Kudermukh peak is nestled in western ghats,district of Chikmagalur. The Kudremukh peak is the 3rd highest peak of Kanatak.Mullayanagiri is the first and Baba Buandiri is the second highest peak of Karnataka.Kudremukh is located at a distance of 96 kilometres from Chikmagalur district.It has an altitude of 6,207 feet above sea level. In kannada basically Kudremukh means horse’s face.The peak is also located at The Kudremukh National Park which is the second largest wildlife protected area.
June to February is the best time for doing this trek.In the rainy season one can witness the dense shola forest,bamboo tree forests,and many small amazing streams.There are some routes where you need to trek under the beautiful open blue sky.
You need to take some basic first aid kit, a valid identity card, Scarf or hat or cap, a water bottle,High calorie snacks, sunglasses, trekking shoes, a trekking pole etc.
How To Reach:
Using Your Own Vehicle:
Kudermukh peak beautiful trek starts from a village called Mullodi. You can not reach this village directly. Mullodi is 15 kilometres from Kalasa.First you need to reach the Kudremukh entrance that is just 10 kilometres. From where you need to hire jeeps which will take you to the forest office.Here in this office you need to take permissions.You can take the routes which goes via Hasan. Probably this is the best route if you are planning to visit by your own car. From Bangalore there are many routes available to reach Kalasa village.
You need to take the Chikkamagaluru road until you reach Kottigehara. and take the right turn. This road will take you to the Kalasa police station. From the police station, you need to take the left turn to reach the kudremukh entrance point. Park your vehicle here and take the jeeps.
Using Public Transport:
Kalasa village is easily accessible by public transport system.One can find many buses from Bangalore to Horanadu via Kalasa village. You need to book online tickets from KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) website.If you take a bus at 10:30 pm at night then you will reach Kalasa village by 6 am in the morning. The total distance from Bangalore to Kalasa bus stand is 310 kilometres.The bus journey fare is around 750 rupees. On the kudremukh entrance you will find many jeeps, these jeeps will take you to the forest office.You can walk to the forest office which is just 5 kilometres. If you haven’t booked jeeps in advance then you need to pay rs 200 per person. The closest railway station is Mangalore railway station.This is 120 kilometres from here. Mangalore International airport is 115 kilometres from the destination.
Trek Route:
1st Part
Forest Office to Ontimara:
If you reach the forest office early then this will be great for your trip.This trek starts from the forest office. Before you get on to the beautiful forest trail the soothing sound of Somawathi waterfalls will stay with you. At the Shola forest you will explore some vegetation, grassland.You need to trek through the Shola forest. If you are lucky then you can explore some wildlife. Here on the trail you will cross many streams and Beautiful waterfalls. A proper trekking shoe and a pole will always help you in this region. One need to remember that in a day only 50 people will get the permission for trekking, so you need to reach the forest office as early as possible.First you need to arrive Ontimara 1. From here the route is flat with the beautiful Kudremukh valley on the right and a mountain view on the left. Trekking for an hour you will reach theOntimara II. From the forest office it will take just 2 hours to reach second Ontimara.
2nd Part
Ontimara II To The Final Stretch:
Ontimara II to The final stretch is 3 kilometres.It takes only one hour to complete. This route is a combination of gentle slope and steep ascent. Here you will get a view of the beautiful greenery landscape. After trekking for some time, like 20 minutes, the trekking trail starts to get steeper. From kudermukh peak place the valley and the beautiful peak become more visible.
3rd Part
Kudremukh Peak:
This is a 1 km distance which can be completed within 30 minutes.Here you can take some rest. After arriving in the valley you will get a wide view of the greenery. From here a 35 minutes climb will take you to the top of the mountain. Sit here for an hour and enjoy the total view from the top, the mild bliss,beautiful sun,misty clouds around you. Take some pictures. Start descending around 2 pm because it needs a total of 3 hours to descend down. During the rain, trekking in the forest section will be difficult and slippery sometimes, so the trekking pole and raincover will help you this time.
