This was a pretty random plan that we came up with, just within a period of 2-3 hours. We rented a Santro, which was in a really good condition (which rented cars are rarely in one). On Friday night, after coming back from watching LSD, we thought of going somewhere long, since the car didn't have any distance limit. We thought of Gokarna (which most of us had visited), Kemmangundi (Chikmaglore dist.) and Kodachadri (Shimoga dist.). After searching for all these places on net, and working on the feasibility of driving conditions, we selected Kemmangundi, since only one guy amongst us had been there. I'd been to Baba Budangiri Range, which is pretty close to Kemmangundi, but that was 2 years back with family relatives, and I badly wanted to drive to a place like this. Kodachadri was ruled out, because we didn't want to drive at night, and the best part about Kodachadri is night-trek and sun-rise. So, Kemmangundi it was then. Along with me were - Puppy, Preetam, Pranam and Basu. We found the shortest route to take, from college to Kemmangundi (with the help of Google Maps). It went through Moodbidri, Belthangady and Chikmagalore, along the Charmadi ghat. We left at around 6.30 in the morning, filled petrol and checked tyres on the way.
We stopped at Moodbidri for breakfast, and then continued our journey, taking turns to drive. Then started the Charmadi ghat, which was pretty fine on the lower HP (hair pin) bends, and they weren't really sharp HP curves, so even long buses could take turns over there, unlike the Agumbe Ghat which had pretty acute curves for long buses. We reached Chikmaglore at around 12 noon. Just while entering Chikmaglore, we saw a CCD, where we stopped and had a pretty sumptuous lunch. Just for the record - CCD actually has most of its estates in Chikmaglore and its headquarters is also located here. Hence, that makes it special to have in a CCD where its roots lie. Chikmaglore is actually home to India's best coffee. So, we chilled out in CCD for sometime, freshen ourselves up, and then left to Kemmangundi. At a T-junction, when enquired, we were told to take a left, since that was a shorter route compared to the straight route which also led to Kemmangundi.
Now, coming to the route. The route that we took was real bad, comparing even to Indian Standards. It was supposedly a State Highway, but it didn't look like one, in any manner. Although the road was bad, we never stopped enjoying on the way. We came up with random lyrics in some Tulu words, for some trance music, which Preetam was playing, since he was driving the car, and we were just irritating him. As we reached higher and higher, our ears started closing and opening (if that is how I should put), and the road condition also became worse. At one place where we were supposed to take a lower right which led to Kemmangundi, we took the upper right, since it was directed properly. This other route led us to Baba Budangiri Range (Dada Pahad/ Datta Peeta) and a waterfall called Manikyadhara. This road was very narrow, and was really freaky since the level was very high and there was no fencing on any of the sides. So it was just like driving on the Grand Canyon of NFS Carbon game (only difference being the condition of the road).
Since Manakyadhara was just 3 kms away, we thought we'll just stop over there for 10 minutes or so. Manikyadhara was nothing great, it is basically a pilgrimage place and the falls was just little water flowing from the top of a cliff. We took some photos over there and hurried there withing 15 mins.
From top, I drove back to Kemmangundi. On the way, we thought we might run out of fuel to go back till Chikmaglore, and since there were no other petrol pumps, we considered filling it there itself. When inquired, we were told one hotel keeps fuel. So we went over there, and he was selling it for 75 Rs/L. Since we had no other option we filled some 6L over there and carried on to Kemmangundi. The further road was even worse, it wasn't even a Pukka road, to make matters worse. To cover a distance of 25 kms, we took more than 2 hours. After reaching Kemmangundi, we asked about the jeeps which would take us to Hebbe Falls from there. It was at a distance of 11 km from there, but the road was totally messed! I haven't gone in a road more bumpier than this one. I mean there were huge rocks all over on the road, and the jeep was going on top of all of them. Plus, the condition of the jeep was pathetic, I wonder what it was holding up to. But, I'm pretty sure there was no other vehicle which would've gone there.
Finally, at around 6 pm just before sunset, we reached our destination. From there we had to trek for about 10-15 mins to reach to the waterfall. The waterfall was worth all the trouble that we went through. It falls in two stages - Dodda Hebbe (Big Falls) and Chikka Hebbe (Small Falls), totally from a height of 550 ft. The falls are properly isolated, and are surrounded by dense forests and coffee plantations, which makes them more beautiful. Since the time we went was pretty late, and it was already getting dark, the waterfall looked just like milk flowing, among the greenery. We just took a dip in freezing cold water, and since we had no time we couldn't go under falls, as it would be difficult for us to trek back after it would get dark. So we left when the left was just enough to take us till our jeep. The bumpy ride was back yet again, and thankfully the headlights of the jeep were working. Given the condition that it was in, we had serious doubts. We reached back Kemmangundi by 7.30 pm, and we reached we were shocked to see the whole place deserted. I mean the time when we left there was a shack and there were some jeep guys sitting over there; when we come back, we see only our car parked over there. After that, we paid the jeep guy and asked him the shortest route to Chikmaglore from there. He guided us to something which worked wonders for us. The route he told us was not just short, but it was good too. After a distance of 20 km, we joined the State Highway and smoothly reached Chikmaglore, with our safe driver Pupps, who drove all the way back at night.
After reaching Chikmaglore, we had our dinner at a decent restaurant, and inquired about a good place to stay there. After getting to know the accommodation rates, we had a discussion on whether to stay during night or drive back to college. We settled on staying back, since traveling on the ghats was a little risky. And given the fact that most of us were sleep-deprived for the past 2 or so days. We stayed at a place called Krishna Residency; the rooms were decent and we had a really good sleep, although the power kept coming and going. I came to know about the power cut only in the morning, that's how well I slept. Got up in the morning, had proper south-Indian breakfast at a decent restaurant and left to college. We took the same way back to college, by which we had come. Again all of us took turns in driving, and we reached college in around 4.5 hours from there.
This was, by far, the best road trip for me till date. I have got experience in driving Ghat sections now, and am more confident. It will, Inshaallah, serve me well in the future.
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