Agra - Lot More Than Just Taj Mahal

Agra - The moment someone utters the word Agra, the first thing that comes to one's mind is Taj Mahal. Agra has almost become synonym to Taj Mahal. But Agra is much more than just the Taj Mahal. Agra fort, Fathepur Sikri, Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah (baby Taj), Mehtab Bag etc are all in Agra and are beautiful and have lots of history behind them. Of course, Taj Mahal is the jewel in the crown, but these place are equally beautiful and have rich architecture.

Taj Mahal - Truly a Masterpiece

Typically people cover Delhi, Agra and Jaipur in one trip. We planned an exclusive 3 day trip to Agra. We have been planning for Agra trip from a very long time. Every time we ended up scrapping the plan because of over analysis. Either it would be because summers are hot or winters are very cold or kids exams, holiday/vacation season etc. This Christmas holidays, we took a risk and decided lets do it no matter what. We were prepared for the fact that the famous Delhi winter fog will jeopardise the whole trip.

Plan was to take a early morning flight to Delhi on Mon 26th, hire a self driven rental car from Zoomcar at Delhi Airport, take the Yamuna Express Highway to Agra and return back to Bangalore on 28th night. So it was going to be a 3 day  trip - exclusively for Agra. After doing some research, we decided to book a 8am flight to reduce the risk of flight delay due to fog. Instead of hiring a cab, planned to try the self-driven cars from Zoomcar. So everything was booked well in advance - our return flight tickets, Zoomcar from Delhi airport for 3 days and hotel booking at Hotel Taj resorts (http://www.hoteltajresorts.com).

Hotel Taj Resort is at an ideal location (20 min walk) from eastern gate of Taj Mahal. It is at a very convenient location from the ticket booking counter and to the east gate of Taj Mahal. The hotel is pretty good in all aspects. Has two good restaurants (one roof top and one inside the hotel), good views of Taj Mahal from the roof-top restaurant, swimming pool (we did not use it as it was very cold) and a shop in the basement - which has some beautiful stuff for sale and at reasonable price. Don't miss checking this out before buying anything in Agra.

We went with a twin-rooms (rooms that are attached). This is ideal for families with grown up kids. The rooms were very good, with good bathrooms, hot water, A/C, TV and very spacious.

On 26th morning, we boarded the flight to Delhi. Thankfully the flight was on time. We reached Delhi by 11:30am. It took some time for the Zoomcar to handover our car at the terminal. We completed the formalities, set the GPS and we were all set to drive to Agra. Soon we realized the car that we rented was not that great. It was an old Honda City and the windshield had lot of scratches. We knew, it would be painful driving in the dark with this kind of windshield - especially if it's on a highway.

After navigating through the multiple flyovers, we hit the Noida expressway. Delhi has very good road network. All roads are divided and most of the traffic is 4-wheel (which is very different from the Bangalore traffic - which is lot more 2 wheel). However driving through Delhi traffic was a challenge. There are so many roads, and GPS sometimes does not clearly specify which road to take - on the flyover or below or service road :( We were at ease once we entered the Yamuna Expressway to Agra. Now it was lunch time and we were hungry. Surprisingly there aren't many sign boards on the highway which guide you on how much more time/distance for the next exit for refreshments. We exited the first exit we hit, as we did not know when and where the next one would be. The place was good. The complex had Gas Filling Station, restaurants, wash rooms, parking etc. We had some Rajma & Chawal and some chats. North Indian dishes tastes best in North India :)

After some food and relaxation, it was time to head back on the highway. We planned to stop at Mathura and visit the Krishna Janma Bhoomi temple and then visit Vrindavan and then head to Agra. Little did we know, what it is like to visit Mathura and Vrindavan... Many of our friends from North India had warned us. We thought we were prepared, but I think we under-estimated the touts and cheating. We just didn't realize how we fell for it :(

As we exited the high and entered Mathura, every few minutes we had people stopping us. They were claiming as poojaris, guides and promising different things. The GPS is also very unreliable here. We tried our best to stick to GPS, but unfortunately the directions were unclear or incorrect. So at one circle we decided to stop and enquire and that’s the blunder we made. A guy here, tells us he can show the Janam Bhoomi temple and other temples too for 100Rs. He made some stories on one-ways etc and we fell for it. Since the GPS was not giving us correct direction, we took the risk of agreeing to this guide. Now he calls a 10year kid and asks him to take us around. When questioned, he says the kid is local and knows everything. Now we tell this kid to take us to Janma Bhoomi temple and he takes us in some other direction. After driving about 30min, we stop as we suspect something fishy. We reconfirm which temple is he taking us to and he says Janma Bhoomi. We say, but the sign boards are in the other direction. He says first I will take you to another temple and then to Janma Bhoomi temple. We loose our cool. We drop the kid back at the point where we took him as guide and go on our own following the boards.


I don't understand why most temple towns are crowded, dirty, very noisy and very very corrupt. People are pushing each other, their is garbage everywhere, people are shouting. The whole feel good factor of visiting a place of worship is defeated. Unfortunately there is nothing nice about the place :(

Atlast we reach the temple complex. Its mad rush here. Everybody on the road is trying to guide to a parking place which actually is somewhere far. After ignoring a few, we find a policeman and ask him where we could pay and park. He directs us to a place. We park our car and enter the complex. New drama enfolds here. You cannot carry any Phones, Cameras etc. inside the temple. You need to deposit it at the entrance. This was not mentioned on their offical website. Thats it - we loose our patience. Its not that we are religious. We wanted to visit the temple more for been there done it and for mythological significance. Decide to not go to the temple. We purchase some Mathura pedas (very tasty) and enjoyed the sweet.

Prem Mandir - Vrindavan

By now we have are already delayed by couple of hours from our scheduled plan. We decide to quickly visit Vrindavan - especially the "Prem Mandir" which everybody is talking about. We are at Prem Mandir by 6PM - just as the lights come on. I will call this a "Mythological Theme Park". Everything is done keeping the tourists in mind and gives a tough competition to the famous ISKON Temple.


TIP - I would not recommend anybody to visit Mathura and Vrindavan. There is absolutely nothing that one can like about these two place other than of-course the yummy Mathura Pedha :)


Agra is about 1 1/2 hour drive from Vrindavan. We had hard luck with GPS in Vrindavan. We lost lot of time because of incorrect directions. At one point the GPS directed us to take what was supposed to be a highway - but unfortunately it was a mud road, pitch dark not a soul in site. The road was so bad, had we encountered any problem, we would have not got any help. Very scary too. This particular patch seemed like never ending. It was a big relief when we came and joined a proper highway. We just hate driving at night :(

It was close to 9PM, when we reached our hotel "Hotel Taj Resorts" at Agra. We were hungry, sleepy, tired and irritated. Checked in our room. Luckily the hotel was better than we expected and rooms were pretty good too. This, kind of eased our mood. We freshened up and went straight to their restaurant for dinner. Gladly the food was yum. Our order was served quickly and was very tasty. Its funny how all problems/tiredness seem to dissolve the moment you have something good to eat. We had a lovely dinner and crashed to sleep.


After a good night sleep, we planned for a full day outing. Plan was to visit the Fatepur Sikri in the morning, then do the Agra fort in the afternoon and be at Mehtab Bagh around sunset to view the colors of Taj Mahal at dusk. Hotel Taj Resorts had a good spread on their buffet breakfast. We had our breakfast and drove to Fatepur Sikri.

Darga - Fathepur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri is about 60 KMs (around 1 1/2 hour drive) from Agra. A must visit place when visiting Agra. Private vehicles are not allowed on the top. One need to park at a parking area, and take a shuttle to the spot. There are lot of touts here who claim they are guides and tourists get fooled. We were one of them. As soon as we parked our car, lot of guys came to us claiming as guide. One of them offered a deal which we thought was very good - little did we realize that we were fooled :(. Here is the deal he offered and we fell for it - deal included to-and-fro auto charges and guide to Fatehpur Sikri. we bargained and reduced the price and happily sat in the auto only to realize later that we were actually taken for a ride :( - more on this trap in the later paragraph and Tips section.

Darga is about a kilometer from the parking place, can be easily walked. There are also CNG operated buses/shuttles which go up to the point or even an auto to avoid the up hill climb and you can decide to walk back one way. Plan to reach Fatehpur Sikri before 9AM, if you want to avoid the crowd and see the place peacefully. Also it requires a minimum of 2 hours to cover the entire place. So starting early is good idea, as it gets very hot in the afternoon.

Fathepur Sikri

We boarded the auto and our first stop was Durga. The guide gave some gyan on the place and then started persuading us to buy the Chaddar. We kept refusing and he kept pushing us to buy. We did not give in. It is important to keep saying a firm NO if you don't want to fall for this. We checked the tombs and Durga. The durga is made of white marble and stands out among the red-stoned walls. It is beautiful. I only wished people did not push tourists to buy stuff. Most of time goes is getting rid/away from these guys then actually appreciating the beauty of the place. After showing us the Durga, Buland Darwaza and Jama Masjid the guide told us the tour is completed. We were shocked. From whatever research we had done, we knew there were lot more places to see in Fathepur Sikri. When we questioned the guide, he said he is not authorized to guide us for those monuments. Only the government approved guides are allowed. That is when it hit us that we were deceived.

Since there were lot more monuments to be seen, we purchased the tickets and also took a Government approved guide at the ASI tourist center which was at the entrance of the monument. We had not seen this earlier as our guide had got us through another route so that he will not be questioned. The new guide showed us all the monuments and also gave a good peek into the history. The monuments are beautiful and are also well kept. The area is very clean and well maintained. For tourists who want to explore the place at their own pace, there are audio guides available too - at the tourist centre. Jodha's palace, Khass Mahal, Shahi-Bazar, Mina-Bazar, the Panch-Mahal, Khwabgah, Diwan-i-Khass, Anup-Talao and Diwan-i-Am are some of the important and beautiful monuments at Fatehpur Sikri. All monuments are built in red sand stone with some of them decorated with designs made from different colored marbles - primarily white and black.

We spent around 3 hours at Fatehpur Sikri. As we were leaving, we saw bus load of tourists arriving. The parking place, where we had parked our car was now full with vehicles. We had difficulty getting our car out. From here we headed to Agra fort. On our way to the fort, we stopped for a quick lunch.

TIP - At Fathepur Sikri don't take the guide at the car parking place. Hire a government approved guide at the ASI Tourist Centre at the top. Try to reach the monuments by 8am to avoid the crowd and sun.

Visiting Agra fort is another half day event. We reached the fort around 2:30 PM. There was already enough crowd. The parking area close to the fort was full. We had to park a little further. Nevertheless, this is a must visit place in Agra. It is beautiful and majestic. As soon as we enter the main gate of the fort after crossing the moat, there is the ticket counter. There are separate counters for Indian Nationals and Foreign Nationals. There is a separate line for ladies. We purchased our tickets here. After the security check (which is meaningless for the amount of crowd), we climbed the ramp which takes to the main area of the fort. It is useful to hire a guide as they will explain the history and significance of each monument. Make sure you check the ID card and hire only the official guides. Also bargain - whatever price is quoted, start bargaining from half that price. We hired a guide after some bargaining.

Jahangir Palace - Agra Fort

As we started our tour, we were spellbound with the red sand stone structures and the structures with marbles. Each king of Mughal dynasty has added structures to this fort and one can see the change is style, stone used, intricacies etc. during the reign of different Mughal kings. First we see the Jahangir Palace, which is a huge palace made of red sand stone with arches. The guide gives us some details of the palace and also tells the history. From here we move to the monuments added by Shah Jhan. Here the structures change from red sand stone to marble. One can see the Diwani Khas, Sheesh Mahal, the royal gardens, the marble palace of Shah Jhan etc. From here one gets the view of river Yamuna and the Taj Mahal. History mentions that this was done intentionally so that Shah Jahan can view his beloved wife's tomb from his palace until his death. He had plans to build another Taj Mahal with black marble on the other side of river Yamuna. The foundation for this was laid. However this never got started. It was great to hear from the guide on the amount of money spent by these kings and the kind of wealth they possessed. One actually can imagine the richness and glamour of India then - which eventually got destroyed and is now left as a poor country with rich history.

View of Taj Mahal from Agra Fort

It takes about a minimum of 2 hours to explore the Agra fort. They also have a Light and Sound Shows in English and Hindi. These are scheduled in the evening after sunset. We were not keen on watching the show. We wanted to be at Mehtab Bagh at sunset time to see the changing shades of Taj Mahal.

Itimad-ud-Daulab - Baby Taj

Since we have few more hours for sunset time, from Agra fort we went to see "Itimad-ud-Daulab" - popularly known as Baby-Taj. This is in the shape of Jewel Box and started the era of white marble monuments in India. This was built by Noor Jahan for her father. This was tried as a prototype for the construction of Taj mahal. This monument is very small and is located on the banks of river Yamuna. It is very beautiful and the artistic work on the marble can be viewed very easily as it is not as large as Taj Mahal. Though river Yamuna is all dried up here and the surrounding views are not great or clean, one can easily imagine how beautiful this place would have been few centuries ago when the population of Agra was not so much. Definitely a must see place when visiting Agra.

Taj Mahal at Sunset from Mehtab Bagh

It was almost sunset time and we headed straight to Mehtab Bagh. After a short walk through the orchids, one gets a view of Taj Mahal. It is here, we got a shock and feel of how big Taj Mahal is. It is gigantic and piece of marvel. With the setting sun in the background the marble had hues of yellow, orange and red. It was mind blowing. We just sat here quietly watching Taj with sunset colors, birds returning to their nests and long queues around Taj. People in the queues looked like match sticks - that's when we realised how big Taj was. Mehtab Bagh is not very popular with tourist. There isn't any place to actually sit or a view point. We sat on some mud wall and immersed ourselves in the beauty of Taj Mahal.

After we were fully satisfied watching Taj at sunset, we returned to our hotel. Next day's plan was to start early to visit the Taj at sunrise. There are multiple benefits of visiting Taj at sunrise - the crowd is lesser, hence lesser time in queue. One can get to view the monument with peace without people pushing you. Pictures can be taken peacefully and of course the beautiful colors of sunrise on the white marble.

We started from our hotel at 6am. Shilpgram, the place where entry tickets are given was right across our hotel. There was a huge queue even at 6am in the morning. However they have separate line for ladies. You need to carry a government approved ID card for all visitors to get tickets and to enter Taj. We bought the tickets and took a cycle rikshaw from Shilpgram to east gate. Try to buy the disposable shoe covers here. This will be required to walk on the marble at Taj. Taj Mahal is about 1.5Kms from Shilpagram. Since it was very cold we avoided walking.

Taj Mahal at Sunrise

Security checks at Taj Mahal can be very intense. To avoid security check hassles, don't carry bags, eatables, water, electronic items. Check the website for dos and don'ts at Taj. There are separate lines for Men and Women at the entrance. So to avoid confusion, its better if each carries their ID cards.

Eastern gate is the best gate to enter. This gate has comparatively less crowd. Most tourist buses start arriving by 8:30AM at western gate. This is when the crowd increases and the queue to see the Taj Mahal gets longer. So to have a peaceful experience, be at Easter gate by 6:30AM. 

We were at the eastern gate by 6:30am. After the security check, we hired a guide. It is recommended to hire a guide. The sun was still to rise and the crowd was minimal. As we entered the gate, the sight of Taj Mahal was mind boggling. Never expected it to be so huge. It was a mammoth structure shining in the rays of sun. The view was spectacular. Seeing this monument we realised the amount of effort, material and money spent in those times. One also gets a glimpse of how life must have been 400-500 years back. The whole campus of Taj Mahal is picturesque and very well maintained. Because of lesser crowd, we had enough time to enjoy the beauty of Taj Mahal and click pictures. The carving/designs embedded with different colored marbles look very beautiful on the white marble.

At Taj Mahal - Early Morning

We put on the plastic covers on our shoes, before we stepped on the marble platform of Taj Mahal. We slowly explored all the parts. The whole visit from the gate can easily take 2-3 hours. The time can increase based on the queue. There is also a small museum inside the campus. Nothing great about the museum. But since you are there, it is recommended to visit it. There are few drawings of the architecture of Taj Mahal which helps one get an insight into the making of Taj Mahal.

It was 9am and slowly the crowd was increasing. By the time we finished seeing the museum, there was enough crowd and people had to queue up for taking pictures. We had our heart full of Taj and started walking back to our hotel. We were very hungry. Our hotel had a good spread for breakfast. We ate to our heart content and started back to Delhi.

We were all impressed by the this whole new experience of renting car from Airport and driving on the super cool Yamuna Express. Little did we know what was awaiting us. All through our drive on the highway we were very careful not to cross the speed limit and we had never crossed 80Kmph. But we were given a ticket for speeding when we stopped at a toll. When we questioned, the cops got really offended and one lesson we learnt - never argue /question with cops in north India. We paid the fine and then we hit a bigger problem. As we exited Yamuna Express into Noida highway, we were stopped by the UP police. They asked us to produce the road tax papers. We were totally clueless. Zoomcar had not updated us on purchase of road tax. We thought all the paper work was taken care by Zoomcar. We were getting delayed for the flight and there was no solution. We again had to pay fine. We realised that all this was a well planned scam to get hold of tourists. We gave a stinky feedback to Zoomcar. This is where India fails as a tourist destination. Being a citizen of India and just coming from a different region, we faced such problems, wonder how will a international traveller can travel hassle free in India. A very long way to go indeed...

At last we reached Delhi airport in time, only to realize our flight was delayed. Our flight back was delayed by 3hours. By the time we reached Bangalore we were dead tired.

Except for the drive back to Delhi and our experience with UP police, we had a great trip and memories carved in our brain on the richness and grandeur of Mughals.

Get Completely Off The Grid @ Off The Grid

Off The Grid - popularly know as OTG (http://www.offthegrid.in/come-and-stay.html) is a completely different homestay experience. This is nestled in the western ghats, close to Londa. As the name suggest, this place is completely "off the grid". Once here, one is completely disconnected from the outside world. OTG can be easily reached from Londa, Goa or Belgaum. This place is surrounded by forest ranges on all 3 sides and has a stream running through their property. ONLY people we meet/see here, are the people working at the homestay or the visitors staying here. Slyvia and John are the owners of this homestay and they are pretty hands-on hosts. During our stay we could only meet Slyvia as John was travelling. We had a most relaxed and memorable 3 days at OTG.

Belgaum, being my home town, we were already there for our summer holidays. We borrowed my sister's car and drove to OTG. This is about 2 1/2 hours peaceful drive from Belgaum. Once we crossed Khanapur, we enter the Dandeli forest and from here the drive is very scenic and peaceful. Its just trees all around and not a soul on the road. Mobile connectivity is intermittent here. Hence recommend to have the maps ready.

We had breakfast at my parent's house and started around 8:30AM from Belgaum. Though it was peak summer (May 7th), we did not feel the heat, as the drive was mostly through the forest ranges. Once we reached castle rock, we followed the directions given by Slyvia. The village where OTG is located has only 2 houses - one is OTG and the other house belongs to the farmer/cook/helper who works at OTG. Unless it is a SUV/4 wheel drive, one cannot take the car upto the homestay. We parked our car at a designated parking and honked few times to attract the attention of the helper from OTG (since there is no mobile connectivity, we were instructed to honk once we reach the parking place). A note of precaution - use proper footware as the road is muddy and full of pebbles. I lightly sprained my leg because of improper footware :(

Scenic drive from Belgaum to OTG

After a few honks, one attendant helped us with our luggage to OTG. There! we see a big white house and couple of cottages by the stream. The place looks exactly as shown on their website. During the booking, I had asked for 2 cottages by the stream. When we reached their, Slyvia gave us an option to change to rooftop rooms on the main building which had attached bath. I think, she was sceptical whether our daughters would be comfortable in an open bathroom which is away from the cottages. But we are seasoned travellers and our kids are used to all kinds of stuff. They were excited with staying independently in a separate cottage and a open roof bathroom. This was best decision. It was a perfect location for us - 2 independent cottages by the stream. One was taken by kids and we had one for ourselves.

In this property there is one main building (white in color) and 2 cottages and couple of tepees. This place is completely aloof from the outside world. It is surrounded by forest on 3 sides and a stream flows through the property. There are lot of fruits trees like mango, gauva, papaya. There are two fire-wood ovens in the open space. Evening dinner is typically cooked in this fire-wood oven. There is a place for camp-fire under the open sky and not a soul around.

Cottages by the stream and open roof bathroom

All types of accommodation are good and each has its charm. We choose to stay in the cottages. The cottages are very rustic, basic, comfortable and clean. They have a queen-sized bed and a open bamboo shelf. There are no glasses to the windows, just the wooden panes with curtains. But it was amazing, we had one of the most peaceful sleep of our lives. No insects bothered us, even though we were in the middle of the forest. That is eco-friendly lodging. The cottages are adjacent to each other. They have a small sit-out with a good lounge overlooking the stream. Best place to unwind with a book.

Stream infront of the cottage

There is a single bathroom, shared between both the cottages and this is few steps away from the cottages. This is an open-roof bathroom. It has a WC. Hot water was provided in a bucket for bathing. There are no lights inside the bathroom. For that matter there are no lights even in the bedroom. Solar powered lamps are provided at dusk. These are pretty handy and double up as torches and lamps for rooms.



We put our luggage into the cottages. Fresh lemonade was served - which was very refreshing. Since there was still some time until lunch time, Slyvia (the host) suggested we go to the natural pool (about 200m from the property - it's like it is a private property, but it isn't). We changed into our swimming costumes. We were also given life jackets as a safety precaution.

Waterfalls and Natural Pool

Just 200m walk in the forest from OTG is this natural waterfalls and pool. The water here was super cool. Slyvia accompanied us to the pool. It's about 15-20 feet deep, hence she recommended we wear the life jackets. Initially we were hesitant to get into the water, but once in, didn't want to come out. Atlast, I felt it was worth learning to swim. I could get into the water and enjoy it. We had super fun floating in the pool and swimming under the water falls. The little fishes in the water made sure we don't stand in one place for more than a minute. As soon as we were still, they would all pounce on our feet to eat the dead cells. We spent about an hour here and did not realize how the time flew.

Dining area surrounded by mango grooves

By the time we returned from a refreshing time at the pool, a healthy delicious meal was awaiting at the table. We had some salad, pasta, rice and curry and some dessert. Everything about this place is unique. The dining area is also out in the open with some shade. There are mango trees all around the dining area. Since this was the mango season, the trees were full of mangoes. Because of the tress and open area, we did not feel the heat much. We were tired with the drive and playing water. After a good lunch, we had a nice nap. Kids however spent time with Slyvia at the pottery studio. Slyvia has a nice pottery studio. She taught the kids how to make small pots, beads and lamps. The kids had great fun at the pottery studio.

Some stuff we tried at pottery studio

Around 4pm, Slyvia suggested that we could go for a small trek. My leg was slightly sore with the sprain. I decided to still go for the trek as it didn't hurt much. The trek was through the forest and we came across some amazing views. Halfway through the trek, my leg pain worsened. I, however, continued at a slow pace as there was no other way to reach back. By the time we returned, it was dusk. My leg pain had worsened and I could barely walk. Slyvia gave some pain relief balm and a wrap. This helped a bit.

As night set in, the fire-wood ovens were lit along with the camp fire. Kids helped Slyvia set up the pizza. Pizzas and vegetables were ready for baking in the oven. The whole place was peaceful and lovely. We could see the clear sky with twinkling stars, there were few fire flies twinkling in the trees, dinner was getting baked in the fire-wood ovens and the camp-fire was keeping us all warm in the cool evening of a summer night. They have a nice sitting area made of clay around the campfire. There are stands to hook the oil lamps in the evening. This place looks more beautiful in the evening. We got our drinks (though there is no power, they manage to get the ice delivered from the nearest town and they have made arrangements to store the ice without electricity) and settled around the campfire, discussing on all kinds of topics. Slyvia was great host. She is very active and up to date on lot of stuff. She kept us entertained on lot of stories at her property.

Fire set in @ firewood oven

We were the only guests at the property. So the whole place was for us. It was amazing. There is absolutely no network in this property. There is only one point from where one can make calls. There is no electricity. Solar lamps are charged during the day and used during night. They also have a TV in the main building which runs on solar power. Coming here gives lot of assurance that great life can be lived without network and electricity.

Campfire and dinner area

Dinner was ready and what a spread it was - my mouth waters even now :). There was hot soup, fresh salad made from the veggies grown on the farm, baked vegetables, fire-wood pizza. Can't describe how yummy the food was. It was splendid. We just could not stop eating. Chocolate brownie with fresh cream was served for dessert. Wow! what a evening. This was classic.

Next day a trek to Vajra falls was planned. We planned to start at 7AM with some packed breakfast. We went back to our cottages and had a great sleep. There were no mosquitoes to bother us, though we were in the middle of the forest. No lights, except for the small solar lights. Yet we felt very safe and slept like a log.

Vajra Falls

We woke up at 6:00 AM to the sound of chirping birds. My leg was not in great shape :( I decided to skip the trek. Pankaj and kids, along with the guide left for the trek to Vajra falls around 7:30am. They carried enough water and light breakfast. I spent my lone time reading a book by the stream and chatting up with Slyvia at breakfast. Slyvia left to Goa after breakfast. My leg was getting back to normal. Pankaj and kids returned from trek around 11:30am. They were pretty tired. But they had a good 4hr trek. Once back it was time to relax. Each one found their favourite book and a nice spot and settled to relax. After a good healthy meal, Pankaj decided to take a nap. Me and kids went to the pottery studio to try our hands on pottery, based on the lessons given by Slyvia the previous day. We tried doing lot of cool things - some turned out good, some were oddly shaped :)

On the way to Vajra Falls

Around 4pm we went again to the natural waterfalls and pool. A dip/swim into fresh and cool water under the shade of trees was very refreshing in the hot summer. As the sunset, the magic of evening set in. Oil lamps were hooked up, fire-wood ovens were lit and there was absolute peace. There was no sound other then the sound of nature. We had a another tasty meal of soup, awesome-tasty pizzas and grilled vegetables, rice and salad, followed by the goan dessert Bebinca with some fresh wipped cream. Yum!!!

After another good night of sleep, we decided to trek to Dudhsagar falls before we checked out. The actual trek is about 2 hours. But overall time to drive to the starting point of the trek, acquiring permissions, trek and return will take about 4 hours. Permissions for the trek can be obtained from the forest department at Castle Rock. The permissions need to be taken on the same day as the trek.

Trek path enroute Dudhsagar falls

This trek to Dudhsagar falls was to the mouth of the falls. We started at 7am. We hired a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Tintin was our driver cum guide. He helped us get the permissions at the Castle Rock forest department. It was about 30-40 min drive to the starting point of the trek. The trek was primarily through the forest and at some point tiring. But was a very beautiful trek. It took us about an hour and half to reach the mouth of the falls. The views from top are breath-taking. The famous railway track looks like a small line from the top. We saw a train pass-by, and it looked like a rope from the top. The view of Dudhsagar falls from here is very different from the view one sees at the bottom of the falls. We enjoyed the views, played in water for sometime, had our packed breakfast of parathas and sandwiches and rested for sometime under the shade of trees. After enjoying the beautiful surroundings to our heart content, we decided to trek back. Trekking back is always less exciting, especially in hot sun and after eating. We wish, the vehicle would just come and pick us up from here. The sun was up and we were tired. Though the trek was through the forest - mostly shaded, it still was very tiring. After lot of breaks, we reached the point where the vehicle was parked. It was now straight drive to OTG.

View of Dudhasagar falls from top

View of train from top of Dudhasagar falls

 Once at OTG, we freshened up, had some fresh juice and ready to check-out. We had another 2 hour drive to Belgaum. We had a lovely time at OTG and left the place with lot of memories to cherish. We reached Belgaum around 2pm. My mom had prepared some delicious lunch. Had a yummy meal, took a nap and pack again to catch Rani-Chanamma express to Bangalore at 6:30PM. Time to say good-bye to Belgaum after another exciting and memorable break during summer.

A Date With Fireflies @ Rainforest Retreat Coorg

Rainforest retreat at Galli Gudda Coorg is an Eco Resort (http://www.rainforestours.com/index.htm). This plantation is an unique project that combines eco-tourism with organic farming and believes to the core in having an environment with bio-diversity. The whole farm is self sufficient with water (there are streams running through the plantation), power - solar generated power, food - most vegetables and fruits are grown organically at the farm and remaining grains/pulses are sourced directly from farmers. Checkout their website for more details. Icing on the cake about this place is - there is absolutely no network. The phones are operational only from a point on a hill within the property and WIFI is available only between 2pm-5pm in the office area with minimal bandwidth. Because of heavy rainfall during monsoons, the property remains closed during Monsoons.

When we were planning for a trip this summer, we were looking for places which would be little different from the regular homestays or resorts. We had visited Coorg several times, hence wanted to find a place which was different and would give us a WOW feeling after the vacation. Once we went through the details on the website, we fell in love with it. Awesome reviews on Tripadvisor helped us make the decision faster. Apart from it being an eco-lodge, the deciding factor was the "Fireflies" at night. Because of the unique bio-diversity and organic plantation, the property is blessed with thousands of fireflies during the month of April and May. These fireflies lit up the whole valley in the property once it gets dark. It is just mind blowing.

Cardamom Plantation

We were 2 families (each with 2 adults and 2 kids). We decided to take a Deluxe Cottage and 2 Plantation Cottages. Deluxe cottage are big and can accommodate 4 adults easily and are very close to the dining area. Plantation Cottages are about 500m walk with some climbing. Plantation Cottages are in the midst of the forest and at a higher elevation. These are not recommended for families with small kids and elder members. However, trust me these are the best cottages in-terms of every aspect - location, privacy, views, weather... They are very rustic and blend very well with nature.  Power is provided only by solar, which is 12v and is available only at night. But the rooms and bathrooms have got good skylights and ventilation. Best part is, if you are travelling in month of April and May, you get to see the fireflies right from porch of the plantation cottages. Which is a huge plus for the plantation cottage.

Firefly in the daytime

Deluxe cottages are big and comfy and right opposite to the dining area. Hence it is easy to come over for all meals and breakfast. Also it is closer to the parking area. On the other hand, to go to Plantation cottage one needs to cross the road and then walk for about 500m with some climbing - but definitely worth it.

We started from Bangalore at 6AM, stopped over at Kamat Lokruchi for some yummy breakfast. Our next stop was Bayalukoppe - Tibetan Monastery. Since Maithree and Goldie had not seen this, we stopped over here. Lots has changed in the last couple of years. Tourists aren't allowed fully into the main Monastery. Some of smaller temples were closed for public. It was blazing hot when we reached here. We quickly checked the place and left. We stopped over at Shanti Bites - Kushalnagar for lunch. The food here was good and very reasonable. After lunch, we went straight to "Rainforest Retreat". It was 3:30PM, when we reached here. Not much sign-board for Rainforest retreat. One needs to reach Galli Gudda and then we saw a sign-board. It is beyond Club Mahindra - Coorg. As soon as we reached the property, Shivani greeted us. We did not expect a young lady as a manager in middle of nowhere. This was the first unexpected thing. Little did we know that there were more surprises. We got to experience a lot of good, new and exciting experiences in the next couple of days.

Sunset from Sterling Hills

We checked into our cottages. Meera and Venki preferred the Deluxe cottage. However, their daughters wanted to stay at the Plantation cottage. Hence Meera and Venki stayed at Deluxe cottage and among the 2 plantation cottages, girls decided to have one for themselves and we took the second cottage. The plantation cottages and tents are on the other side of the road from the main office, dining and deluxe cottages. These are remotely located into the forest and are perfect is all sense. We just fell in love with them immediately. As the plantation cottages and tents are at an elevation and surrounded by forest, it is much cooler here. We had to use blankets in the night and early morning - even during peak summer.

After refreshing with a hot cup of coffee, we went to explore the surroundings of the property. Very beautiful place and totally secluded from the outside world. We only heard birds, crickets, bees and rustling of dried leaves when the wind blew. Absolute silence. We literally had to reduce our volumes as it sounded very loud in this environment.

Around 6PM we went to Sterling Hills - this is a small hill right next to Plantation cottage. The views at Sunrise and Sunset are amazing from here. Only on this hill one gets mobile network. So if you have to make any calls, you need to go to this hill. We spent some time here, chit-chatting about some random things. As the dusk set in, the sky looked beautiful. Once it started getting dark, we came down and walked to the dining area.

At the dining area, we met 2 more girls - Shreya and Amrita, who were interning at the plantation. It was fun chatting with these three girls - Shivani, Shreya and Amrita. All of them were bubbling with lots of environment related information, why organic, general topics etc.  Soon we spotted a couple of fireflies and we were excited. Shivani told us, she would take us to the valley around the plantation coattages after dinner, where we would get many more fireflies. We happily agreed!!! Little did we know what she meant by MANY MORE...


Until dinner time, we played some card games. At plantation, they also had some interesting drinks - Cardamom Rum, Vanilla Rum, Beer etc. We had a delicious dinner made from organic ingredients. Salad, tasty brown rice, nice sambar with tons of veggies, curries and payasam. After dinner, we were given solar powered torches to help us find our way. With all the excitement, we started following Shivani and Shreya to the valley. And what a sight it was -  just superb. It cannot be expressed in word, nor can it be captured in a camera. It just needs to be experienced. Thousands of fireflies had lit up the whole valley. The trees in the valley looked like Christmas lit trees. With just the moon light and the light from fireflies we walked around the valley to the plantation cottages. From the porch of the plantation cottage and tents, the sight of fireflies was mesmerizing.

The funny part was, we were living in such natural habitat and there wasn't a single mosquito. There were all kinds of insects - flies, moths, spiders, tons of butterflies, frogs, snakes, birds. But NO mosquitoes. We spent about an hour sitting on the porch of our cottage, admiring the beauty of nature without having the mosquitoes to bother us. It was pure BLISS!!!

Meera and Venki walked back to the Deluxe cottage and we and kids stayed in the plantation cottage. By now, the weather was pretty cool. Morning was cooler. There was lot of mist. We got up early and went straight to the Sterling hills. Since it was cloudy, we could not see the sunrise. But the view of clouds floating below us was amazing. We also saw lot of different species of birds.

Sunrise from Sterling Hills with Drongo Bird

We had good breakfast of Idlis, whole wheat bread and home made jam, and fresh fruits. After breakfast, we headed to a 3 hour trek. Ravi (he plays different roles at the property - guide, helper, caretaker...) agreed to take us on a good trek and he kept his promise. The trek was just right for us. Not very strenuous at the same time took us through different areas - grasslands, forest, valley. He stopped at places to show us some interesting plants and trees. The spot overlooking the valley was picturesque.

View on Trekking Trail

We decided to head out to Madekari town for lunch and check out some place. In the hindsight, we felt we should have just stayed at the plantation. Madekari town was blazing hot. There was hardly any water at the Abbey falls. There was a time when we could get into the waters at the foot of the falls. As the number of tourists have increased, so have the accidents. Because of this, the authorities are forced to close the provision to get into waters :( Raja seat, also has lost its charm. Too many tourists and also stalls/hawkers. We did not wait for the sunset. The sunset view from Sterling hills was much better.

We planned to have campfire and barbecue at night. We shopped for some vegetables and stuff for marination and headed straight to the plantation. Ravi had got things ready for campfire and barbecue. We enjoyed making and eating some yummy barbecues on the campfire. It was fun with family and friends. The team of Rainforest retreat gave us good company. It felt as though we knew them from a long time.Dinner was served at 8:30PM. After dinner, it was time to checkout the fireflies. This time we went on our own. It was as beautiful as previous day.

Hardly any water @Abbey Falls

Next day, it was time to check-out. But before we checked-out, we had an epic plantation tour from Shivani. She showed us around the bio-diversity that has been cultivated around the plantation. How each tiny insect is helping other living organisms. This was an ecological session for all us. This gave us a glimpse of effort that has gone in from Anurag and Sujata (owner's of this plantation). They really have put lot of effort to get the plantation to this eco-friendly state and still maintaining it. They have set an amazing example for all of us to follow and think before we spray pesticides.

Half-heartedly we had to part. We wished we could stay for one more day in this lovely place. This reiterated that simple living admist nature gives more joy that any material living. The whole trip, left us thinking on how we can make a difference in our own small way to this planet. For starters, we decided to go organic. Hopefully, we will be able to keep up this.