Five lovely Treks in Karnataka!

The rains have stopped and mountains are green. The waterfalls are still lovely. This is the time to walk up the mountains. To Walk in the woods. To breathe fresh air and be on top of the world!

The state of Karnataka is blessed with spectacular mountain ranges. Western Ghats - a UNESCO Heritage site and Biodiversity hotspot - with its rolling mountains and virgin forests provide ample trekking opportunities to adventure freaks.The following is the list of our favourites in the state. Go there now when the landscape is still green and leeches have gone home!

These are the five lovely treks you should do before the next monsoon. Why not also hear first hand account form some trekking freaks as well. Read on.

Kumara Parvatha

KP as its is popularly known, it has been ages since we did this trek. The big daddy of all treks in the state. It is a sheer climb. You will be greeted by outstanding views of Pushpagiri ranges from the summit. 

Beautiful view from KP (Photo courtesy - Mars Adventurers)

Bare Facts

• Distance from Bangalore - 280 Kms
• Difficulty - Moderate to Difficult
• Distance - 13 Kms (One side)
• Height - 1712 Mts
• Time to trek - 8 - 10 hours (One side)
• Camping site - Near Kallu Mantapa, The forest after Shesha Parvatha, Kumara Parvatha peak
• Best time to trek - Oct to Feb
• Permission - Required, should be taken at forest office
• Trekking fees - Trekking fee - Rs 75, Camera fee - Rs 100, Guide fee - Rs 100
• Beware of - Snakes and Leeches in post monsoon
• Contact Number - Battaramane - 9448647947 (For food and Accommodation)

A detailed first hand account of the trek by Shuva in his blog here.

How to Trek Kumara Parvatha

Kodachadri

Known for its lovely sunrise and sun sets, this trek is a sheer joy. Not as tough as KP, Kodachadri nevertheless is a trek you will come back with fond memories. If you want to see the sun rise and sun sets - which you should - then you need to camp for the night. You will not regret getting up early to watch the beautiful skies.

Sunrise @ Kodachadri (Photo Courtesy - Madhav Jois)

Bare facts 

• Distance from Bengaluru (Bangalore) - 394KMS 
• Difficulty - Moderate
• Height - 1343 mts
• Distance - 4 KMS(Approx)
• Time to trek - 4-5 hours(1 day trek)
• Camping site - PWD Guest House
• Best time to trek - Oct to Feb
• Permission - Not required
• Beware of  - Leeches in post monsoon

Let us know more as Sandeep treks Kodachadri......

Trek to Kodachadri

Mullayanagiri

You would have possibly driven up to the highest point in Karnataka. How about walking up now? It is a day trek. Ideally, it should be good to camp on the summit overnight if you want to see spectacular sunrise and sunsets from this place. 

On cloud 9 @ Mullayanagiri! (Photo courtesy - Mahabala Sitalabhavi)

Bare facts

• Distance from Bangalore - 267 Kms
• Trek starting point - Sarpadaari. Sarpadhari is kannada word which means path like a snake, 'sarpa' stands for snake and 'daari' for way. rom Chikmagalur proceed towards Bababudangiri, near Kaimara you have to take left turn (8 kms from Chikmagalur). You will hit Y intersection, Your left side road goes to mullayanagiri peak(direct road till peak ). If you want to trek then just move straight further 500 mts. You will find small arch towards your left. That is called Sarpadhari. This will be your starting point. 
• Difficulty - Easy
• Distance - 9 Kms (One side)
• Peak Height - 1,930 meters (6,330 ft) from sea level.
• Time to trek - 4-5hours (one side)
• Camping site - Not allowed
• Best time to trek - Oct to Feb
• Permission - Required, should be taken forest office
• Trekking fees - Nil

Read on trekking to Mullayanagiri from Kotresh, a passionate trekker.

Kotresh treks to Mullayanagiri

Tadiandamol

The small district of Coorg is known as "Scotland of the east" for its rolling hills. The enchanting valleys and waterfall are all there to see when one treks to Tadiandamol, the tallest peak in Coorg.

Lovely vistas @ Tadiandamol (Photo Courtesy - Vineeth YS)

Bare Facts

• Distance from Bengaluru (Bangalore) - 260 KMs 
• Difficulty - Moderate
• Peak height - 1740 mts
• Trek distance - 4 KMS (one side)
• Time to trek - 6 - 8 hours(1 day trek)
• Camping site - At the foothills of the peak ( a huge rock )
• Best time to trek - Oct to Feb
• Beware of - High Wind at peak

Trekking tale from Santosh.....

Santosh treks Tadiandamol!

Kudremukh

Ever Since mining was banned in Kudremukh ranges, it has become a trekkers paradise. The lush green forests and lovely meadows beackon you. Once you reach the summit it is a sheer joy to savour the vistas of sahyadris.

Awesome Kudremukh (Photo Courtesy - Premnath Thirumalaisamy)

Bare facts

• Distance from Bangalore - 332 Kms
• Trek starting point - Mullodi 6 kms uphill from Balegal(Balegallu), on Kalasa to Kuduremukh Road
• Difficulty - Moderate
• Distance - 9 Kms (One side)
• Peak height - 1892 mts
• Time to trek - 4-5hours (one side)
• Camping site - Not allowed
• Best time to trek - Oct to Feb
• Permission - Required, should be taken forest office
• Trekking fees - Rs 275 per person

Let us hear trekking experience to Kudremukh in the words of Manjunath.....

Trek to Kudremukh

Five peaks to climb this winter. 

Put on your hiking shoes and walk up. 

You will come back refreshed!

You may also be interested in reading the other trekking stories in this blog.

Triund Trek - A heavenly hike in Himalayas!

Dudhsagar Falls - A monsoon trek on Railway track!

Read More

Sun Rise in Mullayanagiri, Chikmagalur

This must be in last week of March last year. 

We planned to go to Bekal for the weekend. Since it was a long drive to Bekal, why not leave on Friday evening, spend the night in Thotadahalli Home stay at the foothills, watch sun rise in Mullayangiri and then proceed? The plan was workable and we were in Thotadahalli for Dinner on Friday. A sumptuous dinner and good sleep ensured that we were raring to go early in the morning to watch sun rise over Mullayanagiri.

Thotadahalli is at foothills and it took us 15 Minutes to reach the summit. Another ten minutes of climbing the steps took us to the vantage point. It was chilly on top and slightly windy. It was a quiet morning with some birds chirping. There was another car with a couple and a van with a large family who looked well educated. We had to stop them blaring Bollywood music from the van to maintain the serene atmosphere in the morning. It is sad to see people want to create noise wherever they go and can't enjoy silence even for a minute.

The sun started showing up in the distant horizon. The onset of his rise was greeted by brilliant colors in the sky. The horizon was clear and it was not misty. We saw a fabulous sunrise. As the sun came up, there was a shadow play in the hills which looked beautiful too. Take a look at these pictures. 

Sun....coming up slowly 

Notice the colour of the sky....

A closer look through the zoom

The Shadow play over the hills 

The last stretch of narrow road to summit

This is the right time to enjoy the sun rise on Mullayanagiri. The last two KMs is a drive through narrow road and one has to be really careful. If you are not confident, please park it below and walk up. You won't regret it. 

The sun rise over the hills or sea are always spectacular. When you are seeing it on top of the tallest peak in Karnataka, you will cherish it forever. 

Go for it when you travel to Chikmagalur next time.

For more details on Mullayanagiri and Chikmagalur, please take a look at the following related posts

Chikmagalur - A monsoon drive through western Ghats

Monsoon drive in Malnad

Driving Holidays from Bangalore - Magical Malnad

Did you like this post? If yes, please do share with your friends by clicking on the share buttons. If you need help in planning a trip to Chikmagalur/Mullayanagiri, you are welcome to write @ poorna62@gmail.com. 

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Chikmagalur - A monsoon drive in Western Ghats!

Last week we were in Chikmagalur. 

The idea was to do nothing but go for drives in the western ghats. If you are a driving freak like us, nothing can be more pleasurable than driving in monsoon in these mountains when nature is at its best. It is green everywhere. The waterfalls which are invisible in other months are at their glorious best. Driving on the foggy roads hugged by mountains and valleys is an experience in itself.

It was raining cats and dogs in Chikmagalur. Our drive to Mullayanagiri was an adventure. The fog was so high we could hardly see any thing. Whenever the fog cleared a bit, we could see the valley. Driving carefully and hoping that visibility does not deteriorate, we reached the summit. It was too windy and rainy. It was as if we were inside a cloud. 

Coming down from the summit, we headed towards Kemmanagundi. This was a fantastic drive except for the last fifteen KMs when the road turns bad. Cars with low ground clearance should take a U turn and return back at this point.

Driving a Scorpio helped. Join us as we take you through the drive!!

Like the adage "A picture is worth a thousand words", these pictures will paint a lovely journey.

Mist clad valleys

Water falls, water falls everywhere!

Driving on the foggy road

Fog cleared and rain drenched road

........Foggy again

The Gopura of the Shiva temple at the foot hill of Mullayanagiri

Waterfalls again.....

Beautiful waterfall on the way to Kemmanagundi - Shot in different angles and shutter speed

The road condition is fantastic making drive a pleasure

Water cascading with full force

The water fall seen above plunges from a great height. It is not accessible but can be seen from a distance

Green meadows

Fog clears and we get a glimpse of valley

Foggy road again

From here, the road condition to Kemmanagundi deteriorate

Lovely meadows on the way to Habbe Falls

The view of Mullayanagiri ranges when we drove from Lingadahalli on the way back from Kemmanagundi

These are few videos we shot of the drives

a) Monsoon drive - 1

b) Monsoon Drive - 2

c) Monsoon drive - 3

d) Monsoon drive - 4

Travel Tips

Getting there

By Road - There are plenty of buses by state run Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation to Chikmagalur from different parts of the state. If you are driving by car, it is at a distance of 240 KMs from Bangalore. The road condition is very good and driving time will be 5.30 hours with a break.

By Train - There is no direct train to Chikmagalur. The nearest rail-head is Kadur on Bangalore - Mumbai line. All important trains stop here. Kadur is 35 KMs from Chikmagalur and there are plenty of buses and taxis from here to Chikmagalur

By Air - The nearest airport is Mangalore which is at a distance of 200 KMs.

Stay options

The best way to enjoy Chikmagalur and Malnad is to stay in many home stays in the region. Since most of the home-stays are in Coffee estates, it will give you an opportunity to experience estate life as well. If you are a "resort type" of person, then there are resorts as well.

Resorts & their websites

• The Serai -  The Serai
• Taj Gateway - Taj Chikmagalur
• Flameback Lodges - Flameback

Home Stays & their websites

• Thotadahalli Homestay - Thotadahalli
• Thippanahalli Homestay - Thippanahalli
• Balur estate by Linger - Linger @ Balur
• For other options look at this link - Home Stays In Chikmagalur

Lodges & their websites

Planters court - The Planters court

Other information

a) Chikmagalur is a driving enthusiast's dream. The hill roads, greenery, waterfalls, rivers makes this a real pleasure. Though monsoon drives are exhilarating, any season is good.

b) Minimum three days are required to explore Chikmagalur. Places not be missed (along with their web links) -

• Mullayanagiri - Mullayanagiri in Wiki
• Baba Budan Giri - Baba Budangiri in Wiki
• Kemmanagundi - Kemmangundi in Wiki
• Ayyanakere Lake - Ayyanakere
• World Heritage site of Belur - Belur
• World heritage site of Halebid - Halebid
• Hoysala temple Belavadi - Belavadi
• Bhadra tiger reserve / Muthodi wild life sanctuary - Bhadra
• Sringeri - Sringeri
• Horanadu - Horanadu
• Kudremukh Tiger reserve - Kudremukh

c) Try authentic "Malnad cuisine" served in the home-stays.

d) "Town canteen" in Chikmagalur town is famous for "Butter Masala Dosa". Don't miss it.

e) Driving up Mullayanagiri is only for experienced drivers. The last three KMs is very narrow and needs to be very careful.

f) MG Park in Chikmagalur town is a good place for kids. It has musical fountain which is operated in the evenings.

g) If you are a golf enthusiast, then try putting in Chikmagalur golf club. Check with the hotel or home stay personnel for more details.

h)  Winters are best for watching the sun rise and sun sets at Mullayanagiri.

i) Chikmagalur is also the base for many treks in western ghats. If you are a trekking enthusiast, check this link Trekking in Western Ghats

j) Carry a good Binoculars to enjoy the valley views from the hills and also for bird watching.

Glossary

Western Ghats - Mountain ranges in Peninsular India
Malnad - Mountainous region of Karnataka state
Hoysala - A medieval dynasty that ruled parts of South India
Masala Dosa - Indian pan cake made of rice and lentil with a stuffing of spicy potato and onion

Planning to drive in Monsoon this year? These posts in this blog will be helpful. Please click on links below

10 Places to experience monsoon in India!

Monsoon drive in Western Ghats - An itinerary to experience it!

Monsoon drive in Malnad - Countless waterfalls & Visual bliss!

Sakleshpur - Mesmerised in Monsoon!

Please check out the following related posts on Chikmagalur

a) Sunrise in Mullayanagiri

b) Halebid - Zenith of Hoysala Architecture!

c) Driving Holidays from Bangalore 2 - Magical Malnad

d) Alekan Falls

Did you like this post?  Do you need help in planning a trip to Chikmagalur? You are welcome to write at poorna62@gmail.com.

Happy to help.

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