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India Travelogues: Travel diaries, journals, personal travel experiences & impressions of people and places that bring India alive

Home > Travelogues > Jog Falls > Mumbai - Jog Falls - Vitla (near Mangalore)

Mumbai - Jog Falls - Vitla (near Mangalore)

Travelogue on Jog Falls, Karnataka

By:Deepak Amembal | Read more Travelogues by this Member
Posted on: Aug 26, 2007
Views : 716
Rank : 7 / 10
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Deepak Amembal

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Pictures of the picturesque Jog Falls had beckoned. We responded by setting out at 0530hrs on Independence Day. The weather was perfect for a long drive and the highway – NH4 - was very supportive too.

Being a national holiday the traffic was very sparse, increasing my driving pleasure.

Have always considered myself a very sedate driver, indulging in enjoying the scenery and firmly believing in the drive rather than the destination. Hence, I was rather surprised at the speed at which we reached Belgaum. We were there at 1300hrs, ready for lunch! Got off the exit and drove down to an old favorite – Ramdev International for a sumptuous South Indian thali. Surprises never cease! The two thalis cost Rs.60/- only!
Got back onto the highway and soon were in Hubli, the place where I had intended to take a night halt, but as it was rather early, decided to move on to Sirsi and cut down on our drive time to Jog Falls next morning. The GQ was still under construction in places between Hubli and Harihar and it showed. As we handed over our toll pass at the Hubli check post, there was total chaos with plenty of diversions and total lack of signage. Whatever signage that existed was in Kannada only. Fortunately for me I was accompanied by my Kannada enabled wife, without whom the journey would have been miserable! Soon we spotted a tiny cutoff for Mundgod and Sirsi. Somehow, I thought that the ‘road’ lacked the approach necessary for mighty Jog, so asked the chaiwala at the turning whether that road actually led anywhere. With great enthusiasm, he nodded vigorously and directed us to go ahead. Just then there was a passerby who had stopped by listening in to our conversation and with equal vigor he shook his head and told us not to take that route as the stretch between Mundgod and Sirsi was closed due damage by heavy rain. We were then redirected to go to Sirsi via Hangal.

This road was a single laned road right through to about 10kms from Sirsi where it broadened a bit to 1 and ½ lane. This drive was a drive down the ages where time is of no consequence.

The pace is gentle and time just trickles.
Reached Sirsi around 1800hrs and checked in at Hotel Shivani (KSTDC approved). Got a huge room with a TV for under Rs.500/-. The staff at the Hotel was very friendly and courteous but the food was not. The weather was very pleasant. It had just rained so the aroma of wet soil lingered in the cool air.
Since Jog was just an hour’s drive from Sirsi, we set out leisurely at 0730hrs. We were advised to visit Sri Marikamba Temple on the way and have breakfast in a restaurant just opposite the temple. The ‘Medu-Vadas’ were heavenly.

The winding road through the Jog forest all the way to Jog was soothing. Reached Jog in an hour and joined the long line of parked vehicles.

The ‘falls’ were a bit of a downer as had anticipated real aggressively full falls.

However, the views did offer plenty of photo-ops and the clouds floating by added to the charm.

Inspite of being warned of ‘bad roads’ set out towards Honnavar to take the coastal route to Mangalore.

The Sharavti river valley. It is this rivr that form the Jog Falls.

Reached Honnavar for lunch – again a sumptuous South Indian thali costing Rs.22/- each! That indeed was the last bright spot of the drive. The ‘highway’ NH17 from Honnavar right upto Mangalore is the pits –literally and figuratively! The

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Travelogue on Jog Falls , Karnataka

By Shruti | Sat , Sep 22, 2007
Congratulations on the viewer's pick. Keep up the good work and keep giving us more interesting travelogues.

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By ccprasad | Mon , Sep 10, 2007
Quiteinformative.. definately my next holiday destination..

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By Shruti | Sun , Sep 02, 2007
Congratulations on the editor's pick. Very informative travelogue. Thanks. Looking forward to the next travelogue.

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