How I spent my Christmas holidays travelling , camping and meeting fellow riders around South of India without spending much.

This December holiday went on a 9 day ride with no fixed plan to the south of India. Had no money for another ride so few friends kind enough to host me at few places and camped elsewhere. Hope you like the pictures.

Due to long weekend, the usual route was crowded with tourists. So took the less travelled road via Sathyamangalam forest.

About two years before I stopped at the same place. But it was summer back then n no sign of green.

Himalayas hold the first place for the mountains in India. However western ghats of India in the south is no less either.

Clean roads and green routes via Sathyamangalam forest

Whenever I had to stop for a break, i try to get away from the main road so that no noise of highways.

Colorful fields

Majestic Kava island

Nelliyampathi forest

Kava viewpoint for Malamphuza dam

My beloved 'tourer'

Grand view

Few teens posing for photo while I was busy clicking my bike.

Beautiful roads

Hills in the backdrop

Always loved to click pictures of mighty mountains with my motorcycle.

A friend hosted me in Kochi and took me around for some crazy offroad trails. One of the thing I wanted to do in the ride is not to visit the known places however popular they are. This is one of such place. Ulupooni, Vagamon

My friend on his Himalayan was behind me and I got stuck on my duke for an instant. He stopped but couldn't balance. This is when he dropped his bike.

Once we pass the treacherous trail this was a super smooth trail. I know they are not offroad tyres. However the reason im still stuck with this tyres is that we dont get much offroad trails here. To do this about few km trail we have to ride on tarmac for 100km or more

Ulupooni trails

Few water stream crossing.

After running few trails, i parted ways with them and went further south alone.

Met these two bikers on hero impulse, modded perfectly for the offroads. They took me in and become partners for next few days.

Few forest runs

Local school for infants served us water when we were thirsty and stranded. Lovely people.

Duke with impulses

Tamarind trees all along the tamiland roads. We were heading to their friends farm where we planned to camp for next two days.

Green paddy fields

Village scenes.

This is the hotel my friends stayed with an view to the Periyar tiger reserve forest. Mornings were bliss here. This is the only proper hotel stay in the entire trip.

Camped at the farm somwhere near Dindigul

The caretakers of the farm would provide tender coconuts in the morning. Btw did you notice the transalp?

Gear lever on my bike got cut while getting down from a offroad trail which we did near the farm. Managed on the 1st gear till getting down. A friend who was riding to the same farm got the parts from the nearest service centre.

This was after the offroad trail. Two bikes were broken by then.

This one on the impulse! It did a complete u turn!

The offroad trail took us to this secluded water pool.

Village tea shop

This and other Chippapara dogs were company at the farm. They are hunting dogs, extremely cautious but at the same time very friendly.

Started my journey back home after an unplanned ride through one of the forest route which was famous for elephants. Mannarakkad - Attapadi-Mully - Ooty-Bangalore

Attapadi reserve forest

Tried to go in few village routes on the way.

Mornings were bliss.

Few rewarding places while on the way. And finally I was back in bangalore.

Met two bikers on the way and took a picture of them earlier. At the next stop they took mine while I was on phone :)