Hognekkal Falls, Tamil Nadu

What is there in Hognekkal Falls?

Falls in the gorge

Hognekkal falls is known as Niagara falls of India. Being on Kaveri river, the throughput of the falls is very good and that makes this fall perennial. Though after rains it becomes massive but even before rainy season it is equally good and enjoyable. The best thing about this falls is the small round boat ride which takes you directly under the falls crossing the small gorge. It is amongst our “must visit” list.

Just before reaching the falls, de tour to this place

When to visit Hognekkal Falls?

Well, as it is on Kaveri, anytime is good time. But then, weather can play an important role to decide if you want to go or not. If its hot and sunny weather then you might not be able to enjoy as much as when the weather is pleasant or cloudy. Moreover, after monsoon, the boat ride is discontinued as the water level rises in the gorge. So the best time can be during monsoons.

Also, visit should be made before 11am as after that it gets very crowded and the boat rowers also do not spend much time showing you around. Few friends of our’s did not appreciate the place as they reached after 12 pm.

How to reach Hognekkal Falls?

Though Hognekkal is in Tamil Nadu, its very close to Karnataka border. From Bengaluru it is about 120km. Best way to reach is by taxi or by car. Route is also pretty and worth the drive. For self drive GPS will be reliable. Don’t take the highway which is shown in the GPS but a detour through village via Denkanikotai will be good, also you can further detour to Devrabetta in Thally

The community place of one of the villages that we crossed

How much time is required for Hognekkal Falls?

Kaveri river, just before the hognekkal falls.

Well, we left around 6 :30 am in morning, and after making many pit stops we reached Hognekkal around 10am. We left from Hognekkal around 1pm, stopped for lunch but still made back to Bengaluru by 4pm.

Some hair pin turns on the road to hognekkal

What to do in Hognekkal?

In India, you can have snacks even in gorges like this.. see the man with potato chips and cold drinks

There is a bridge from which you can see falls (also, half naked guys taking bath after getting oil massage), but going to the other side of the bridge is not allowed. The only way to go to the main falls is by taking a round boat. If you are early and it is not crowded then you can enjoy a lot as you can haggle a bit and get some extra time of the boat ride. Usually the boat ride takes you to the gorge and from there to a small beach and return.

There are two interesting part of the boat ride, first is that they take you to beach, which has flowing stream in which you can take bath. But one needs to be very cautious in taking the bath as the flow of stream is quite good. The other interesting thing is the 360 degree spin that you get on the boat.

We were on a beach which was in Tamil Nadu and the boats on the other side of the river were in Karnataka.

What to carry to Hognekkal Falls?

Do carry extra pair of clothes as you might get wet during the boat ride. Also make sure you carry food with you, because we didn’t find a single dhaba on the way, and one or two which were there, were closed.

Our Experience of Hognekkal Falls.

Hognekkal was a pleasant surprise. After visiting Jog falls, we didn’t have much expectation. But this was way more beautiful and fun. Also, because the weather was good we enjoyed a lot. We had some funny encounters at the falls, many men were getting oil massage done near the falls. I feel that these things should be stopped as after oil massage they take bath in the falls, making it all oily, greasy and dirty. The guys who were giving massage were actually hitting those guys and climbing on them, jumping on them. It was a funny site but then that’s the way locals earn there. Some of our friends hated this place because of this activity which was going on, but somehow we enjoyed a lot.

You can get typical oil message if you are willing to get it here… 😀

We reached here by boat. It was fun to take bath in this flowing river

Coorg

What is there in Coorg?

Lots of coffee estates to start with. Waterfalls, forests, small mountains (as it is in western ghats), greenery. Sometimes Coorg is referred as the mini Scotland of India. At 1525 m, Coorg, is a small hill station in Karnataka. It can be a relaxing destination, if you are looking to enjoy the weather and nature.

When to visit Coorg?

Abbey falls – before rains

Well, its said that the best season to visit Coorg is after rainfall, which is September to March, but then even during the rainfall this place is worth visiting. Waterfalls during or before rainy season are not at their best but still they are magnificent to see. Before visiting Coorg, check its weather forecast, if its going to be bright and sunny then you might want to postpone the trip as Coorg is not at a high altitude so it is hot if its not raining.

How to reach Coorg?

Best way to reach Coorg is driving

Coorg is about 265 km from Bangalore. There are many buses and rental cars available from Bangalore, Mysore and Mangalore. Nearest railway station for Coorg is Mysore which is about 95 km from Coorg. Best option is to self drive from Bangalore. It takes about 4-5 hrs to reach Coorg by car.

Restaurant in middle of nowhere

Where to stay in Coorg?

Tree house in a coffee estate

Madikeri is the place near Coorg where most of the hotels and resorts are located. So depending on your budget  you can plan to stay either in hotels cum resorts such as Taj Vivanta which would cost about 15,000 Rs per night or a homestay which starts from 500 Rs per night.

The best way to enjoy Coorg is to stay in any coffee estate. If you are planning to travel on the weekend to Coorg, then make sure you get your stay booked in advance as it gets really crowded. Booking.com and http://www.coorghomestays.com/ are two sites which can be very helpful.

What places to visit in Coorg?

Elephant ride in Nisardhama

Below are some places which you can visit on the way and in Coorg:

1. Nisargdhama: A small island formed by Kaveri river, on the way to Coorg (30 km). Its a must place to visit.

Nisardhama

2. Dubare elephant Camp : A slight diversion from the Coorg route. We did go to this place, but we didn’t spend much time there as it was very crowded.

Chelvara Falls – before monsoon

3. Abbey Falls: 7 km from Madikeri. Beautiful falls, again very crowded but worth visiting.

4. Coffee estate : There are many coffee estates in Madikeri and Coorg. If you are not staying in one then just stop by any coffee estate and ask the owners to show you around.

5. Chelvara Falls:  About 45 km from Madikeri. Worth visiting as its not crowded.

Photo from Rajaseat garden

6. Many small treks are present near Coorg such as Tadiyandamol trek, Brahmagiri trek, Nishani Betta trek and many more. Check Thrillophilia for more such treks.

What are must carry to Coorg?

Raincoat or umbrella, Salt (for leeches) and full length pants. As Coorg is part of western ghats there are lots of leeches, its better that if you are planning to stroll around or planning to do a trek, you wear long pants and no shorts. Shoes and socks are must. But still if you are unlucky and leech sticks to you then you need salt to remove it.

What to shop from Coorg?

As Coorg has many coffee estates, its famous for its coffee and also for its spices. Coorg Green is one store where you can find all these.

Our Experience of Coorg.

Coffee estate

Few things that I learnt on this trip:

1. Short notice trips near Banglore can be bit expensive as most of hotels/homestays are booked in advance. Mode of transport is also a problem on short notice.

2. People in Coorg charge extra money for packed food, so be careful. On every single thing they would ask 20-50% extra amount saying that its difficult to get, which is very weird as Coorg is not at a great altitude and also not so far from city.

3. Homestays are the best. We stayed in a homestay and the lady who owned it was very sweet ad helpful. The cherry on the cake was that she cooked some amazing food.

Even trees of different types know how to live peacefully

4. Making pit stops during the Coorg visit is the best way to enjoy Coorg. Touristy places are always very crowded, hence we used to stop in between and not at particular spots and that is how we enjoyed the best of Coorg.

Leech bite

5. Never underestimate Leeches. You won’t even know when they are on you. So always always wear shoes and keep the salt packet handy.