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A walk in the clouds
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Ambanaad: don't bring your world here; escape it, says SOMA BASU
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WHAT HAPPENS when tea and rubber planters turn to tourism? A place called Ambanaad is reborn where mysteries of Nature lead you to the edge of exploration. A place where innovative ideas abound, where hospitality is the buzzword, where pollution, crowds and sweat are the problems of somewhere else.
When I discovered Ambanaad, I never imagined that the silence and solitude of this unfussy hill range in the Western Ghats would envelop me so magically.
An easily-missed signboard on the Shenkottah-Kollam NH 208 started me off on this truly road less travelled. The 14 km jouney on the ghat road from a place called Kalthuritty, shortly after crossing the Tamil Nadu border and straying into neighbouring Kerala, was anything but smooth.
The ride did nothing for the spine; at one place, precariously-placed wooden planks on two iron railings passed off as a bridge and appeared to be caving in under the weight of traffic. I had not bargained for such adventure.
Spice country
Having survived the long and tricky route, I suddenly found myself on a mountain top that was blanketed by mist. The hills here are home to all kinds of spices, including that of the `all-spices' tree or the `sarvasugandhi'.
A timid sun occasionally sneaked tentatively out of the clouds. The aromatic air, at this elevation of 1000 metres, was like a rush of adrenalin. Ambanaad is a lush ecoscape for leisure, pleasure and adventure. The estates belong to the Travancore Rubber and Tea Company Ltd. and visitors are cherished guests at the Estate Manager's bungalows. Five of them are of old British construction with high ceiling and large airy bedrooms, big enough to accommodate 20 people at any time. A further attraction: special home-made meals with the host family.
Prior booking is necessary and the tariffs are not easy on the pocket. But then for Nature lovers on the hunt for tranquillity and exclusivity, this concept of `plantation-based high-level eco-tourism' could be new and exciting. Introduced only last December, this is yet to pick up. There are no hotels in Ambanaad. No hawkers. No touts. No high-pressure sight seeing. The days have a calming rhythm and nights are heralded by an orchestra played by nocturnal forest creatures.
The managers have marked out trekking trails along rivulets and springs, ponds and check-dams, through spice gardens and rubber estates. You could take the long walkways through dense foliage in the surrounding reserve forests, pay a visit to the tea factory or picnic at the Achenkoil Mottai where a huge rock provides the best viewpoint for the mountain range. A 10-km trek uphill takes you to the Kudammutti waterfall cascading from a height of 100 feet.
An interesting feature is that it falls against a natural sheet rock that bears the `Sankh' mark, the seal of the Travancore dynasty.
Given the picturesque Arcadian setting, the promoters are planning a wide range of possibilities such as boating and fishing, camping, bird and wildlife watching, swimming and tennis.
With a tourist home nearing completion, ticketed day visits have been introduced.
The best kept secret is the Director's bungalow, also available for accommodation. It is a huge four-bedroom building with well-kept interiors and an inspiring view.
Don't bring your world along to Ambanaad. The idea is that you lose it here.
How to get there: Nearest airport Thiruvananthapuram (92 km).
Nearest railhead Thenmala (19 km). By road, it is 40 km from Shenkottah and 47 km from Courtallam waterfalls in Tamil Nadu and 89 km from Kollam in Kerala.
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Metro Plus
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