Post Trek Write-up - Munnar Moderate Trek

After my first trek to Nagala East Easy trek on November 2012, I wanted to do next level, moderate trek, to test my strength and began waiting for it. Since I am an CTC member, I am getting mails regularly for the treks from easy to extreme difficult. On December 2012 I got a mail stating Munnar moderate trek is on and it was organized by my previous trek captain Arun Prabhakar.  I was so excited and ready to apply for this trek and asked one of my colleagues to accompany me as he was interested on this. But he was busy on that time in his work and not applied that day. But I readied my form and don’t want to lose the chance, submitted the form on that day itself. Next day I saw that the event was closed due to huge response. I called Arun for asking to add my friend in the list and confirm my position for selection, but he said he had already short listed and had sent the list to all. But in that list my name was not there. But after my request, he considered me only and said that I have to book the bus tickets immediately for Theni as there are few tickets only available. I booked the ticket and informed Arun. Then he added me in the list of participants. I bought a pair of trekking shoe for this moderate trek and eagerly waited for the day to come.

Walking alone as the last person

Zig-Zag Trail

A day before trek, Christopher called me and confirmed my participation. On 25^th Jan Friday evening I reached SRM Bus stand by 8.40pm and I saw few familiar faces Arun (Captain), Senthil and Ramesh and some new faces that are waiting for the bus to board. We introduced ourselves with our new team members and waiting for few more members to come. Finally the bus started after 9.15pm and everyone boarded by that time. After chit-chatting our previous trek memories, we settled to sleep. The bus reached Theni the next day 26^th Jan by 7.00 am and few of our team members are waiting there for us. We then boarded a local bus and reached Bodi by 8.00 am. We had a nice breakfast in a hotel and packed our lunch for the day. A van arranged by Arun picked us from Bodi and dropped us at Kurangini base by 9.00 am. On the way to Kurangini we saw a small village where the Kumki film was shot. A huge mountain beckoned us with her motherly hands.

Taking Rest

We are all set ready and started marching towards the Kolukkumalai. The initial steps of the trek were taken along the lands of Kurangini village. We saw lot of Orange trees and Gooseberry trees on our way to the hill. The sun was on top of us draining every bit of our energy but this could in no way stop our dream to reach the peak. We paraded through the mountain trails, marched through the grasslands and hiked the steep trails to reach the peak. Once we reached the zigzag trail leading to Kolukkumalai tea estate we saw a tree standing alone and spreading its branches to give us shadow. We took few minutes rest there and proceeded further. After reaching a certain high altitude we had to make steep climbs making our heart to beat faster and our thighs cry out of pain. We carried 2 liters of water each and it was getting empty before we reached around 60% of the trek distance and most of us found it very difficult to trek. Slowly and steadily with strong determination steps were taken towards water resource and in reaching the day’s target. There is tough fight between my mind and body, finally my mind won over my body. Even though my legs are begging me to stop and take rest but my mind says don’t give up, move.. move.. I walked slowly and reached the destination.

Single Tree

Trek Trail

After the struggle with the dream to reach peak, slowly and steadily one after other trekkers started showing up the Kolukkumalai tea estate. When I reached the Kolukkumalai peak, most of the trekkers finished the distance and I am the last one reaching there. Vibin helped me a lot by encouraging me and sometimes carried my backpack too. The sun slowly started to rest for the day and the cold waves started to blow on us. We had nice tea (Rs.10 per cup) in that Estate shop. The trek for the day was still not complete and we got to reach the Suryanelli town, most of our team members started for the trek to reach the Suryanelli town via the tea gardens. I was very tired and our captain said I can rest along with other tired team members and a Jeep will come to pick us to the town. 

Kolukkumalai tea estate is located about 35 km from Munnar. This is the highest Organic tea estate at 7130 feet (2160 Mtrs) above the sea level. There are less people living there and they are working for the tea estate. People living here have to come to Suryanelli town or Munnar to buy anything. Besides tea, nothing is available here. Kolukkumalai is prominent for it panoramic views, on clear nights Kodaikanal is visible from this estate.

The local jeep driver hired for the trip arrived after 30 minutes to pick us to Suryanelli.  In between we took some photos in the Tea estate. Regular vehicles cannot ply on the path to the estate. Not only did the route pass through a private estate, the road finally went down the mountain to Suryanelli was a dirt track. The road was full of rocks and the ride was very bumpy. As the jeep bumped over boulders scattered on the narrow lane, my body was paining more and I thought it was better to walk down with the team members instead of travelling by jeep. But the breath taking views of valleys and mountains was awesome. It was around 6.00pm, on the way we saw Sun set on one side and moon rise on the other side. We immediately get down from the jeep to watch the sunset and enjoyed. We took some photos there. We saw a board there stating you are in the highest grown orthodox tea estate Kolukkumalai at 7130 feet. It took us around 1 hour to reach Suryanelli, as we waited for our few team members to join us in that jeep in between took extra time. The driver told us few of the drivers drive the jeep very fast and can reach Suryanelli in 30 minutes time. When few members joined in our jeep it was overcrowded now and I decided to get down from the jeep, and travelled by hanging on the jeep. I enjoyed a lot by travelling in foot board in a jeep on the bumpy hill road. It was a thrilling experience for me. 

Sunset

Mattupetty Dam

Elephant seen on other side of the dam

We reached Suryanelli by 7.00pm and waiting for our other team members to come. They reached Suryanelli by 7.45 pm and we are all boarded in 3 Jeeps waiting for us to carry to Munnar. We have arranged some cottages near Munnar town for night’s sleep. We had dinner in nearby hotel and slept for the night. Morning we wake up with a hot bed coffee served by the cottage owner.  Few of us refreshed early and went for a small walk in the Munnar town. By 9.00 AM everybody got ready and had breakfast. We boarded again in 3 jeeps with our back packs for proceeding to Top Station where we have to climb down to Kurangini trail to reach the base station.  On the way we got down at Mattupetty dam and taken few snaps. On the other side of the Mattupetty Lake we saw few elephants drinking water. Finally we reached Top Station and few of us went to Top station view point for taking the zig-zag trekking trial pictures. There is an entry fee Rs.15 + Camera charges Rs.10 was collected for the view point. It was spectacular view from there to watch the Kollukumalai range and I realized that I crossed the trail and patted on my back myself.  After returning from the view point we had lunch from a small hut shop. People had stomach full food as they will have food after this in the night only. 

Kolukkumalai Tea Estate

First few of the slow walkers moved from the Top station to the trekking trail to start climbing down.
(Top Station name derived from its being the uppermost located railway station on the Kundala Valley Railway, built in 1902 between Munnar, Kundalai and this hilltop location. This 2 feet hill railway was built in the late 1890's to transport tea from Munnar and was in operation till 1921 when it was destroyed it completely by floods, never resume services again. A monorail goods carriage system was soon installed along this cart route. In 1908 the monorail was replaced by a 24 inch gauge railway. Middle Station is 12 km  west from Top Station on the way from Lower Station Munnar. Some remains of Kundala Valley Railway can be seen at the Munnar Tea Museum)
After some distance again I was the last one in the entire group and struggling to walk. The Captain said the last bus from Kurangini to Bodi was 5.00pm so we have to reach the base before that. But I was very slow and thought that definitely I cannot reach before that. On the way to Kurangini Trail we saw a small village called central/Middle station (Kottagudi) where the film Alagarsamiyin Kuthirai shooted. I was wondering how these people are living here as there are no proper transportation facilities and I saw some people are walking on the same trail where we trekked. Also some people crossed me with horse carrying the necessary things like rice and vegetables from the base station. 

Return Trek Trail

Everybody except me and one more person, reached the base station around 4.30 to 5.00 pm and waited for us. On the way we asked the village people, “still how much distance is there to reach the base”, they replied still 4 km, 2km etc., Also we asked about the last bus timings, somebody said there is one last bus around 6.10 pm, it gave a small confidence in us. We took rest often and somehow we managed and reached a river falls before 1-2kms from the base and took some rest. We are cursing ourselves on our strengths, that time two of my team members reached there from the base station in search of us.  They asked us to walk fast to reach the base station as the last bus was waiting for us. 

Central Station - Kottakudi

We increased our foot length and reached the base and everybody cheered (?) us as we reached the destination finally. When we reached up to the bus, the driver started the bus immediately; the time was now 6.30pm. If we missed that bus, there is no other way to reach Bodi. Some autos will be there sometimes, otherwise we have to call the auto from the Bodi town and they will ask around Rs.600, it was said by our team captain. The bus reached Bodi around 7.15pm and from there we boarded the same (?)(The bus we boarded from Kurangani was upto Bodi only, after it was reached Bodi, the conductor changed the board name as Theni) Bus to Theni where we have to catch the Chennai Bus. We had Dinner in Theni and waited for our Bus to Chennai. Everybody boarded KPN travels bus from Theni to Chennai except me as I booked in the SRM Travels Bus. I boarded the SRM travels bus around 10.00pm and reached Chennai the next day around 8.00 am with beautiful trekking memories and with leg pain….. I am proud that I can also do these kinds of moderate treks with my will power. 

Thanks a lot for the entire team for supporting me to finish this trek.



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