Kodachadri trek highlights : The wild Western ghats

Nestled deep within the heart of the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary lies Kodachadri - a hill that gets its name from the flowering jasmine plants that grow in abundance here.

For our Kodachadri trek, we will summit the peak. At an altitude of 1,343m above sea level it is the 10th tallest peak in Karnataka.

TABLE OF CONTENT

• Kodachadri trek highlight

• Nagara fort

• FAQ (Frequently asked questions)

• Photo gallery

The wee hours of the morning is when fleeting thoughts pass my mind. But today I had a deliberate decision to make. Will I manage a 24 km trek? Can I do it? Should I do it?

After a while, I made up my mind! No thinking about the trek at all. The plan was to first visit Kollur Mookambika temple and then onward to Nittur, a small village 80 km/ 2 hours from Kundapura. Nittur is the base camp for the Kodachadri trek, and our trekking groups from Bangalore will arrive here.

Kodachadri trek highlights

Our homestay owners served nutritious breakfast, and also provided packed lunch for the day.

We then had a brief introductory session and basic know-how. I was really beginning to like the trek organizers, and took to trusting their expertise and experience. This is really so important to put your worries to rest.

The initial trail to the forest was enthralling. Hardly had a surge of hope and confidence crept into me, when I slipped and fell due to a slippery little rock in a small stream. Luckily it was just a scratch.

kodachadri trek initial trail

The camaraderie within the group of 12 was admirable, there is plenty of boost and encouragement to keep your spirits high.

The air is pure and the forest with its myriad shades of green is soothing.

We continued walking until the Mane (basically a home). Here we rested awhile and had some refreshments.

the mane (house) along kodachadri trek trail

After being nudged by our trek lead, we continued on our trail behind the Mane - and the terrain changed to what looked like a beautiful plain meadow for a short distance.

Once again it changed back to the beautiful forest with streams flowing along the way. We were now heading towards Hidlumane waterfalls. This part got quite tricky with soft soil giving way here and there, while branches obstructed the path, but there was always help at hand.

Tip : I recommend this trek to be done along with an experienced trekking group / organizers.

Over the boulders and watching our step, we finally reached Hidlumane falls. A few guys took to the waterfalls right away and had a good time.

approaching Hidlumane falls, Kodachadri trek trail

We had walked so much by this time that I actually felt it was the end of the trek. It was a good decision that I kept this thought to myself- not a word to anyone, because it was the beginning of a challenging, almost vertical steep ahead. The good thing is there are trees and branches along so we can get some footing (grip).

Later, we reached a jeep track. It seemed like 3 pm and it made me wonder how and when we would return. Below we could see road construction workers who were making loud sounds as if to scare away wild animals.

Then suddenly a dramatic change of scenery again- beautiful meadows buzzing with dragonflies. This was my favorite part of the trail.

We continued walking to the end of the meadow and rested. Once again, I thought this was the end of the trek. But this time I dared to ask the trek lead 'how much further boss?!' He mumbled something, which I didn't quite understand.

Above the rolling hills seemed a road with jeeps passing by- I imagined myself running away and getting into a jeep, but resisted the urge.

And then finally we almost reached the end of the trail, the PWD guest house. It was evening now and we had a further 2 kms steep uphill climb to the summit. Situated at the peak, is an ancient 7th AD temple and a view of the forest below at sunset is just awesome.

Mission accomplished !

As most of us were doing this trek for the first time, the sense of accomplishment was clear to see. There was screaming, whistling and shouting among us. We experimented with detours and discovered a technique of sliding down the soft red muddy sides from the top to the bottom of each road.

Later, we were lucky to see some jeeps going our way, and few of us hopped on and reached the homestay within 15- 20 min.

As I’m writing this blog the feeling of getting back to the homestay, followed by a nice hot shower and delicious home cooked food is at a different level altogether.

< Day 2 >

Shivappa Naik's fort, Nagara

Just as Mirjan fort was part of my Gokarna beach trek (tour package). Most Kodachadri trek organizers include Nagara fort 30 kms south on the Kundapura road.

Shivappa Naik's fort, Nagara

FAQ (Frequently asked Questions)

What is special about the Kodachadri trek ?

The trail leading to the Kodachadri peak is a great opportunity to experience the Western ghats first hand. And although there are many other trekking trails - what is unique in the case of Kodachadri is the changing terrain.

What is the distance and difficulty level of Kodachadri trail?

The total trekking distance is 20 - 22 km approx.

Regarding difficulty level, you need  to keep at least 5 things in mind :

1. The Western ghats terrain is undulating, relatively steep and at times tricky. 

2. Doing this trek during monsoons adds to the list of challenges - leeches, streams and slippery surfaces.

3. Generally most trek organizers take the challenging trail (via Hidlumane falls) 

4. The trek is also done in 1 Day

5. Are you an experienced or newbie trekker

Difficulty level (in short) : moderate to difficult

Photo gallery

Hidlumane falls, Kodachadri trek trail

Western ghats, Kodachadri

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Next blog~ Onake Abbi falls (Agumbe) trek