hello friends..
i would like to update you all with this memorable trek which we(my friends) went on 17th August.
Tada Falls or vardhapalyam falls - its around 55 kms from the chennai (this applies once you join the NH-5 ) ,actullay from Anna Nager,chennai - 40 it is 90 kms, we planned to go by bike,(3 bikes)
i started of at 7:30 am in the morning...from my residence , the weather was pleasant with no sign of sun.
since we all were split up..we planned to meet at the junction of redhills road connecting NH-5 around 8:45 am, from there we had our mini breakfast at 9 am and started our journey (it was 50 more kms to TADA).
Directions : Just keep going along the NH-5 towards Nellore at your full speed, just 2 kms before TADA, you need to lake the service road ,(don't get over the flyover) its the way to the small village called Vardhapalyam,this is the place where you should end up all your shopping, because beyond this you won't find any big shops, so backup your lunch package, water
bottles,(at least you need 2 liters of watercan per person) or else be prepared to drink the stream water..thats really good and tasty don't care what others comment about the stream water.
we reached vardapalyam by 10:30, after crossing the village just ask the locals for the way to vardhaplayam falls , they would guide you saying that you have to take a left , and go ahead further, once you take left, after moving a km ahead you will find a sign board which directs you to take a
right turn indicating 14 kms ahead, so after travelling
some 7-8 kms the road gets more tough, if you are in bike, 10 kms is the speed advisable, exactly after 9 km you find the check post (we reached here at 11' clock)where you have pay Rs 50 for
the camera, Rs 20 for bike,ahead 1km you will find the road at its worst condiontion which leads you to the parking area,(we reached at 11:30) so
now you have 4km ahead very challenging ups and downs,better get into your canvas which has good grip, we left the parking area at 11:30
after walking ahead for 10 mins you shall find the first view of the stream, and
another 20 mins you will be again crossing the stream, and next half an hour you will be able to reach the Siva Temple (we reached here at 12:30)
so from here onwards you have to start trekking between the rocks, there wouldn't be any defined
path just follow the stream to find the falls.. yes for the fast climbers its just 30 mins left to reach the falls
but don't expect a huge falls dropping from a height of 10 feet or 15feet, instead it would a smalls falls which drops from 2 to 3 ft,
and you hardly find space to stand under it.we all reached at 1:30,
but i and my cousin reached by 1'clock.
we almost climbed to the point where the stream starts, beyond it there was no way to climb. this point was really amazing, where you would find deep(20 ft) water bluish-green in color , which is in between the huge narrowing rocks besides. The depth of the water gradually increases, if you know swimming you can really enjoy a lot.
While returning from the falls (we started from that point at 3:30 pm) , i am sure that you will be exausted and feel more thirsty..than when you were going eagerly for the enjoying the falls.
we reached back to the parking area by 5 pm, then while returning..we halted at the vardhapalayam and had some drinks,and then started our journey again at around 6 pm. I reached home by 7:45 pm
Regarding lunch, you won't find anything except the chicken briyani, in the local shops,(it would cost you 30 Rs - just half plate) but we had our home made lunch packed (each of them can bring 2 pack of lemon rice or tamarind rice - that's the best thing ), have the lunch after you have enjoyed the falls , we had our lunch around 3:30 pm, in the midst our ancestors surrounded,eagerly waiting to grab things from us.
Some Tips: shoulder bags,Polythene bags to pack up wet cloths, shorts, canvas shoes with good grip and 20 ft rope to enjoy you trek and to help the non swimmers to reach the falls
for more photos check http://picasaweb.google.co.in/suresh1876/TadaFalls
Map :
