New Years Eve was spent at Kollur. We wanted to do Kodachadri Peak on January 1st 2009. Kollur is the nearest town where one can halt overnight in order to get to Kodachadri. Kollur is home to the famous Mookambika Devasthanam. The road to Kollur winds through the Mookambika Wildlife Park.

En route Kodachadri peak

The Mahindra Major CL550 that took us to the top. The road to the top is only accessible by jeep and we quickly learned why. The path was rock strewn with deep cuts and protruding rock all along the way. By the time we got to the top we were thoroughly shaken and tossed around the jeep. Also, our jeep driver didn't believe he needed to slow down ever. I always fancied driving a jeep and there are numerous threads on the forums discussing if the Mahindra Major is a capable jeep for offroading compared to other jeeps models new and old. Well, this jeep is three years old and has been going up and down the mountain with up to eight people seated doing one or two trips every single day and it still held very good. Meera and I both got to drive the jeep the way up and down.

Dawn, January 1st 2009

Its a kilometer and a half trek from the point where the jeep path stops to the mountain top. I didn't take any pictures until I got to the top so this one is from the peak.

Looking North

The Sarvajna Peetha of Shri Adi Shankaracharya where he meditated