Kaveri Nisargadhama-Mysore Coorg Trip- day-3

Saturday earlyMorning we left from Mysore and start our journey to Coorg. On the way we first visited Kaveri Nisargadhama.

 

Nisargadhama is a series of small and large islands on the Cauvery river near to Kushalnagar town in Coorg district of Karnataka. There are many shallow portions of the river through which one can just walk through. The 64-acre island, surrounded by the Cauvery river, can be accessed by walking across a hanging bridge. 

 

Established in 1989, the picturesque picnic spot with lush foliage of thick bamboo groves, sandalwood and teak trees has lovely river-side cottages.River kaveri here bifurcates and flows on both sides of the island. 

 

This island has attractions including Boating, Elephant Rides, Swimming in selected places in Kaveri River in summer season (Prohibited in Monsoon), Hanging Bridge is the famous attraction here which connects to the island, Bamboo house, and rare birds. The walk across the Hanging Rope Bridge to reach Nisargadhama is an absolute delight. The bridge connects the mainland to Nisargadhama. 

 

It is a treat to our eyes with thick bamboo groves, sandalwood and teak trees surrounded by river Kaveri. You will also get to spot rabbits and peacocks and small reserved area for Deer’s in the forest.

 

A short walk from this bamboo house and we reached the Kaveri river smoothly flowing across grazing the rocks and tempting all of us to lay our feet on it. All of us stepped into the river. The bottom profile was rocky and hence sligtly slippery, but there was no depth at all. Moved to the centre point and the view was amazing. Sat on one of the rocks in the middle and this is what you get to see in your front.

 

The two trees bending over seemed to enhance the total ambience. Undoubtedly this is the most beautiful location of the whole island. We sat there for almost an hour enjoying the water gushing through our feets

There is also facility for tourists to move around the river through pedalled boats in a limited area by paying a prescribed For those who would like to stay overnight in the Nisargadhama, there are a few cottages available in the forest park where they can spend a peaceful night in the Nature’s lap. This is the place for wide forest who looking for relax within natural beauty and there are many gaming facilities arranged for kids, really worth to visit this place.

 

Name of Place: 

Kaveri Nisargadhama

Location:

80 kms from Mysore in the Mysore - Madikeri Highway.

30 kms from Madikeri, in the Mysore route

Travel plan:

Check out this place on your way to Madikeri, if you are coming from Bangalore. This is just after Kushal Nagar. Easy to miss the board. Hence keep an eye on the left side after Kushal Nagar.

Time needed for a visit:

Ideally you can spend one full day here. A minimum of 3 hours is needed.

Hotel:

Food is available inside the island and also there is restaurant near the parking lot

Stay;

There is a govt owned guest house in the island. Else opt for a stay in Madikeri - the hill station in Coorg.

 Slowly we started our journey to the next location - The Golden Temple at Kushal Nagar (To be continued in next Part.

Jaishree Iyer

Germany -Rüdesheim &Großer Feldberg My Travel Journal Part -2

Rüdesheim&Großer Feldberg Travel journal

There are places in this world that charm you, but there are also places, which steal your heart completely. One of the places, that totally stolen our hearts was also a small town Rüdesheim in Germany. My son in-law took us to this place as one day trip.

 Rüdesheim am Rhein is one of Germany’s most prolific and scenic wine regions. It offers beautiful hikes through its mountains and prime views over the dazzling Rhine river valley. Next to its extensive vineyards, the city’s rich cultural and historic background make it one of the most intriguing places to visit in the country.

 

I really enjoyed those green vineyards that surround and enhance the beauty of the villages The vineyards looming over the town mixed with the culture and charm of the historical buildings that lie alongside the Rhine River, make Rüdesheim am Rhein one of my favorite villages. To Uphill (go by car or ropeway) hike through the forest which really looked more like a well-maintained, wooded park. 

 

There were some viewpoints of the Rhine River valley along the way. who will find the Niederwald monument and its surroundings. The monument is one of a select group of national monuments in Germany and a major attraction by itself. At the location you have a tremendous view over the Rhine, Rüdesheim and Bingen.

Niederwald Monument:

At the top of the vineyards The Niederwald monument can be found in the Niederwald park, overlooking the scenic Rhine valley. The park is well worth the visit for its dazzling views alone. The monument is of Germania, the classical myth female representing Germany.

 

 She holds the imperial crown in one hands and the imperial sword in the other. History holds that for many years the monument reflected national pride and the creation of a single German nation.

 

 The monument was created between 1870 and 1880 as a commemoration of the historic unification of the German Empire after the Franco-Prussian war came to an end. The central part of the Niederwalddenkmal depicts the figures of Germania and William I. With its location on the edge of the forest and with scenic vineyards to its southern and western sides, a walk up to the historic monument will make visitors a fantastic panorama.

Cable Car

If you want to focus on taking in the scenic views over the Rhine valley without taking straining walks up the hills, Rüdesheim’s Cable Car transports visitors all the way to the Germania monument.

 The views from the heights of the cable car offer an impressive panorama over the vineyards and the shimmering waters of the Rhine river.

River Ferry

We were pleasantly surprised when we saw a river ferry that would take us across to Rüdesheim. I cannot tell you how excited this made me.

 The ferry connection was established between the villages of Bingen and Rüdesheim because there are no bridges crossing the Rhine for a distance of more than 90 km between the cities of Koblenz and Wiesbaden. we came to know  For many Germans, taking the ferry over with their car is their daily routine to and from work. For us, it was a bit fun to ride the Harley across the water.

 

 Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that can bring a smile to my face.

Großer Feldberg

The geographical highlight of the Taunus and one of the most striking mountain peaks in Germany: with a height of 881 meters, the Großer (big/large) Feldberg is just as visible from afar as the beautiful views it offers in good weather conditions.

 

The Taunus mountains is a mountain range located in the northwest of Frankfurt. Its tallest and most famous mountain being Großer Feldberg (878 meters) which attracts many locals .One evening we went to this Mountain. Feels amazing  to view offered by the mountain top. A great place for hill walking with spectacular views of Frankfurt and the surrounding towns and villages. Also a great place for mountain biking, and long winding roads. The drive up through the Taunus mountains is a beautiful endeavor especially when it culminates in a stop at Feldberg where the view of the city is spectacular.

Since the mountain is covered by a dense forest from foot to peak, it provides fresh air in peaceful natural surroundings. Cooler and moister than the surrounding lowlands, temperature differences of five degrees are common. Just half an hour’s drive away, Feldberg provides a soothing contrast to Frankfurt’s hot and hectic urban lifestyle. 

 

 There is an observation tower located at what is called Grosser Feldberg.  From this vantage point, we could see the fall colours in rich display. The upper part of the Feldberg is woodless which makes it such a popular destination for excursions - for sunbathing or for playing on the Roman playground, which is part of the Limes Experience Trail. On the northern edge of the plateau on the summit, the legendary Brunhildisfelsen rock made of quartzite offers an easy-to-climb vantage point.

 

 It was cold and windy on the top of the ridge so we did not stay long.  The crowds had not arrived as yet, so we had the viewing platform all to ourselves.

In top of the mountain The sky is just crystal clear and bright blue. The air is crisp and clean. Aside from the air purity, your nostrils will be filled with wonderful fragrances as you travel the mountain, not only from the pines, mountain flowers, dandelions and other plants, but from the mountain itself. One of the wonderful & memorable trip we had.