Makalidurga Trek 2

Makalidurga: A Successful Second Ascent and a Twist of Fate

The magnificent lake and the mountain, a familiar sight from my last attempt, welcomed us warmly. This time, we joined forces with a larger group. After a brief collective briefing, our trek officially commenced at the railway crossing at 11:15 AM. Learning from my previous exploratory (and thorny!) experience, we wisely opted for the normal, marked route to the top.

We reached the summit around 1:15 PM, the slightly longer ascent attributed to the sheer volume of photographs everyone was taking. Nikhil, our resident photography expert, truly "rocked" this trek with his telescopic lens and DSLR. As a dedicated rail enthusiast, he captured some truly stunning shots of the railway track snaking around the foot of the majestic Makalidurga. On our way up, we still managed to squeeze in some enjoyable rock climbing sections. Given the larger group, we found a quiet spot at the peak to have our lunch and rest for a while. By 2:30 PM, we began our descent, reaching our waiting taxi remarkably quickly by 3:15 PM. 

With ample time left in the day, we decided to head to Nandi Hills, arriving by 4:30 PM, well in advance of sunset. We explored the famous Tippu Drop, admired the Nandi statue, and enjoyed a lively game of Frisbee. Alas, it seems fate, or perhaps the gods, had a mischievous plan for Nikhil. After conquering the trek and all the climbing, he managed to twist his ankle while simply standing on the lawn, tripping over a stone. Such is the irony of life! Nevertheless, we carefully carried him to the car, and we all headed back home. It was a successful summit this time, and a memorable day, despite the unexpected twist at the end.