Last month, on a sunday (02-Feb-2014), we went for Hogenakkal from Bangalore. We started from Byrasandra, Bangalore at around 9:00 Hrs IST. We took Bangalore-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri-Hogenakkal route.
There were two toll gates on this route. One at Attibele and the other near Krishnagiri. We were charged Rs. 40 at the Attibele toll gate and Rs. 85 at the Krishnagiri toll gate. These fares were for a to-and-fro journey.
We had to wait for around 1hour for my brother to join us at the Attebele toll gate. Also we took a short break at Sri Krishna Inn. It is on the left of NH7 towards Dharmapuri. It should be at the ~22th Km from Hosur. This is a perfect stopping where you would find fuel pumps, McDonalds, Sri Krishna Inn and good restrooms.
Then we spotted a limo car while we were at the Krishnagiri toll gate. We reached the entry to Pennagaram entry around 12:45 Hrs IST. The odometer clocked 176 Kms. We paid an entry fee of Rs. 30 there.
We reached the Hogenakkal around 13:15 Hrs IST. The odometer reading was 188 Kms. When we were entering the Hogenakkal, some people stopped our car in the middle of the road for collecting the parking fee.
Here is a catch and one should be aware of the parking in Hogenakkal. In Hogenakkal, there are two parkings. One adjacent to the bus-stand and the other is 'Hotel Tamil Nadu's pay and use vechice parking'.
The parking fee they collect is for the parking adjacent to the bus-stand. If the parking is full there, then we have to find parking in 'Hotel Tamil Nadu's pay and use vechice parking'. And the parking fee we pay at the Hogenakkal entry won't work here. Here we have to pay again for the parking. If we don't find the parking in 'Hotel Tamil Nadu's pay and use vechice parking' either, then we have to park the car on the road-side for which the parking fee is not required.
Since I had already read about this, from internet, I told those guys that I am going to park my vehicle in Hotel-TamilNadu's parking and hence I don't want to pay them. Then they told that the Hotel-TamilNadu's parking is full, we cannot park there and hence asked to pay them. Replying them that I shall pay where I was provided with the car parking, I just took the car from that point.
Went inside Hogenakkal and found crowded. We couldn't find parking anywhere. Waited for around half-an-hour and parked the car inside the parking area adjacent to the bus-stand.
It was around 14:00 Hrs IST. We decided to have lunch. We had packed lunch from home. So we searched for a place to have the lunch. We found Aaranya Park to be a good place for that. From the bus-stand walk towards the main falls and you will find this park on your left-side at aroud 500 metres.
Inside the Aaranya park, there were small tents with round dining table and seats made of stone inside. And there was water facility also. Cleanliness was a little concern. But it was manageable. Had the lunch there. There was an entry fee of Rs. 5 per person.
Opposite to the Aaranya park, there is children's park. There was an entry fee of Rs. 5 per person. The parks were very poorly maintained. Not worth for spending time.
From there, we walked towards the main falls. On the way, we were approached by the coracle riders. We avoided them there and went towards the hanging bridge. There was an entry fee of Rs. 5 per person and camera fee of Rs. 10 for the hanging bride.
The view from the hanging bridge was very good. Then we walked past the hanging bridge towards the main falls. On the way towards main falls there are many view points of the falls.
Then comes the 'Cine Sitra-aruvi' falls where people were taking bath under the falls. It is a small falls and is very safe. My brother took bath there. There was an fee of Rs. 5 to get through it. Even though the ticket they gave says that the fee is for taking bath, they were collecting for all people who crosses the 'Cine Sitra-aruvi' falls. We had to cross that falls to see the main falls.
We reached the spot from where we were able to see the main falls. There was an watch tower from where we could see the entire falls area. This time there were very few falls here and there. It would be a spectacular view when there is full water flowing on all the falls.
Down below the watch tower, we started for a coracle ride on the river. They charged Rs 800 for us. We were 5 adults and a 2 year old child. The boatman took us near to falls. As I had already read from internet, I was having a plastic bag covering the car keys and wallet.
The boatman told us that the depth under water would be around 40ft. It was really a thrilling experience to have the coracle ride between the rocks.
On the way through the rocks, we saw a person standing on the rock mimicking the actions of popular cine actors. The boatman told that the guy is dumb by birth. He comes here daily, and does something to attract the tourists for money.
Then we found localites standing on the sides of the river selling fried fishes. We bought some fried fishes. The fishes were very fresh and tasty. Also the fishes very cheap. They charged Rs. 20 per piece/fish.
It was a 45 minutes ride. Though felt little unsafe without life-jacket, it was a memorable ride.
On our way to car parking, we had parotta and fish at a local shop there. They charged Rs 15 for a parotta and Rs 40 for a fried fish piece.
It was 19:00 Hrs IST, when we started from Hogenakkal. We followed the same route Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri-Hosur-Bangalore. There was huge traffic at Krishnagiri toll gate. It was around 21:15 Hrs IST, when we reached Hosur. At Hosur, I had to send off my family members to our native. Then we started to Bangalore. It was around 23:30 Hrs IST when we reached my home at Byrasandra.
Distance Metrics
The distance metrics mentioned below are based on my car's (Ford Figo) odometer.
- Bangalore (Byrasandra) to Dharmapuri = ~144 Kms
- Bangalore (Byrasandra) to Hosur = ~45 Kms
- Hosur to Dharmapuri = 99 Kms
- Dharmapuri to Hogenakkal = ~44 Kms
In total, we travelled ~380 Kms for this tour.
Directions
- From Bangalore take the road-NH7 to Dharmapuri.
- At Dharmapuri take right to Hogenakkal. There is no need to get into Dharmapuri. The deviation is from NH7 itself. It should be at ~99th Km from Hosur.
Points to take care
- The road was good all the way. But there were some diversions in the Hosur-Krishnagiri stretch of NH7 due to road construction.
- The Dharmapuri to Hogenakkal stretch was also good. But it was single lane road.
- We started from Hogenakkal around 19:00 Hrs IST. And we found more traffic on NH7 (Dharmapuri to Bangalore). We took around 2 hours and 15 minutes to reach Hosur. You too can expect the same if you are to start at the same time as that of us.
- Pay the car parking fee only where you park your car. Don't pay the car parking fee at the entrance of Hogenakkal.
- Pack your lunch to Hogenakkal. You won't find any decent hotels around mainly for vegetarians.
- If you are fish lover, better buy fishes from the people you find when you are in coracle ride. Those fishes are fresh, tasty and cheaper.
- Be careful while you enjoy the scenary of Hogenakkal falls. Though it may excite you getting closer to the falls, it is very dangerous also. Read http://hogenakkalstories.blogspot.in/2010_01_01_archive.html.
- There you will always find drunken groups and broken bottles. So take care.
- The coracle riders may exploit you. The actual rate for an hour coracle ride will come around Rs 700. So bargain as much as you can.
Tolls and entry fees
- There was only two tolls we paid for the entire journey.
- One toll at Attibele (Rs 40 for two way)
- The other near Krishnagiri (Rs 85 for two way)
- Pennagaram entry fee Rs 30.
- At Hogenakkal,
- Aranya Park entry fee Rs 5 per person.
- Children Park entry fee Rs 5 per person.
- hanging bridge entry fee Rs 5 per person and camera fee of Rs 10.
- Cine Sitra-aruvi falls entry fee Rs 5 per person.
Total expenses
- The total expenses for a family of 5 adults and a child of two years old came around Rs. 2700. This includes diesel expense, coracle ride, tolls, entry fees, camera fee, snacks and drinks.
