• Hikes - Nature's Wonders - Places - Treks

    Keep Walking: Naina Range and Naina Peak Trail

    April 20, 2024 - By 

    Its only after 3 or 4 days into our Uttarakhand stay (Shyamkhet), we had the wisdom to search Google for ‘trekking trails near Nainital’. We had initially dismissed Nainital as a crowded tourist destination. While it might be true, there are a few trekking trails one can enjoy away from the crowds. Naina Peak (earlier called Cheeni Peak) trek was one such. The trail starts from a point at the Nainital–Kilbury Road, which itself is a narrow road that leads to Kilbury and Pangot Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary. The forest department team issued an entry ticket at the entrance and…

  • Glenmore Forest Trail TravelWithacouple
    Adventure - Hikes - Nature's Wonders - Places - Sanctuaries - Treks

    Glenmore Forest Trails

    November 4, 2023 - By 

    The welcome and information board at Glenmore Forest Park visitor centre says ‘Ancient forests, high mountains and golden shores’. We had just returned from the not-so-high mountains (Cairngorms Trek) and was now looking forward to a forest trail walk. Glenmore is one of the largest forests within the Cairngorms National Park. Forest parks are well maintained by the ‘Forestry and Land’ division of the Scotland government. And there are many trails for hikes and treks. Scotland, interestingly has the ‘Scottish Access Rights’, which gives the individuals the freedom to go anywhere and enjoy the outdoors in Scotland. This is completely…

  • Cairngorms TravelWithaCouple
    Adventure - Hikes - Nature's Wonders - Places

    Trekking @Cairngorms Mountains

    October 22, 2023 - By 

    “In every walk with nature one receives far more than one seeks” – John Muir John Muir, adventurer, explorer, naturalist, and considered to be the Father of National Parks (his life long efforts are behind the conservation of many a National Park in the United States), was a Scottish national. At the age of 11, in 1849, he migrated from Scotland to Americas along with his parents and siblings. It was a fitting tribute when in 2003 Cairngorms was declared a National Park, it was inaugurated by his great-great-grand daughter, Liz Hanna. “For all its tempestuous nature, the Cairngorms is…

  • Meghalaya TravelWithACouple
    Hikes - Nature's Wonders - People - Places - Treks

    Augustin’s Question

    November 18, 2021 - By 

    ‘Sir, do you think we are expensive or cheap?’ When Augustin asked this question, we thought it was a generic question about the cost of food, travel and stay. And we said it is neither, but reasonable and moderate. We were on our seventh day of our trip to Meghalaya, and Augustin, our taxi driver and self-appointed guide, was leading us through a short trek to yet another stunning waterfall, the Prut falls. He then explained what he meant was about the entry fees to all these magnificent natural locations, which combines natural beauty and potential adventure. These fees ranged…

  • TravelWithacouple Unny Bindhu Koyna Tapola Satara
    Adventure - Hikes - Nature's Wonders - Places - Sanctuaries - Treks

    Travel in 2020: The End

    January 10, 2021 - By 

    (Also read Travel in 2020: The Beginning and Travel in 2020: The Middle) We often hear in literature or in general about how insignificant we feel as a tiny speck in this vast cosmos. Travellers speak about that especially in the context of the Himalayas or other mountain ranges. One doesn’t need to go that far to feel our cosmic insignificance. All one needs to be at any spot by the banks of the huge Shivsagar lake, the backwaters formed by the mighty Koyna dam. More on Koyna later. The final trip of 2020 was the perhaps the most looked…

  • Hampi Itinerary Travelwithacouple Unny Bindhu
    Adventure - Heritage - Hikes - History - Nature's Wonders - Places - Sanctuaries

    A Hampi Itinerary – Something for Everyone

    January 6, 2019 - By 

    Never perhaps in the history of the world has such havoc been wrought, and wrought suddenly, on so splendid a city, teeming with a wealthy and industrious population in the full plentitude of prosperity one day, and on the next seized, pillaged, and reduced to ruins, amid scenes of savage massacre and horrors begging description. –Robert Sewell, A Forgotten Empire. History and mythology intertwines effortlessly as local guides narrates the story of Hampi,  once a world class city and trade centre of 14th century, built and ruled by the kings spanning four dynasties starting with Harihara and Bukka. The mythological…

  • Atwood Coonoor TravelWithacouple Unny Bindhu
    Birdwatching - Hikes - Hotels - Nature's Wonders - Places - Weekend Stays

    Atwood at Coonoor

    June 9, 2018 - By 

    ‘Ooty or Coonoor‘ and ‘Ooty vs Coonoor’ seem to be a common search phrase on Google. And the advice is predictable. Preferably stay away from Ooty city and stay in the serene, calm environs of Coonoor. This probably was the not the case a few years back—before Ooty became city—one that can match even Coimbatore, as mentioned by a local guy. We did not have to choose since our trip was to Coonoor, based on recommendation from Rustik Travel. Atwood at Coonoor was the picture-perfect, serene, and calm place to relax for a few days. Nestled among tea plantations on…

  • Amboli Ghats, Green Vine Snake
    Nature's Wonders - Places

    The Night Life In Amboli – With Herpetofauna In Company

    May 6, 2018 - By 

    Amboli has vibrant nightlife. Or so we heard. And we were looking forward for a glimpse of it. The wettest place in Maharashtra has its charms during the day, too. In 3 days, we could enjoy both. The term biodiversity has become a well-worn expression, used by all and sundry without really understanding or appreciating its intensity and depth. For some, it means wilderness or a patch of greenery. (What about our precious deserts?) We even have senior forest officers thinking of building artificial nests for birds displaced out of their natural habitat when trees are cut for widening highways.…

  • Jilling Estate TravelWithaCouple Unny Radhakrishnan Bindhu Unny
    Birdwatching - Flora - Hikes - Nature's Wonders - People - Places

    The Renegades of Jilling

    May 21, 2017 - By 

    (Originally published in The Indian Express Sunday Magazine, 21st May 2017) “What if you two drive off a cliff and die? All business is now done through internet and smartphones; and I have hardly learned to send an SMS,” Steve Lall said aloud with wonder. Apparently, he put this question to his daughter and son-in-law, to whom he had handed over the reins of Jilling Estate. A self-described renegade with 72 summers behind him, Lall still laughs like a child and one can’t resist his infectious energy and warmth— never mind that he’s in a wheelchair, just off a three-month…

  • George Thengummoottil TravelWithaCouple
    Hikes - Nature's Wonders - People

    Singali La by George Thengummoottil

    December 4, 2016 - By 

    There are things we can do. And we do these whenever we can—travelling, trekking, birding, and so on. Then there are things we only dream to do—tough, high-altitude trekking, extreme adventure, marathons, and long-distance cycling, to name a few. For these, we have friends. Friends who take up such arduous tasks and successfully complete them. One such friend is George Thengummoottil. We met him through a common friend during our Wayanad sojourn. The humble and unassuming George has done some of the tough and most remote treks in the Himalayas, rising above his limitations. Not just that. He has filmed…

  • Khuri Jaisalmer Travelwithacouple Unny Bindhu
    Adventure - Desert - Nature's Wonders - People

    A Night Under The Stars: Khuri Desert

    November 27, 2016 - By 

    Out first night at Jaisalmer was a disaster. With little thought, we had booked Club Mahindra resort to use up a free room offer from MakeMyTrip. Loud music till 11 p.m., a room with no privacy (what purpose does windows serve if they open to a common corridor), and finally an enforced buffet dinner (no information on this at the time of check in) left us with a bad taste. Luckily, the desert camps at the Sam dunes hadn’t piqued our interest, so we hadn’t booked anything there. A friend suggested spending a night at Khuri, in the open desert…

  • TravelWithaCouple Havelock Islands
    Adventure - Beaches - Hikes - Nature's Wonders - Treks

    Havelock Has It All

    April 2, 2016 - By 

    (Originally published in Mid-Day, April 2016) A complete non-touristy guide to Havelock Islands “Four days in Havelock?” Travel agents will likely give you a bewildered look if you say that you plan to stay 4 days in Havelock. They would not recommend more than one night in Havelock. Unless you are on a diving training course or a self-planned extended honeymoon. In typical tour packages, the island is just a morning-evening affair. Named after the British General Henry Havelock, this tiny island is towards the north-east of Port Blair (capital of Andaman & Nicobar Islands) and about an hour by…

  • Urakkuzhi Water Falls, Kakkayam dam, Kerala, TravelWithaCouple
    Flora - Nature's Wonders - Places

    Kuttyadi & Kakkayam – The Dam Tour

    October 31, 2015 - By 

    One full day in Kozhikode. Nothing planned. Western Ghats always in mind. So we hired a taxi and set off with a rough idea of where to go but not much about what to expect. Our first stop after an almost 2-hour drive through bad traffic in Kerala’s ‘rurban’ roads was Peruvannamoozhi. This small village has a dam, which is part of the Kuttyadi Irrigation Project. That the dam was open made the visit worth it. It was giddying to watch the water gushing down. The village is beautiful but like any other such villages in Kerala. A small, neglected…

  • Saputara Dangs TravelWithacouple
    Flora - Nature's Wonders - Places - Sanctuaries

    The Magnetic Dangs

    October 11, 2015 - By 

    Our last trip to Dangs district in Gujarat was unplanned. So was the last weekend’s trip. Two consecutive 3-day weekends. A much-longed trip to Bhandardhara in monsoon was planned for the first one. But work commitments came in the way and we had to cancel it. It was too late plan for the second weekend long weekend. So we just packed the bags and drove lazily along the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Highway until evening with a stopover at Dandi. Thus, Surat became the destination of the day. The tidy town deserves a separate post. Next day, we drove to Purna Wildlife Sanctuary/Mahal…

  • TravelWithaCouple Unny Bindhu Lombok Indonesia
    Beaches - Nature's Wonders - Places

    Lombok: Go Beyond Bali, Indonesia

    May 31, 2015 - By 

    Indonesia for most travellers begins and ends in Bali. Little do they realize that the Indonesian archipelago has several other stunning islands, too, and Bali’s scenic beauty may fade in comparison to these. Staying away from the crowded Bali was what we wanted, and a friend living Jakarta suggested Lombok. Thus we discovered this fabulous island, and it was worth it.  The 5-hour public ferry to Lombok starts at Padang Bai in Bali. There is also a fast boat service and there are speed boats, too. The ferry comes at a fraction of the cost of other options. Tickets are…

  • Triund, Dauladhar Ranges, TravelWithaCouple
    Adventure - Hikes - Nature's Wonders - Treks

    Triund Through Snow

    April 19, 2015 - By 

    Rarely do we repeat a trek, because we prefer to cover new places as much as possible. But when it is a place where seasons compete against each other to decorate the landscape uniquely, it is as good as a new destination. Unlike Maharashtra, where post-monsoon, the setting is devoid of all greenery, Himachal Pradesh is never gray or brown. It’s either green or white or sometimes both, as we found out as we trekked up to Triund. A few years back, we did the Triund trek in pouring rains, all drenched, with mist, clouds, streams, and exquisite greenery for…

  • Kanha National Park, TravelWithaCouple, Unny Radhakrishnan, Bindhu Unny
    Birdwatching - Nature's Wonders - Places - Sanctuaries

    In the Land of Jungle Book – Kanha National Park

    November 30, 2014 - By 

    (This article was originally published in Mid-Day Travel section) Wildlife safaris are always full of expectations, surprises, and disappointments. The feverish anticipation and wonderful surprises are what that makes these safaris special. Exploring Kanha National Park, the backdrop of Kiplingís Jungle Book, was no different. First of our five safaris in Kanha was in the evening. Unexpected rains in the afternoon, though offered a cool evening, dulled everyoneís expectations. But as it turned out, we had a few memorable sightings before we wound up for the day. It started with a jungle fox, a few minutes into the Kanha zone.…

  • Old Manali, Goshal Village, TravelWithaCouple, Unny Radhakrishnan, Bindhu Unny
    Hikes - Nature's Wonders - People - Places - Treks

    Hike to Goshal – Losing Ways and a Happy Ending

    November 9, 2014 - By 

    The friendly hotel owner suggested we take a rickshaw to Old Manali. We insisted on walking the 3-odd kilometres from new Manali (model town). Most of the route was uphill but we had no specific plans for the day, so we walked leisurely. A small bridge connects Old Manali and new Manali. A left turn from the bridge takes you to a narrow lane that goes up to the Manu temple. Restaurants and cafes flank the lane, offering a range as wide as Israeli to Korean food. We walked up to Manu temple; the last stretch was a stiff climb.…

  • Solang Valley, Hotel Iceland
    Hotels - Nature's Wonders - Places

    Stay: Hotel Iceland @Solang Valley

    November 2, 2014 - By 

    As we got out of the bus in Manali, the October chill enveloped us. It was pleasant. But not for long. We travelled further up to Solang Valley, to our chosen place of stay. The trip was hastily put together. So we didn’t do any research but opted for the hotel a good friend suggested. That it is away from the bustling Manali helped. It did not cross our mind that Hotel Iceland would live up to its name in October as well.   The chill hit us the moment we stepped out of the vehicle. The sun was up…

  • Urmodi Dam, Satara, Travelwithacouple
    Flora - Nature's Wonders - Places

    Monsoon Secrets of Maharashtra #1 – Roads to Nowhere Around Urmodi Dam

    October 1, 2014 - By 

    The landscape of Maharashtra gets a makeover every monsoon. As the parched earth soaks up the rainwater, the brown plateaus, hills, and valleys change to varied shades of green. That it’s such delightful scenery is an understatement. Urmodi was no different. This monsoon, we chose to explore around Satara. One of the routes we selected wound around the Urmodi dam, a magnificent waterbody fed by numerous waterfalls from the surrounding hillocks. Urmodi is around 17 km from Satara, via Parali village. The dam was commissioned in late 2000s as a major irrigation project. There are a few villages around the…

  • Mount Batur Volcano Trek, Indonesia
    Adventure - Hikes - Nature's Wonders - Places - Treks

    The Sunrise Trek to Mount Batur Volcano and Other Adventures

    September 27, 2014 - By 

    After exploring Lombok for a couple of days, we reached Ubud, Bali, with no definite plans. We only had a day left before flying back to India. On the way from Padang Bai, our vehicle got caught in the traffic jam in Ubud town. As we inched ahead, a small hoarding caught our attention. Sunrise trek to Mount Batur volcano. Wow! Plans for next day started taking shape. Soon, we reached our resort amidst paddy fields in a village in Ubud. The first thing we did even before completing the checking-in formalities was to register for the sunrise trek. The…

  • Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Kerala
    Birdwatching - Nature's Wonders - Places - Sanctuaries

    Thattekad Bird Sanctuary – The richest bird habitat in the peninsula

    August 15, 2014 - By 

    When we mentioned to a friend that we were visiting Thattekad (Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary), she declared there were no birds in Thattekad. So it is likely to be if you visit Thattekad or any other bird sanctuary on your own. If you have an experience guide with you, you will be enthralled to see and admire many avian beauties in one place and in a very limited time. Though closer home, a visit to Thattekad Bird Sanctuary never happened until 2012, as is the case with most of the treasures that are near to us. From the many blogs…

  • Kerandangan Nature Reserve, Lombok, Indonesia
    Adventure - Nature's Wonders - Places - Sanctuaries - Treks

    Hiking Through Kerandangan

    July 16, 2014 - By 

    A trek to the Rinjani volcano peak was in the original plan. Soon we were to realise – sadly, that it requires a minimum of two nights and three days. Beach hopping, snorkelling and long walks did its bit to quell the disappointment of giving up on Rinjani. Yet there was something amiss. Until we heard the call of the wild. Not far from the Holiday Resort at Senggigi, where we were staying, was the Kerandangan Nature Reserve. Hardly mentioned in the regular tourism destinations in Lombok, we stumbled upon this natural treasure while browsing a local magazine. During the…

  • Meenmutty Falls, Banasurasagar, Wayanad
    Adventure - Nature's Wonders - Places

    The Other Meenmutty Waterfalls in Wayanad

    June 1, 2014 - By 

    For some strange reason, ‘Meenmutty’ seems to be a common name for many waterfalls in Kerala’s western ghats. We have heard of at least three—two in Wayanad and one in Thiruvananthapuram. “Meen Mutty’ roughly translates to ‘fish blocked.’ However, we did not know that there are two Meenmutty falls in Wayanad till we reached the picturesque Banasura Sagar dam. We were earlier told that the famous Meenmutty falls near Kalpetta, a three-tired waterfall and the second largest in Kerala, has been closed for safety reasons. And we had reconciled to it. As we drove into the parking area of Banasura…

  • Ilaveezhapoonchira, Kottayam, Kerala
    Hikes - Nature's Wonders - Places - Treks

    An Unplanned Hike to Nowhere!

    March 9, 2014 - By 

    The nephew and niece have a painting competition to attend at Pala, Kottayam. Mom wants to visit temples around Pala but could not go due to health issues so we decide to go. So, attired in clothes suited for visiting temple, we set out in the morning. And end up going for a hike, without reaching anywhere. That sums up our attempted hike to Ilaveezha-poonchira near Thodupuzha, Kerala. We finish the temple visits and reach back to Pala, pick the kids and their mother, and have lunch. Instead of driving back home, we head to Ilaveezhapoonchira, about 40 km from…

  • Hoolongappar Gibbon Sanctuary
    Birdwatching - Flora - Nature's Wonders - People - Places

    The Primates and Other Surprises of Hoolongappar Gibbon Sanctuary

    February 9, 2014 - By 

    Our five-day trip to Kaziranga (by Nature India) had a day set aside for Hoolongappar Gibbon sanctuary. With so much being written and spoken about Kaziranga, the wildlife sanctuary remained the hero and we didn’t care too much about the Gibbon sanctuary near Jorhat, Assam. So very unlike of us, we didn’t do much research or reading on the Gibbon sanctuary. But nature has its own way of throwing surprises. ‘Pleasant’ is not the adjective. Enticing. Fascinating. Exciting. Surprising. What was originally a part of the vast forest ranges in the north east state of Assam and extending till Nagaland,…

  • Adventure - Nature's Wonders - Places - Treks

    Irpu Falls: Crowded but Charming

    December 14, 2013 - By 

    Going to Irpu Falls was one of the spur-of-the-moment decisions that occur far too often in our trips. As with most of them, this too turned out to be a good one. Wayanad has plenty of waterfalls, so we did not consider Irpu in Coorg, Karnataka (close to the border of Wayanad) as a to-do destination. But we had time to kill till the safari starts at Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary, and Irpu is just about 10 km from Tholpetty. The road turns narrow and bumpy as we approached Irpu and contrary to our expectations, the parking lot was full. But we did not feel the crowd during the…

  • Adventure - Nature's Wonders - Places - Treks

    Mighty Harischandragad and Magnificent Konkan Kada

    October 30, 2013 - By 

    We have heard a lot about Harischandragad and Konkan Kada. The former is a temple and hill fort at over 4,500 ft above sea level. At one end of the Harischandragad plateau, the land suddenly drops to over 1,800 ft. This semicircular cliff, Konkan Kada, offers an unhindered, spectacular view of plains all the way to Konkan. Sunset at Konkan Kada is a view to behold, so we were told. Harischandragad has been on our trekking bucket list for a few years. Last time when Nature Knights organised this trek, chickenpox stood in our way. This time, we did it!…

  • Adventure - Nature's Wonders - Places - Treks

    Adventure of the Season − Siddhagad in Monsoons

    August 31, 2013 - By 

    A couple of years back when we did the Gorakhgad trek, we thought it was a mighty mountain. (Read about the Gorakhgad trek here – The Motely Crowd and Mighty Mountain). Mighty it was then. At that time, we had set our eyes on Siddhagad peak, seen at a distance, engulfed in dark clouds. Little did we realise then that Siddhagad (3223 ft) was taller than Gorakhgad (2137 ft). If Gorakghad was thrilling, Siddhagad was beyond that. Rains lashing with vengeance and water gushing down through the trail added to the excitement. Siddhagad is in the Malshejgat region, but along…

  • Dhoni Forests
    Adventure - Nature's Wonders - Places

    Romancing Rainforests: Never Enough (Dhoni Waterfalls, Kerala)

    July 20, 2013 - By 

    This monsoon, the craving to relish the nature’s magic goes up a notch every passing day. With no major trips planned, we try to make use of all possible weekends. Khodala happened like that. So was the trek inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park to Mumbai’s highest point (more about it later). We manage to squeeze in a short getaway while on a 3-day trip to Kerala for a family function. A lazy Sunday morning at Palakkad. We get up late; relax with tea and newspapers; enjoy breakfast; and then comes the irresistible urge. The low ranges of the vast…

  • Adventure - Nature's Wonders - Places - Treks

    Triund: Walk Above the Clouds

    June 5, 2013 - By 

    It’s time to get ready for monsoon treks. What better time than now to reminisce one of the awesome monsoon treks we did! Triund in McLeod Ganj is a popular trek in all seasons. It was pouring when we did this trek. About 4 hours of walk and climb, peering at the path ahead through raindrops, trying to admire the beauty of the misty valley below, listening to the guides explaining how seasons change the look of this wonderful landscape—painting it red when the rhododendrons bloom, spreading a white sheet when it snows, and of course turning it all green…

  • Flora - Nature's Wonders - Places - Sanctuaries

    An Impromptu Journey to Wild West(ern Ghats)

    November 16, 2012 - By 

    When Western Ghats tempts you with its grandness, it’s a challenge to resist it. We happily give in almost all the time. Once spread across a good part of Kerala and host to many endangered species of flora and fauna, Western Ghats is now dwindling, forcing UNESCO to tag many parts of it as natural heritage areas. This Diwali season’s Western Ghats delight for us was Athirapally Waterfalls and beyond. After the Nilgiris, the Western Ghats take a break at Palakkad gap, the natural plains that cuts the mountains and connects Kerala and Tamil Nadu. And beyond the gap, toward…

  • Flora - Nature's Wonders - Places

    The Ethereal Kaas

    September 12, 2012 - By 

    Lalu’s ears. Sita’s tears. American softhead. Coat button. Mickey mouse—funny they may sound but these are some of the ethereal beauties of Kaas Plateau, near Satara in Maharashtra. Lying underground for most of the year, these plants pop their heads up as soon as monsoon drenches the red laterite soil with elixir of life. Home to more than 400 varieties of plants, Kaas is one of Unesco’s World Natural Heritage sites where nature works overtime to weave a carpet of oft-changing colours. As the monsoon recedes, the plateau gets carpeted with a million flowers—blue Sita’s tears, purple jambhala, white pan-gend,…

  • Nature's Wonders - Places

    Chill Out at Sarchu

    March 15, 2012 - By 

    A popular camping site, Sarchu lies at the border of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and belongs to HP. It is also the preferred overnight stopover between Manali and Leh. Lying between the snow-clad mountains and by the side of the Tsarap Chu river, the Mulkila campsite was spectacular, to say the least. We landed in Sarchu very late in the night after a long journey from Tso Moriri via the Moray plains. It was freezing cold and pitch dark as the place is not electrified. After a dinner of hotsoup, rotis and vegetables, we snuggled under the heavy…

  • Nature's Wonders - Places

    Make Your Own Road – More (Moray) Plains

    November 13, 2011 - By 

    Ladakh and the Himalayas never cease to excite and surprise us. Bidding adieu to the Tso Moriri wetlands and its lovely cranes and bar-headed geese, we set out to Sarchu. Before Sarchu enthralls us, we find thrill and awe en route! A plateau at a height of 4,000 m, flanked by mountains. The road is what we make our way through. A driver’s delight and dare! We were at More (Mor-ay) Plains, the world’s highest plateau.  This section stretches more than 50 km. Vehicles at times run parallel, spewing dust all over. A lone biker speeds off to nirvana. The…

  • Gokak Water Falls, Karnataka
    Nature's Wonders - Places

    Fast. Furious. Gokak

    September 25, 2011 - By 

    Every trip has interesting unplanned detours. This time, for our 5-day Karnataka trip, we had kept the itinerary completely open. Only return tickets from Belgaum to Mumbai were booked. We had some broad idea of the places we want to visit, but ‘when’ and ‘how’ to visit were left to be decided during the trip. So, after Badami and nearby places, before hitting Belgaum, we decided to take a detour. We had the luxury of time. A long day on road with multiple modes of transport followed. Badami to Bagalkote by state transport bus. Bagalkote to Yaragatti again by bus.…

  • History - Nature's Wonders - Places

    The Chalukya Heartland – Badami

    September 25, 2011 - By 

    Some times the history, the geography, the weather and the people of a place adds to the dynamics of a travel experience, often enriching it. That’s what happened to us at Badami. After being to Ajanta, Ellora, Kanheri, Pandavleni and the Elephanta cave temples, we have remained overawed by the sheer ability of human beings to ‘create.’ Intricate carvings, artworks, massive lifelike statues, astounding temples carved out of rock … all thousands of years back, without any sophisticated tools and technologies. Badami was no different and only added to that awe. The carvings were fuller and realistic, perhaps because of…

  • Nature's Wonders - Places

    If Pangong Is a Dream, Tso Moriri Is Ecstacy

    August 4, 2011 - By 

    Elated after the rafting on the Indus, sad to leave Leh, but with vibrant anticipation of what lies ahead, we set out for further journey travel through the incredible landscape. Dry. Arid. Cold. And no habitation for miles and miles. Tso Moriri was the destination for the day. That meant getting back to Leh from the Sangam (Indus–Zanskar) and covering another 205 km. The drive was pretty hard through mostly non-existent roads. Passing some remote villages, we reached the Mahe check post, here there was security check and verification of permits. Beyond the check post, it was once again trusting…

  • Nature's Wonders - Places

    River Rafting @ Indus

    August 4, 2011 - By 

    We woke up on day five of our Himalayan safari brimming with excitement. Rafting on the Indus was the highlight of the day. Sadly, our last day in Leh, too. We had been following the course of Indus and just got to dip our feet in the river on the way from Srinagar to Kargil. Rafting started at Indus, about a few kilometers outside Leh; the destination being the confluence of Indus and Zanskar, which we had viewed from top on the way to Leh from Uley Topko. We were greeted in the raft by the raft guide by splashing…

  • Nature's Wonders - Places

    Chang La

    July 17, 2011 - By 

    Though we were on the lap of the mighty Himalayas for four days, snow was beyond our reach. We had longingly watched the glaciers from afar on our way from Srinagar to Leh. Our wish to play in snow was finally granted at Chang La or Chang Pass. At 17,586 ft, Chang La is the third highest motorable road in the world, the first and second being Khardung La, on the Leh–Nubra Valley road, and Tanglang La, on the Leh–Manali road, respectively. En route to Pangong Lake, past the Shey village, Thikse Monastery, take a left turn at the military…

  • Nature's Wonders - Places

    Jog Falls / Linganamakki Dam

    June 26, 2011 - By 

    Lashing rains. Howling wind. Western ghats can’t get better (and dangerous) than in the monsoons. We were on the Sirsi–Jog falls leg of our Western-Ghats-on-road exploration. Jog Falls is the highest waterfall in India. The Sharavathy river takes a roaring plunge over 250 meters to bottom without any breaks (hence untiered). The river splits into four streams and each of the falls are named Raja, Roarer, Rocket, and Rani. Jog Falls is an experience—one that words refuse to come out to explain it. It is mighty, scary, heavenly, the works! On one side is the thunderously roaring water falling to…

  • Birdwatching - Nature's Wonders - Places

    8 hours. 100+ Different Birds. Bliss…

    February 27, 2011 - By 

    “My heart was brimming with the longing: to travel all those miles, sometimes nonstop, and come to your place. The urge was so strong, I couldn’t resist it. Oh! Just thinking about wallowing in the cool waters, relishing the scrumptious food aplenty, meeting friends from across the world, made me do a little jig. But where did it all go? I thought I lost my way. Hell no! I am at the right spot, but the marshy expanse of water is no where in sight. A few early birds were hanging around. Where do we go now after having flown…

  • TravelWithacouple, Borra Caves, Andhra Pradesh
    Nature's Wonders - Places

    Borra Caves: Some Chemistry, a Little Biology, a Bit of Mythology. Whatever, It’s Magical!

    December 5, 2010 - By 

    An architecture marvel created by world’s best architect. How else we describe this amazing, stupendous, phenomenal creation of nature! Considered as one of India’s longest caves, Borra Caves is also the deepest, extending up to 80 m. Lit with a few halogen lamps just enough to create visibility for the damp pathways, the setting appears to be a scene from an Indiana Jones movie. Or at times we thought we were in an alien land. We are in fact wordless to describe the experience of Borra Caves and no photographs can capture its real magnificence. Partially decomposed organic matter creates…

  • Nature's Wonders - Places

    Himalayan Safari Tales # 6 – Defying Gravity or Optical Illusion?

    October 3, 2010 - By 

    Two days into the arid cold desert with clear blue skies, dry mountains with snow-capped peaks, deep valleys and gorges, roaring rivers… Ladakh has got into us. Mesmerizing would be an understatement. There is something about the region that evoked mixed emotions in us—awe, fear, humility, ecstasy… intoxication by the mystic setting. So, when we stopped by Magnetic Hill, a place which defies gravity, the magic simply amazed us. There was no logical questioning….. It was yet another phenomenon of this magical landscape called Ladakh. At about 40 odd kilometers before reaching Leh and ahead of the Zanskar-Indus sangam in…

  • Nature's Wonders - Places

    Himalayan Safari Tales #5 – Uley Ethnic Resort, Uleytokpo

    September 19, 2010 - By 

    Kargil is normally the night halt for most travelers from Srinagar to Leh. We, however, had other plans. Our plan was to travel past Kargil and camp at Uleytokpo, which is just short of 70 kms from Leh. The vehicles that were to pick us up from Kargil didn’t turn up. Telephone lines were down in Kargil for the past 3 days and we had no way to get in touch with the vehicles. So, in the middle of Kargil town, we remained cut-off. However, in less than an hour, Asif managed to get a 12-seater tempo traveler who agreed…

  • Srinagar to Kargil, TravelWithaCouple
    History - Nature's Wonders - Places

    Himalayan Safari Tales #4 – Srinagar to Kargil

    August 22, 2010 - By 

    Most often during our travel experiences, taxi drivers turn good travel companions. Giving the local flavour to the many stories behind the places or simply by joining the conversations with their points of views or sometimes sporty enough to gauge the moods of the travellers and offering to take detours that might match their interest. This time however, we had a tad different experience. We had two vehicles for our group and a third vehicle joined with some other passengers and since the drivers knew each other, they decided to move as a convoy. A tightly packed schedule meant hurrying…

  • Birdwatching - Nature's Wonders - Places

    Mumbai Winter Visitors Turn Pink

    May 2, 2010 - By 

    By this time, they would’ve already set off to Kutch or getting ready for the journey. When we met them in December, they were busy feeding on the algae in the Sewri mudflats. Flamingos migrate to Maharashtra during winter after spending the breeding season in Kutch, Gujarat. Sewri, a port area in Mumbai, is one of their favourite hangouts. How did they choose to come to this derelict area?  Maybe, the rich algae found in the muddy tracts that get exposed during low tides. Feeding on these algae that have a carotenoid pigment, these migratory birds turn rich pink by…

  • Birds of Tadoba TravelWithaCouple.com
    Birdwatching - Nature's Wonders - Sanctuaries

    Birds of Tadoba

    March 9, 2010 - By 

    Tadoba has a rich bird life with over 160 varities either  residing or visiting seasonally. The main lake in the middle and couple of other lakes mean that there are a fair amount of water birds as well – Cormorants, herons, ibis, storks, varieties of ducks, bar-headed goose, buzzards, eagles, quails, purple swamphens, bronze winged jacana, lapwigs, common redshank, common and wood sandpipers and many more… A little cormorant by the side of the Tadoba lake (above) The red-wattled lapwig (above) Black Ibis (above) Green bee eater (above) We watched these three rose ringed parakeets (above) playing hide and seek.…

  • MTDC Harihareshwar
    Hotels - Nature's Wonders - Places

    MTDC – Budget Traveller’s Delight

    October 20, 2009 - By 

    In the past three years or so, we have visited a few places in Maharashtra. One thing that has been common in many of these visits was MTDC ( Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) resorts that offer reasonable boarding and lodging. We have now become a fan of MTDC resorts albeit it’s difficult to get accommodation without advance booking. (Mahabaleshwar) MTDC is present in most of the important tourist places in Maharashtra. Simple and basic accommodation. Clean toilets. No fancy stuff. Will fit any backpackers / travel lovers’ budget. Some of these resorts are leased out to private contractors, who have…