One may wonder at the audacity of the milky mist to descend from the literally tall hills and stealthily creep through the verdant forest at noon, as you walk through Moodalmala.
The lush greenery here often pushes other hues into oblivion and the natural settings can only get more surreal with the start of a drizzle. What about a trek through this trail in Peechi, cutting across a lesser-known forest? Moodalmala is a nature’s gem that became part of tourists’ travel calendars quite recently. This spectacular spot awash in wilderness is in the Peechi Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary in Thrissur district.
Longest trekking trail in Peechi
Moodalmala provides a great opportunity for trekking enthusiasts to trudge through forest paths that stretch from 8kms to 16kms, which is the longest trekking trail in Peechi. Those who love woodland and its unspoiled beauty should definitely go on a trekking spree in Moodalmala.
The trekking starts from the forest department’s office at Vallikayam near the Peechi dam viewpoint. As many as four trekking routes start from here and the duration is between six hours and eight hours depending on the trekking speed and the distance to be covered. The trekkers should be between the age of 10 years and 60 years and they are divided into groups of four.
Elephants, cool breeze and 'rock chairs'
The trekking trails are frequented by elephants and on the way one could see elephant dung and tree branches that had been broken by jumbos. The valley reaches one km into trekking and the steep climb, which is a tad strenuous, starts from here.
The trekkers can take a breather by sitting in chairs made of rocks at Chelikuzhi, which is 3km away from the valley. After trekking for a while from Chelikuzhi, one would reach Moodalpacha, which is the epitome of the raw charm of forests. A four-hour trek from Moodalpacha will take trekkers to the top of the hills.
From the hill top, which is known as Nadukaani, one could get a bird’s eye view of the surrounding cluster of villages. The vistas from up above are amazing and the highlight is the stiff cool breeze that rustles your hair after caressing the forest and the brook that flows amidst wilderness.
A 'misty' terrain
You can trek down after savouring the wonderful views from the top and resting for a while. The floating mist will envelop you as you climb down through the other side of the hill and the trek will end before the Dharmasastha Temple in Kuthiran. The trekkers have ample opportunity to have food and take rest while trekking through the forest. If you want to take a trekking trial with lesser risk, then there are three other routes that are 6km, 3km and 2km long and which pass through forests.
