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Friday, December 18, 2015

Silent Valley National Park - Trekking

Silent Valley National Park - Trekking
The drive to Silent Valley National Park is flanked by enchanting scenery on either side and this road leads you straight to Mukkali, the base camp from where your journey begins. Those of you eager trekkers who can't wait can also make the 4-kilometer trek from hilly Attapadi to Mukkali through the Ghats. Attapadi and its hills are considered the buffer zone of the Silent Valley National Park and are drained by a couple of tributaries of the River Cauvery (Kaveri). Mukkali is the entrance to the Silent Valley National Park. However, you will have to drive about an hour further before you can begin trekking in the park. This drive is peaceful with coffee plantations initially and dense forest after a while. It is recommended that you hire a jeep and a driver, or take the local bus if available.

As this can be a difficult route with narrow roads, it is not recommended for drivers with any prior experience driving through mountains nor those with cars that are not designed to handle such terrain. Sit back and enjoy the pleasant drive through the magnificent hills as you keep an eye out for giant squirrels and the rare lion-tailed macaque, a perfect preview to Silent Valley. 

All those who enter Silent Valley are required to take permission to do so, even if you are visiting just for a day. This trek is not one you should be doing on your own, and your guide will be able to procure the required permissions. This includes a 2 to 3 kilometer trek to the hanging bridge of the Kunthi River. For those who seek permission for multiple day trekking expeditions, the process is difficult and will take longer. More often than not you will be denied, unless you are a research scholar or the like. It is near impossible to get permission to enter the core area of Silent Valley. 

As mentioned earlier, Silent Valley is a league apart from other habitats in its geographic category. On account of this, most of the wildlife has no reason for venturing beyond the heart of the valley or core area because there is an abundance of food there. Sadly, even though Silent Valley is one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world, you may not be able to see all the different kinds of wild animals that make their home here. A variety of leopards, deer, elephants, tiger and gaur; the Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri langur, Malabar giant squirrel and a large bird population that includes Malabar whistling thrush, hornbills all live in Silent Valley National Park. You could spot more common birds like drongos, blue whiskered bulbul, woodpecker, tailorbirds, spotted dove, koels and a variety of flycatchers and kingfishers.

The Kunti River of Silent Valley is too good to be true! The strict regulation on visitors that the authorities impose is quite evident in the lack of pollutants in this river. The water is so clear - it is as if you are looking into a mirror. You can bathe, swim, drink and just relax in its cool waters after a tiring trek. Around the river is a magnificent hanging bridge that is fun to explore. 

The visit to the Valley and Kunthi will hardly take up a full day, what with it being only an hour and a half each way. The trek is rated as easy to moderate, depending on your past experience and present stamina. It is possible to explore the 'off-beat' trekking trails of Silent Valley such as the Keeripara trail, which is exceptionally great for birding and spotting bovines. There is also the 1.5 kilometer trail from the watchtower to the Kunthi River that commands mention in the epic Mahabharata.

The trails of the Valley take you through the most spectacular landscape. In Silent Valley, when it rains, it pours. Not just any rain, but torrential tropical thundering monsoons that render the air heavy with humidity. This is in June, July and August; the remaining months of the year are generally very hot. There is a stream behind the information center that is worth checking out as well. With the only rainforests in the country and a region devoid of human inhabitation, Silent Valley is certainly a trek that is worth checking out if you are in the vicinity. However, it may not be one that is worth an overnight journey as permits limit the scope of your trek and wildlife viewing possibilities. That being said, if you do know of a way to acquire permission to visit any part of the core area (Walakkad, Poochapara etc) – this will, without doubt, be one of the most exhilarating experiences of your life.
Karuvara Waterfall Trekking
For brief details, please refer
Keerippara Trekking
For brief details, please refer
Boomiyampadi Trekking
For brief details, please refer
Sairandhri Trip
For brief details, please refer
Bhavani River Trekking
For brief details, please refer