Route : Koramangla - Hosur – Krishnagiri – Dharampuri - Hogenakkal
Road quality : good
Time taken : 9 hrs to & fro
River : Cauvery
Best time to visit : Oct - Feb to view the falls from bottom. Rainy (or immediately aft rainy) season is best to view the falls from top.
We had only one option to see the falls from bottom as it was january.
Hogenakkal water falls is located on the Karnataka Tamilnadu border. The falls are surrounded by Melagiri Hills. It is a good place to visit for a one day tour. We started at 8:00 am from Koramangla though the best time is to start very early may be 6:00 am. The first break is a tea break for 15 minutes on the Hosur road as we were to wait for a friend to join us. For breakfast, we were to stop at Udipi uphar after crossing Hosur overbridge but somehow missed. Paid toll charges Rs 20 for one way and entered Krishnagiri. Stopped at Saravana Bhavan for ½ hr. From there it’s a non stop drive taking Krishnagiri road on NH7. Then took left on NH7 for Dhrampuri which we reached at approximately 12:20 pm. Directions to Hogenakkal can be seen from the Dharampuri road itself. After going ahead we saw a sign board on the left of the road showing 2 ways to reach Hogenakkal i.e straight one and the other is left one. We took the left road to Hogenakkal. It is approximately 45 kms to the falls. One can see circles in between but ignore them and go straight. We reached Hogenakkal at 1:00 pm. We paid Rs. 20 as entry fee and Rs. 20 for parking on the roads. Then we went down the hill and finally reached the falls.
We had two options here. One is park the vehicle on a private parking area and negotiate for a coracle. The second one is go to TNTD, park the vehicle there and negotiate for the coracle. We went for the first option.
We were not aware if any food stuff is available there but fortunately there is nothing to worry about as one can find small hotels and also lodges mushrooming near the private parking area itself or else food stalls are available in TNTD compound which are better. We had lunch at C M Hotel but if one is looking for hygiene then I recommend home brought food. Public toilets are available near the bus stop and also in TNTD compound. Taking extra clothes is recommended but if one forgets then there is stuff like shorts and t-shirts available for buying.
Now comes our actual expedition as all of us were ready to get into the waters. Our coracle rower charged us Rs 2000 for two coracles. We were 8 people for 2 coracles. The standard price for a usual coracle is 400 but you may get it for lesser price may be Rs 200 depending on bargaining. Make note that if usual coracle is taken for standard price, you will be taken to Tamilnadu water shore which would be a little bit packed as number of people will be more there. We asked the rower to take us to Karnataka water shore for flexi time and so the charges went up to Rs 1000 per coracle bearing 4 people. Our rower said that nobody goes to Karnataka shore.
We changed our clothes in the vehicle and got into our coracles, had a 4 minute ride after which needed to stop and get down to cross a small bridge by walk. Mean time our coracles are carried by the rowers. Then comes the transit point where we had to wait for our turn to get into our respective coracles. Now we were all set for the ride. There is also a 5 minute massage facility which one can always go for before getting into water. The rower actually takes you under the water falls to get you drenched. It is a 1 hr long fun ride between huge rocks to reach the wide lake where one shore belongs to Karnataka and the other shore belongs to Tamilnadu. We chose Karnataka shore which is on the right side facing the lake and parked the coracle. Like our rower said before there were nobody other than us. Without our knowledge we spent 3 hrs in the water. Well, there isn’t much to do in Hogenakkal other than coracling but how time flies no one knows. By the time we reached to our vehicle it was approximately 6:45 pm. We had a heavy supper somewhere in TNTD compound and left Hogenakkal at 7:15 pm. There was one tea break on Hosur raod and reached koramangla at 11:30 pm.
One important thing one should be careful of is about coracle tilting. Please make sure you sit properly and normally as instructed by the coracle person. Following the instructions is more than enough to avoid accidents which can be life taking. Avoid jumping, boozing, shaking the coracle just for the hec of some fun.
My next visit to Hogenakkal falls will be in rainy season when water levels would be pretty high and will see the falls from top. Note that in rainy season you are not allowed for a coracle ride to see the falls from bottom. Yes, These falls are the Indian Niagara falls but only in monsoon.
Here are some pictures, hope you like them.
