Golden temple is not to be missed. Have dinner at Golden Temple langar hall (community kitchen). The temple will be open till 10 PM. Hence, you can relax in the temple as much as you can by viewing the specular view of Golden temple.
• Reach hotel and Sleep.

Day 4 Amritsar(Punjab):

•         This day you have lot of time to relax. Have Breakfast at hotel. Go to Durgiana Temple (Distance 10 min (2.2 km))
• Visit Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum (Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum to Shree Durgiana Tirath 10 mins - 2 kms). 
• Reach Railway station at 14:30 and Catch ASR AJMER EXP and proceed to Jaipur. 

Day 5 Jaipur (Rajasthan)

• Reach Jaipur Junction at 07:30 AM
• Check in Hotel for a day fresh up
• Visit Amer Fort and Amber palace (37 min ie 12.9 km from Jaipur railway station). Time Needed to Explore – 2 hours.
• Visit Jal Mahal (Amber Palace, To Jal Mahal 17 min (7.7 km)) Time Needed to Explore – Depends on CROWD
• Proceed to HAWA Mahal (Jal Mahal to Hawa Mahal 19 min (7.7 km)). Explore Hawal mahal Time Needed to Explore – 45 minutes. Go to the top of the building and enjoy the wind blow and Entire City. 
• Visit City Palace (Hawa Mahal to City Palace (3 Min - 700m)) Time Needed to Explore – 2 hours
• Shopping at pink city
• Visit Jantar Mantar (City palace to Jantar MAntar (30 min) Time Needed to Explore – 45 MINUTES.  Never miss the video, showing the explanation of each instrument.
• Visit Birla temple Jaipur (14 Min 4.3 KMS) (All days of the week 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM || 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM) Time Needed to Explore – 30 minutes.
• Arrive Jaipur junction around 11:30 AM.
• Reach hotel and sleep well.

Day 6 – Wednesday AGRA (Uttar Pradesh)

•  The day starts very early.
• Get ready by 3:30 AM.
• Check out from the Hotel and walk to the Railway station which is 1 km from the hotel. Alternatively, you can catch an Auto.
• Catch AGRA SUPER FAST at 04:15 AM
• Reach Agra Fort at 08:20 AM
• Have Breakfast and take cab to reach Hotel. Book a hotel near to (Dharmapuri, Forest Colony, Nagla Devjit.) So that, it will be easy for viewing the sun rise.
• Fresh up, Take cab and Visit Agra Fort Time Needed to explore – 45 minutes. (Visiting Hours - 6.00 AM - 6.00 PM) 
• Visit Taj Mahal .  Time Needed to Explore – 1.30 HOURS.
• Visit  Itmad-ud-Daula (Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah) (visiting Hours 8AM–12AM)
• Have lunch near or On the way to Fatehpur Sikhri (40 KMS)
• Reach Fatehpur Sikhri. Time Needed to Explore – 2.30 HOURS. 
• Visit MEHTAB BAGH PARK and view Sunset from MEHTAB BAGH PARK (Sun set in Taj Mahal 7:16 PM). You get the Aerial view of TajMahal from here 
• Finish Dinner go to room and sleep well. If you have another one day, you can explore Mathura. Else you can book a flight this day from Agra to your destination. 

Day 7 – Mathura and Vrindavan

• Check out from hotel. Book a Cab in advance to pick up from your hotel. Approximate cab Charge for the below plan is Rs. 2200 including Parking and Toll charges.
• Proceed to MEHTAB BAGH PARK to view sun rise at Taj Mahal. Opening time of MEHTAB BAGH 5:30 A.M.  Approximate Sunrise at Taj Mahal 5:29 AM. The cloudy view of Taj Mahal, calm view of Yamuna River, Flowers, plants around MEHTAB BAGH are to be seen here. 
• Proceed to Mathura. Have the traditional food and sweets at Mathura. 
• Visit Govinda Dev ji 
• Visit Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi
• Visit  Prem Mandir(shri krishna janmabhoomi to Prem Mandir to 8.8 km)
•  ISKCON Vrindavan (prem mandir vrindavan to ISKCON Vrindavan  (550.0 m)
• Note – All the temples in Mathura close at 12 A.M and open at Evening - 4:30–6:30 P.M. So plan accordingly.
• Have Lunch.
• Visit The Sacred Lake Kusum Sarovar (25 kms) (ISKCON Vrindavan to Kusum Sarovar  23KMS) (if time permits)
• Drop back at Mathura junction at and catch a Train to Delhi. Or book Flight to your hometown directly from Agra/Delhi. 

Makalidurga Trekking with Bangalore Hikers

 Trekking to Makalidurga with Bangalore Hikers/New Year Celebration 2015 

Diwali is known for the Festival of Lights.
Holi is known for the Festival of colors.
Pongal is known for the Festival of Harvest.
And if you say, New-year is for the Festival of Resolutions then I am sorry you are in Retro’s. New Year is the festival of Drinks (not Nandini Milk), DJ and Night Party.
Ahan…Don’t give an atrocious look. That’s what people in metro say. And for people like me who don’t like to go to parties and drinks they suggested an extraordinary option. I.e. Sit at home and sleep.

Sarcastic!!!

Then there came an Email from Bangalore Hikers– “New Year Celebration - Night Trek to Makalidurga." Let’s welcome the rising sun of the New year from the Hill top."It sounded very exhilarating and I registered the next moment!!! 

ROFL. If you think so, then the answer is "No". My Laziness encouraged me to register later. (Filling that Membership ID seemed to be a huge task). My amnesia did an exceptional job and I remembered about the event only when I received the follow up e-mail "Thanks to the overwhelming response. Registration is closed"

Awful!!

After a few days, I checked whether any dropouts are there and my luck, there was and I am in for the Trek!!!
But there came another twist. The train was at 5.45P.M from Majestic. Getting leave or permission to leave early from office was impossible, but somehow I managed to get permission at 4.30 and planned to catch a train from Yelahanka. My team mate booked a cab and it was on time. There was less traffic and I reached Yelahanka Railway station at 4.45 and my train was at 6.20. Even the hikers boarding the 5.45 train from Majestic might have not reached. It was a very dry area with only countable people at the railway station and was damn boring to sit alone.
Then there came a bunch of guys with loads of luggage. They saw their train number in the display. The platform number was not displayed yet. But their eyes glued the symbol “A” which was meant for Arrival/Departure and a guy (seems he was the leader) said, Platform “A” and he guided others. This is the platform “A”, and this is platform “B”. Our Train will halt here and waited over there.

WTH?!

After many such funny incidents, I got a call from Santosh to buy Cool drinks. I was double excited since going out of the railway station and buying it would be a good time pass. I went to the shop and saw a big queue. Everybody was busy in buying the cake and it took so much time to enter the shop and get the shopkeepers attention. It was 6.10 and I was nervous whether I might miss the train.

“Anna, Anna, please fast Anna, Train Train, I miss Anna” after repeated begging, he gave finally and it was 3 bottles altogether 7.5 liters. I felt like lifting a barbell and hard to take it back to Railway station.

The train arrived and Santosh waved his hand to get in. As soon I got in, there were ‘guess-who-I-am' games. I terribly failed. Pulling off each other’s leg started rapidly and in a fraction of second everybody got comfortable. But I got close only with 2 hikers. One is with Sumithra, since she had DSLR camera :P and the other one. . . Who carries the CAKE!!! We wanted to ban Santosh for forgetting his Torch, but somehow we forgave him.

As soon as we got down in the station, one hiker went missing. Later we found that, he went to take selfie with the Makaliduraga station board. Later, we went to Tea shop and had tea in a very big cup and waited for Shree, who missed his train just by 30 seconds. He saw the train taking off slowly and tried to catch the train like the Bollywood hero’s. But the people stopped him, thinking that he is going to kill himself by jumping into a train. After purchasing Maggi, water bottle, we kicked off our journey.

Big Tea Cup

Some adventurous hiker suggested doing railway trekking, but we dropped the plan since it was dark and would be risky. But trust me, that highway road seemed to be risky. Since it was a New Year eve, People were drunk and driving crazy and making noise. Imagine 5 guys came in a single bike to buy a cake. 

We maintained pin-drop silence while crossing the Village thinking the villagers may stop us from doing a night trek, but the dogs barked and revealed us. 8.45 PM we started from the base and reached the top by 10.15. The trail was straight forward and we were able to find the route easily even in that dark. The mountain was full of dried Cymbopogon and it was swaying rhythmically to the tune of wind breeze. I felt it was better than the music played in DJ. It was a pretty difficult trek with huge steps. I was a bit disappointed because when I surfed about Makalidurage it was mentioned it’s a granite hillock. But I could not find a Single Granite stone. I met Bhavisha and heard of lot interesting information from her. She explained about the 30 day Basic Mountaineering Course (BMC) offered in Nehru Institute Of​​ Mountaineering and the places she explored till date. 

Sharp at 12.00 we cut the Death By chocolate cake, Death by Vanilla Coke(The Name we gave to Vanilla cake) on top of the temple and welcomed New year with full of positive energy. After Dance and Chitchats Surya suggested to play Mafia, but on hearing the description of the game we all felt our head spinning and dropped the idea. Later it was followed by Antakshari and we slept in the temple.

Camp Fire @ Makalidurga

Open Karnam Style

No Comments :P 

Tea Preparation 

Next day, when I woke up, tea was ready. Everybody was busy clicking themselves and Ram got busy in washing the Tea utensils. We got a shortfall of water and hence used Coke to wash it. Abbbaa, The stain, rust, tarnishes got removed and it shined like a sun. “Let’s welcome the rising sun of the New year from the hill top”. I did not see any sun rising as it was cloudy. May be the organizer must have mentioned this Shining utensil!!!
We started descending down and in 30 minutes; we reached the base and halted to take a group picture.

After the Groupie :P 

We heard the sound of trains whistling off in the distance while trying to take groupie (Let me assume, if picture of yourself is Selfie, then the picture of the Group is Groupie). Still, we all were engrossed in Gropie and Santosh placed his costly camera on the Railway track and set the self-timer with the delay of 10 seconds. By the time, the 2nd Sense Vision detected the arrival of Train, our sixth sense did not click to get off of the track. The Train was getting closer, the countdown of the camera began, 3, 2 ,1 Click we all rushed out of track to save our life. But Santosh rushed to protect his camera. We waited for the bus grinding all the snacks and departed.
This trek was an excellent one to kick off the New year. 

"The best thing in life are the people who love, The places you've seen and the memories you've made along the way" 

Thank you each one of you for making this event a memorable one

Place: MaKalidurga, Karnataka
No. of hikers: 19
Event Organizer: Santosh Kumar
Trip Expense : 200 Per person

To Explore more places in India Join Bangalore Hikers

What is Bangalore Hikers? are a club that travels to mountainous regions of the India for trekking, hiking, photography and nature exploring at all levels of ability. We run day trips, weekends away and longer holiday trips. We are an online social platform, we are the all non-profit, all volunteer-managed and run hiking and outdoors association based in Bangalore, Karnataka.