Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

bijapuri · Aug 29th, 2009, 10:41

My goodness, there seem to be lots of things between Madurai and Kanyakumari to do if one isn't rushing about!

Like Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, courtallam,
etc.

The question regarding nature parks is always if it is open in the Monsoon . . . Anyone who has ever visited that would like to share their experience, and info on practicalities would get a gold star from me

))

And if ayone has any tips on Courtallam (Kuttalam) I'm all ears.

thanx in advance

pmvelu · Aug 30th, 2009, 12:21

Quote:

And if ayone has any tips on Courtallam (Kuttalam) I'm all ears.

Hi Bijapuri,

What information you are looking for about Courtallam ?.If you could be specific, I can share what I know !

I did already shared some info about the waterfalls / Lodging/ Scenic places around Courtallam in our forum .

Velu

bijapuri · Aug 30th, 2009, 12:29

my main concern is on how to arrange a visit and stay at the tiger sanctuary, but since Courtallam is nearby, I would like to know where to shay there. I couldn't find your post on the subject. Thanx for helping!

pmvelu · Aug 30th, 2009, 12:48

Oh, Ok !

I infact visited Mundanthurai Sanctuary as a Day trip but did not stayed though !. Nothing we have seen infact when we visited and that's in one June / July timeframe. But the Upper Dam & Lower dam and the enroute places are scenic !!

From Courtallam , it's around 1 1/2 hours journey Via a place called Papanasam !!

Not sure when you are planning to make this trip but Courtallam is a Seasonal city where we will find People / Lodges/ Hotels only in the month of May End - August which is termed as "Season" for the waterfalls. And it will be tooo much crowded with lodge tariffs going many folded and the entire place will witness a concept called "Saral" [ A Light Drizzle for few days all over the place and that's the "Peak Season"]!

Also in Nov end until Feb , waterfalls will be Flooded at times and at that time, Courtallam will be 25 % lively with main visitors being Sabarimala "Iyyappa" Pilgrims !!

And from Feb mid - May, Wateralls will be 100% Dry and people will be even suffering for Drinking water !!

Courtallam will be like deserted during the Non season months and almost 90% of lodges /Hotels will be open only during season.

In Courtallam, "Isakki resorts" just 1 km before "Five Falls" is one of the best located lodges in high end. There are several mid-range including "Hotel Tamilnadu" but this is just 1 km from ""Main Falls" & " Courtallam Bus stand" and in a normal location.

Tenkasi , 5 kms from Courtallam is a all-the-year kind of place where lodges /hotels will all be permanent establishments and the "Temple" there is too good ! . In Tenkasi, Hotel Thavamani and 2 other budget hotels are there !!

And if Mundanthurai is your main focus, the following place might be interesting for a stay!!

http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/04/29/s...2902390300.htm

Hope this helps !

Velu

bijapuri · Aug 30th, 2009, 15:13

thanx for the valuable info.
I would be visiting the second week of September. Is that a good time?

pmvelu · Aug 30th, 2009, 21:45

September 2nd week, Climate will be good with rare showers and if you are lucky, even a slight rainfall in Kerala end will make Courtallam Falls Lively with Water Fall !! Courtallam as such will be ONLY with local people with No or very very less tourists and week-ends will have few Vans from the neighbouring places for a Non-crowded Bath in the Falls if at all if "WaterFalls" is Lively !!

There will be Nice winds blowing across Courtallam / Tenkasi in the evenings !

And Lodging , it should be very cheap !

All the Best

Velu

bijapuri · Aug 31st, 2009, 00:14

wow, it sounds like a great trip to that area.

If I go (decision by Tuesday) I will fly into Madurai from USA, take a few days to return to normal, then head to that area. Between Madurai, Courtallam, the Tiger Sanctuary, Tirunelveli and Tiruchender I think 7-10 days might be enough to comfortably cruise the area, if I get to stay a day or two at the forest rest house. Any other cool stuff to check out in that area? Life is uncertain,I'm not getting any younger (40th year visiting Ma India, I am now 58, ugh!) one never knows when a return is possible, so I'd like to really concentrate on that part of TN this trip. BTW I have been to Kanyakumari last year.

Speaking of not getting younger, I have seen web ads for "spas" in Courtallam- pricey ayurvedic retreats. Sounds enticing to my old bones- any info about that?

Thanx for your help!

pmvelu · Aug 31st, 2009, 09:40

From My Travel experiences, Around that area, I would Say and approximately a Planner which may help you and sorry for the longggg post:-

1)From Madurai, Hire a Cab and you could Visit Shrivilliputhur Temple [ Emblem of Tamilnadu government is this temple's gopuram and this Gopuram is next in height to Trichy- Srirangam temple Gopuram] --> This is around 70 kms from MAdurai on the nice scenic Madurai - Kollam Highway [It's Madurai-Shrivilliputhur-Rajapalayam-Tenkasi-Courtallam-Sengottai-Thenmala-Kollam OR Trivandrum]

2) After Rajapalaiyam, you Could Take a De-tour of around 20 kms to visit "Sankaran Kovil" temple [ This is also good and Big]

3)Get back to same highway [ Madurai - Kollam NH] and you could visit / Stay at Tenkasi /Courtallam as the case may be.

4)Try a visit to Tenkasi temple around 6 - 7 pm and the best part What I liked this temple is , it's very difficult to stand in the entrance of this temple at that time due to the very heavy winds blowing across from Courtallam Hills [ Which in local called as "Pothigai Malai"["Malai" is "Hills" in Tamil]

5) In Courtallam, you could Visit "Main Falls ", "Five Falls","Old Courtallam Falls", "Then Aruvi [App. English Equivalent Honey Falls] and the very old Courtallam Temple just in front of Main Falls. All of these are scenic and the Water is supposed to be with Medicial properites and the local belief is, Bathing here in the Falls Cures "Mental Ailments" as such ! .

6) Try to Visit "Sithira Sabai" which is near to "Main Falls" which have good paintings of "Lord Nataraja"

7) Try to Visit "Puliyarai Dakshnimaoorthy temple" [ Around 20 kms from Tenkasi towards Kerala and that's the Border town ] --> This temple is located at a very scenic surroudings and more than the temple, the surroundings will be highly messmerizing . Just nearer to the main temple , there will be a way to "Krishnar Temple" ... Just take that way and we can spend 2 to 3 hours sitting in the rock over there with "Highly Highly Scenic Moutain ranges around full of Greenery with No Pollution / Noise/ very very less local people and it will give a real good feel !

8) Continue onwards from puliyarai and you are into Kerala and you could visit Thenmala [ This place has an Excellent Eco-tourism project by Kerala Govt] and this place is around 20 kms from Puliyarai and the way / the surroundings are too Good !

9) Just an info , From Tenkasi , Trivandrum / Kollam is just 100 kms and Kottayam / Alleppey is a bit more ! From Tenkasi, Tirunelvei is 56 kms and Nagerkoil is 80 kms [This without touching tirunelveli and a short cut is there]

10) You could come back to Courtallam / Tenkasi as the case may be and you could visit Papanasam / Mundanthurai WLS/ "Boating on Upper Dam" [This you will reach after crusing through the WLS]

11) You could get back to Tirunelveli, visit "Nellaiyyappar Temple}[ Unauthorised Guides will be there who could give a very good explanation of the temple & the sculputures-> When we went we gave 50 Rs at the end of it - Nothing Fixed as such]

12) From Tirunelveli , Tiruchendur is around 50 kms and Tiruchendur temple is a very different temple with the temple at the Sea level itself and very close to Ocean !. Local people take bath late in the evenings also and spending a late evening OR Early morning in this beach is worth a try !

You could try out whatever interests you in the above and If you need more specific info, I could share more !!

And Lastly on the Courtallam SPA's , I do not have any personal experience But there are 2 to 3 SPA resorts in Courtallam. I do not have any useful info to share with on this !!

Regards
Velu

ananth_tm · Aug 31st, 2009, 14:58

The permission to stay in the Mundanthurai rest house is given at the Deputy Director office, in Ambasamudram. Earlier, it was in Tirunelveli.

From my experience with them, I can say that they dont have many tourists coming over there to stay and trek. The local tourists always do a day trip and return back by EOD.

I would advice you to call them up before you show up as the DD might be out of office when you go. They require you to submit a letter requesting for stay in the mundanthurai rest house. I'm not sure if they have a fax number, you can confirm that when you call them. If not, send the letter by post so that the permission will be ready when you go there.

To reach Ambasamudram, you can take a bus which goes to Papanasam from Tirunelveli bus stand. It would take around 1 to 1.5 hours to reach ambasamudram aka Ambai. From there, you can take an auto. If the locals are not sure about the place, ask for A.V.Rm.V Marriage hall. The Project Tiger office is just opposite to this hall. (There is one more Forest office near bus stand, and if you go there they will refer you to the same Project Tiger office)

Few points about Mundanthurai
- They dont organise any kind of safaris.
- There are many tourist spots near the rest house such as Agasthiar Falls, Karayar dam, Panatheertham falls, etc.
- In the rest house reception, you can ask for a guide and they might provide you with a local whom you can take inside the jungle for birding, etc
- Most important point, do not expect the authorities, in the DD office and at the reception to be like their counterparts in other tiger reserves and sanctuaries. As hard core wildlife enthusiasts seldom visit, they might not know the process and might not be following exactly whatever little they know.

Aug 29th, 2009, 10:41	#1
bijapuri Lord of Kalinjar Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: the real surf city Posts: 2,646	Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve My goodness, there seem to be lots of things between Madurai and Kanyakumari to do if one isn't rushing about! Like Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, courtallam, etc. The question regarding nature parks is always if it is open in the Monsoon . . . Anyone who has ever visited that would like to share their experience, and info on practicalities would get a gold star from me )) And if ayone has any tips on Courtallam (Kuttalam) I'm all ears. thanx in advance __________________ lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

Aug 31st, 2009, 09:40	#8
pmvelu Maha Guru Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Mysore Posts: 1,189	From My Travel experiences, Around that area, I would Say and approximately a Planner which may help you and sorry for the longggg post:- 1)From Madurai, Hire a Cab and you could Visit Shrivilliputhur Temple [ Emblem of Tamilnadu government is this temple's gopuram and this Gopuram is next in height to Trichy- Srirangam temple Gopuram] --> This is around 70 kms from MAdurai on the nice scenic Madurai - Kollam Highway [It's Madurai-Shrivilliputhur-Rajapalayam-Tenkasi-Courtallam-Sengottai-Thenmala-Kollam OR Trivandrum] 2) After Rajapalaiyam, you Could Take a De-tour of around 20 kms to visit "Sankaran Kovil" temple [ This is also good and Big] 3)Get back to same highway [ Madurai - Kollam NH] and you could visit / Stay at Tenkasi /Courtallam as the case may be. 4)Try a visit to Tenkasi temple around 6 - 7 pm and the best part What I liked this temple is , it's very difficult to stand in the entrance of this temple at that time due to the very heavy winds blowing across from Courtallam Hills [ Which in local called as "Pothigai Malai"["Malai" is "Hills" in Tamil] 5) In Courtallam, you could Visit "Main Falls ", "Five Falls","Old Courtallam Falls", "Then Aruvi [App. English Equivalent Honey Falls] and the very old Courtallam Temple just in front of Main Falls. All of these are scenic and the Water is supposed to be with Medicial properites and the local belief is, Bathing here in the Falls Cures "Mental Ailments" as such ! . 6) Try to Visit "Sithira Sabai" which is near to "Main Falls" which have good paintings of "Lord Nataraja" 7) Try to Visit "Puliyarai Dakshnimaoorthy temple" [ Around 20 kms from Tenkasi towards Kerala and that's the Border town ] --> This temple is located at a very scenic surroudings and more than the temple, the surroundings will be highly messmerizing . Just nearer to the main temple , there will be a way to "Krishnar Temple" ... Just take that way and we can spend 2 to 3 hours sitting in the rock over there with "Highly Highly Scenic Moutain ranges around full of Greenery with No Pollution / Noise/ very very less local people and it will give a real good feel ! 8) Continue onwards from puliyarai and you are into Kerala and you could visit Thenmala [ This place has an Excellent Eco-tourism project by Kerala Govt] and this place is around 20 kms from Puliyarai and the way / the surroundings are too Good ! 9) Just an info , From Tenkasi , Trivandrum / Kollam is just 100 kms and Kottayam / Alleppey is a bit more ! From Tenkasi, Tirunelvei is 56 kms and Nagerkoil is 80 kms [This without touching tirunelveli and a short cut is there] 10) You could come back to Courtallam / Tenkasi as the case may be and you could visit Papanasam / Mundanthurai WLS/ "Boating on Upper Dam" [This you will reach after crusing through the WLS] 11) You could get back to Tirunelveli, visit "Nellaiyyappar Temple}[ Unauthorised Guides will be there who could give a very good explanation of the temple & the sculputures-> When we went we gave 50 Rs at the end of it - Nothing Fixed as such] 12) From Tirunelveli , Tiruchendur is around 50 kms and Tiruchendur temple is a very different temple with the temple at the Sea level itself and very close to Ocean !. Local people take bath late in the evenings also and spending a late evening OR Early morning in this beach is worth a try ! You could try out whatever interests you in the above and If you need more specific info, I could share more !! And Lastly on the Courtallam SPA's , I do not have any personal experience But there are 2 to 3 SPA resorts in Courtallam. I do not have any useful info to share with on this !! Regards Velu Last edited by pmvelu : Aug 31st, 2009 at 12:49.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Pench Tiger Reserve	1pranav	Indian Wildlife and National Parks	18	Yesterday 01:17
Mundanthurai Tiger Sanctuary	old india hand	Indian Wildlife and National Parks	14	Oct 31st, 2009 06:39
Tiger Reserve	Jules	Indian Wildlife and National Parks	4	Sep 6th, 2007 08:02
Lucknow to Corbett Tiger Reserve	indah	Uttarakhand	1	Jun 25th, 2007 12:08
any1 to dudhva tiger reserve?	manik058	Indian Wildlife and National Parks	0	Mar 18th, 2006 17:11

Aug 30th, 2009, 12:29	#3
bijapuri Lord of Kalinjar Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: the real surf city Posts: 2,646	my main concern is on how to arrange a visit and stay at the tiger sanctuary, but since Courtallam is nearby, I would like to know where to shay there. I couldn't find your post on the subject. Thanx for helping!

Aug 30th, 2009, 12:48	#4
pmvelu Maha Guru Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Mysore Posts: 1,189	Oh, Ok ! I infact visited Mundanthurai Sanctuary as a Day trip but did not stayed though !. Nothing we have seen infact when we visited and that's in one June / July timeframe. But the Upper Dam & Lower dam and the enroute places are scenic !! From Courtallam , it's around 1 1/2 hours journey Via a place called Papanasam !! Not sure when you are planning to make this trip but Courtallam is a Seasonal city where we will find People / Lodges/ Hotels only in the month of May End - August which is termed as "Season" for the waterfalls. And it will be tooo much crowded with lodge tariffs going many folded and the entire place will witness a concept called "Saral" [ A Light Drizzle for few days all over the place and that's the "Peak Season"]! Also in Nov end until Feb , waterfalls will be Flooded at times and at that time, Courtallam will be 25 % lively with main visitors being Sabarimala "Iyyappa" Pilgrims !! And from Feb mid - May, Wateralls will be 100% Dry and people will be even suffering for Drinking water !! Courtallam will be like deserted during the Non season months and almost 90% of lodges /Hotels will be open only during season. In Courtallam, "Isakki resorts" just 1 km before "Five Falls" is one of the best located lodges in high end. There are several mid-range including "Hotel Tamilnadu" but this is just 1 km from ""Main Falls" & " Courtallam Bus stand" and in a normal location. Tenkasi , 5 kms from Courtallam is a all-the-year kind of place where lodges /hotels will all be permanent establishments and the "Temple" there is too good ! . In Tenkasi, Hotel Thavamani and 2 other budget hotels are there !! And if Mundanthurai is your main focus, the following place might be interesting for a stay!! http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/04/29/s...2902390300.htm Hope this helps ! Velu

Aug 30th, 2009, 15:13	#5
bijapuri Lord of Kalinjar Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: the real surf city Posts: 2,646	thanx for the valuable info. I would be visiting the second week of September. Is that a good time?

Aug 30th, 2009, 21:45	#6
pmvelu Maha Guru Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Mysore Posts: 1,189	September 2nd week, Climate will be good with rare showers and if you are lucky, even a slight rainfall in Kerala end will make Courtallam Falls Lively with Water Fall !! Courtallam as such will be ONLY with local people with No or very very less tourists and week-ends will have few Vans from the neighbouring places for a Non-crowded Bath in the Falls if at all if "WaterFalls" is Lively !! There will be Nice winds blowing across Courtallam / Tenkasi in the evenings ! And Lodging , it should be very cheap ! All the Best Velu

Aug 31st, 2009, 00:14	#7
bijapuri Lord of Kalinjar Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: the real surf city Posts: 2,646	wow, it sounds like a great trip to that area. If I go (decision by Tuesday) I will fly into Madurai from USA, take a few days to return to normal, then head to that area. Between Madurai, Courtallam, the Tiger Sanctuary, Tirunelveli and Tiruchender I think 7-10 days might be enough to comfortably cruise the area, if I get to stay a day or two at the forest rest house. Any other cool stuff to check out in that area? Life is uncertain,I'm not getting any younger (40th year visiting Ma India, I am now 58, ugh!) one never knows when a return is possible, so I'd like to really concentrate on that part of TN this trip. BTW I have been to Kanyakumari last year. Speaking of not getting younger, I have seen web ads for "spas" in Courtallam- pricey ayurvedic retreats. Sounds enticing to my old bones- any info about that? Thanx for your help!

Aug 31st, 2009, 14:58	#9
ananth_tm Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 38	The permission to stay in the Mundanthurai rest house is given at the Deputy Director office, in Ambasamudram. Earlier, it was in Tirunelveli. From my experience with them, I can say that they dont have many tourists coming over there to stay and trek. The local tourists always do a day trip and return back by EOD. I would advice you to call them up before you show up as the DD might be out of office when you go. They require you to submit a letter requesting for stay in the mundanthurai rest house. I'm not sure if they have a fax number, you can confirm that when you call them. If not, send the letter by post so that the permission will be ready when you go there. To reach Ambasamudram, you can take a bus which goes to Papanasam from Tirunelveli bus stand. It would take around 1 to 1.5 hours to reach ambasamudram aka Ambai. From there, you can take an auto. If the locals are not sure about the place, ask for A.V.Rm.V Marriage hall. The Project Tiger office is just opposite to this hall. (There is one more Forest office near bus stand, and if you go there they will refer you to the same Project Tiger office) Few points about Mundanthurai - They dont organise any kind of safaris. - There are many tourist spots near the rest house such as Agasthiar Falls, Karayar dam, Panatheertham falls, etc. - In the rest house reception, you can ask for a guide and they might provide you with a local whom you can take inside the jungle for birding, etc - Most important point, do not expect the authorities, in the DD office and at the reception to be like their counterparts in other tiger reserves and sanctuaries. As hard core wildlife enthusiasts seldom visit, they might not know the process and might not be following exactly whatever little they know.