Avalanche is an artificial lake in the Nilgiris, 28 km from Ooty. It is attaining popularity as a tourist destination due to its scenery and forest. Tourists visit Avalanche to experience the Jeep safari that passes through the shola forests and Upper Bhavani lake.
My initial visits to Avalanche were in 2006 and 2008 (Read our experience here). It was not a popular location then. I remember we were the only travellers in Avalanche during that time. We had a great time in that place.
Later, the Jeep safari was introduced, leading to the popularity of Avalanche. We once tried to visit this place on a long weekend. There were hundreds of tourists and vehicles, and we ran away from that place!!
Recent visit to Avalanche
A few weeks ago, we visited Avalanche during our trip to Nilgiris. Since it was off-season, I was confident that the number of visitors would be less. Still, to avoid the crowd, we started early in the morning. We crossed the check post, paid the entry fee and proceeded towards Avalanche. I realized that we were the first people driving to Avalanche on that day. A branch had fallen on the road due to winds, and I had to push it to the side to proceed further.
We arrived at the Avalanche forest office to see the place deserted. It was so beautiful and serene. A slight drizzle added to the tranquillity of the location. We utilised that time by just wandering around the area.
While it was great that there was no crowd, two aspects dampened our spirits. Due to the landslide in 2019, the safari covered only a part of the journey. It meant that we would not be going to the Upper Bhavani area. I already knew about it. The second aspect was that Avalanche lake was completely dry due to dam works. It was not pleasant to see the barren land, which otherwise would be brimming with water.
Jeep safari
While we were strolling in the area, the forest department people arrived. It was not economically viable only for the two of us to go on the Jeep safari, and we decided to wait for other people to join. In the meantime, we went to the lone canteen to eat food and drink tea/coffee. The hot tea, though sugary, tasted great in the rainy climate!!
People started coming in gradually, and we had enough people to start our safari. The first point was a viewpoint of (dry) Avalanche lake. Slowly, the asphalted road turned into a Jeep track. The driver showed us the places where landslides had occurred in 2019. It rained more than 90 cm in one day, creating devastation in Nilgiris.
We came to a point called “Cauliflower shola”, with a panoramic view of the valley and the hills. It was also the end of the Jeep track as the path further was damaged. The place was serene, and the only sound we heard was from a small waterfall formed on the side of the road.
Wondering about the name “Cauliflower shola”, we asked the reason for its name with the driver. The trees on the hills looked like “Cauliflower”, hence the name.
After enjoying the beauty of the place, we started our journey back to Avalanche.
Overall, it was a nice experience. It would have been great if there was water in Avalanche lake, and Jeep Safari was extended till Upper Bhavani. It looks strange that the forest department does not have the appetite to repair the damaged road even after three years!!
Information and Tips
- Avalanche is about 26 km from Ooty. It takes about an hour to cover this distance.
- The Jeep Safari timings are from 9:30 AM to 4 PM.
- There is one canteen that provides basic food.
- Toilet facilities are available in the area.
Sadanand
Nice photography and description of the place
aravindgj
Thank you.
Abhisek Nayak
Lovely views of the nature. Very well captured.
aravindgj
Thank you.