Kodaikanal Adventures !!! - Trekking, Camping, rustic getaways and Outdoor Vacations

Building a Mud House

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 08:29:00 +0000

Today we are going to be talking a bit about a new initiative that we have taken up to do our bit towards creating an environmentally sustainable world. We are going to introduce our guests to mud houses. Mud houses have been there for ages and most of the villagers in the interiors of Kodai still live in mud huts.

During one of our visits to one such house we realised how aesthetically beautiful these mud houses were and how they were designed to remain neutral to temperature fluctuations. Add to it, the choolahs were also made of mud . These choolahs doubled as heaters in cold winters when the heat from them would keep the family warm. Amazing thoughtfulness right?

So we decided it was time to put our thinking caps on and see if we could build these houses for our guests so they could really relive the experience and more importantly, blend with nature. Here we take you through images which show a step by step construction of a mud house by one of expert team.

We will walk you through the process. A mud house is essentially built out of wooden frames extracted from trees . These frames are erected vertically around the four corners at a distance of about 3ft . Slightly thinner frames are stacked horizontally on the vertical frames at a distance about 8 inches. This gives a structure to the house.

As you can see in the picture, the wood is locally extracted and used to build the frame. Once the frame is built, the next step is to build the roofing so the frames are not exposed to constant sunlight and extreme temperatures. So we installed GI sheets on top of the frames to protect then from degradation.

Once that is done, the next step is to fill the gap between the frames with soft rock and rubble. This gives strength and reinforcement to the frame. Over a period of time these rock bind together and become hard enough . These walls have lasted for 15-20 years across all kinds of climactic conditions.

Once all the sides are filled with rock and rubble, the next step is probably the most challenging. Red mud needs to be dug out and smeared on each wall like a plaster. This mud has the holding power which binds the entire wall. To get the red mud, the ground sometimes need to be dug out atleast 10 ft deep and then needs to be carried to premises. We will post images of these on our post. We plan to provide these mud houses to our guests in the future !

Hope this post was informative.

A Nature Fe(a)st @ 360Inn !!!!!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 08:29:00 +0000

Of late we have become very choosy with regard to our services in the sense that unless we have a customer who truly believes in what we offer and enjoys the experience as much as we do while offering our services, we do not take up trip requests!

So it was a pleasant surprise when we received an email from UK requesting us to organize a nature based outbound trip for a large group of students as a part of a school trip. Since this was their first visit to Kodai ,we knew immediately that this was one such opportunity not to miss. The goal for 360 Inn was to offer our guests a simple yet rich experience, abundant in hospitality but less in luxury , something that they could take back with them in the form of nostalgic memories for years to come.

The trip had been planned in such a way so as to split the 46 students into 2 groups, 24 of them on one weekend and the next group on the next weekend. As they were in India much ahead of the Kodai trip they had a local contact number. It was very interesting to note how systematic and well prepared they were, with each group having a leader who handled communication with us.

On the day of the trip we received the group at Kodai town at around 11am. As we looked at their fatigued faces we could imagine the toll India's traffic and climate had on them. Not to mention the 120 Kms distance that they had travelled from Madurai to Kodai on our so called luxury "Tempo Travellers" . These tempo travellers have redefined luxury in India.

To cut a long story short, We had to bring back a smile on their faces.

But what lay between our guests and the 360Inn cabins was a 45 km long and winding mountain road that is a challenge even to Kodai locals, not just due to the terrain but also the bad roads. And to think that this group from UK had to endure the 2 hour long trip was a bit frightening. But then, good things in life dont come easy, or do they??

And as they crossed the 45 km hurdle dreading what nature would throw at them next, right in the middle of nowhere, it was time to unravel what we had in store for them !

A 60 acre plot with 2 large cottages !

Nice and cosy tents for those adventurous enough to camp under the stars!

We dont offer boating but we do have a Private Lake where our guests can unwind and relax!

And then ofcourse the food, made from fresh and local produce!

And then if you are very lucky, icing on the cake is you get to spot a spotted dear!

Few Experiences @ 360 Inn !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:04:00 +0000

Like every other organization 360 Inn also has issues handling dissatisfied customers. However we have always taken it in our stride and tried our best to do whatever is practically possible under the circumstances. Last week we had a group who stayed at the 360 Inn campground . Day 1 was a manavanoor trek and Day 2 was the trek to Kumbakarai falls all the way to the plains.An episode that we will remember not just for the bad experience but the way the campground was after they left.In the case of this group we decided to forego the balance amount and let them arrange for their own food . And that too for an off-season rate of Rs 1900 per person for 2 nights (includes 2 night tent accommodation, sleeping bag/mats, 2 nights campfire, 2 days full trekking and 6 meals)

On 4th May 2012, the expectations were very high. We were eagerly anticipating a large group of 35 .

At around 11am on the morning of 4th May, myself and 2 members of the 360 Inn team got to work pitching 7 tents on our campground in preparation to receive the trekkers late in the evening. Few of my men went ahead to chop firewood for the campfire.

We finished the job around late afternoon and went back to have lunch. Once back from lunch we set about placing comforters (something we never promise) and sleeping mats in each tent.

We also managed to get 4 sleeping bags (at no cost) if necessary.

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In order to have more latrines we built 3 new pit toilets for the group with 3 large sacks of sawdust to sprinkle in the toilet to suppress the smell. Pit toilets, unlike regular toilets, are costly to maintain since they dont have a deep leech pit and needs to be reconstructed in different areas in the campground. So a lot of labour is involved in preparing a campground for large groups.

The group of trekkers reached Kodaikanal around 5pm .Things went smooth until the evening after they landed on our campgrounds. Inspite of the steep 300ft terrain on which our campground is located, we managed to offer them Pear cakes and chips as snacks and tea, something that we never promise our customers but provide as a token of our informality.

As night set in and the guests comfortable settled into their tents, we managed to get dinner ready. The only issue was that since it was dark we needed a team to get 3 vessels (meant for 40 people) down the incredibly steep 300 ft terrain. I requested my team to get help and at around 7pm, 3 men volunteered to do the almost impossible job of carrying these piping hot and heavy dinner vessels down to the campground.

Though the entire weekend trip was about trekking and camping , the group kept harping on the fact that they had very high level doctors who wouldnt eat at roadside restaurants or oily food. There was also a call from a guest who wanted milk served at 8pm in the evening on such a steep terrain which is cutoff from the outside world . Frankly, we have never discussed so much about food with any of our guests because we run a campsite not a hotel.We kept wondering why such doctors would stay in tents and use pit toilets instead of staying at the Carlton. Infact there are many celebrities and executives who love the experience of eating roadside food.If you are a camper at 360 Inn you need to adjust quite a bit on the food since we operate on very demanding terrains to provide our guests one of the best camping and trekking experiences. There were also complaints about guides not knowing the way. All 360 Inn guides are 100% locals and know entire Kodai in and out.For large groups , we always have 2 guides , an older one with experience and a younger one who is able to understand some english ! On the last day the group left for the 22km long and arduous trek to Kumbakarai with our guides. The trek started at 10am from Dolphin's nose and ended at around 3:30pm at Kumbakarai falls. The only person who thanked our guides after the trip was the car driver ! This inspite of the fact that the 360 Inn team worked round the clock to meet their needs without charging anything extra, even the firewood that we provided the group for 2 days was actually meant to be used for an entire week,which is a 360 Inn principle to give our guests an overwhelming experience!

Below are photos of the campsite after the group left !

We just want to let our customers know that we are a camping / trekking outfit that specialize in nature. Food is just a necessity and we provide it through various hotels on the way .If you are very choosy about food, avoid us !!! What we do guarantee our customers is we always taste the meals provided by every vendor to make sure they are upto our standards.

One feedback we will definitely take from this experience is to thoroughly screen our customers who are interested in camping to make sure they understand their responsibility in terms of campsite awareness, conduct and attitude towards the labourers who serve them on the site.

Visiting Vellakavi with 360 Inn !

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:43:00 +0000

Sleepy villages, as much exciting as the name sounds, is used so frequently as a marketing buzzword that it has lost its significance. Kodaikanal has been called a "sleepy town" for long .

But completely hidden from the hustle/bustle of Kodaikanal is a village that has its origins more than 200 years ago, long before Kodai was formed , a village called "Vellakavi" . Vellakavi infact was the first route to Kodaikanal from Kumbakarai falls. While Kodaikanal has developed, Vellakavi still remains pristine to the extent that Vellakavi residents do not wear slippers in their village. The only way from Vellakavi to Kodaikanal is a steep and difficult 8km trek through Dolphin's nose, a path that Vellakavi villagers take to trade their agricultural produce with Kodaikanal farmers.

Last weekend, we had a young couple who wanted to celebrate their first wedding anniversary with 360 Inn ! They wanted an enjoyable, Adventurous and an insightful weekend to celebrate their happiest moment. The whole thing started off unexpectedly as an adventurous night trek to our campgrounds. Since they arrived after 7pm, they had to trek down a 250ft cliff under the cover of darkness, a great beginning to a fun-filled and adventurous weekend. Once they reached the campsite, we organized a nice and cosy campfire over which they had dinner and then happily retired into their tent .

The next day, we packed lunch and left for Vellakavi. The path to Vellakavi was quite challenging due to the rocky terrain and also due to the steep drop in altitude from 2300metres to 1200 metres. But what made the trip astounding were the amazing views of the plains and the cliff backdrop.

After travelling about 4-5 km, , we decided to leave the couple alone for a private lunch admist the valley backdrop. Myself and the guide decided to head to Vellakavi and say "hi" to the villagers. On the way we met a few villagers who were on their way to sell fruits at Kodaikanal. After spending some time at Vellakavi, we headed back to where we left the couple and had our lunch.

We headed back to Kodaikanal at 2pm and reached around 4:45pm . Inspite of the incredibly tiring experience, when we looked back at the tiny village of Vellakavi from Dolphin's nose it was a true moment to cherish for the couple for having made that trip and spending that private moment in the middle of nowhere!

Trekking Options with 360 Inn for Summer 2012 !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 02:44:00 +0000

At 360 inn we get different kinds of trekking requirements from customers. After a lot of thought we decided to categorize our treks into difficulty levels so customers can choose what they want . These treks can be done without accommodation and lunch provided wherever applicable !

Simple Treks - Customers can opt for scenic 2 hr treks (one way) to a waterfall in the jungles and come back. A total 4 hour trek which would be Rs 500 per person.

Moderate-Difficult Treks - more than 3 hour treks with steep terrains that would require significant stamina. These treks would be atleast 3 hours one way and a total of 6-7 hours. One such trek is to one of the oldest villages in Kodaikanal (without electricity) surrounded by hills without any kind of road. Such treks would cost Rs 850 per person (with lunch included) for a minimum of 15 persons.

Very Difficult Treks - All such treks would start 35kms away from Kodai town (need transportation to get there which the cost below DOES NOT INCLUDE). The trek would involve venturing through leech infested jungles, very steep terrains and would take atleast 4hours one way. The treks needs to start by 9am and end by 5pm. One such trek is to an ancients cave in Kukkal. Such treks would cost Rs 1200 per person (with lunch included) for a minimum of 15 persons.

Please quote the treks you are interested in while speaking to us or emailing us !

Forget the world with 360 Inn !

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:38:00 +0000

Well!, summer is here and iam sure many of you are booking your accommodations at Kodai. There are some who would like to book a room and then go sightseeing to the 18 tourist spots in Kodai !

And then there are those who want to experience nature at its best. Those who don't need a room but a huge piece of land with fruits, crops, bisons and endless views. Where you have your food on a banana leaf (Vazha Ellai), not a plate and drink clean crystal groundwater from a stream.Where there is neither a limit on space nor on time. If there is a limit, it is on your thirst for adventure ! If you are one such , read further !

Just imagine a life where you forget your PC/Laptop, your cell charger, your work and just head outdoors to The 360 Inn farm. Like every good thing in life needs a bit of an effort, tire yourself trekking down to the farm and see a cosy tent waiting for you.

The 360 inn team will give you a warm welcome with plums, pears, passion fruit or butter fruit from the farm orchard and will walk you through all the crops / fruits grown.

As dusk sets in, head into your tents while our team sets up a campfire next to the tent to cook your food in front of you.

Chat for a while and retire for the night watching the stars through the tent mesh !!!

Camp at the farm with 360 Inn !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:10:00 +0000

For all those people who either have accomodation in Kodaikanal city or looking to do something offbeat within city limits we are launching our "spend a day or camp a night at the farm" program. The 360 Inn team will accompany you to a farm where you can spend sometime walking around the farm understanding various crops that are cultivated seasonally and natural sources of water on the farmland. You can also walk around plum/pear orchards. We will have our farmers explain all agricultural information as needed.

Folks interested in short treks will be accompanied by our guides on a forest trek from the farmland. Others can laze around the 3 acre plot or watch our cooks prepare lunch on chullahs. You can have a nice lunch at the farm, spend sometime bird watching or look around for Bisons before you head back to your hotel.

If you want to push the envelope further and make this an adventure, we can also organise dinner at the farm by a campfire. You could have dinner and leave. Heading back from the farm would be a challenge in itself due to the steep terrain and darkness, an amazing night trek !!!

We can also take orders for specific lunch/dinner (veg and minimum 3 persons for non-veg) menu atleast one week in advance. The rates are Rs 800 per person all-inclusive for group sizes of 6 or more (includes lunch and agricultural/trekking activity) . The above rate DOES NOT INCLUDE transportation charges to the farm which is about 4kms from Kodai town. We can arrange for bicycles if you are interested ! PLEASE NOTE, for each group we only provide lunch or dinner NOT BOTH. Timings for day at the farm (10 am to 3pm) and Nights at the Farm (4pm to 9pm)

For those who want accommodation (camping tents) at the farm, the total cost per person perday would be Rs 1500 (includes 3 meals, accommodation , guide fees and trasportation to farm)

A RollerCoaster Ride with JIPMER Undergrads @ 360 Inn !

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:07:00 +0000

Anyone interested in watching videos of this trip can check the 360 Inn Facebook page.

A group of 80 undergrad students, just a day to execute the trekking programme and the institution being JIPMER !!!

We had many reasons not to take this one up (short notice, too large a group !) but just one reason for taking the challenge and that being a reference from a happy customer !!! That did it !

So, once we got a call from Mr Prassanna (JIPMER) on 22nd Jan 2012 for a trekking adventure on 23rd, we got to work assembling our team with just 24 hours to go. We decided to go with our veteran guides who have been with us for more than 3 years Mr Muthu and Mr Shivaraj.

The mandate was to take these “future doctors” deep into the jungles completely out of civilization and provide them the greatest healing of all – NATURE ! Ofcourse we still wanted to get the entire group of 80 back in one piece and so we set out on the adventure with a total of 5 guides (6 including me) to get the ratio to 13:1 .

We had instructed the group to be ready with packed lunch by 8am on the 23rd. We left for our destination in 2 buses 35 kms away from Kodaikanal town.

On the way the group had a very close sighting of a lone Bison .

Iam not describing the adventure anymore with words since as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words !!!!

Gradually watch them slide away from the luxuries of the city and getting caught offguard by the intensity of raw wilderness !!!!

AND FINALLY REACH THE POOL OF PARADISE !!!

Spot Treks with 360 Inn !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:27:00 +0000

With this newyear 360Inn is launching what we call "spot treks" . Call us from anywhere in Kodai @9486148466 and we will arrange a trek guide (during new year availability will be a bit limited !) . If you book a guide through Internet Funds Transfer to our account at least 2 days in advance our charges will be Rs 500 per person. Since 2008 when we launched 360Inn, we have always provided trekking only for guest who have stayed with us (we have made a few exceptions ofcourse!).

One such exception was for a group of 7 friends who contacted us a few days before reaching Kodai. They had already booked their accomodation in the city after which they came across our website. But after speaking to them over the phone and sensing their eagerness for trekking we decided to offer our trekking services to them.

They absolutely enjoyed the adventure as can be seen from the photos including a sighting of a dead bison ! SO feel free to contact Us@360inn.com just for trekking even if you have booked your accomodation somewhere else !

2012 Newyear Bash at the Campfire with 360 Inn !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 10:53:00 +0000

For the last few months we had been working on a few exclusive agreements to acquire farmhouses for the coming new year. However there were a few delays and we had almost given up the hope of having them operational by Newyear 2012 !

However we are happy to inform you all that we are opening up reservations for the coming new year (sorry for the late notice !) . As usual we have our team of guides who would make your new year memorable. If you are a group of no less than 10-15, please contact us and we will work out a deal that is not just mouth watering but adrenaline pumping as well !!!

The key elements of the new year bash would be night treks, dinners cooked by campfires and as usual our cosy/rustic cabins !!!

Mountain Bicycling with 360 Inn this New Year 2012 !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 05:08:00 +0000

Everyone makes new year resolutions and so do we ! Over the years our focus has always been on offering eco-friendly vacations as much as possible.

We launched 360 Inn in 2008 with simple treks. Our next step was to provide pseudo-camping experiences in rustic brick cabins. Gradually we built an experience around accomodations without electricity, just campfires and the stars (and ofcourse hot water provided for bath).

With this new year we are launching truly eco vacations with mountain biking to 360 Inn cabins. While cycling is common in many metro cities , biking through the breathtaking jungles in Kodai (along with our knowledgeable guides) and enjoying nature at your own pace on your own is an altogether different ball game.

The bicycling experience will take you though 30 kms of pure nature at its best and will give you an opportunity to ponder the past year and prepare yourself for the coming new year !

Private Waterfall Bonanzas with 360 Inn

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:56:00 +0000

Now that the Kodai peak season has come to a close, the 360 Inn season begins !!! Given the persistent rains that have just begun in Kodaikanal we are rolling out 360 Inn Waterfall bonanzas on popular requests from customers. So whats so special about 360 Inn waterfalls, you might ask ? When you type in Kodai Waterfalls in Google you will typically see the Silver Cascade falls listed. There will also be a link to 360 Inn. However when you contact us asking for a Waterfall vacation , we will deploy our human search engines who would scour every inch of Kodaikanal within a 30 km radius to identify waterfalls that meet your requirements.

The Waterfall Bonanza vacation is for those whose idea of a vacation is to spend their entire day at waterfalls. Depending on specific requests we would research and identify at least 3 different kinds of waterfalls where you could have a bath, lunch and relax untill you want to head back to 360 Inn cabins. Your lunch could be packed or cooked in front of you at the waterfall based on what you want.

360 Inn waterfalls would be classified as

View Only Waterfalls/Lake - If you would like to stay by a lake where you could possibly see wild dogs or Sambhars, we could arrange for that as well. Also, some waterfalls are so high and steep that accessing them from near quarters is pretty much impossible. You could spend an evening looking at the falls (first photo above and photo below)and hearing the sound of gushing waters from your 360 Inn cabins.

Jungle Waterfalls - Located deep in the Jungles (a 4-6 km trek). Due to their dense nature , these waterfalls are not meant for a bath. You could sit around and have lunch , explore the forests and watch around for Bisons

Bath Waterfalls - These waterfalls are good for taking bath given their flatter terrain and clearer water. Here you could spend time getting into the water and refreshening yourself. You could also have lunch at the waterfall

Please mention "Waterfall Vacations" in your subject title when you write to us so we can get back to you with specific details of your itinerary.

Two new camping experiences from 360inn.com

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:33:00 +0000

360inn.com is happy to announce 2 new camping experiences. One coupled with a homestay for beginners and the other an out-and-out camping experience deep in the woods next to a waterfall.

For more details please mail us@360inn.com.

Lost In The Kodaikanal Jungles with 360 Inn

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 07:40:00 +0000

Kodaikanal is typically associated with fond memories. However there is a dark side of this hill station that has seldom been explored. Places where a misjudgement by a few steps can make a difference between day and night. 4 friends from Chennai realized this the hard way after being lost in the jungles of Kodaikanal for an entire day. What started off as a trek turned into an adventurous battle against nature alone into the jungles.

The trek to the waterfalls about 6 kms from Kodaikanal city started off very smoothly.The only hitch was the absence of our regular guide due to unavoidable circumstances. I decided to take the group myself through the scenic but dense forest route. We left for our destination at about 10 am sharp. As we walked through the deciduous forests ( due to lack of rain) the group were thoroughly enjoying themselves basking in the sunlight piercing through the trees. The first hint of the ordeal ahead came when we wandered away from the actual path. Guides typically judge the path through the forests by looking for broken shrubs or twigs . Broken twigs indicate that someone has walked through the path earlier as a result of which the shrubs are broken (due to the foot being placed on it).Unfortunately in our case the puyal (storm) that had lashed in Kodaikanal a month back had destroyed traces of those broken twigs and hence hampered my observations. However I managed to correct myself and get the group back on track. We were delayed by 20 minutes. For the last 10 minutes we managed to reach the waterfall by listening intently to the sound of the gushing stream as we got closer. What would typically take an hour and a half took us about 2 hrs to reach. The group had a good time under the waterfall. Since it was winter the water was too cold. We decided to head back to the city after about 30 minutes.

On our way back, we had estimated it to take us the same time to get back. As we headed back the way we came a group of monkeys blocking our path. We managed to get them out of our way, we looked up at a TV tower that was about 300ft above us. Since I had seen the TV tower on our way to the waterfall I decided to keep an eye on it as an anchor for our trip back. Unfortunately in a few moments the tower was hidden behind a group of dense trees. Finding our way through the shrubs the path looked pretty much clear and straightforward to me. We found ourselves walking downslope. It struck me as pretty odd that we were going down much faster than we had gone upslope to the waterfall. But there was nothing else to rely on since other routes seemed dense and impenetrable. The thought that the rain could have destroyed other routes didn’t strike me then ! After about 45 minutes of walking , I stepped on a layer of loose mud and before I could realize I fell hard on a huge slab of stone which hit me directly on my left knee. For a moment the pain was so immense that I was pretty much sure I had a fracture. But I guess having the group of customers with me I had no choice but to get up and find a way out of this situation. We decided we will walk the path and figure out where it would take us. At a distance we could see a dilapidated stone cottage identical to the one that we have read in ‘Hansel and Gretel’ . Fortunately there was no man eating witch in this cottage. We reached a dead end after the cottage which ended in a high fence. We realized we had nowhere to go from here except about 800 ft upwards. We could now see the TV tower which was now much higher than we had seen it an hour back. Moreover I was just dragging my left leg and the pain was getting worse. The time was already 2pm . I told the group that we had no other option but to jump over the fence and climb all the way up since our side of fence was too dense to climb up. I somehow managed to climb the fence and decided to climb about 400ft above to check if there was a path. As I reached the top there was a barricade on top which was again a dead end. I signaled to the group below that we would have to climb over to the side of the fence that we had initially come from and get up from there, the side that initially we thought was dense.

All of us were too exhausted even to think if we were on the right path. We decided to focus on the TV tower and try to get as close to it as possible. After about 10 minutes of literally tearing our way through various shrubs we could see the huge fence compound of 'Mahindra Zest'. When we looked below we couldnt believe that we had climbed almost 800 ft to reach Zest. We climbed the fence and apologized to Mahindra for being trespassers. When we explained our plight to them they were kind enough to give us a bottle of water. We thanked them profusely and left !

This is one adventure that we at 360 Inn will remember for a long time !

Hiking to the temples of yore with 360 Inn

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:23:00 +0000

When we look back at the end of the current year there is a pall of gloom with all the recent terrorist attacks. As much as there is gloom there is hope!

A group of 5 friends from chennai decided to bid goodbye to the year 2008 with us @ 360 Inn. They wanted an unforgettable and memorable experience that would last a lifetime ! Last but not the least they wanted to be left alone and temporarily cut off from the outside world and venture into uncharted territory !

In the days of yore, people used to walk through miles and miles of forests to have a rendezvous with god since temples were situated far away from civilization deep in the woods ! This weekend, we set the stage for these 5 people to visit such a temple about 45 kms from Kodai city deep in the Kodaikanal jungles. Legend has it that deers and sambhars seek shelter in this temple to protect themselves from tigers and leopards !

The trek to the temple took us through dense shola forests after which we reached a clearing that led us to a mountain that we had to hike to reach our destination. We had packed our lunch since the trek was about 7 kms one way from the 360 Inn cabins and the group wanted to spend some time at the temple. On our way we came across some tiger excrement which had a nail within it which probably belonged to a deer or a sambhar. The dump being very fresh, the guide warned us we might have company if we didn't head back to our cabins before daylight!

As we reached the temple, we came across a herd of bisons grazing the vast landscape that unfolded in front of us oblivious of the stock market turmoil and the economic climate wrecking the world below! We looked at them with a sense of awe wondering how pathetic our life was compared to theirs!

The group had the opportunity to share a private moment with the almighty (that only the rich such as Amitabh Bachchan and Anil ambani seem to afford these days) admist the clouds at an altitude of 7000 ft with wild animals for company . Our guide offered us some 'Karpooram' (Camphor) and we bid goodbye to 2008 with a renewed hope for 2009 !

We just didn't look up to the gods but went up to them and got back to earth in time for the new year !

SMOT Business School Outbound Programme - Living it out rustically in the misty jungles with 360 Inn

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:25:00 +0000

In one of the most intriguing moments of this trip we were at the slippery edge of an overflowing river that we had to cross in the midst of pouring rain. Unfortunately my camera couldn't capture that river crossing moment. A slip might have cost me a fracture, a risk that i decided not to take !
A group of 40 students arrived from Chennai on the 6th Of September to live it out rustically deep in the Kodaikanal jungles. You could call it an outbound activity or an offbeat adventure. As fun as it might sound, the group was just not prepared for what they faced for the next 2 nights.

A relentless onslaught of nature's fury in the form of leeches, persistent rains, overflowing streams and slippery terrains that put to extreme test their mental strength, team work, determination and resilience.

We picked them at 10:30 am at Poombaarai village on 6th. The group was then divided into teams of 6 each after which they set out on a gruelling 17km trek to our forest cabins in a remote village. Each team was given a guide, terrain map, lunch pack and a bag of salt that they would have to rely on to get to their destination.

It was around 5pm when they reached their destination about 35 kms from Kodaikanal city tired, weary and completely exhausted ! We set up a campfire for the night and retired early. The next day, each group of 6 people was assigned a task of cooking food for their group and share common food with the whole group of 40. We supplied them with basic items such as vegetables, rice, oil grown on our agricultural farm and a few knives.

Each team had to collect their own firewood and water for cooking. To make matters worse, it started drizzling as the mist set in at noon. The teams then set out locating and cutting wood for fire and gathering water for cooking. It was fun watching them struggle against the might of nature and slowly getting to understand as to how blessed they were to get food on a platter within the comfort zones of their homes !

Infact the best learning experience was making rotis on stone though they were roasted on a tava!

On the night of the 7th September we wrapped up the adventure trip with a grand campfire session that was setup by the students themselves. Amazing team work can do wonders was the key lesson learnt !

This trip was arranged by us, 360 Inn for SMOT business school as a part of their outbound initiative

Venturing into Leech infested jungles of Kodaikanal with 360 Inn

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:57:00 +0000

There are times when so much frustration creeps into our everyday lives that we long to take off to a place where there are no signs or traces of human habitation.

Places where few or no human beings have ventured before and where even sunlight doesn't get through ! If at all there are living beings they are 'blood sucking Leeches' .

Kodaikanal is not exactly known for leeches ! On the fringes of the Indira Gandhi National Forest ( a bio-diversity nature reserve famous for tigers, bisons etc) lies a beautiful village nestled in the midst of ancient caves and the almost extinct shola forests. We are always on the lookout for village natives who have been to such places and who are very familiar with the environment since they are the ones who we have to rely upon during the trek. Last week we had a group of 4 people coming from Chennai ( 2 men and 2 women).

They were looking for a fairly adventurous trek . So we decided we will take them into a few areas that were unexplored.

On 12th of June , we were ready for our rendezvous with a guy who was known for his familiarity with trekking terrains that were not just adventurous but dangerous as well.

On that day, he was performing the wedding ceremonies for his niece whose marriage was to take place the next day. At 10:30 am we saw a short, 70 year old man walk towards us with a sickle in one hand and an umbrella on the other . We almost fell off when we got to know that he was our guide, the guy whom we had to rely on if any calamities befell us. All our apprehensions regarding his capabilities were dispelled when we saw him walk and the way he cut branches to make way for us through the forest ! Here was a guy who was creating a path, making his way through the forest using calculated guesses that only management consultants are known for ! I was amazed by his confidence and his quick pace that was difficult for us to keep up with. We were around the 30s and he around the 70s.

The initial part of our journey was fine and quite scenic and i found myself wondering if this trek was really adventurous as i had thought it would be, until we hit a road which we had to cross. Beyond the road was a forest with thick undergrowth of trees that didnt seem to have any kind of path within it. The man turned and warned us that from now on, we would have to be ready to face a steady but relentless onslaught of leeches and then smiled at us. We were not very sure if he was joking since we had shoes while he was walking with a bare bathroom chappal. When we mentioned this to him he remarked that the leeches would come on to us and not him ! Soon we headed into the thick undergrowth. With every step the forest got denser and denser and the man ahead of us was cutting his way through the trees to get us deeper. All of a sudden we could see tiny 'snail-like' creatures crawling on us . Every time we warded off one, 10 others would crawl up. Inspite of the man helping us, a few in the group were terrified.

After trekking about 7 kms the women in the group realized that the going would only get tougher since it was a 15 km trek one way and decided to head back to the cabin . Though the guys in the group were disappointed there was no choice.

We discussed our options at the campfire at night. We could either go for a regular trek the next day which was an option that the guys were not too happy with it. The second option was for the women to go on a short trek with one of our guides while us guys would get back to face the leeches with a well planned strategy. We decided on the latter.

So the next day we filled our backpacks with salt bags since they were the only way to counter leech attacks. Ofcourse none of us had really any experience with leeches. We just figured we can pull it off. Atleast if we could do it we would know how leeches would react to salt. We walked down to the village to meet our man who had a sarcastic smile on him. As usual, he had a sickle and an umbrella with him. He suggested that since the women weren't around we might as well go on another trek right into the Indira Gandhi national forest which would be much more adventurous than the previously day's trek. His philosophy was that risk didnt matter since god had already written everyone's place and time of death ! Having known this guy's skills we decided to go ahead with it come what may. Moreover, i own a beautiful plot on this route about 15 kms in the forest which has a beautiful waterfall. We decided to head there.

The site at the waterfall was amazing. Due to the rainy seasons the water was gushing in with full force and we were having a lot of fun! On our route back we decided to take a shorter route back to the cabin since we were getting late. Just as we started heading back we saw a stretch of sand next to the waterfall on which there were several leeches crawling around. We removed our salt bags and poured a little salt on one of them to see how the leeches would react. Leeches typically grow long as they suck blood . But when we dropped salt on them they started to curl up and after about 5- 10 minutes lay lifeless curled in a fetal position. As we headed back we saw several leeches under our foot which we ignored. Our man instructed us to walk fast so the leeches would not have enough time to crawl onto us. After a few miles having left the thick undergrowth we removed our shoes to check. I had 2 leech bites on my foot. Luckily the leech had fallen down and there was very less loss of blood.

As we were exhausted and tired i had a jeep pick us up and drop us back to the cabin. On the way we came face to face with a group of bisons grazing in the forests. We took a snap and headed back to our cabin.

Life does suck sometimes, leeches do always !

Kodaikanal Village visits with 360 Inn

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Sun, 04 May 2008 05:59:00 +0000

Last weekend, we had a group of 4 from Bangalore. Unlike our previous customers, this group was visiting Kodaikanal for the first time. Though they were quite keen on an eco vacation (camping and trekking) they were also interested in visiting a few regular tourist spots. I thought this was an interesting opportunity for 360 Inn to provide a very contrasting picture of two different aspects of Kodaikanal, one being regular tourism and the other being offbeat adventures.

Given their short trip to Kodaikanal ( reaching on saturday morning and leaving sunday evening) and their love for the outdoors we picked them up from the bus stand on the 3rd and headed immediately for a 4km forest trek to Vattakanal falls. I could really feel their passion for the outdoors seeing them enjoy their bath in the waterfalls. I realized this was what they wanted, a perfect eco vacation ( taking bath not in a bathroom in a resort but under a waterfall). We then headed to a few tourist places. By afternoon the traffic in Kodai was at its peak , much worse than in Bangalore. Having shown our guests the 'not so interesting' part of Kodaikanal we decided it was time to show them what we do best, what we felt they would love.

At about 5:00 pm on saturday, six of us ( 4 in the group and my guides) left for a quaint village nestled in the hills about 30 km inside the Kodaikanal jungles. We had arranged for them to stay in a cabin about 2 kms from the village. The cabins, which are on a hilltop, do not have any electricity and are equipped with neat western style bathrooms outside. Nights are spent around a campfire and each room has a set of candles to find your way within your room. We will ofcourse have a torch for you to navigate or trek around the place during the night. Any other amenities such as food and drinks (soft drinks/alcohol) would be arranged for by 360 inn from the village itself. We always have 2 people accompanying our guests ( one person takes care of your preferences while the other is your trekking guide).

Coming back to the trip, our guests arrived at their destination at around 8pm and had dinner at the village to get a taste of the traditional village food. This is an experience that no resort can offer. The food at villages is so different from the usual food that one gets at resorts. Each village has its own gastronomic idiosyncracy that is very difficult to imbibe staying in a typical resort. Moreover, the innocence and warmth of these villagers gives such a homely touch ! On the way back to the cabin from the village our guests were lucky to spot a few bisons grazing at the nearby farm. After an hour long chat at the campfire they retired for the night .

The next day we had organized a 6 hour long trek (11km one way) to the next village and back. This trek would take us through the beautiful countryside with all its streams, waterfalls and forests. On the way we came across a dead owl. Our guide also showed our guests lemon scented grass and other forms of kodai specific vegetation. Ofcourse there is always a chance of spotting a bison or a leopard.

360 Inn village visits are a unique experience where you can watch the lifestyles of villagers from close quarters. You also get to enjoy the solitude of such surroundings (undisturbed by the outside world) in remote cabins where the only lights and sound you will hear will be that of fireflys and night creatures. Ofcourse our team @ 360 Inn will always stand by onsite with you to make sure you dont miss out on the 'necessary evils' of city life such as food and drinks (including alcohol) !

Sometimes it is great to be kept in the dark !

360 Inn introduces camping in the Kodaikanal jungles, not for the faint hearted !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:07:00 +0000

For all you backpackers and nature enthusiasts out there, how about a camping experience? We realize that many of our customers are still new to camping. So we are introducing a pseudo camping experience in Kodaikanal where you will stay in the middle of a reserve forest in a "no frills" forest cottage and the only sounds you will hear are the soft rippling sound of water from the nearby lake, the sounds of the night creatures and an occasional roar of a wild bison/wild cat with just a few forest guards lodging nearby!!! And how about waking up to the sound of birds chirping , taking long walks in the early morning mists, far away from the maddening crowds , walking barefoot on the moist grass, taking bath in the cool lake water, basking in the mild sun, exploring acres of forest land with no signs of human habitation?????

About 30kms from kodaikanal lies a beautiful lake inside a reserve forest- a large fresh water natural lake which is far more beautiful and exotic than the now crowded kodai lake. The entry into this forest is restricted .

However we can get you permissions to stay overnight in a no-frills forest cottage with no electricity or running water (just the lake) where you will forget about all such “inconveniences” when you look out of the window and see the mountains and the lake beckoning you to explore and discover yourself!! We will also organize day/night treks deep into the forest where all you have to rely upon is your senses and our knowledgeable guide who has stayed in this reserve forest for 35 years! We can also arrange for a cook to serve you meals. But ofcourse you are free to make your own food over a bon-fire!

This is strictly for the adventurous and especially for those souls who have had enough of the regular touristy vacations and just want to camp and trek untill they drop!!! The only warning is you may not want to go back to your hum-drum existence in the city!!!

Some rules for camping:
1. Please act responsibly.
2. Do not litter, plastic is banned and please collect all your refuse back to the town for disposal
3. The place is frequented by wild bisons, wild cats etc. You are responsible for your safety. Please respect wildlife and they will do likewise

us @360inn.com

Trekking with 360 Inn last weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:59:00 +0000

We would like to give you all a first hand account of the trek last weekend.

First of all, its great to know that our customers are finding us. In the last few weeks we have had customers calling 360 Inn regarding trekking in Kodaikanal. Most of them have been to Kodaikanal earlier and were looking for something to do in Kodai other than the usual. As i had said earlier we were very clear when we started 360 Inn that our value proposition would be "showcasing aspects of Kodai other than tourism". Nice to know we are being found by people who want exactly that.

This weekend we had four youngsters from Bangalore. These guys had called us up five days before their arrival date in Kodaikanal as we had specified in the 360Inn blog ( we prefer this to tailor the trip to your needs). They had been to kodaikanal before and were looking for something adventurous for 2 days. Having got their specific requirements ( total trekking round trip of about 20km), we decided to explore a few terrains in Kodai ourselves. Unfortunately some of our work was hampered by the relentless showers in Kodai. So we had to also keep in mind how the trek paths could be affected by showers on the day of the trek.

In Kodaikanal, trekking is organized by guides who are controlled by a union. Moreover, there are very few guides who have access to routes that are pristine and jaw dropping. So organizing a trek is not so much about finding trekking routes as it is about finding the right guide. Luckily we have a network of local people who cover 90% of trekking routes in Kodaikanal. We ourselves try to explore new routes to cover the remaining.

On the day of arrival of these 4 youngsters from Bangalore our usual guide had a minor accident for which he had to be hospitalized! We had just about half an hour to get things in place before our customers arrived on the morning of 5th april 2008 . I had to make a few frantic phone calls to get hold of a guide. Moreover, i had to explain to him that we needed a terrain that was challenging enough for these youngsters , a trek that would require them to give all they had , an experience that they would consider worth coming back to Kodaikanal ! I was not very sure if i had convinced the guide, but decided to take a chance by dangling a carrotful of promises that i would employ him in the future if he could deliver.

Sharp at 10:15am on the 5th April 2008, we met our customers at the gate over which we had to jump to begin our trek ! I will not be able to describe anything beyond this in words. But iam sure the above pictures would help !

We had initially planned for 2 days of trekking and some sight seeing. But the guys were so exhausted after the trek that they decided to cancel other activities for the day unless i could offer them something as good as or better than the trek did. And iam sure they knew the answer to it and hence headed to their room for the rest of the day.

Sometimes i look back and wonder about my transition from the corporate environment (product management) and how different the experiences are. But the more i think of it the more iam convinced of the fact that at the end of the day i do the same job which is to address customer requirements wherever they come from. And what makes my job better here is the fact that i have full flexibility in doing what it takes to deliver what the customer expects and have immense satisfaction seeing them tired and exhausted after a literally "breathtaking" trek.

And mind you, i try to make it to every trek with my customers to get a feel for what they expect ! I have always been a 'hands-on' product manager :-)

360 Inn

noreply@blogger.com (Shyam) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 01:56:00 +0000

Our backgrounds

Just a glimpse into our backgrounds. I, Shyam Krishnamurthy, quit a lucrative job as a product manager of a software firm in Bangalore before packing my bags to Kodaikanal. My wife is a self-practicing chartered accountant who was born and brought up in Mumbai.

Why 360 Inn?

So why 360 Inn? 360 inn was founded on the concept that vacations need to be as insightful as they are adventurous and enjoyable. With 360 Inn we hope to bring back those precious and nostalgic memories associated with sleepy towns such as Kodaikanal where you will spend your nights camping in luxury under the stars, wake up to the sound of gushing waterfalls and trek across foggy villages tucked away in the scenic mountains.

Your daytrips will be tailored to your unique interests. We will however focus on aspects of Kodaikanal that have rarely been explored, the beautiful villages nestled in this hill station, camping outdoors and trekking activities within Kodaikanal.

So we call ourselves the 360 Inn, your 'old style' countryside home against a 360 degree backdrop of endless valleys and dense forests where you get to unwind listening to the silent hum of nature. We see this as a small contribution from our side to the global efforts in building awareness on the importance of natural landscapes, alternate lifestyles and bio-diversity spots.

What we don’t do

Rather than give you a list of services that we provide, we thought it had be better if we tell you what we DO NOT provide. We love Kodaikanal NOT FOR its so called 'exotic' tourist locales but FOR its simple lifestyle. We WILL NOT undertake trips to regular tourist places that Kodaikanal is 'supposedly' famous for. But if you are still interested in visiting regular tourist spots we would be glad to recommend a few hotels that provide excellent accommodation and tasty food.

How can we help?

We believe planning a vacation is a very personal choice and involves a primary question - "What do you enjoy doing? " The secondary aspects regarding your accomodation, food and travel are things that we will take care of based on your preferences. What this essentially means is, we take care of all logistics so you can enjoy your vacation without having to bother about going in for a 3Night/4Day package in a specific hotel which leaves no scope for any kind of activity like camping or trekking.

What can we bring to the table, you might ask? We understand the needs of city dwellers having spent most of our years in the city. On the other hand, we realize that all of you have a pretty busy schedule which makes it very difficult for you to research and organize a good vacation. We will do it for you in the same way as you would do it for yourself. We hope to use our professional background in delivering an experience that not just meets your expectations but exceeds it! Last but not the least, we share a very special relationship with village locals and natives as a result of which we have access to places in Kodaikanal that are pristine and unknown to the outside world.

If you are interested in planning your vacation with us, we would request you to call us 5 days before your trip so we clearly understand your holiday preferences. Based on this we will prepare a detailed itinerary which will include accommodation and a list of activities during your stay in Kodaikanal. As i said before, our goal is to deliver a Kodai experience that is enjoyable (a nice place to stay outdoors or indoors), adventurous (activities during your vacation, hiking or trekking or sightseeing) and insightful (a valuable perspective of the kodai lifestyle, its agricultural diversity and the supporting eco-system).

Do count on us ! We have been let down before and know very well how it feels !

If the following is your idea of a good vacation,

Honeymooners, Trekkers and Campers who would like to enjoy their stay here far away from the crowds and the nagging agents in Kodai city

Organizations interested in planning an adventure for your employees

Schools that would like to offer an insightful experience for your students

Anyone who would like to throw an exclusive party to celebrate a specific occasion such as an anniversary or a new year

you are almost at the right place (literally though, you need to be WITH US in Kodai )!!!

Having been tourists ourselves, we have often been frustrated by dubious agents and the unrelenting crowds, the very reason we escaped city life to come to the hills. So we decided we will focus on providing a vacation experience that is

Insightful

Rather than seeing typical tourist spots that have lost their significance, we will offer a glimpse into the lifestyles and cultures of the 30-40 villages nestled in the Kodaikanal hills. If you are interested we will work with village locals so you can
stay at specific villages and understand their life from close quarters

One aspect of Kodaikanal that has rarely been explored is its agricultural diversity. Every village, due to its unique climactic characteristics, supports the growth of a variety of vegetables and fruits such as potato, carrot, beans, peer, plum etc. You can spend a couple of days trying your hand at farming or visiting organic farms

Vegetation in Kodaikanal also comprises trees that are a source for products such as sandalwood, mint (to name a few) as well as flowers that are very rare to find. We will get you knowledgeable guides who are specialists in this field.

Adventurous

Having worked with most of the locals and native people in Kodai we are aware of all routes within the hill station.

Trekking - Depending on how adventurous you are we will prepare an appropriate trekking plan for you.

Village to Village - If interested, you can hop from village to village on foot. We will provide you a trekking guide

Enjoyable

We will offer you outdoor accommodation far away from the city where you get to see the "real" kodaikanal with its lush forests and misty mountains.

Camping - We will provide all equipment that you will need for camping like tents, sleeping bags, blankets. Other games such as carom boards or chess

New year, honeymoon, anniversary - having been in Bangalore and Mumbai we realize how much all of you miss those old days when you used to throw a new year or anniversary bash. We want to bring those das back to you with an element of SURPRISE (if you want to surprise your significant other!!). We will set things up according to your preferences to make your bash memorable

A few interesting tidbits about Kodaikanal

This section will be updated regularly

Do you know that local women in Kodaikanal can walk down a a 80 degree slope (full of rocks) while holding a pot over their head and on bare feet

Locals travel average distances of about 30km per day by foot

There is a restaurant “Cloud Nine" that serves amazing pizzas and pastas