Places to visit in Kudremukh the offbeat destination

Introduction

Kudremukh in Kannada literally means horse’s face. The distinctive shape of the peak brought this name to this place. As it was used to access Samse village, which is also called Samseparvath historically. Kudremukh is snuggled in the heart of the western ghats in the Chikkamagaluru district. It comes under the Kudremukh National Park, the second-largest wildlife-protected area in the western ghats. It is located at an altitude of 6,207 ft and is also the 3rd highest peak of Karnataka after Mullayyangiri and Baba Budangiri. Kudremukh is home to many flora and fauna. One can even spot peacocks and deer on the way amongst other wildlife while trekking!  It is a wonderful trek across the rolling green hills and misty valleys. One traverses through grasslands, forests, and many small streams.

The best season to attempt the Kudremukh trek is from June to February. However, the Kalasa region receives quite pleasant weather throughout the year. One can see many small streams, dark shola forests, bamboo shrubs tall enough to touch the sky, and rolling green hills during monsoon and winter. Some of the regions of the trek involve trekking under the open sky. Hence, trekking in the summer is not suggested. The Kudremukh trek starts from Mullodi village which is around 15 km from Kalasa. Reaching directly to Mullodi is not easy. 

One has to first reach Kudremukh Entrance which is about 10 km from Kalasa. Hire a jeep from the Entrance point to Mullodi village where one gets to the forest office. This is where trekkers have to take permission and begin their trek. One can reach Kalasa by their own vehicle or using public transportation and from there to the Kudremukh Entrance point. 

What to watch out for in Kudremukh?

• The Horse’s face structure of the peak

The Kudremukh peak has a unique structure for it that looks like a horse’s face from the side. This structure is visible to us after an hour of trekking from the forest office. This looks closer but there are another 3 hours of trekking to reach that point.

•  Trekking inside the Shola forest

Shola is a local name for grassland and shrublands visible in the western ghats. One has to trek through shola forest to reach the Kudremukh peak. This forest is home to many wildlife like deer, lion-tailed macaque, leopard, Malabar giant squirrel, common langur, and many more. If one is lucky enough, then one could spot them while trekking. During monsoon season, they can find leeches for every step in this section. 

One of the beautiful parts of this section is the waterfalls and small streams. They have to cross many streams on the way to the peak. Sometimes they may have to wet their shoes while crossing.

•  Spectacular View of the Rolling Hills

When one comes out of the shola forest, you see a spectacular view of the rolling hills around them. Green hills and misty valleys are out of this world. This area might be covered with mist completely during monsoons. But the hide-and-seek of the valley in between those clouds and mist is something one should not miss out on.

Places to Visit after this Kudremukh Trek

There are many waterfalls and treks that are in the same region as Kudremukh. If one wishes to cover more places and treks after Kudremukh, then go through the list mentioned below: 

Towards Bangalore

• Horanadu Temple: 

It is popular for the temple situated on the banks of the river Bhadra in a corner of the Chikkamagaluru district. This is 16 km from the Kudremukh Entrance.

• Ballarayanadurga Fort Trek: 

This Ballarayanadurga fort is a part of the Bandaje trek. One can attempt this from Durgadahalli. This route is easier when compared to the Ujire route. This is 36 km from the Kudremukh Entrance.

• Aane Gudda Trek: 

This trek begins from Haluvalli. One has to take a deviation from Kalasa to reach the base. This is almost 15 km from the Kudremukh Entrance.

• Meruti Hill: 

This is the 7th highest peak in Karnataka. The trek begins from Basarikatte. This place is near Horanadu temple. Basarikatte is almost 30 km from Kudremukh Entrance.

Towards Mangalore

• Lakya Dam Lake: 

This dam is built across the river Lakya which is a tributary of the Bhadra river. This dam is located inside the Kudremukh national park. It is situated at a distance of 13 km from the Kudremukh Entrance is 13 km.

• Kadambi Falls: 

This fall is one of the major highlights for tourist who wants to experience the greenery of the western ghats. This is close to the highway and almost 22 km from Kudremukh Entrance.

• Hanuman Gundi Falls: 

This fall is situated in the Kudremukh National park and 22 km from the Kudremukh Entrance.

• Kurinjal Peak: 

This is an another small trek situated 20 km away from the Kudremukh Entrance. This peak is a lesser-known peak in Kudremukh National park. So one can expect less crowd on the trail. 

Conclusion

Kudremukh is one of the most beautiful places in Karnataka to trek. It has scenic views for its visitors to offer. It is suitable for everyone as it is having pleasant weather throughout.