Incredible Off-the-beaten-path Experiences
Archana Bhat
We recently took a tour with The Papyrus Itineraries for our trip to South India and we encountered some incredible off the beaten path experiences. Entering the Pollachi area you are greeted by farms and coconut palms swaying in the light wind.
One need not go far from the hotel to experience the stillness and calm life of villages here. The first evening I went on the back roads by our resort and found the Bharathapuzha River crossing just in time to see the sun go down. I don’t know who was more excited to see the calming scene me or my driver!
The next morning we went to Top Slip for a walk through forests and the morning air was cool and crisp and the noise of the forest waking up got us excited. Even more thrilling was walking the jungles in the anticipation of wild elephant sightings.
This time around we didn’t see any wild ones but still loved the filtered light coming in through the trees, the calls of the monkeys and the numerous birds we saw.
There were other experiences that were also unique. The kids and adults alike enjoyed learning about the pottery making with the artisan and after a trial at the wheel, we all decided that he is the true expert.
The most special part of our trip was visiting Camp Splendour as it was truly a one off experience of kayaking in India with literally no one else and the lake and the views around were just pristine. The kids had a lot of fun at camp playing with the puppies, jumping on the trampoline and relaxing.
Another interesting tour we did was learning about palm jaggery making with a local family who has been doing it for generations. We saw all the steps involved and sampling the jaggery with pepper was a highlight for all of us.
To cap off our Pollachi experience we spent one night at Serenity Guest House at the foothills of Anamalai Hills and it was the perfect bookend to our holiday. We strolled through the fields and listened to our local guide point out flora and fauna of interest.
The children loved the tree house and dogs in the guest house and we feasted on a gourmet local meal.
Whether you are looking to explore the hairpin roads or the bucolic village life, there is something for everyone at Pollachi.
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