BANASURA HILL RESORT

The dripping of rain gives such a soothing tone, doesn’t it? Who doesn’t want to be amidst the greens and mountains, where nature is at its finest? We planned this trip in the first weekend of July when the monsoons had rightly set in. It was again from my office adventure club, who take us on extremely wonderful trips once in two months, and these trips always manage to take my breathe away, making me wonder if I should really go back to the city life.

Banasura Hill is the second highest peak in the Wayanad district of Kerala, after the Chembra Peak. This hill station is named after the mythical character Banasura who was the son of Bali from the Ramayana.

We started from Bangalore at around 12 noon in a tremendous ride and reached the resort by 10 pm. It was not a typical road trip as we went in a tempo traveller. The view from the window could not be replaced with anything. The farms, trees, terrain, animals and the Western Ghats mesmerized us all.

Banasura hill resort is spread across 35 acres’ verdant terrain and tucked away at an altitude of 3500 feet above sea level. This resort is constructed using mud excavated from the very site that it stands on, its unique rustic look offering the best in luxury and comfort is truly “Heaven made of Earth.”  Their philosophy is ‘making optimal use of environmental resources, maintaining the ecological balance, and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity. This resort has thousands of Bamboo saplings planted around the resort to create a bio-fencing, improving the air quality.

If you are looking for relaxation and tranquility or rejuvenation of mind, body and spirit, this is just the place for you. The resort doesn’t have rooms, instead you get to stay in eco-friendly mad out of mud in a magical atmosphere, tucked away amidst the mountains. Banasura offers you an aura of luxury and comfort in a resort that is small enough to be intimate and homely, but spacious and expansive enough to let you feel unconfined. This place has a sprightly stream that gurgles perennially through the property and a tumultuous waterfall cascades thunderously down a rocky wedge.

DAY1: We reached Banasura Resort at 10pm and their welcome drink was jaggery ginger ale which was very soothing to the sore throat. We entered the magnificent cottages after the day’s tiresome travel and soon we all were tucked up in our beds.

DAY 2: There was a trek planned to the Banasura Hill, which was right behind the property around 20 km. It was drizzling throughout the day and infested with leeches. Our uphill trek was picturesque. Banasura trek is a hard nut to crack due to the steep slopes and one must ensure that all necessary provisions for the trek such as food, water and tent for camping are taken care of. While exploring the trek, one can also witness an array of reptiles and birds that inhabit the lush green cover of tropical forest in the region.

When we reached the first intersection of landscapes, half the people were tired, and mind you this place was filled with beautiful clouds. We chilled over there for some time and then some of them left the rest and trekked on to the peak. Mid way to the peak it started pouring heavily and then our guide was skeptical about the weather condition. Since it was an uphill trek and the route was rather mountainy, we were unable to stand still due to the gushing winds and the rain which was turning into a mini storm. Some of us really wanted to reach the peak. Unfortunately, we had to heed to the guide and return. The trek downhill was tedious as our feet were already tired. The slopes were slippery as well. After a certain area, we went through a paved path.

DAY 3: It was lazy as all of us were tired, we basked in the nature and had a sumptuous breakfast buffet. Then went to the elephant rock and a tinycliff inside the property itself. There is a man-made lake where you can just sit and chill. We went around the Banasura Resort and enjoyed each part of it. The night consisted of a DJ party and then the next noon we left for Bangalore.

This was the one of the best places that I have visited in Kerala, trust me all of you must go here this monsoon before the rain vanishes!