Kudemukh is situated in Chikmagalur. The whe tek stats forest check post of a little village called Mullodi hills. This village is situated at 96 kilometres in the Chikmagalur district. Kalasa is just 10 kilometres from here. From Bangalore it takes an overnight journey to reach here. From Bangalore it is about 335 kilometres. In the local Kannada language the word “Kudremukh” means “horse’s face”. The mountain looks like a horse’s face. For this it is called “Kudremukh”. “Kudremukh” is also popularly known as “mini Scotland of India”.
The beauty of this beautiful trek is enhanced during the time of monsoon and post monsoon. From the top you can see a green carpet of trees and this will simply soak your eyes. Here you can explore dense forest, many water streams. The amazing Shola forest and the natural grassland makes this place quite unique.
In a day only 50 participants are allowed in the forest region. The entry fee ts 600 per person.The best time for doing a trek to Kudremukh is monsoon season.After the rains the surrounding becomes clear and gives you a fresh vibe. The total region became alive with beautiful flora and fauna.
After reaching the top hikers can get to enjoy a breathtaking view of the surroundings.
The overnight journey from Bangalore to kudremukh is amazing.
Day 1:
Reach Shamse early in the morning. Shamse is 10 kilometres from Kalasa. From Kalash take a jeep and continue to Mullodi. In Mullodi you can stay at a homestay. Next morning,get up and fresh then start your trek. Take a packed lunch. The 20 kilometres trek goes through a tropical rainforest. At the Shola forest region you will see some vegetation, grassland.You need to trek through the dense Shola forest. If you are lucky then you can explore some wildlife in this forest region. A proper trekking shoe and a pole will really help you in this forest region.
Day 2:
First arrive at Ontimara. From Ontimara you can find a flat route with Kudremukh valley on the right and a mountain view on the left. Here trekking for an hour you will reach Ontimara II. From the forest office it will just take two hours to reach the second Ontimara.
Total distance of Second Ontimara to the final stretch is a three kilometres walk. It takes just one hour to complete. This route is full of gentle slopes and some steep ascent. Here you will get an amazing view of the greenery and it looks like a grass carpet. After trekking for some more hours like about 20 minutes, the trekking trail starts to get more and more steeper. From this place you can see the valley and the beautiful peak clearly.
From Ontimara,you can see the beauty of Kudremukh. After arriving at kudremukh take some rest here and enjoy the beautiful scenery around you. You need to start descending around 2 pm because it needs a total of three hours to descend down. During the rain, trekking in the Shola forest section will be tough and slippery also, so the trekking pole and raincover will help you this time. While crossing the small stream in the forest part be careful because it can be slippery.
What To pack:
- Valid id card.
- Water.
- High calorie snacks like chocolates, dry fruits etc.
- Basic first aid kit.(Band-aids, scissor, dettol/savlon, pain relief spray, cotton roll, crepe bandage etc).
- Raincoat or Poncho.
- Sunscreen, Sun powder etc.
- Cap or hat or scarf.
- Sunglasses.
- Rubber bands
Some Places To Visit After The Trek:
Horanadu Temple:
This is a popular temple.This temple is situated on the bank of Bhadra river. From Kudremukh entrance it is just 16 kilometres.
Meruti Hills:
Meruti hill is the seventh highest peak of Karnataka. Meruti hill trek starts from Basarikatte which is 30 kilometres from kudremukh entrance. This is very close to the Horanadu Temple.
Ballarayanadurga Fort Trek:
You can do this trek from Dugadahalli. Ballarayanadurga Fort Trek is 36 kilometres from Kudremukh entrance.
Aane Gudda Trek:
Aane Gudda Trek starts from Haluvalli. Aane Gudda Trek is just 15 kilometres from Kudremukh entrance.
Hanuman Gundi Falls:
This fall is situated in the Kudremukh National Park. This fall is 22 kilometres from the kudremukh entrance.
Kadambi Falls:
This is one of the major attractions. This fall is also 22 kilometres from the kudremukh entrance.
Kurinjal Peak:
This is a small trek situated 20 kilometres from Kudremukh entrance.
Lakya Dam Lake:
This dam is built on the river Lakya. This dam is situated in Kudremukh National park. This is 13 kilometres from Kudremukh entrance.