Thirunelly is one of those destinations which fails to find a mention when you google (offbeat) weekend getaways from Bangalore, and this is exactly what makes this small village perched in the valleys of the mighty Brahmagiri hills more appealing. Our discovery of this getaway was also purely by chance, when Himagiri Homestay(photograph above) caught our eye out of all Airbnbs listed in and around Wayanad.
We started from Bangalore in the wee hours of a Saturday morning in October, completely unaware of the beautiful journey and destination that awaited us. As soon as we crossed Mysore, the landscape of post monsoon rural Karnataka started manifesting itself in its full glory - vast green fields flanking the state highway, and silhouettes of the Western Ghats peaks visible beyond them.
A little further on our way along, we were greeted by the checkpost of the Nagarhole National Park and Tiger Reserve. This was a pleasant surprise that Google maps had sprung on us, and we found ourselves excited to experience a drive through a reserved forest.
Although we didn't spot any tigers in the forest (still unsure whether we were lucky or unlucky there :P), we did spot a bunch of other inhabitants of the forest. Elephants, deers, peacocks, bysons tend to come close to the state highway.
The drive through the forest was eventful to the extent that we ended up stopping multiple times to soak in the views in the fresh morning air.
After crossing the Kerala-Karnataka border, the terrain began to change, and we found ourselves on the winding roads of the western ghats, and the view just kept getting better.
After the eventful journey, we found ourselves being welcomed by the warm hospitality of the owners of Agraharam Resorts and Himagiri Homestay. They allowed us to check in early, and offered us breakfast too. We were almost dumbfounded at having booked a place with such stunning views and equally enthrallingly ambience.
We had booked a a 2bhk place in Himagiri Homestay, adjacent to the Agraharam Resorts. Both places are owned by the same family.
One of the few sightseeing options we found ourselves indulging in was the Kalindi river, just a little downhill walk through paddy fields from our homestay. We had a gala time playing around in the chilly water of the tiny river stream. It truly was an experience beyond anything touristic, because the only other person present there was a local fisherman.
The greenery around us in the valley was infectious. Our homestay was right in the middle of the valley. We had plenty of time and opportunity to just explore the whole area, going up and down the hilly green terrain.
Although we found the traditional Kerala food at our homestay quite spicy, the KTDC restaurant nearby was not too bad in terms of delicacy of food. Since it's a small forest village with minimal resources and population, there aren't many options for food except the resorts.
The stunning views and greenery sure are infectious, and are bound to get you addicted to the place if you're a nature lover. Thirunelly temple is a recommended place according to locals, although we didn't have time to witness it. The starry night, the peaceful environment and the green 360 degree view, was able to make up for it though.
Locals say that it's dangerous to venture into the roads outside the resort area at night, as elephants tend to come out at night.
The area is quite close to Wayanad and Coorg. So if you have a car, it's easy to explore other areas of the western ghats and it's waterfalls. Another recommendation here is to trek up the Brahmagiri peak if time permits.
Check out these photos!
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