Agasthyarkoodam Trek Overview
Agasthyakoodam trek can be completed in 2 days or 3 days depending on your stamina and your interests. If you are looking to test the limits of your physical endurance and trekking is your main interest, I suggest you complete it in 2 days. If you are there to experience the forest or looking to explore the flora and fauna of the Agasthyakoodam, you need 3 days.
Between your starting point at Bonacaud and Agasthyakoodam peak, there is only one halting location. It is a small camp located at a place called Athirumala. It is located on the western valley of Agasthyakoodam peak and offers majestic views of the peak. Night stay here is safe since it is protected by trenches around it. The distance from Bonacaud starting point to Athirumala is around 15km and the distance from Athirumala to the mountain peak is around 5km. But note that during the 5km stretch you would be climbing almost 1000 metres.
Bonacaud to Athirumala Basecamp Trek (Day 1)
Whether you are going on a 2 day or 3 day trek, the first phase is always the same. You will start around 8am from the Bonacaud forest office after the formalities and then head towards Athirumala. You can reach Athirumala anywhere between 2pm to 6pm depending on how fast you trek, whether you take a bath along the way etc. Cover this stretch in slow pace and enjoy the nature and the water streams along the way.
Athirumala Basecamp to Agasthyakoodam and Return to Bonacaud (Day 2/3)
If you are completing the trek in 2 days, this is going to be a hectic day. You need to wake up around 5AM and get ready by 6AM. You then take a quick trek covering 5KM to the top. You should be on the top by around 10AM and need return by 11AM. You need reach Athirumala at 1PM and then after a quick lunch you need head back to Bonacaud by 2PM. Even then you need keep a steady fast pace to reach Bonacaud before nightfall (7PM).
If you are completing the trek in 3 days, you take the second day to visit mountain peak and return to Athirumala. On the 3rd day you can return back to Bonacaud just the same way you went to Athirumala. This gives you plenty of time to experience the forest, the mountain peak and the water streams along the way.
Checklist for Agasthyarkoodam Trekking
Following is the checklist I use whenever I go on the Agasthyakoodam trek (or for that matter any overnight trek). Since you will be most probably going as part of a team, there are things that only one member of the team needs to carry for the entire group. This is indicated separately (G) in the following checklist. Please note that alcohol is strictly banned and the forest staff will check your luggage for it when you report for the trek. Please read the notes after the checklist,
Agasthyakoodam Trekking Checklist (G indicates that it is only required for the entire group)
���❑ A lightweight hat for sun protection
❑ A lightweight torch
❑ Emergency food/snacks (banana, apple?)
❑ One or two sets of spare dress
❑ Two lightweight bathing towels
❑ Two sets of socks and underwear
❑ One blanket and one lightweight bed sheet
❑ Lightweight 1 litre water bottle
❑ ID proof that you used for booking your entry pass
❑ Trekking shoes
❑ Spare set of footwear (rubber slippers)
❑ Agasthyakoodam trek entry pass
❑ Lightweight trekking bag
❑ Minimum cash of Rs. 500
❑ (G) A small pack of salt. Best defence against blood seeking leeches.
❑ (G) A small set of medicines including paracetamol, bandages etc.
❑ (G) Binoculars
❑ (G) 1 lightweight notebook and pen
❑ (G) A dedicated GPS device with spare battery. I use Garmin etrex 10.
❑ (G) Carry a multi-tool if you have one
❑ (G) Camera and spare battery. Since the trek takes 2 to 3 days, carry spare batteries.
❑ (G) 2 rain proof plastic bags
❑ (G) Quick fix and a small plastic rope
Notes on Trekking Checklist
There is plenty of water along the way. Hence you don’t need to carry too much water. However conserve your water during the last stretch of your climb and keep the bottle filled up whenever you get a chance.
At the mountain peak, it may rain even during peak summer. Hence rain proof plastic bags are essential to protect your gear. Carry quality ones since you might have to convince the forest guards that you are not going to discard them along the trek.
A good hat is essential since sun will literally roast you when you cross the grasslands.
If you are trying to complete the trek in 2 days, a torch per participant is an absolute must. It would be dark by the time you return to Bonacaud.
Binoculars are heavy and carry it only if your group can share the load!
Getting to Bonacaud
Bonacaud is a tiny village located about 50km from Thiruvananthapuram city. Bonacaud is the starting point for official Agasthyakoodam trek. If you are going from Trivandrum, you need drive through the Ponmudi road via Nedumangad and then after about 1km from Vithura town, you need to take a right turn. After you cross Vithura town look for directions to Bonacaud. Ensure that you start early since it would take about 2 hours to cover the 50km winding roads.
Buses are available till the Bonacaud village, however to reach at 7am you need catch the first bus. The forest office from where you begin the trek is located about 1km away from the bus stop. If you are taking the bus, you need to walk this distance. The road from Bonacaud village actually passes through the side of an abandoned tea factory and there is a gate at the entrance of this road. If you are taking your car or bike, you can open the gate and then head towards the forest office. Note that this road is in bad condition and unless you are an expert car driver or you have an SUV, I suggest you take the bike. During our last visit, we found that almost all the cars had some sort of damage after covering this rough road.
Facilities Available
There is a small shop and a canteen at Bonacaud picket station. A toilet complex also is available right near the start of the trekking path. You can have your breakfast from the canteen and can also buy the packed lunch for the trek from here.
There is another canteen at Athirumala base camp. Canteen serves basic vegetarian food and tea/coffee. This canteen opens at 6am and close
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