Trekking to Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve (Agasthyarkoodam)

This time I have planned to visit Agasthyamala which is 55 km from Trivandrum. When i told my plan to my friend muruganand, he was very much interested since he already completed Sathuragiri, Velliangiri and kollimalai hills trekking. 2 of my other friends(Salik and Hari)  are also the part of the trip but Hari was unable to join us . So its only three of us now.

 Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve is among 20 new sites added by UNESCO to its World Network of Biosphere Reserves in March 2016. 
Before review: 
We need catch the bus to Bonacaud at KSRTC Bus station in Trivandrum. We done it on time. Bus started around 4:30 AM and reached Bonacaud by 7:30 AM

1. My first time. 

2. The review is based on on-season trip, not off season.

Bus to Bonacaud

The trekking starts only at 8AM from Bonacad checkpost, but the verification takes time. The forest guards have to enter every name into a book, and make people sign there. Also they've to check your bags for plastic, alcohol, weapons etc. It takes some time. So if you're the last one to reach check-post you may have to wait till 10AM to start trekking. 
To reach Bonacad you can use bikes, cars as well. But bus is only upto Bonacad estate, after that you've to walk about 3km to reach Bonacad forest check-post from where you start trekking.

In Bonacaud

Tickets: For seasonal trekking you can book tickets online. The booking starts 3 days before the season. You can see the notification on Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department website. Only 100 entry passes are allowed each day. Tickets for weekends will be sold out in few minutes and the rest will be gone in few hours. This is harder than booking an Indian railway tatkal ticket. 
Entry fee is Rs.500 per person. You can book upto 15 persons at once. You need photo ID number for booking the tickets.

Entrance to the Forest picket station

Document Verification

How and when to reach? 
You need travel to Bonacaud forest check-post with your printed pass and IDs(dont forget IDs). Also there is an affidavit that needs to be signed by the team leader, print it on a separate paper since you've to give it at Bonacaud check-post and carry the pass to Athirumala(base camp) for accommodation there.

Water Steams on the way

Elephants

What to carry and what not to? 
The forest guards check your bags for plastic, alcohol, cigarettes, lighter, knives etc. If there is a lots of plastic, they take it out, give you cloth bags instead. They take away alcohol, cigarettes, lighter, knives etc if found.

Other than normal items like dress, camera, power bank etc... 
You're allowed to bring food. Fruits(orange is the best, better carry a kg for each person), chocolates, bread & jam are best options. 
Since the pilgrimage season is at the start of summer, leeches are less, but still seen near places with water. So take a small packet of salt for the group. 
Trekking shoes or sandals, whichever is comfortable for you, but take an extra pair of sandals. 
Take a hat because sun, that's a little intense where there is no cover.

Trekking: The entire trekking is 18.5km to the top of Agastya Mala from Bonacad. You cover 13km on first day when you reach Athirumala base camp. If you can finish 5+km and come back to Athirumala base camp before 2PM, you are allowed to travel back the 13km on the second day itself. But I suggest three days so that you can enjoy the trip. Spend a lot of time at top, shower at water fall, river etc. Two days is a little rush.

Karamana River Origin

So for two day trekking: 

Day 1: 13km from Bonacad forest check-post to Athirumala base camp. 

Day 2: 5plus km to to of mountain and back to Athirumala before 1:30PM and then back to Bonacad. That's 23km on day two.

For three day trekking(my experience): 

Day 1: 13km from Bonacad forest check-post to Athirumala base camp. 

First 8km is you crossing different small hills and have shade of forest in most part. You ascent and decent. It's not hectic. After 4km you will see a small river, then at 6km another small river with a waterfall which is best for shower. At the end of 8km you will see another small river. Fill your bottles here because water is scarce from here to base camp. 

After this you've 3km grassland with no shades and very small trees with no leaves. This whole 3km is ascent with small slope. 

In the last 2km, 1.5km is serious ascent and this was the toughest part for me on first day. After that it's 500m plane walk to Athirumala base camp. 

we were the last to reach camp by 6:45PM. There is nothing much to do around camp other than you can have a shower in the nearby small river. 

The only problem of being late is you wont get place to sleep in the tents. For that you've to reach by 4PM. 

Tip: It's very cold in the camp and they gave you a mat to sleep. Pick a longer one because otherwise only your foot will be outside of the mat and that wont be a good experience at that cold. 

The camp canteen servers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All vegetarian. Breakfast was Rs.80, Poori and Upma were the options.Lunch was rice with two curries and pickle. It costed Rs.110. Dinner was Kanji(Boiled rice with water), pickle, papad and peas. Costed Rs.80. Also there is evening snacks(Rs.10), Black coffee/tea(Rs.10) and dried ginger coffee(Rs.15).

There are about 5+ working toilets(Indian style, about 10 are there but some are not working) if you want know about that.

Athirumala Basecamp

Day 2: You are allowed to start at 7AM from Athirumala base camp to mountain top. There is only ascend here. You've to cover about 1km height during the 5+ km hike. It's very snowing and as you go up the path becomes more and more sloppy. You dont have to rush, just rest whenever you're tired and walk up slowly. It's some forest, then some rock, then forest and then rock till the top. 
There is a place called Ponkalappara on the way and it's your last source for water to the top. So fill your bottles here because there is no water after this to the top.

At the last part there are ropes hanged on rocks on three places where climbing is hard. These ropes are not hard as it looks, actually it was easier for me that normal climbing. 
And that's it, you've reached the top. And the view is awesome if there is not much snow and clouds.

Take your time at top and decent back to the base camp. You will surely reach before 5PM at the camp and you can take another bath at the nearby small river.

Day 3: Get up early, buy breakfast and walk back, enjoy the sceneries. Take bath at water fall. Even if you dont rush back, you will reach back at Bonacad by noon. Sign at the check-post and that's it.

Big Tip: Look down and walk, whenever you want to see something stop and look, never walk by looking at the sceneries. Also dont jump. Just be careful and slow and you've nothing to worry and have a lifetime experience.