Trekking in Tadiandamol

Tadiandamol or Thadiyandamol, which means Tallest Mount or Broad Base in Kodava language is the third highest mountain in Coorg District of Madikeri Taluk in Karnataka State. The mountain is a part of the Western Ghats range and reaches upto an elevation of 5735 ft (1748 m).

About the Trail:

It is a very scenic trail and the views you get from the top of the peak and near to the grasslands are quite scintillating! This is a small day trek and can be completed within 3-4 hours depending on one’s pace and weather conditions.

The trek can be done through 2 routes:

1. First route: Starts from the Aramane / Palace point. This route is 8 kms to the peak. The first 4 kms is through the vehicle road.
2. Second route: This is on the Honey Valley route. The initial distance is covered by a vehicle and the trek of 4 km starts from the Forest check point.

The trail is amidst the gorgeous Shola forests. After meandering through the picturesque forest paths for about 2 kms, the trail opens up to lush grasslands. The path gets narrow and leads up to a steep ascent up the mountain. Once we reach the top, the path opens upto a narrow trail leading towards the grasslands. The view from here is scintillating. To just be and soak in the beauty around is a marvelous experience. The silence of the mountains, the whisper of the grasslands and the sheer gust of the wind is sure to mesmerize anyone!

Wild elephants and butterflies have their homes out here in the forests. A guide is necessary when trekking during the monsoon seasons if you are not taking the first route.

Trek Stats:

• Elevation: 5735 ft (1748 m)
• Best seasons to Trek: Oct to Feb, can be visited throughout the year, is scenic during the Monsoon seasons but a little challenging
• Duration: 3-4 hours, a day hike
• Trek Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Trek Distance: 4 kms
• Accommodation: Stay near Nalknad Palace or resorts / home-stays in Kakkabe
• Location: 8 kms from Kakkabe, Coorg District, Madikeri Taluk, Karnataka, India
• Nearest Train station: Mysore (107 kms from Tadiandamol)
• Nearest Airport: Kannur Interantional Airport (84 kms away from Tadiandamol)
• By Road:
  • Bangalore->Virajpet->Napoklu->Kakkabe
  • Mysore-> Virajpet
  • Madikeri->Virajpet

Things to pack /carry:

• Sturdy Backpack preferable with wider shoulder straps as it should sit comfortably on your shoulder
• Hiking Shoes and socks(leech socks if trekking during the monsoons)
• Water bottle / Water pack
• Cap
• Sunglasses
• Trekking pole if needed
• Comfortable trekking pants and tees
• Light rain jacket /poncho depending on the season
• Light sweater depending on the weather
• Small first aid box
• Regular medication if any
• Carry enough salt to rub on leech bites especially during the Monsoons
• Head torch
• Sleeping bag if you are staying in a dormitory
• A small notepad and pen
• Essentials: Wallet, ID card
• Mobile phone, chargers, powerbank
• Cameras and Batteries

Western Ghats is older than the Himalayas and is one of the 8 hotspots of biological diversity. It houses most of the country’s flora and fauna and some can be found only in India. They run for about 1600 kms across the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Well there are more Treks and Trails to explore in the Western Ghats. I shall be back with the next one. Stay on trail!

If you want to get a peek into my personal experience at Tadiandamol, here it is… Read my experience at Tadiandamol

PS: Experience the mountains out here with ShoePenLens.