Trek to Kottathalachi; Leave only Your Footprints behind!
Kottathalachi is fast becoming a tourism village and holiday destination in the Kannur district, Kerala. Travelers enjoy trekking Kottathalachi as it offers delight and a considerable level of adventure. If you are interested in trekking long distance across Kottathalachi, you can begin walking right from Pulingome town. This small town is situated on the south bank of River Karyankodu (Thejaswini) in Cherupuzha Panchayat. The Thejaswini River, flooded during monsoon, is a fantastic spot for rafting or kayaking. When you plan to trek Kottathalachi, reach Pulingome early in the morning or after two in the evening. I’ll explain why it’s crucial to keep this timing.
Enjoy Daybreak at Mount Kottathalachi!
Sunrise is the fabulous view one could get from Mount Kottathalachi. In order not to miss it, one has to reach the top between 6 and 7 am. However, this is not possible for people coming from a far distance. They have a few options.
- Find a stay at nearby lodges or homestays the previous night
- Investigate if you have some local friends or relatives in the region who could afford you one night
- Arrange a vehicle and leave home early in the morning or midnight, depending on the distance you will have to cover
- Bring your own tent or Rent a tent from KDS and spend the entire night atop the mountain.
Regardless of what mode of transport you choose, it’s advisable that you take the assistance of a local guide since you are new to the area. Kottathalachi Development Society’s authorized guides can assure you of support and security.
It doesn’t mean that solo travelers are restricted. If you start from Pulingome and walk briskly, you will take hardly two hours to reach the top of the mountain. Instead, if you have your vehicle or call a taxi from Pulingome to Anakuzhi, only below one kilometer is left for trekking.
Capture Sunrise and Sunset at Kottathalachi
Be on time and keep a camera handy; you can take fantastic images and videos of the sunrise in no time. This is because the intensity of light and fog changes every second, drawing gorgeous hills and magical valleys all around!
Suppose you are not in a position to travel early morning or afford a stay near the mount. Then the best option is to climb the mount afternoon. Trekking would be exhausting between 10 am and 3 pm due to severe sunlight. However, if you manage to overcome this challenge, five minutes of staying on top of Kottathalachi will revitalize you. If you have sufficient food and water, you can stay there until sunset, another must-see phenomenon.
Plastic-free Kottathalachi
Ensure you do not litter the beautiful mountain with plastic bottles and cans. Kottathalachi Development Society (KDS) has placed trash bins at various points across the Mount. The Society pleads trekkers not to throw plastics but to leave only their footprints when they return home.
KDS members placing trash bins
