There is a separate fanbase of cyclists who love to pedal in the monsoons. I am one of them. Most people avoid it because of safety reasons and also because of the time it takes to clean up everything after a ride. Well, I agree but for me, it outweighs the joy of riding the rains. I am talking only if it is a long ride in the rain. Because it is worth it, isn’t it?
Let me take you on a journey of our cycling adventure in God’s own country in the rain. Kerala anyway has a superb landscape and the rains highlight the scenery like nothing else. Combine that with occasional rainbow shows and of course, escaping the harsh sun that causes skin burns and tan lines. Our adventure was scheduled for September, just before Monsoon ends in Kerala. Probably to get the best of both worlds of rains and winter.
Day 1: Kochi to Alleppey to Kuttanad 87km
Like always, we opted for the early morning flight to Kochi and were on the roads by around 9 am. Passing through the Hustle and bustle of the city we started entering the quaint villages after passing Alleppey. On the way, we spotted a group of local people practicing for the Aranmula boat race in September. It was inspiring to see them using human power to propel themselves through the backwaters of Alleppey. It reminded me of the thought that unity is strength.
The route after Allepey to Kuttanad is mesmerizing. The cloudy weather with small bursts of rain was making it an awesome experience to pedal through the farms. Later on, reaching our hotel stay for the day, we understood that Kuttanad is the lowest region in the Indian sub-continent. It was amazing to hear that farming is done here below sea level. The view from our hotel balcony was relaxing. Looking at the paddy fields we enjoyed the sunset together and went to sleep early. Because tomorrow is going to be a long day in the saddle.
Day 2: Kuttanad to vagamon to kumily 200 km
Vagamon, the untouched hills of Kerala were all in my dreams last night. We started our day early as today we were going to enter the interiors of Kerala into the hill stations. After a super heavy breakfast of Dosa and Idli, we left early morning at around 7:00 am. The route from Kuttanad to Kottayam was relatively flat and filled with civilization. But, once we crossed Kottayam, the real landscape started to show itself. The route was climbing all the way up to the hill station at Kumily.
There is nothing much to talk about this route except the sloppy winding roads of Vagamon, and the wild charm of the valleys on the roadside. I was happy that it started raining while we started the climb at around 12 pm and then stopped when we were at the top. The misty weather cleared up and the scenic view that we saw is difficult to describe in words. Enjoying the roadside food along the way passing through the outskirts of Periyar national park and dancing on the pedals we reached Kumily in the evening. What a route it was!!
Day 3: Kumily to Suryanelli to Munnar 120km
Last evening we reached our hotel at around 6:00 PM and were eager to feast on the mouth-watering south Indian cuisine the hotel had for us in store. They welcomed us with a lot of respect and it felt really good. Today, the plan was to climb all the way up to Munnar. This is the most famous place among bikers and adventure enthusiasts. We started cycling at around 9:00 AM with our cameras fully charged. Yes, we were told by the hotel staff that you will exhaust your battery and will be longing for a charger.
Yes, and it’s was so true. The picturesque valleys, vast agricultural lands, and the dense cover of trees all along the route were mesmerizing. I had never imagined that the western ghats could be so pretty during the monsoon. Each and every place was a photo point for us. Lost in all the views we didn’t even realize that we had covered 120km and a considerable amount of elevation when we reached Munnar in the evening at around 5:30 PM.
Day 4: Munnar to Anaimalai hlls (160km)
Waking up in the morning in Munnar was magical. The weather around was misty, cool, light drizzles of rains and melodious chirping of birds. Felt like a dream and a desire to not leave this place at all. Dragging ourselves onto our bikes with the excitement of taking in more of this nature’s beauty we started our journey towards Anaimalai hills.
Today was also going to be a long day in the saddle with a lot of climbing. But I don’t think we will felt it, thanks to the weather and the superb views all along the route. One thing I noticed during the journey was that we had consumed so much coconut water that we had not in the last entire year. Along the route at around lunchtime, we requested a local to make us some tea for us. And, lucky us, we got to drink the organic tea of Munnar picked right from the farm. During the afternoon I remember, the heat was getting tiring. So, what next, we simply took a dip in one of the waterfalls along the road, and here we were fully charged again. Cycling especially on this route is a memory of a lifetime for sure!! The smooth roads of the Anaimalai tiger reserve made it an even more awesome experience.
Day 5: Anaimalai hills to Valparai to Chalakudy (120km)
By this time of our journey, the hard part was done but not the scenic part. Nature still had more in store for us. We were more than happy to welcome it both hands. Today’s route was going to be mostly downhill all the way till Chalakudy. We passed through the famous Idamalyar reserve forest and Athirappilly, which is the most visited destination in Kerala.
The route was once again spectacular. I don’t know how many times we must have taken a bath in the waterfalls along the route. Each time was an amazing experience. The verdurous forests filled us up with energy. One thing special about this route is that we saw a few elephants along the way crossing the roads and going into the jungle. The magnificent creature was frightening yet lovable to watch. Descending down through the Shola forests we reached Chalakudy in the evening.
Day 6: Chalakudy to Kochi (54km)
Today, was the last and most of it was in the city ride. The plan was simple, to ride till Kochi, freshen up at the temporary hotel room, and catch the evening flight. But looking back, this trip was a perfect blend of long endurance rides and slow cycle touring kind of adventure. After this trip, I can say that Kerala is one of the best places to ride in the monsoon as it is very close to sea level and has some amazing landscape. It helps to break the monotonous routine with a short cycling tour of some 5 odd days.
Have you visited Kerala? If not, I would say, do visit and take the help of cycling in india.com to plan out your trip in advance. They did an amazing job with respect to the choice of hotels and route selection. I am sure there are a lot more routes to be explored in Kerala itself. Let’s see, maybe next time. For more information on Kerala Cycling tour or South India cycle tour visit our dedicated tour pages for detail information on our website.
