7 Spellbound Treks of Karnataka

1. Brahmagiri Hills

Brahmagiri, is a mountain range in the Western Ghats of south India. It is situated on the border between Coorg district in Karnataka state in the north and Wayanad district of Kerala state on the south. It is very difficult to trek till the peak in a single day hence it is advised to trek till Narimale Peak and stay at the Narimale Guest House on the first day and head to the Brahmagiri peak on day 2. The Brahmagiri range is full of elephant corridors, In fact you will find the trails filled with Elephant dung while hiking.

Start and End Point: Iruppu Falls , Trek Distance: 18kms, Budget: 3800 rs. Permission Required: Yes, Guide Required: Yes

2. Nishani Motte

Nishani Motte Peak is nestled in between Bhagamandala forest range and the Brahmagiri wildlife sanctuary. It starts out in rich shola forests and meadows initially and continues a ridge walk till the Summit. This is one of the most offbeat treks in the Coorg district. This is a circuit trek, meaning you do not descend from the route you have ascended from.

I personally found this trek challenging because I was down with fever, Everybody told me not to hike but I was too high on adrenaline and had made up my mind to conquer it and the best part was, I saw the neelakurinji flowers blooming.

Start Point: Bhagamandala, Trek Distance: 15kms, Budget: 3500 rs. Permission Required: Yes, Guide Required: Yes

3. Bandaje Arbi Falls & Ballarayana Durga Trek

Bandaje falls is a waterfall located in the Charmadi ghat section of the Western Ghats. It is also one of the last few treks in Karnataka where you can camp in the forest. It is a circuit trek, which starts from Bandaje Village and ends at Sunskale. You will find many non poisonous snakes in the trail so it is advised to wear full length pants/ tracks during the hike. On starting the trek from Bandaje village, you will reach the waterfall first where you can camp for the night and continue the trek to Ballarayana Durga Fort and then exit via Sunskale on the next day.

Start Point: Bandaje village near Ujire Town, End Point: Sunskale, Trek Distance: 16kms, Budget: 3000 rs. Permission Required: Yes, Guide Required: Yes

4. Gokarna Beach Trek

Although not a typical western ghats trek, Gokarna Beach Trek deserves a place on the list. The traditional route covers only - Kudle Beach, Om Beach, Half moon Beach and the paradise beach.

We wanted the trek to be more thrilling, adventurous and longer so we decided to start from Kumta (town 30 kms before Gokarna) and hit the most unexplored beaches of Karnataka. It took us 1.5 days of walking along the coast on the 22 sandy beaches of Karnataka to finally reach our end point - Om Beach

Start Point: Vannalli Beach (Kumta), End Point: Om Beach (Gokarna), Trek Distance: 25kms, Beaches Covered: 22, Budget: 2000 rs. Permission Required: Yes, but you can sneak in, Guide Required: No

5. Bavikonda & Kalchikki

Bavikonda & Kalchukki Trek is a hidden gem of the Kudremukha Range. It is one of the most offbeat trails of western ghats mainly due to the fact that its beauty is masked by Kudremukha itself. The trek starts from Mullodi, a town 6 kms from Balegal and passes through the lush green grasslands of the Ghats. You will make your way to Bavikonda first and then by walking another couple of kms further, you will see the beautiful Kalchukki.

Trekking is more about enjoying the trail than just reaching the peak but Kalchukki is all about reaching the peak and enjoying the mesmerising view.

It is a shame that the trek to Kalchukki peak is banned. One is only allowed to hike till Bavikonda and return back but with a local by your side, Everything is possible. Thanks to our guide, Kalchukki peak was off my list!

One could also enjoy a cold water bath in Somavathi falls at Mullodi after the trek.

Start and End Point: Mullodi, Trek Distance: 12kms, Budget: 3500 rs. Permission Required: Yes, Guide Required: Yes

6. Tadiandamol

The highest peak of Coorg and the third highest peak of Karnataka has two trekking routes. The first one (Legal and Commercial) starts from the Nalknad Palace and the second one (Illegal and Isolated), the one we took starts through forests. The forest route is extremely long (15 kms one way), difficult and satisfying.

You don't need a guide to trek via the legal route as the trail is very well laid out but to take the path less travelled you can't even think of venturing into the forest without a guide. The Illegal route passes though forests, elephant corridors and finally grasslands. We trekked Tadiandamol in peak monsoon hence we came back with a lot of leech bites and no pictures.

The trek starts from Kakkabe village. You must speak to a local guide and trek from the forest route. It is often the trail not taken that has the fascinating views.

Start and End Point: Kakkabe, Trek Distance: 30kms, Budget: 3200 rs. Permission Required: Depends on the route, Guide Required: Depends on the route

7. Kudremukha

The list could never be complete without the king of all treks - Kudremukha. The word "Kudremukha" literally means "Face of a Horse" as the view from the peak resembles Horse's face. I have personally trekked Kudremukha thrice and its beauty never ceases to amaze me. It is also very close to my heart because this was my first westerns ghats trek and it has steered my life on an adventurous road ever since. The trek is indeed challenging for beginners but not impossible.

There was a time when more than 500 people would trek kudremukha every weekend. It eventually got very difficult for forest officials to manage and get people out before the dark. Hence they have put up a regulation that only 50 people can signup for the trek per day.

Start and End Point: Forest Checkpost near Samse, Trek Distance: 21kms, Budget: 3500 rs. Permission Required: Yes, Guide Required: Yes