Bob the Explorer, Author at EXPLORE WITH BOB

In Tourist destinations around Bangalore

Ooty-Udhagamandalam and Coonoor-The queen of hill stations in South India

25/02/2023 No Comments

Want a weekend gateway to forest areas from Bengaluru-Look no further -Wayanad in Kerala and the adjacent district of Karnataka that is Coorg is waiting for you. When the monsoon calls it quits leaving a trail of fresh air and green aura, that’s when you should be here, seeing overflowing Iruppu Falls, the gigantic Cauvery river at Talacauvery, the tea estates in Wayanad, and beautiful treks like Pakshipatalam or Brahmagiri trek.

15 Reasons why you must visit Ooty and Coonoor:

Ooty is one of India’s most visited year destinations and should be on your charts if you make it to south India.

You could go boating in the beautiful Ooty Lake or to Pykara lake to enjoy a boat ride in paddle boats, motorboats, or rowing ones with your friends or family. Cycling and horse riding around the lake is equally enjoyable.
The Nilgiri Toy Train, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a must rail journey in India, starting from Mettupalayam to Udagamandalam and crossing about 250 bridges and 16 tunnels. You can halt at places like Coonoor, Wellington, and Lovedale on the way to Ooty.
Four hundred feet Kalhatti Falls in Bellikal is known for lush greenery around the falls and birds unique to this region.

The Nilgiri railways dotting the plains of Ooty

Visit Doddapetta park, which houses the highest point, the Doddapetta peak offering beautiful views of Nilgiri hills and Chamundi hills and the sunset through telescopes and binoculars.
Coonoor, another hill station near Ooty, is famous for its tea plantations and is at a good height of about 2000 meters offering splendid views of the valleys and vast hilly regions.
Dolphin’s Nose is located about 1500 m above sea level and is one of the most frequented places by tourists in Coonoor. There are canyons and valleys with lush green hills, along with a clear view of the Catherine Falls.
Three kilometers from Coonoor, Highfield Tea Factory, is a place for tea lovers to learn how tea is processed, packaged, and shipped. You can also get some tea for your friends and family, chocolates, and eucalyptus oil.

Location: Ooty is 300 km south of Bengaluru via Mysuru and 600 southwest of Chennai via Erode.

The lake in Ooty boasts good boating facilities

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

Ooty: Ooty Boat House, Botanical Garden, Rose Garden, Doddabetta Peak Telescope house, Nilgiri Mountain Railway Line; Coonoor: Pykara waterfalls, Sim’s Park, Catherine Water Falls, Rangaswamy Peak

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

You can visit Wayanad, Coorg, Mysuru, Thrissur, and Kozhikode as excellent destinations.

Distance Charts:(Ooty)

Delhi(2510 km)
Mumbai(1260 km)
Hyderabad(900 km)
Coonoor(20 km)
Kodaikanal(260 km)
Munnar (240 km)
Cochin(270 km)
Mysuru(220 km)
Chennai(550 km)
Bangalore(330 km)
Rameswaram(450 km)
Kanyakumari(510 km)

How to Reach Ooty and Coonoor:

Road Routes:

Bengaluru/Chennai-Erode-Coimbatore-Coonoor-Ooty(rail route)/Bengaluru-Mysuru-Ooty.

Tea estates in Ooty is pretty common and pretty to look

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

1)Ooty and Coonoor are pleasant hill stations throughout the year-I was here in May, and the climate was just mindblowing. So hop in anytime monsoons from June to September are better avoided.

2)Hotels can get damn expensive and scarce in summers, which is the peak season, so get yourself a booking or hard luck. Off-season getting a hotel is no big deal, even with no booking.

3) Some tours are organized to see tourist spots at Coonoor and Ooty. Check them out on relevant sites and travel agents in and around Ooty.

4)Buses are an excellent way to travel to some tourist spots and in and out of big cities to and fro Ooty. They are economical and have a good frequency.

5)Food at restaurants can be damn costly. What can save you bucks is having idli-dosa on the streets or small hotels-They are tasty authentic, and cheap! However, North Indian hotels will be a lot more expensive.

RAIL: Nearest railway stations are Ooty as well as Coonoor. There’s a toy train plying between Mettupalayam and Ooty, and Mettupalayam is connected to Coimbatore by a broad gauge line.

ROAD: You can come from pretty much anywhere to Ooty. TNSTC and KSRTC have excellent bus services directly to Ooty.

Map:-

Chennai-Erode-Coimbatore-Coonoor-Ooty road route

Bengaluru-Mysuru-Ooty-road-route

Time to Visit:

Except for rains-June to August-anytime is fine.

Spend Time With:

Family, Friends, Solo, Couple, Groups

Food and Lodging:

Food isn’t an issue but is costly, especially if you ask for out-of-context north Indian cuisines. Grab idli dosas, and you’ll do fine. Talking about hotels-in peak seasons, it’s not easy to get cheap, and the best hotels-its full jammed. Better book in advance through Goibibo, Makemytrip, or the Yatra website; that will save hassle and bucks.

Expense:

A 2 day wholesome trip in Ooty and Coonoor will cost:

Food: INR 150/person/day(3 times a day)X2

Transport: There are shared tours happening-you. I need to do a bit of google search -take it as INR 1000. Else you can hop for bus services for main spots only which will cost INR 500.

Lodging: INR 800/day X2 (1 day in Ooty and other at Coonoor)

Entry Fees include various places (varies): Assume INR 300 as there are entry fees on several sites (including boating on sharing basis)

Total: 3300 INR(INR 3800 if a shared tour is taken, which is a better way to go)

Nearby Attractions(Ooty)

In tourist destinations around mumbai and pune

Chikhaldara and Bhandardara -The secret hill stations of Maharashtra for peace seekers!

04/02/2023 No Comments

The Maharashtra state of India has a few hill stations, Chikhaldara and Bhandardara being two. These are not too far from Mumbai or Pune, with Chikhaldara being close to Nagpur. Maharashtra hill stations look much better and pretty in rains as the whole area comes to life – the greenery becomes a tad more obvious, slowly disappearing as rains squeeze out to winters. There are lakes and waterfalls to see, which are against a beautiful backdrop-the falls are in full glory in the rainy season.

8 reasons why you must visit Bhandardara and Chikhaldara:

Chikhaldara, known as Keechakadara, has beautiful viewpoints like Hurricane Point, Prospect Point, and Devi Point. There are few other worthy places to visit like Gavilgad and Narnala Fort, the Pandit Nehru Botanical Gardens, the Tribal Museum, and the Semadoh Lake.
The Gwaligarh fort, one of the few three forts in Chikhaldara, is a historic fort because this fort has seen many wars.

Chikhaldara is surrounded by Melghat Tiger Reserve, which is home to tigers, leopards, sloth bears, and other wild animals. You can visit to see some tigers in the Reserve.
Bhandardara is a lovely hill station for getting views of some points like Arthur Lake, Wilson Dam, Umbrella Falls, Randha Falls, and Ratangad Fort.
400-year-old Ratangad Fort, one of the favorites forts of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, overlooks Ratanwadi and Bhandardara lake. From the Top of the fort, one gets to capture Mount Kalsubai and the lake in the forefront.

Bhandardara has two famous falls – Umbrella and Randha Falls. Umbrella Falls is at Wilson Dam and are a sight to behold in monsoons. Randha Falls is of a height of 170 ft-must visited again in Bhandardhara.
Arthur Lake is a reservoir of the Wilson Dam on the Pravara River, which offers an excellent opportunity for boat rides and is equally breathtaking in terms of scenery with hills and forests.

Location: Bhandardara and Chikhaldara are 160 and 600 km approx from Mumbai/Pune, respectively, and Chikhaldara is about a 250 from Nagpur-another prime city of Maharashtra.

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

Chikhaldara – Gawilgad Fort, Shakkar Lake, Bhimkund Point, Panchbol Point, Harisal ;Bhandardara – WilsonDam, Ghanchakkar, Kalsubai Peak, Umbrella Falls, Arthur Hill Lake

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

You can visit Nagpur, Mumbai, Pune, Pachmarhi, Bhopal, Lonavala, and Khandala from these places.

Distance Charts:(Bhandardara | Chikhaldara)

Mumbai(170 | 670 km)
Hyderabad(700 | 600 km)
Chennai(1330 | 1220 km)
Bangalore(1010 | 1190 km)
Kanyakumari(1680 | 1850 km)
Delhi(1350 | 1120 km)
Nagpur (670 | 230 km)
Vijayawada(980 | 870 km)

A section of Randha Falls in Bhandardara

How to Reach Bhandardara and Chikhaldara:

Road Routes:

Mumbai/Pune-Igatpuri-Bhandardara-Aurangabad-Jalna-Khamgaon-Chikhaldara

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

1)Rainy season-July to October are the best months to be here because you’ll see lush greenery with gushing waterfalls.

2) The hill stations have lakeside and green pastures, so these spots are good picnic spots to spend a day or two.

3) Bhandardara becomes pretty warm during summers, so having an umbrella and some water helps you feel better.

4)Having a local private pillion or car is optional, but some tourist spots are far off each other. Hence, local transport being scant-need to take up private transport. However, it’s worth it if you come in monsoon time!

5)Public transport will help you reach right up here, but you’ll wish you had your car to drive. If you can ride up here if your home is Mumbai or Nagpur-it will be much better. Calculate what’s costing you more – a car with four people in or shared public transport with local sightseeing by a hired car!

RAIL: Igatpuri/Amravati is the nearest rail station to these hill stations

AIR: Aurangabad/Mumbai/Pune/Nagpur are some airports to get to Bhandardara and Chikhaldara.

ROAD: A laid out road network with smooth roads connecting big cities like Mumbai, Nagpur, and Pune to these hill stations. MSRTC has many bus services to reach here

Map:

Bhandardara and Chikhaldara route route from Mumbai to Nagpur

Time to Visit:

June to February is a good time to be here.

Shakkar Lake,ChikhaldaraShakkar Lake,Chikhaldara

Spend Time With:

Friends, Groups, Family, couple, Solo

Food and Lodging:

The number of hotels at these hill stations is pretty few. Bhandardara can be covered in a day leaving from Mumbai early morning. In contrast, Chikhaldara can be a day’s trip from Nagpur, so you make Mumbai and Nagpur as a base, and if you are tight on a budget, make Nagpur and Igatpuri your base.No booking needed. Hotels are an issue in these hill stations for food and snacks-better to have snacks and water with you.

Expense:

A 2-day trip to Chikhaldara/Bhandardara costs:

Food: INR 100/person/day(3 times a day)X2
Transport: Buses and trains will help you reach here. INR 1000 for state buses and for local sight seeing,hire a pillion which will cost around INR 800 at each of the place(you can actually let go off Bhandardara but still consider adding both costs)
Lodging: INR 700/day X1(only in case of Chikhaldara; Bhandardara doesn’t requires a stay)
Entry Fees :Nil is what I can say, INR 100 for safe side.

Total: 4000 INR(can be brought down to INR 2500 if you can leave out a few spots in both hill stations and walk real long!)

Nearby Attractions(Bhandardara | Chikhaldara)

Mumbai (170 | 670 km)
Hyderabad (700 | 600 km)
Pune (160 | 600 km)
Nanded (470 | 330 km)
Daman (230 | 630 km)

Panchbol Point

In tourist destinations around mumbai and pune

Panchgani,Mahabaleshwar and Kaas-The Three must-visit beautiful places near Satara

14/01/2023 No Comments

If you know about a few hill stations in Maharashtra, Mahabaleshwar is something you would have heard for sure! It comes alive in monsoons from June to October, when greenery remains intact due to heavy downpours and drizzles. The whole of western ghats comes to life when it rains, and you’ll be welcomed with several waterfalls and small streams. The viewpoints come to life. Panchgani is a plateau area that looks like a meadow in rains-dazzlingly green. When it comes to Kaas, it’s a plateau as well, but its prime attraction is a plethora of blooming flowers in July-August month as far as our eyes wander and a continued flow of beauty.

8 Good to Go Reasons to be in Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, and Kaas:

Visit Panchgani, known for its green valleys and several beautiful waterfalls in monsoons and post monsoons. From where one can view the Dhom Dam and western ghats, Parsi Point is a must place to be here in monsoons.

Table Land Viewpoint– the highest point in Panchgani and Asia’s second most extended mountain plateau (about 6+ km) at the height of 4,550 feet MSL is a treat to watch in rains as the whole area remains green with patches of flowers. Plus, a drizzle adds the cherry on the top.
Kaas Plateau – a World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO, offers tourists lush green valleys and plateau along with a plethora of flowers of various colors during July, August and September. Waterfalls like Thoseghar and several little falls can be seen in monsoons.

Vienna lake in Mahabaleshwar is excellent for boating, and the grand Pratapgarh Fort is an excellent viewpoint for western ghats.
Mahabaleshwar has several spots and picturesque locations like Arthur’s Seat, Wilson Point, Elphinstone Point, Kate’s Point, Needle hole Point, and Lodwick Points. Don’t forget to switch on your cameras, especially in monsoons!
Panchgani is a place of strawberry cultivation. Hence, you should visit some orchards and get some products like jellies, candies, and other strawberry-made food items.
Mahabaleshwar is famous for berries like strawberries, mulberries, and blueberries; hence, get some for your friends and loved ones.

Location: Both Kaas and Mahabaleshwar are 200 km south of Pune and about 40-60 km west of Satara

Matheran is an option around Satara-a bit far away

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

Kaas Pathar is known for seasonal flowering and Kaas Lake; Mahabaleshwar has spots like Pratapgarh Fort, Vienna Fort, Elphinstone Point, Lodwick Point, Arthur Seat, Kates Point, Lingmala Waterfall, Sunset Point, Chinaman Falls, Vienna River, Needle Point, Echo Point, Tiger Spring Point; Panchgani has Table Land, Parsi Point, Sydney Point, Kamalgarh Fort to see.

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

You can visit Kolhapur, Ratnagiri,Pune,Mumbai, Dudhsagar Falls, Amboli and Aihole near Satara(300-400 km)

Table land looks kinda deserted in February

Distance Charts:(Satara)

Panchgani(50 km)
Mahabaleshwar(60 km)
Kaas(30 km)
Matheran(225 km)
pune(110 km)
Mumbai(250 km)
Hyderabad(550 km)
Cochin(1100 km)
Chennai(1090 km)
Bangalore(730 km)
Kanyakumari(1400 km)
Delhi(1600 km)

How to Reach Kanyakumari via Madurai and Rameswaram:

Road Routes:

Pune-Satara-Kaas-Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani-Wai-Pune(for public transport, come back to Satara from Kaas and catch another one for Mahabaleshwar)

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

1)Kaas is best to go in July and August because you for flowers here and rains is when flowers bloom-pink and yellows

2)Mahabaleshwar is best to go for in September and October when it rains lesser, and there’s still greenery around. Western ghats are a pleasure when there are greens.

3)Make sure you reach the Satara bus stand by 6 am to catch the early bus for either of these places. The sooner you go, the more time you spend at the top; buses are every 1 hour for Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. Kaas is a bit less frequent.

4)When you come here in July or August, be prepared to be over the clouds and see waterfalls, but you can’t get good views from viewpoints, and it’s difficult to visit places in windy conditions! However, Kaas is okay because you see the plateau in front of your eyes.

5)Umbrella, water and snacks must be carried-better a raincoat when you are here in the rainy season when it rains bad-it pours!

6)Private car packages are heftily priced depending on spots you choose to visit; see the google images, see if they are worth seeing, select the top 5 places, and visit those for within say 1000-1500 INR. Better-much better is the much cheaper and affordable daily Mahabaleshwar darshan bus which leaves at 9 or 10 am for local sightseeing though you won’t be seeing all the places…

RAIL: For Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar, get down at Wai, and for Kaas, Satara is the best way to go.

AIR: Pune Airport is the nearest one.

ROAD: Take the Bangalore expressway from Pune/Mumbai, leave the diversion at Satara/Surur, and continue west to the desired destination. MSRTC buses might help if you want to save some bucks and travel 24/7.

Map:

Satara to Kaas to Mahabaleshwar to Panchagani road route

Time to Visit:

June to January is -the best time to visit, especially from August to October.

Spend Time With:

Family, Friends, Solo, Couple, Groups

Food and Lodging:

Satara will be the best base for cheap hotels, a few of decent quality. Mahabaleshwar will have many hotels, but it will be costly and hard to find a place in peak seasons. Better book in advance using Goibibo or Makemytrip or the Yatra website. Food isn’t an issue, so there is no need to worry about it. Kaas is a place to visit and return to Satara or go to Mahabaleshwar.

Expense:

A 2-day trip for this trip(reach Kaas by morning ten around and reach Mahabaleshwar by 4-5 pm)

Food: INR 100/person/day(3 times a day)X2

Transport: INR 400 for the state bus from Satara to Kaas and back and to Mahabaleshwar is what it should cost. For local sightseeing, there will be Mahabaleshwar local bus tour available for INR 300-500, I guess, and for Kaas, you need to enter the valley and see flowers. For Panchgani, similar shared tours must be at places fixing the price of INR 500. (A car at Mahabaleshwar for sightseeing may cost INR 2500)

Lodging: INR 700/day X1

Entry Fees include various places (varies): At Kaas and a few places in Mahabaleshwar: INR 200 approx.

Total: 2900 INR(4900 INR in case car availed)

Nearby Attractions(Satara)

In Tourist destinations around Bangalore

Hampi-The greatest symbol of Indian History I ever saw-just marvelous!

31/12/2022 No Comments

Hampi has to be on your bucket list – trust me, it’s the historical masterpiece that gets the most points from me. In the extensive area of some 30 sq. km. You get to see a lot and what’s interesting is that you hardly see repetitions. The architecture changes according to the purpose that the building serves. That variety makes it more than exciting, and even though it’s a historic place, you’ll love it if you aren’t a historic freak just like me! Don’t forget to see the Tungabhadra reservoir over the Tungabhadra river-its park and reservoir site are yummy to watch-the waters glittering against sunlight. The beautiful dam construction that leads to a beautiful garden makes it all worth being here! It’s easy to be here and hardly takes much time to visit, so you can also manage to visit this place.

Eight beautiful reasons why you must visit Hampi:

Hampi is a must-visit as it used to be once the wealthiest city in India and the second-largest city after Beijing. It was spread over a large area and was the capital of the Vijayanagar empire in the 14th century.

The stone chariot at the Vittala Temple marks the symbol of the great Hampi empire. A must not be missed tourist spot!
There are several temples in and around, like-Virupaksha temple and the Vijaya Vittala temple being the must-visit ones.
Anjuna and Matunga Hills are the hills where you can plan for a short trek and get a panoramic view of the historic city from the hilltops and catch a brilliant sunset.

Elephant's Stable Hampi — Elephant’s Stable Hampi

You can reach the Hampi Bazaar near the Virupaksha temple, which was once a busy marketplace for trading silk, gemstones, and other precious items.
You can visit a street where once diamonds used to be sold, called the Pan Supari Street; also, you can visit Vittal Temple, known for its outer Musical Pillars as the pillars produce music.
There are several other temples and ponds like Pushkarini, museum, Hemakunta Temple complex, and Tungabhadra river to visit, enough to take about a day provided you hire an autorickshaw.

Location: Hampi is about 350 km northwest of Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India.

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

You have the Archeological Remains and Tungabhadra Reservoir to visit around Hospet.

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

You can visit Jog Falls, Dudhsagar Falls, Udupi, Gokarna, and Murudeshwara.

King’s Balance Hampi

Distance Charts:(Hampi)

Hyderabad(370 km)
Ooty(610 km)
Mumbai(745 km)
Pune(535 km)
Munnar (720 km)
Cochin(770 km)
Bangalore(340 km)
Rameswaram(950 km)
Kanyakumari(1010 km)
Delhi(1900 km)
Chennai(700 km)
Mysuru(430 km)
Visakhapatnam(900 km)

How to Reach Hampi:

Road Routes:

Bengaluru-Hiriyur-Chitradurga-Hosapete-Hampi-Hosapete-Tungabhadra Reservoir

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

1)Hampi is an all-year-round tourist place, but it is best if you come between September and February, offering a pleasant climate.
2)The public transport in this area is next to nil. So either has 2-3 days to cover all places on foot or hire an auto and see the sites in under 6-7 hours. For Tungabhadra reservoir, you have a bus every hour, so that’s not an issue.
3)As I say for most trips, have an umbrella, a water bottle, and snacks as you need to walk around the Hampi region and choose the early morning hours to avoid the scorching heat of the afternoon.

RAIL: Hospet is the nearest railway station to Hampi.

AIR: Hubli airport is the nearest though Mysuru/Bengaluru may be more convenient.

ROAD: There’s a single well-metaled road to Hampi via Hospete from Bengaluru. The Hospet-Hubli section is rough and patchy or a smooth roller. Direct buses to Hospet are available by KSRTC.

Map:

Time to Visit:

August to March is an excellent time to be here.

Spend Time With:

Friends, Groups, Solo, Couple, Family

Food and Lodging:

Hampi is a place to visit, so it has a few hotels, but Hospete will be better for accommodation, and freshening up-hotels are cheap- no booking needed. Food is trouble here, so have snacks and water with you.

Expense:

A day trip will cost:

Food: INR 100/person/day(3 times a day)X1

Transport: To do local sightseeing only at Hampi will cost INR 700 by booking a local auto. Reaching this majestic historical city from Hospet and from Hospete to Tungabhadra will cost around INR 200 bucks approx.

Lodging: INR 700/day X 1 at Hospet

Entry Fees: INR 50 with parking fees(else INR 20)

Total: 1920 INR

Bob the Explorer

15 Reasons why you must visit Ooty and Coonoor:

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

Distance Charts:(Ooty)

How to Reach Ooty and Coonoor:

Road Routes:

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

Map:-

Time to Visit:

Spend Time With:

Food and Lodging:

Expense:

Nearby Attractions(Ooty)

8 reasons why you must visit Bhandardara and Chikhaldara:

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

Distance Charts:(Bhandardara | Chikhaldara)

How to Reach Bhandardara and Chikhaldara:

Road Routes:

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

Map:

Time to Visit:

Spend Time With:

Food and Lodging:

Expense:

Nearby Attractions(Bhandardara | Chikhaldara)

8 Good to Go Reasons to be in Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, and Kaas:

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

Distance Charts:(Satara)

How to Reach Kanyakumari via Madurai and Rameswaram:

Road Routes:

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

Map:

Time to Visit:

Spend Time With:

Food and Lodging:

Expense:

Nearby Attractions(Satara)

Eight beautiful reasons why you must visit Hampi:

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

Distance Charts:(Hampi)

How to Reach Hampi:

Road Routes:

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

Map:

Time to Visit:

Spend Time With:

Food and Lodging:

Expense:

Nearby Attractions :