"A hike towards the lonely hills of Malenadu - The Sharavathy valley!"
Written on : 30-April-2017
Visted During : July 2013
Some more Information
The article is based on our trekking experience in Meghane back in 2013. There might be couple of points which I write here which may not stand valid. But, I guarantee most of them will still be valid.
Meghane and few other hills in the Sharavathy valley are still least visited by hikers and travellers. Reason for these peaks still being least touristic trekking spots is because they are less trekker friendly. You need a guide to hike and they charge very high compared to any other places in Karnataka. Also, the option for stay in peak is very basic. (Open toilet + open bathroom. That is major setback to people who want to trek with big groups).
Before 2013, these peaks of Sharavathy Valley had no proper approach road. However, to connect the remote homes there, roads were built and it has spoiled the mood of the place. Guides usually take you via the road for half of the distance and you hardly get the feeling of trekking to a remote place. Make sure you ask your guide to take you through some un-touched places. There are some waterfalls and streams which still do not have any approach road. Do check with the guides to take you there.
Be warned about the leeches. Do take some salt and first aid kit along. Stay is arranged in Onti Mane. Onti mane by meaning means single home. However, it is not really lone home in entire forest but is one of the few homes. Not much facility available but the house provides shelter against rain at least. During rainy season, meeting the basic needs is little tough since it will be pouring heavily and the house does not have the toilet facility. There are multiple start points and you can start the trek Nagavalli or Kattinakaru. You will need to hire a vehicle to reach the base since no public transport is directly available to the base.
Drop a message in facebook page to get contact details of the guides.
My Experience and Opinion
Travelling to Malenadu has been my favorite one right from my childhood. The word Meghane itself sounded interesting and I had decided we have to do it.Studied a bit and learnt that those peaks did not attract too many trekkers. But, trekking these peaks without a guide was little difficult as we had no idea about even the base point. Contacted one of the travel arrangers from that place who takes care of arranging the guide and the permission (? Not sure if they really take the permission or not.)
Since I already had a great love towards Malenadu and it’s beauty, I was already excited about the trek. It was my first rain trek and that added more spice into it. We were least prepared to face the leeches and finding those there was a surprise for me and was a kind of shocker for couple of my friends. The trek is difficult during rainy season provided you wish to make it a tough one by choosing hard path. There are paths were you need to cut the bushes during rainy season and make your way through. I suggest you go via such path since that is what places like these are for.
In certain places, the animal instinct within has to come out to help us. When you need to go out to feel relieved but you get no toilets, that can be the biggest night mare of your life. Then is when the animal in you has to help you to go out for an open defecation. Similar was our condition. Rain had made it’s mind not to help us even when our condition had started getting worsened. But, the thrill and happiness you get when you complete a rain trek is unmatchable. Memories contain the misty mountains, pure dip of water, the experience of water dripping from hairs, brushing your nose and few touching your lips and some just falling into the ground escaping from you. Overall each drop that touches you makes you feel them and the ones that don’t touch you make the weather beautiful and wet to add beauty to the nature.
Disadvantage of rain treks is that, you hardly get chance to take your camera out and capture. So, store more in the permanent storage of your brain to relive them again 😊 Visit Meghane during rainy season to experience nature at its best. But, be responsible to not litter anything as these forests are one amongst the fewest that are accessible yet clean.
Photos
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Trek route in forest
Where is the path? Here! You just need to make it
Our guide from Onti mane.
Pose in front of onti mane
The base of water falls you see is where we went.!
End of stream and start of new stream!
River route to the start of water falls.
We fall and then we rise
Final stretch of the trek. To peak near onti mane
Gange hula. An endangered one.
The Most Important asset while travelling - Google Maps
