As part of BTS curriculum we, the department of tourism had conducted a field visit on 15th October 2018.The group consisted of 35 students accompanied by 2 faculty members. The destination was Masinagudi, Tamilnadu. Masinagudi, is a quaint little town on the Northern mountain edges of the Nilgiri hills. Bordering the fringes of the famous Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary and straddling the Moyar river,Masinagudi forms a center point between Ooty and Theppakadu. The approach to Masinagudi from Ooty is through the famous Kalhatti ghat section, which is possibly one of the steepest motorable slopes in the area. A short 18 Kms route comprising of 36 hairpin bends, this sector is still a nightmare for Drivers who are not experienced behind the wheel. The road begins at the Thalaikundha junction (on the Ooty side) and snakes its way towards Kalhatty. A check post along the way forces vehicles like Tempo travelers, Tata Sumo, Qualis etc to stop and check for their brake pads. If they are warm they are waved to the side for them to cool down, for the next few Km’s are the steepest and the most treacherous ones along the way. It is advisable to do these stretches in low gears and use the brakes to a minimum lest they warm up and do not grip the wheel when you need them most. The steep roads descends into the foot hills and a further 10 Km ride takes you to the town of Masinagudi. Masinagudi town is a strategic location straddling quite a few protected areas of the Nilgiri Biosphere. Theppakadu, the forest department office of the Mudumalai sanctuary, is about 10 Kms from Masinagudi. The road blends into the Gudalur-Bandipur road, where the left goes to Gudalur and further down to Wayanad, while the right winds its way to Bandipur.
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