Co-Author: Soumyadip Ray
If you are asked where coffee was cultivated in India in a Game Show, you can answer it as Chikmagalur😊. This hilly District in the Western Ghats lets you connect with nature. The District Town of Chikmagalur is in the Foothills of Western Ghats and if you want to stay in a town, this would be a good place to stay. However, there are a lot of Homestays and resorts in the Coffee Plantations and you can stay in those as well. Often, the roads leading to these plantations are bad and you need to take a note of that.
Below are some of the places that you can visit when you are in Chikmagalur:
Hebbe Falls: Hebbe Falls offers amazing views and is inside the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, however reaching it is difficult. From the Base camp, private vehicles are not allowed and you need to take a 4 Wheel Drive Jeep for a 12 KM of very bumpy ride. The jeep charges Rs. 400 per head. The next 1.5 KM needs to be trekked. The trek is difficult and you need to cross streams and slippery stretches on the way. Beware of leeches, though. If you love adventure, the journey is worth it and the views are spectacular.
Mullayanagiri: This is a very popular place in Chikmagalur and is the highest peak in Karnataka. From the parking, you need to climb about 500 steps to get to the top. When you are planning your itinerary, try to keep Hebbe Falls and Mullayagiri on different days and it might be too much of physical activity for one day.
Hirekolale Lake: This lake is close to Chikmagalur Town and offers amazing views during sunset. The lake is surrounded by hills and plantation. If you are staying in the town, don’t miss it.
Chikmagalur District has Kudremukh National Park and Bhadra Tiger Reserve if you are interested in wildlife.
It also has hill stations like Kemmanagundi and Kudremukh.
The only time to avoid would be the rainy season as it would be difficult for trekking.
If you are based out of Bangalore, this is a great place to spend the weekend or utilise a long weekend. We drove from Bangalore and the road to Chikmagalur Town is pretty good and the views are nice and you get to see a lot of Windmills on the surrounding hills.
