You will find something more in woods than in books. trees and stones will teach you that which you can never leave from Masters – St.Bernad
Here I (Prakash) am going to share my real time trekking experience that we had in Manjolai Hills, Tirunelveli.
In April 2019, a sense of restlessness took hold of us—a shared urge to explore somewhere new, somewhere untouched by routine. Our group—Arun, Jacob, Mani, Nalla Perumal, Vinod, Raj, and myself—decided on the Manjolai Hills, drawn by its promise of raw beauty and real adventure.
Manjolai isn’t just another tourist spot. It’s a protected pocket of the Western Ghats, where nature still whispers louder than man. To preserve its fragile ecosystem, private vehicles aren’t allowed—a rule we deeply respected. The only way in was via the government-operated bus, a humble but necessary guardian of the hills.
We caught our bus around 9:30 PM from Kallidaikurichi, a quiet town resting on the right bank of the Thamiraparani River, in the Ambasamudram Taluk of Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu. As the bus rumbled to life and rolled into the night, none of us knew exactly what awaited us in those misty hills—but we knew we were chasing something real. Something worth remembering.
Before narrating our experience we need to share some details about Manjolai Hills. The Western ghats are mesmerizing to say least and anyone who has a love for outdoors will find their fill of adventure here. The summit offers splendid views of the green Western Ghats and make you feel like you are on top of the world.
Ooty of Tirunelveli
Manjolai Hills (Ooty of Tirunelveli) is a hill Station surrounded by Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Western Ghats. The hills rise up to heights of 1000-1500 meters and are covered with tranquil tea gardens. Manjolai hills are famous for the weather and you can blow smoke from your mouth without a cigarette. It is also known for its wonderful scenic beauty and the serenity of its surroundings. You can go long walks into the quiet tea gardens or trek into the nearby forest.
If you are lucky enough, you can have a glimpse of Elephants, Bears, Bison, Wild boar, Leopards and Sambar deer. However do remember one thing, it is a reserve forest and you need permission from the forest department.
Back to our experience, by 11.30 pm, we all reached our destination named Kakachi, by mid of the night. We were surrounded by mist and we started freezing. In Kakachi, we planned to stay in Mr.Kenny’s Home(Relative of Arun). He is a senior person and so we hesitated to wake him up to open the door because it’s midnight. We knocked the door three times and to our surprise, he opened the door and welcomed us inside his home and offered us black tea.
Kakachi Lake & Manjolai Golf-ground at Night 👇
Then we kept our luggage there and five of us went out to take some snap from our DSLR, because it’s a full moon day. The Place is fully surrounded by tall trees and grasses everywhere, hearing some small insects sound all the way. We walked for 500 meters and suddenly we heard something running inside the woods. Oh no! We got feared and our heartbeat got raised because the place we are standing Is the hotspot for bears. But our inner sense instructed us to figure out what it was. For 2 minutes we were silently watching in between the trees with the help of moonlight. So far we didn’t have any torch light too.
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Then the sound vanished in thin air and it seemed like it ran away. But it was a thrilling experience in the mid of the jungle, we took some astrophotography and chilled out. On our way back we found out that the wild thing that made the running sound is Indian Wild Boar. Oh God it’s just a Boar. We laughed at ourselves and returned back to take a small nap.
The next morning, we set off at 4:30 AM, eager to begin our journey to Naalumukku Estate, ready to embrace whatever adventure awaited us. The estate lies about 9 kilometers from Kakachi, and though the early hour brought with it a biting chill, the excitement in our hearts more than made up for the freezing temperature.
Between us, we carried just the essentials: three cameras, two woolen blankets, a 2-liter water can, four packets of bread, and some cookies to keep us going. The path ahead was silent at first, until, about two kilometers in, we were caught off guard by the most unexpected symphony—a chorus of bees, their humming so rhythmic it sounded almost like jingle bells. We stood still for fifteen minutes, mesmerized by the sound. It was as if the forest itself was singing to welcome the new day.
As we continued, the trail led us through dense woods where sunlight filtered softly between the trees, casting golden rays on the lush undergrowth. The forest came alive with birdsong and the occasional high-pitched whistle of lion-tailed macaques—a sound unlike anything we had heard before. Butterflies, vibrant and fluttering, danced across our path, adding splashes of color to the already magical setting.
We agreed, without hesitation, that this was one of the most beautiful roads we had ever walked. The air was rich with the sharp, clean scent of fresh eucalyptus. I couldn’t resist plucking a few leaves and tucking them into my backpack, knowing that long after the trip was over, I’d breathe in that scent and remember this peaceful, perfect morning in the wild.
The woolen bedsheet grew heavier with each step as we made our way uphill, the weight dragging at our shoulders. Before long, we found ourselves bickering like children in the middle of the jungle—arguing over whose turn it was to carry it next. Our only audience was a group of monkeys, perched high in the trees, watching us with curious eyes. I could almost hear their silent judgment: “Who are these strange creatures, struggling through our forest and putting on a show?”
Eventually, we reached a wooden bridge, more than 70 years old, a quiet relic from the British era. Its weathered planks creaked beneath our feet, yet it still stood strong—an enduring testament to a forgotten time. We took a brief rest here, shared our simple breakfast, and recharged for the final 4-kilometer stretch to Naalumukku Estate.
As we approached, the landscape opened into a vast expanse of tea plantations, their neatly trimmed rows stretching across the hills. Naalumukku is known as an elephant corridor, and sure enough, we spotted footprints and droppingsalong the path. Our senses heightened; we walked cautiously, hoping for a glimpse of these majestic creatures. But luck wasn’t with us that day—the elephants stayed hidden in the shadows of the forest.
One detail I almost forgot to mention: we were traveling with a local native of Naalumukku, someone who clearly belonged to the place. As we neared the estate, many familiar faces greeted him, and by extension, welcomed us too—with smiles, warmth, and a quiet sense of community. We paused for black tea and vada at a modest tea stall, and I can say without exaggeration—it was one of the most flavorful meals I’ve ever had, made all the more memorable by its simplicity and price.
From there we planned to go for Kuthiraivetti. There is a view point from where we can see Manimuthar and Karaiyar dam. As it was raining and because of lack of transportation our plan got spoiled, but later we had an amazing trip to Kuthiraivetti . So we decided to visit nearby areas, and in my lifetime I never tasted a tea in cardamom leaves which was served by the people working in tea estate with love and care. After that while roaming we saw many footprints of deers, elephants and leopards. These things woke up our adventure feel more. It’s around 1 pm, we felt tired and we planned to take some nap in the bamboo groves for better shelter. We stayed there for 3 hours. Raj quickly fell asleep over a rock, without minding that he is sharing his bed with small insects and ants. The rest of us had a good conversation there and we were taking some photos.
Suddenly we heard the sound of thunder and dark clouds encircled us. We were afraid that our gadgets may get wet and so we started to return to our hotel which is 4 km far. This time we were a little faster and escaped from the rain. While returning we heard one wild breathing sound in the mid of tea trees. We all stopped and our body shivered and we saw a big Indian Gaur as seen in Bahubali movie, grazing alone. We were thrilled because we already know that a lone Gaur or elephant is too dangerous and gets enraged to protect it. So we moved away a little from its sight and took some photographs. One of the best thing happened to us by God’s grace is heavy winds, which made the sky clear. On the way we found a small river and over that there was a man- made small wooden bridge. Its view was splendid and we had a bath there and got refreshed.
By Evening 5 o’clock we reached the hotel, had some snacks and went to a school nearby. The school ground was full of grass and so it’s nice to sit there and had a chance dry up our wet clothes. Vinod went to make some time lapse videos from moving clouds and Jacob went to click a Black Langur which was common in this area. Myself and Raj were having fun like somersault in the mid of grass while remaining people stayed in the hotel. While coming back to the hotel, we saw Sambar deers standing inside a small village and so we had a chance to get closer to get some photos. At night we slept in the hotel and early morning we got bus by 4.30 am and returned home in Tirunelveli.
For more travel info, reach me in Instagram @prakashjul
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