Misty Mountains and Magic : Trip to Western Ghats & Jog Falls

Don't knows what to do when your minds says let's do it and Heart says :) with Precaution. That was exact thought when we decided to do Road trip that too without any pre-experience in Highway driving. It was normal Friday working day and i was sitting in the office like donkey's are seating for salvation :) but no worries. It was 2 PM when suddenly in my mind there was a thought a DEEP thought that why can't i go for Long drive ? Till this date in my life definition of long drive was limited to 100 km only. But this time dream was big to see the Natural Beauty of India in WIDE ANGLE LENSES of course through our eyes.

So here was the plan that we should see the world famous JOG Falls and then go to Murudeshwar via India's only breathtaking view's called WESTERN GHATS.

To plan something someone has to push it further in our case it's was Venky aka. Venkatesh ..... ... ..Gowda my fav with whom i shared my best bachelor life when shifted to Bengaluru :). I called him and discussed this weather he can come with us on drive. Luckily he had a plan to visit his home town very next day via Train and here is the so called MOTIVATION for journey entered in scene.

So i any how convinced Venky that he is coming with us and he agreed on the price of  Tatkal ticket which he had booked for his home for very next day. My WagonR had done decent service and ready to chop off the roads with her wings. That night when i reached home every thing was just ready to go... Nikki has prepared all the luggage's and she was ready for side to side war with me on highway.

We prepared all snacks in night only. Packed our luggage, set the alarm at 3:30 AM so that we should leave the Bengaluru and start towards Shivamoga for Venky's home. Meanwhile Venky called and told him pickup near Yashwantpur Station where his sister resides.

So at night i was busy searching for routes and plans as they says it's always good to plan in advance but this is not my rule anyways. As a person i always believed doing things ar random. And driving is not seperate thought then this. Any how we started from Marathalli at 4:15 AM 15 min late to our plan.

Fresh morning with Hot cup of Tea what one else want in life :).

We started driving towards Yashwantpur as i always scared towards that place since that place has so many u-turns and cross which can lead to nightmare as it's still night in Bengaluru. The wind was cold and soon i realized that i'm going on one of best dream place of my life. After some one to one fight with Nikki finally we catches Venky who was waiting on the road side like romeo. Soon WagonR touched the Tumkur Highway and it was 6 :30 now opposite to our plan which means we were 2 hours behind our plan. But Hota hai chalta hai now Journey to misty mountains started. Now vehcile speed is at 90km/h speed.

Our Plans was to go Jog waterfalls via Shimoga and then Proceed towards Murdeshwar.

We started on NH48 earlier known as NH4 with little music. Guddi was in sleeply mode as she was still in her dreams. One thing i want to mention here that she was most excited towards any driving trip. After all she is my daughter.

Soon after driving upto 1.5 hours we took small break on NH69 (Shimga Highway) and had a Cup of Tea with first selfie of trip.

Selfie with my Two Sweittee WagonR and Wife

Our route was following :

Bengaluru > Tiptur > Shivamoga > JogFalls > Western Ghats > Honavar > Murdeshwar

Honavar >  kumta > Sirsi > Haveri > NH4/NH48 > Bengaluru

Woowwww it's whopping 1300+ Kms and we just finished 90 km of stretch.

So.. we started towards Shimoga aka Shivamoga the road was little junky until we touched SH69 and this road was my friend Add to dictionary. We enjoyed entire scenery and following rains in beetween finally reached Shivamoga town outskirts at 11:00 am. The programme was pre-defined as Venky was with us so we gone to his home. we stopped at Bhadra DAM a major river in North Karnataka this place greeted us with lush green belt like Mother nature welcomes us in her arms :)

On way to Shimoga - Bhadrawati Dam

Bhadra River Water project

Now Venky's home it's almost like a dream to see that home situated in between the mist green country yard landscapes i felt like Nirvana while entering in his home. His Brother and Mother welcomes us in traditional style with hot cup of tea.

Venkatesh Home

Venky's home is beautiful we changed to our photo-genic wardrobes and soon started towards the world famous Jog-Falls. We crossed Shimoga town approx. at 1:00 PM and was in very doubtful position whether we will be able to reach the destination on time or not.

The Drive from Shimoga to Jog Falls was awesome. The country yards , Green Paddy fields with rain drops made this entire journey as life-long experience we were shocked to Nature was paying with colors in way.

Bhadra River Dam

Beautiful landscape

Sometime heavy rains ans again after some times bluish mountains. Hence in this nature loving mood we crossed the 4 and finally reached to board where it was written "Welcome to World Famous Jog Falls" having seen that board i felt Goose bumps :)

And the Wait is over here JOG FALLS welcomed us.

Mesmerizing Beauty JOG FALLS Shimoga

that bridge like it's Disney's movies. Guddi was at best she slept all the way and now nikki is trying hard to wakeup her. Finally she saw the nature's paradise with god gifted camera :) yess you got it it's our EYES.

It was the time when i kissed my second Gudia my Maruti :) she travelled and made a record fro JH to KA and From KA01 to KA014 yes that's RTO code of Shimoga.

The Falls were like milk being poured from Mother nature for it's children. The beauty of western Ghats at 5 PM. We took so many shots including our fav family shots also. Guddi was almost like mother nature kid. She started jumping here n there. We saw the Hydro-Power station working for JOG Water Projects. It became little evening almost 4:45 PM and we decided to say Good Bye to this most beautiful place forever don't knows when ? :)

Papa Gudia favorite pose :

Now it was time to another milestone for Journey which ws Part-2 we started for Murdeshwar which is 80 km from Jog falls. All the way from western ghats and such a scenic drive. There was more tragedy also happened our fuel meter started showing at lowest and initially i tought after JOG Falls i will re-fuel but that's lession i got from this journey never miss the chance dude :) Ambika was Praying to Lord-Shiva and by seeing entire fuel gauge after covering almost 40 to 60 km till very less fuel left in car and in way when we asked about Petrol Pump the answer was shocking that for another 70 km there are Ghats only. Hmmmm. But as they said God is every where. Luckily we ended the ghats section vy driving very sharp more than 20 hair pin band section that too in downwards.. chilling driving bossss.

We stopped by one puncture shop and just asked weather we can get fuel here :) and Believe me answer was yesss :) we got 3 Ltrs of bottled petrol at 81rs per litre. Ohhh Godd saved us.

So with this we ended our journey at jog falls and headed towards Murdeshwar.

We got one hanging Bridge made for two whellers so thought why not stop and take some snaps on it. It's made on Sharvati River which cretes Jog falls.

We crossed entire Shravati valley and heading toowards Murdeshwar it was already 6 PM and we were sure now i have to ready for night driving in Ghat sections.

On the way to Murdeshwar crossing the Ghat section at 6:00 PM

Finally after driving all along with west coast road and scenaic ghat section we saw our line the Petrol Pump imdt we refulled and this time FULL TANK :) Yes buddy you got that ? We reached Murudeshwar at 7 PM only but was following the Google Map and by mistake gone extra 10 km ahed then we again returend back and checked into hotel. Was Hungry for almost all day drive.

So finalled reached to Resturant and here we saw first glimpse of Lord Murudeshwar aka Mahadev was shiving on the beach Sea and God natural combination. We decided to have dinner and let's go to bed early since we all three fully exhausted.

Next Morning we waked up at 7 am and after daily dose rushed to Temple it was awesome Temple and scene. Point to be noted Murudeshwar also offers Top floor view it's Gopuram is 18th Floor structure and they allows you to go and enjoy the scene from the top at fee of 25 Rs for adult. Of course we went to top and here are glipmses how Western coasts and ghats looks. It's Awesomeeee !!.

We spent there arround 3 hours since we had to start for return journey towards Bengaluru. Had very Good break fast in very own Karnataka Style the Breakfast was toooo gooddd my Popooo enjoyed a lot for this.

Finally we started for Bangalore at 11 AM from Murudeshwar and this time we followed diffrent route via Sirsi- Kumta Road. We never thought new route will be so sceanic and chilling... have a look these western ghats , glimpy mountains with Forest Caves and Rains entire feeling was just .... awesome cannot be expressed in words.

I drove my Gudia (Maruti) all the way via sharp curves , rainy forest , and lot's of hairpin band finally we reached on top of the ghat where there is spactacular view for ghats..

See this Guddi and Ambi is enjoying the weather and aroma :)

After this was non-stop jouney towards NH4 which we finally touched at 5:30 PM near Haveri and from there non stop to Bengaluru. We took short break when Bangalore was 86 km away only. There fast food was awesome and mouth glittering :) ummm Yummmyyyy. There was lot's of Wind Turbines for energy generation.

We finally reached our Namma home with Heavy Traffic in Tumkur road of course now you can know that you are in Bangalore. So in this way this huge and Legacy trip has come to end. Thanks to My Maruti shown all faith on me and with my guddi and Wife.. without you both it was not possible. My Wife was only my Google Map she even write all routes on papers.

Now some Travelnomics :

Fuel Cost      : 1500 + 1700 + 1000
Total Kms Done : 1304 done
Total Hours done : 11 hours with break of 1 hrs in 3 places.

Seee you again with my next trip .... Tata Bye Byeee :)