Avalanche to Devarbetta trek

It is a pyramid shaped hill with a tiny temple at the very top which is said to be the abode of the deity Kwnttaihh, the presiding God of one of the larger Toda clans. The Hill is linked  to the Toda beliefs and understanding of nature and climate. They do an yearly pilgrimage on the 1st of January to pray for  the well-being of the ecosystem and the community. It is said the first mists of the South West Monsoon swirl around the temple like circumambulating devotees dressed in white.

With the advent of Trek Tamilnadu, Devarbetta, amongst other places, has been thrown open to the public- a welcome move for trekking enthusiasts.

5 of us ladies decided to brave the climb and set off one sunny morning to conquer the not oft climbed peak.

We were at the pick up point at Avalanche by 8 o’clock but the vehicle that was supposed to take us to the start point of the 13 km trek did not turn up on time and we ended up leaving only at 9:45.

But our annoyance disappeared and our mood improved with the beautiful weather, blue skies, the views all along the way and the  mesmerising emerald green of the water body that we walked alongside.

The final climb was definitely tough, given the uneven surface with the tufts of wild grass and no path, but not unmanageable when taken one step at a time. We did feel it was easier crawling up on all fours at many places.
The wow 360 degree view from the top made up for the uphill crawl and I’m sure our excited oohs and aaahs carried across the valley. Much against the guides instructions to get moving asap we couldn’t help but loll about on the grass (as poky as it was) enjoying the warm winter sun on our faces and backs.

Going down was easier since there was a path, that is, till it reached the forest part with dense undergrowth and millions of leeches! 
The forest guard who came with us advised us to hurry through the 1.5-2 km without stopping but that didn’t stop the leeches from getting all over and into our shoes. Luckily we were able to stop at the edge of the tea estate( the final leg) and shake the leeches off.
We got to see Sambhar up close, a fresh Sambhar kill( dholes)and fresh tiger pug marks heading in the same direction that we were headed in  and were sure he was watching us and wondering which one one us would be the tastiest and fleshiest!

All in all, a fantastic experience with brilliant views and a 100% wow factor to it.