A trip to Hebri, Karnataka, India

So my friend you are also looking for a trip away from the crowd of Bangalore, if yes then this is the right place to get the information,
however if your answer is no: Still you will get valuable information.

The information is divided in below menus:
1) Introduction
2) How to go, road connectivity
3) Places of attractions and details that we have visited
4) Where to stay and charges
5) Coming back


1) Introduction
This time we planned for a Trip to HEBRI, a small town near UDUPI, Karnataka. Basically it is famous for "Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary"
which is located in Udupi district. Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary has evergreen forests. If you are lucky you can see few wild animals
there but Reptiles and birds are common and for that you do not need to be lucky. This place is famous for "Water Rafting" and "Forest
Trekking". Near by places are UDUPI (MALPE BEACH, St. Mary Island) and MANIPAL.

2) How to go, road connectivity
Nearest Airport: Mangalore
Nearest Railway station: Udupi, Shimoga
Road: Hebri (Someshwara Wildlife sanctuary) is well connected by road network. From Bangalore we reached there via Shimoga, Tirthahalli
and Agumbe.

3) Places of attractions and details that we have visited
* Water Rafting (White water rafting: means monsoon water which is neat and clean and white)
* Forest Trekking
* Manipal
* Sea beaches near Udupi
* Udupi temples etc.

We went on Monsoon time in July month. We left Bangalore at 05:30 Morning on 7-July-2012 (Saturday). We were total "9" persons in two cars.
Since it was monsoon time, there were lush green scenery everywhere while traveling. We stopped at few places for tea/coffee or having some
rest. Please check pic below:

We reached at Sanctuary (Hebri) around 14:00 PM. We had booked 4 Tents/Dormitory inside forest through an agency, that I have described later.
It was really good house cum tent inside Forest but don't expect luxury like AC, TV, Fridge etc. We had lunch there and went for River Rafting.
The starting point for river rafting was within 100 Meters of the Tent/Dormitory house.

One more friend joined there who was a relative of our friend, so we became total 10 People. We boarded two Rafts, that you have to carry on
your shoulders till River starting point. The Agency will arrange one instructor cum savior ((it was a Nepali) for each raft and then your
Rafting starts. I remind Rafting means boating in river. You will be given water Jackets (life jackets) which will not let you sink down in-case
you get down in river water. So we pumped air into RAFTs, picked our Helmets and then instructor gave some command to us: do and don't do :-).
So we started at around 14:45 PM and then went down for some around 15 KM, finishing around 17:30 PM. Guide informed us about the places where
we can get into water to swim across the river. So we got down into River at few places and took few pics in water. With Life Jacket you are completely
safe and if scared keep holding a rope which will be in BOAT/RAFT that instructor will tell you. The river is deep around 15/20 feet hopefully, but we
didn't measure it. But at few places stones, tree branches were there too. Check pic below:

Now once that is done, we came back on Agency's vehicle to our tents, had some rest and then went to MANIPAL (yeah you got it right, it is famous for
Manipal University). Till then it was around 19:30 PM, we stopped at TIGER Circle opposite to Manipal University main gate. Our boss, oh I forgot to
mention his name: the whole trip was planned by him only. His name is Akshathkumar Shetty, a photographer too (apart from our technical boss). Almost
all the pictures are taken by him only and with his Water Proof Camera. So we had some BADA PAV and some Mirch Pakauda there. After that we went to
"Lover's point" (also called End point) in Manipal (and you know what Lover's point mean :-) ). We saw few couple and you know in which positions :-)..
But most of them were invisible in night.

Then we returned back to our tents in night, had some Soft drinks :-) and slept. One day and night is over.

Next day (Sunday) we had to do FOREST TREKKING, so early morning we started at 7:30 after having some tea and snacks. This forest trekking was really
awesome. Trekking is basically wondering inside a deep forest where there are no proper roads. So our agency's vehicle dropped us at the beginning of
forest and we started moving inside forest. Till 1 KM it was normal journey then suddenly LEECHES/Leaches started appearing. These LEECHES are like EARTH
WORM but in most cruel and rude form of them. It jumps and stick to your body and starts sucking blood like anything. As a precaution our agency had given
each of us a cloth having SALT (NAMAK ki POTLI). This POTLI works for removing those bloody LEECHES as salt works as deterrent for them. Actually LEECHES
are the worst hindrance for this complete Forest trekking and you can't avoid them. It moves inside your cloth, socks and you have to keep removing them
without stopping by in Jungle. Once you stop, many others will attack you. By the way I remind these leeches will suck your blood only and they are completely
harmless, but no doubt they look horrible and bad. I had given few pic of them too below.

So after wondering and fighting these wormy creatures for around Two and half hours we finally heard the voice of WATERFALL, I mean landed at "SEETHA/SITA RIVER FALL"
which was our destination. Unfortunately I was not aware about where we were going, so I kept on asking our team manager to move back after Two hours as were
getting tired. But at the end: Wow, what a beautiful water fall scene. Since it is difficult to reach, no one else was there. It was our team only who got this
opportunity to enjoy. Check the pic below:

So After spending some another Two hours, we finally decided to come back. Again same leeches, same route and then finally came back. You can also see
few Snakes and birds inside the forest, but hardly they come on your way. While returning we saw again few people going to WATER FALL again, but these
guys had used some CASTOR oil and powder and were bare foot. This is another way to avoid leeches but bare foot walking into Forest is dangerous. However
our team members had shoe, socks, T-shirts and Short Pants. We saw a super man too who was without all these accessories excluding inner garments :-) .
If you wear Jeans, try to cover bottom portion by covering with socks, so that leach won't go inside. But even they will go inside very well, it is just
for putting an extra protection layer. By the way because of this only Forest Trekking is not for Faint heartened people. See pic below of leeches:

So then we came back and our team manager (boss) took us to his home. It was really good home like a dream home that an NRI or Bangalorean dream
for after retirement. It was away from City and a kind of Farm house. We had good lunch there and then went to see some of his farms and another
old home. It was something you are going to your native place and see the village. By seeing the farm I can say he is really a landlord there.

4) Where to stay and charges
We booked our package through an agency, details can be seen here:
http://www.adreno.org/home.html

The charges are listed in the above site itself. However we paid around 5750/- per head for 2 night stay, Rafting and Trekking. It may vary time to time.

5) Coming back
Next day, it was Monday, an office working day but we took leave the same day itself. No approval was required as manager himself was with us :-).
Early morning around 7:00 AM we left for Bangalore. This time we went to "KAPU BEACH" near Mangalore. It is on the way to Bangalore via Mangalore.
It is really a beautiful sea beach having a LIGHT house installed by government, check pic below:

Once we finished that, we stopped at Mangalore, had some breakfast and left for Bangalore. Our breakfast included "3 in 1 Dosa" and then one GADBAD
icecream :-). I am sorry, the name really is GADBAD icecream. We saw a church too in Mangalore, it is a beautiful and famous church, please check pic below:

Then we started for Bangalore. On the way we had a tea at one place which was very famous. The tea color itself will tell you. Check pic below:

At the end: It was really an adventurous journey for us. For more photos, you can check this link, posted by our team manager:
https://plus.google.com/photos/100027383905187228122/albums/5762383932202319345?authkey=CMCX7-7ohJTRBA

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