A one day trek that was in my mind for a long time to get away from the daily hustle bustle life and I chose Rayakottai . What else ? Geared up to the pick-up point in Indiranagar. It was quite cold early in the morning. We started at 6 AM from Bangalore and guess what, it was a girl gang of eleven! Yes. That was the best part.

 Rayakottai, also spelled Rayakotta is a town in Denkanikottai taluk, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu, India. It is 73 kilometres from Bangalore. Located on a hillock, Rayakottai Fort offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The fort is spread over an area of 100 acres and is surrounded by granite walls, which are a marvel of ancient engineering. The fort is accessible by a steep staircase, which is carved into the rock, making it a challenging yet exciting climb. The fort itself is now recognized as a protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), highlighting its historical importance and architectural value. The ruins within the fort area stand as a testament to its past glory and strategic significance during various periods of rule. Today, Rayakottai Fort is a popular tourist destination for those who are looking to explore Tamil Nadu's rich history and heritage.

After having a sumptuous breakfast and packing our lunch, with a powerful quick nap during the journey , we hit the spot at 10.30 AM and started our ascent. It took about an hour to explore the shiva temple on the way and gazing around the view throughout the trek. We were also greeted by our beloved monkeys on the peak. It was a fun filled trek with lots of chit chats and mesmerizing  pics during the lunch break. We headed back by 2 PM and reached Bangalore at 5 PM. That was a refreshing one day trek to finish off the weekend.

There I go again after a long break from my trekking journey to one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Karnataka that is about 200 feet high plunge nestled in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada district is a must to visit attraction in the state. Nestled in the lap of dense forests and grasslands, the waterfalls can be reached only by trekking and is worth it. Immerse in the beauty of lush green dense forests, mesmerizing Ghats, breath-taking sunsets, melodies of the chirping birds and the fragrance of wild flora only at the trek route towards the Bandaje falls.

A paradise for the nature lover, a photographer’s delight and a dream trek for a trekker, Bandaje falls and the Ballarayana durga Trek is sure to be visited again and again. The serene and panoramic landscapes will ensure that everyone who visits will have a ball of a time. A drive to Bandaje falls crossing the Charmadi Ghats of the Western Ghats, is a must-to-do while in Karnataka and en route to Chikkamagalur. To visit the falls and trek in Ballalarayana one needs to take forest permission from the Belthangady wildlife range office in Kudremukh National Park. The trek and the falls are a visual treat to the eyes. Due to dense forest and permission issues, there are no permanent accommodations available. However, you can have the option of camping. Ensure you travel with a reliable tour organiser and a guide. Soak up in the beauty of the starry night with a cool breeze staying in a camp amidst dense forest.

The best part of Bandaje falls is that the route to reach is less- travelled as the trek trail is a strenuous one. Trekking is the only way to reach the falls and if one is dedicated and determined, loves nature and is comparatively fit can reach the final destination. Yes, to reach the falls one must ensure physical fitness as the trek requires a lot of energy. The waterfalls continue to flow as a single stream and join the river Netravathi as a tributary and are worth all the efforts for that surreal sight.
The mesmerising sight intensifies during the sunset. The various hues of the sky when merging with the roaring shining waterfalls in the backdrop of lush greenery, the whole setting is beyond imagination. 

The waterfall is located in a remote area of Western Ghats and can be reached only by undertaking trekking in thick forests and grasslands with the help of local guides. A trekker's delight, there are two different routes to reach the falls. If you are travelling via Mangalore - Ujire, it is located 25 km from Ujire. The trek generally starts from Valambra near Somanthadka village (7 km from Ujire) at the base of the hills. The uphill journey passes through difficult terrain but the surrounding natural environment is a pleasure for the eyes. Many trekkers tire out before reaching the falls at the end of the 15 km long trek (one way).This was the one we opted for.

Another trekking route passes through Ballarayana Durga Fort. The trail starts from Kalabhairaveshwara Temple at Durgadahalli, which is around 38 km from Mudigere. The route from the temple to the initial forest section (from where the actual trek starts) is on a moderately steep mud road. Jeeps and other SUVs can go all the way up to the start point covering a distance of 1 km else just park your vehicle at the temple and start trekking from there. The fort is about 3 km from the temple. The trek to the fort is a difficult one and takes about one and a half-hour. From Ballarayana Durga Fort, the waterfall is about 4 km and takes about two and a half hours. The entire trail from the fort to the waterfall is on rolling hills that consist of a vast expanse of grasslands with thick, dark green forests in patches. The first glimpse of the water gushing through rocks is a sight for sore eyes.

The gang

It was a drowsy morning the time we reached this scenic spot amidst the jungle , our stay .Resting for a while followed by breakfast, we packed our lunch and started off to the base point where the trek had to begin .It was a 5 km jeep ride on the muddy narrow paths. The guide availed permission and there we go, to look at the waterfalls.

Initial hours wasn't tough though but my bad, the left shoe sole ripped off and it was a hard time to carry it .Managed to walk with a sole less shoe ripping off the right sole as well. That was a funky experience with a surprise to my fellow trekkers. I could actually manage to lead all of them with the worn out shoe .Well , these are the memories to be cherished forever.

After almost 4 hrs of super exhausting ups and downs, we were able to hear the roaring sound of the mighty Bandaje falls but getting to that point wasn't easy. Though the path was steep , tons of tiny pebbles paused our feet gazillion times. It was the most painful part of the entire trek to me due to my shoes. Managed myself to reach the peak of the falls. Witnessing  that from the above was enthralling . We halted there for an hour , had our lunch and few of us took a nap as well. What a moment that was ! All the pain vanished by the cool zephyr touching our souls.

Time to depart and check the next spot, Ballarayanana durga fort. It was almost an hour walk from there and quite tough after the prolonged relax. Followed by a couple of short breaks, we encountered the fort which didn't seem like one but the view from there was breath taking and that was the time for us to be captured .

Snacking for a while , slowly started trekking down .The organizer was kind enough to share his shoes with me until we reached the base .Luckily it wasn't a loose fit and I could not thank him enough .After few sips of refreshing  juice we had a chance to seek blessings in small shiva temple and stroll around a bit.

It was 6:30 PM and on the way back to our homestay it was time to snack some yummy maggi in a local store. Snacking and lazing up is always the best part after trek completion.We also had the privilege to munch on pakodas and bajjis in the homestay.The night ended with campfire and cricket which was the highlight followed by chitchats with the fellow trekkers.

7:30 AM and we were submerged in the Kodige waterfall which was around 2 kms from the stay.Is a very less known, yet really beautiful waterfalls formed by a stream of Netravathi river in the thick evergreen forest lands of western ghats region. Surrounded by coffee and Areca nut estates, waterfalls falls from the height of nearly 120ft in two cascades marking an ideal place to spend time with friends and family. 

With clean and no so deep waters, waterfalls is also children friendly. With changing rooms available, it’s a perfect destination to have one good natural shower and a jacuzzi bath. One hour of playful time and cold showers in the waterfall was what we all craved for and luckily made it. Fun filled games started to grow upon us along the way back to Bangalore. We stopped by a beautiful Doddagaddavalli Lakshmi temple followed by lunch.The Lakshmi Devi temple is an early 12th-century Hindu temples complex located in Doddagaddavalli village in Hassan District, Karnataka India. The main temple consists of four-shrines that share a common mandapa (hall), each sanctum being a square and aligned to a cardinal direction. The eastern shrine has Goddess Lakshmi, the northern shrine is dedicated to Kali, the western to Shiva, and the southern was dedicated to Vishnu but now empty due to vandalism. The complex has a separate Bhairava shrine to the northeast of the main temple, and four small shrines at the corners inside a nearly square prakara (compound). All nine temples are notable for its pyramidal north Indian style Nagara shikhara – likely an influence from Maharashtra and an evidence of active flow of ideas between the southern, central and northern India. The complex has additional smaller shrines.

The unexplored and untouched beauty should surely be on the bucket list of every adventure seeker and nature lover. Until next trek , memories to cherish !