Paavana does a monsoon trek on Kumara Parvatha Hills

Sandalwood actress

Paavana

took time off a schooting schedule earlier this month to go on a monsoon trekking expedition to Kumara Parvatha, located in the

Western Ghats

. On her maiden attempt, the actress successfully trekked 22 kilometres over two days.

Paavana tell us, “I have been planning to go trekking for a while, but since I was shooting, I was worried about getting tanned. I finally decided to go ahead and just do it, as the opportunity may not present itself again. I was a little apprehensive about doing the Kumara Parvatha trek, as experts advise first timers against it, given that it falls under the difficult trekking category. As actors, we do work out to stay in shape, but trekking mountains requires a different fitness level. I am glad that I completed it without facing any health issues. The food we eat during a trek is just rice and noodles, which offers little nutrients. The stream inside the forest is the source of drinking water for the trekkers. The last kilometre that leads to Kumara Parvatha was just amazing. It was like a fantasy world, which gave me the feel of being in a real thick forest. What we see when we look at a forest from the outside, and, what we experience by staying inside a dense forest is entirely different and is an experience of a lifetime, which can’t be described in words.” The trek was not without its fair share of challenges, as Paavana got bitten by leeches on her way back. “It was very challenging on the second day, as it was raining heavily. To make matters worse, I got bitten by leeches and was bleeding from the wounds,” she says.