Some people love the mountains. Some love beaches. I love forests and waterfalls. Like the Himalayas in the north, the Western Ghats in peninsular India is full of absolutely amazing forest and wildlife trails. And I have a deep penchant for exploring these beautiful green trails that are full of nature’s wild action.
There is one such trail that I happened to discover recently. It is located inside Peppara wildlife sanctuary in Southern Kerala. And this trail meanders through tropical evergreen forests leading you to a gorgeous forest waterfall called Meenmutty waterfall (there is another waterfall in Wayanad that goes by the same name. Do not get confused with it).
This Meenmutty waterfall is on the Kallar river that starts deep in the Peppara wildlife sanctuary. You get a glimpse of this beautiful mountain river right before you pull into the forest check post. Behind you are the majestic mountains of the Western Ghats and in front of you lies the dense jungle canopy. The jungle trek begins right after you complete the entry formalities at the forest check post. You walk under a dense forest canopy with the Kallar river to your left. The trail climbs slowly crossing overgrown tree roots and caves. Somewhere in between, forest officials check your bags and take away all plastic items from you. Plastic water bottles are allowed against a refundable deposit which can be claimed when you show that you have brought the bottle back (A very cool concept to protect this fragile ecosystem from the plastic menace). As the trek gets steeper, the forest gets denser and the air gets steamier. Pretty soon, you come across a river crossing. Here, you have to cross this wild river while hanging on to thick sets of ropes tied to either river bank. You will invariably get wet while crossing the river. This is good as by now you would have worked up quite a sweat, though it might be prudent to take care of your mobile phones and wallets. By now, you can hear the thunderous applause of the waterfall, but you can’t see it as yet. A couple of forest bends later, you can see as well as hear this lovely waterfall that is surrounded by dense forests. If the water levels are low, you can take a swim in the pool under it. But, if the water levels are high, all you can do is simply enjoy the view. And if you do wish to get wet, there are many spots downstream where you can get wet and play in the river.
This beautiful jungle trail and waterfall can be combined with a scenic ride or drive to the offbeat Ponmudi hill station, which is located about 20 kms away. While the trek allows you to get deep into the steamy jungle, Ponmudi allows you to experience a 360 degree panorama of the Western Ghats. In essence, they make for a great forest / waterfall / hill station / road trip idea in India’s deep south. This is an experience that I recommend with many thumbs up, especially for all you nature lovers!
How to get here:
Trivandrum is your nearest airport and railway station. While Peppara wildlife sanctuary check post is about 30 kms from Trivandrum, Ponmudi hill station is about 55 kms away by road. It is best to have your own mode of transportation here.
Some points to remember:
1) Wear comfortable walking shoes
2) Carry a dry bag for your gadgets and valuables
3) Carry a towel and spare change of clothes in case you wish to get into the water
4) Please refrain from any form of pollution inside the forest (plastic, cigarette buds, soaps, shampoos, food items, etc.)
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