As our definitions of vacations have changed from hectic, see-everything-you-can sightseeing holidays to leisurely travels where we would rather not see hordes of people blocking our view, the wide open spaces of the world seemed to have shrunk but thankfully haven’t disappeared altogether. It’s time for us to start experiencing destinations in a whole new way by stepping beyond the cliché and exploring the hidden gems around popular spots. Kerala is a hot favourite among travellers and naturally gets a lot of attention. That means it can feel crowded and all too familiar at times. Fortunately, the state has enough sights and secrets to hold those who stray off the beaten path, in rapture. Including the likes of hiking in the flourishing hills of Nelliampathy and a walk among the humbling Dolmens of Marayoor, here are few offbeat ways to experience the best of Kerala.

In an unassuming town called Marayoor, 42 kms away from Munnar, a secret of historic proportions is waiting to be unraveled by anyone who is willing. Ancient dolmens that have miraculously survived the test of time (over 5000 years to be precise) can be found littered on a rocky slope at the edge of this particular village. Dolmens are megalithic structures from prehistoric age where large slabs of stones are stacked together to form tombs. Given these are structures from thousands of years before, there is little information available but the idea that something from another time has survived all this while is most intriguing. Located on the barren slopes of a hill overlooking the town of Marayoor and Pambar river, surrounded by the looming hills of Western Ghats, it is hard not to get drawn to the intense energy of the place. It helps that the drive to the town of Marayoor from passes in immensely beautiful as well, including the famous section through the rare and natural Red Sandalwood groves on the way.

The first glimpse of Pothundy Dam on the way to Nelliampathy Hills is a great preview of the spectacular scenic beauty of this little-known hill station located 60kms away from the town of Palakkad in Kerala. The glimmering water of the reservoir is surrounded by lush forest and pointy hills that extend till the eye can see; it looks particularly impressive on a stormy day. Even though a lot of the forest here has been converted to massive tea, coffee and cardamom plantations, there’s still a huge swathe of forest that’s pristine and where wild things roam free. With the help of a forest guide, a hike to one of the viewpoints inside the protected area offers stunning vantage point views of the valleys below the windswept slopes.

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While the usual reason to visit Kolukkumalai Tea Estate on Kerala-Tamilnadu border may be sampling a cup of the delightful organic hand-rolled tea, I offer another incentive. Stunning views of a Tea Garden dwarfed by rugged mountains and surrounded by deep valleys! At 8000ft, this has to be the world’s highest organic and orthodox tea processing estates that eschews machinery to Cursh-Tear-Curl machinery. A sad excuse of a jeep trail winds through the tea plantations to climb to this estate and the road is as bad as it can get. The trail then crosses over to the other side to reach Kolukkumalai. The journey, though backbreaking, offers full redemption in the form of extraordinary views. From here, we can see the mountains and villages in Tamilnadu. The tea factory here has been standing since 1930s and is still in use to produce tea in the orthodox seven-step process.

Nestled between lush forests of Devikulam, yet another little known hill station in the vicinity of the more famous Munnar, Sita Devi lake is a small but idyllic water body which can only be reached on foot. What it misses in grandeur, Sita Devi lake more than makes up for it with its incredible serenity. Without any of the ugly manifestations of so-called development, the lake is pristine as it comes, surrounded by lovely groves immediately and tea plantations in the far distance. Even the hike along the dense forest and by the stream is equally enjoyable as the destination by the end. The hike starts from one of the estates in Chinnakanal that’s at a distance of 22kms from Munnar, and is an easy one-hour effort, quite suitable for beginners.

While Chembra Peak is a great hike during most part of the year, it is only in the monsoons that the grasslands covering the higher reaches of the mountain transform into a lovely carpet of green. Between that glistening expanse of swaying grass, the heart-shaped lake of Chembra shines like a jewel. As you go higher up on the trail, a view of the lake below and its iconic shape becomes more and more detailed. The starting point of the hike to Chembra Peak is situated at a distance of 8kms from the town of Meppady and the period just before or right after monsoon is the best time to hike here. At 2100m high, in theory, it the lure of scaling one of the highest peaks of Wayanad that may draw the traveller to Chembra Peak, but it is the heart-shaped lake that eventually steals your heart.

Waiting patiently at a watering hole that's known for leopard sightings, we sat quietly, observing the parched jungle bleed its amber appearance into a sinister darkness until the moon rose. Four vehicles waited in quiet anticipation without the obligatory "Kuch dikha?" exchange, a scene you'd be hard pressed to find in any other Tiger Reserve. The sun had almost set. A barking deer inched closer to the water, wary of the humans yet cautiously proceeding. Later, a tree pie got its fill. It was calm out there except for the occasional peacock's call. None shifted in their seats out of frustration or boredom. That is Satpura for you, quiet and natural.

Madhya Pradesh's criminally underrated national park, Satpura is stealthily coming up as an excellent escape for nature lovers. Those who can see the forest for what she is and not only as a sum total of its inhabitants, Satpura is where you should go once you've seen a Tiger. Because it is only here you'll be taught to see and experience the jungle as it is, without the pressure of chasing the big cat. But of course, big cats and big bears abound here along with pretty birds and sneaky reptiles.

Come with Forsyth Lodge and me as I tell you how I fell in love with this unlikely national park that's setting new standards for responsible wildlife tourism.

The moon had risen as well behind us already. We drove though the buffer zone that night under a moonlit sky. Nightjars relentlessly called out. Indian gerbils scampered by our side and an Indian hare ran into the rocks startled by the sound of our vehicle. Green eyes flashed in the bushes; we strained our eyes and ears to see if we could find the creature. Nothing but the emptiness of a shadowed forest stared back at us. We drove later through a meadow; the stench of a dead carcass filled the air. Twice actually.

Now Satpura is one of the very few national parks in the country where night safaris are legal. Realizing the need to engage the wildlife enthusiast holistically and not just take them on a big cat chase, the folks working in Satpura have convinced the government to allow night safaris in the buffer zones. From screeching insects to metronomical call of nightjars and glowing eyes to rancid stench of a recent kill, the jungle felt through our other senses without the aid of sight is an inherently primal and deeply invigorating experience.

The next morning, we drove leisurely observing Spotted Owlets, Plum headed parakeets, White throated kingfishers, Scarlet Minivets, Serpent Eagle, Jungle Fowls as well as the blazing red leaves of Kusum tree, tightly-packed cream coloured flowers of Giriya tree set against the blue sky and the yellow Mahua blooms that filled the air with a sweet aroma. Meanwhile, a Honey Buzzard circled high above the trees, using the hot air thermals to rise up and look for prey.

Almost wandering aimlessly, we stumbled upon one spot where the foul smell of a recent kill filled the dry air. We drove past the stench in a hurry, the forest uncharacteristically hushed. Neither a single bird song nor a distant alarm call pierced through the silence. Nothing except the steady rattle of the engine broke the silence of the forest.

Suddenly, Aadhar Singh, our expert forest guide lifted his arm and nonchalantly announced, “there’s a Tiger, let’s go back!”. To put things into perspective, there are probably 50 tigers spread over an area of 1200 sq kms of core area and we may have just gotten a chance to see one! Crouching between the dried undergrowth, white stripes and lazy eyes stared back at us. We stared back in quiet disbelief. "Mahina guzar jaata hai yahan ek Tiger dikhne mein”, Aadhar Singh grinned, quite pleased with the sighting. "Badi billi mili, badi billi" his voice cackled on the phone later. We stared in disbelief still; the rarity of the moment hadn’t sunk in yet. The Tiger, not used to the prying eyes of humans, quietly moved into the thicket and we left with a profound sense of gratefulness then. Satpura had already set unrealistic expectations at this point.

The next morning, Radhe Lal, a lean man with a keen understanding of the forest and an air of assurance about him, was our forest guide. Little could surpass the previous day’s sighting but the forest was feeling generous with the poor humans who braved the searing summer heat of central Indian jungles. In quick succession, we first spotted a black bear scurrying into the bushes and minutes later we also happened to track a leopard cub crouching by the grass.

When we set out on an evening canoe safari on the brimming waters of Denwa River later that day, river terns and many other water birds created quite a spectacle on the islands trapped between the flow. But there was one standout, the spectacularly orange-beaked Indian Skimmers. Their long bills glittering like jewels in the evening light, we were told Skimmers are only seen here apart from the risky Chambal river region, their primary breeding ground. So it was quite special, to be able see them skim the waters here in Denwa.

One of the more exciting things to do in Saptura is to take a walking safari inside the core zone. Being on foot inside a teeming forest is a great leveler; it takes away all our unjustified pride and fills us with deep humility and an awe of the great wilderness. That particular morning during our short walk, we knew for sure that a leopard saw us move through its territory and stealthily walked past us. How do we know? Fresh pugmarks on the trail we treaded just minutes before. Relief was the bigger emotion than missing the action then.

Satpura’s landscape, the forest and its inhabitants are definitely special. But it was something else that left a lasting impression on me - the strong sense of ownership and a great respect for the wilderness in the community that worked in Satpura. It was Deepak, a young naturalist from Kerala interning with Forsyth at the time of my visit, who first offered a shining example of the ethos of Satpura and the wonderful way the tourism is managed here. Observing the bear frantically move deeper and deeper into the bushes one morning, Deepak said, “The bear is stressed. Let's not worry it more now that we've had our sighting.”

It was nice to hear those words; see that concern for wildlife. “When there's a Tiger sighting, all the other animals go into hiding for fear of the apex predator. The forest goes eerily quiet for 2-3 days right after. So we're not always excited about a Tiger sighting”, he helpfully added. Not just that, all the forest guides here are all part time workers and villagers who grew up in and around the national park. During a walk along the banks of Denwa one evening, I casually commented to one of the forest guides, Khet Singh, about the trash in the river. He personally felt responsible for it, apologised and collected the plastic trash lying around, stuffed it in his pocket to dispose later.

These guides could spot a big cat or a small spider with equal and admirable effortlessness as well as interest. They are all young and their energy is palpable, what they're missing in wrinkled experiences balances out with their high enthusiasm! It was surreal, to see how much these guys were in sync with the forest and her cues. I only wish more of us could learn to understand nature so intimately.

If I have to think of one phrase to describe Satpura, it'd be “a box full of surprises"! Once you’ve had your fill of Tigers, head to Satpura and see what the jungle feels like in all its glory.

Make it happen

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Situated at the edge of Satpura National Park, Forsyth Lodge is an eco-friendly lodge spread amidst 44 acres of reclaimed jungle. There are 12 cottages, featuring an earthy style that offers great comfort and luxury within the wilderness but built in ecologically responsible ways. From your room, you can watch the stars at night as well as observe wildlife during the day. The folks at Forsyth are one of the pioneers of conservation-based wildlife tourism model in Satpura which makes a visit with them all the more pleasurable.  More details here - http://www.forsythlodge.com/

Spend you time between jeep, walking and canoe safaris as well interacting with the knowledgeable naturalists as well as guides at Satpura National Park.

Note: My trip to Satpura was sponsored by Forsyth Lodge, opinions are my own nevertheless.