Meenmutti Trekking and Falls - A Review

Last week, we traveled to Traivandrum (capital of Kerala-God's own country), to attend a marriage. We had one day leisure time and we decided to do some local sight-seeing. We inquired and decided to visit this place called Meenmutti- Kallaru Trekking/Waterfalls.

We booked a cab as it was the easiest and convenient way to travel. The destination is about 45 kilometres from Trivandrum City. On reaching the destination, we have a gate welcoming us. After paying the entry fee, the car park is a few meters away. From the car park, there are tour guides who take you to the final destination of the fascinating view of the waterfall.

We arranged one such guide who made us follow him through a rough terrain through the forest. He was so used to walking in that path that we had to run at places to keep up with his speed. The trek one-way took around 40 minutes. On our way we had to cross a path with water falling down and slippery rocks. There was a rope which we helped us from slipping and falling down. This gave an adrenaline-surge and was absolutely thrilling!

The roots of the trees seemed to be like steps for us to walk, making us think that Mother Nature is helping us to enjoy her serene beauty. On our way we could see huge centipedes, though not poisonous definitely looked scary. The guide also told us that bears, tigers and elephants come out in the nights in the trekking paths and that it's not safe to wander there after sunset. To prove his comment, we saw piles of elephant dung here and there on our way.

Throughout the trek we could see a lot of butterflies of different shapes and colors. The sound of the waterfall gushing could also be heard throughout the way. Mushrooms of different sizes were also seen all way. On the whole it was an enjoyable experience to walk. At the end of the journey, we witnessed a really beautiful and breathtaking view of water falling down into a small pool of water. There were some rocks on which we could sit and relax after the long and tiring trek.

The best part was the whole area was "Plastic-Free" and "Crowd-Free"! On our way back to the car, crossing the stretch with the rope was enjoyable as we could see around that stretch, which was really beautiful, which we failed to notice the first time, as we were a little scared then! On the whole, it was an exciting trip and we had lots of fun.

Do visit this trekking spot if you visit to Trivandrum and have some leisure time. A little further from Meenmutti, is a place called Golden Valley, which is a low-lying waterfall that allows you to sit on rocks with your legs inside the chill and pure water that flows down, with no sound except that of the water gushing down - making it "Golden" indeed!

If you still feel energetic, you can visit Ponmudi, which lies in the abode of clouds! It is a pleasure to drive only if the weather is in your favor. It is better to check with the local people before going to the top as without clouds/mist, it is an absolute waste of time, money and energy to drive up with 26 hairpin bends, as there is nothing at the top! By nothing, I really mean nothing!

Here are a few tips for preparation in case you are planning to visit Meenmutti:

• Wear loose cotton clothes so that the sweat does not trouble you from completing the trek
• Wear comfortable shoes for walking in the rough terrain
• Take water or juice, you will need them for sure!
• Beware of leeches if it is still wet after a rain (Thank God, we did not encounter any!)
• Travel light, the rope area demands it, not much of trekking gear required!
• Last but not the least, take a camera to preserve the cherishable memories!