Chikmagalur: Karanataka’s Beauty Spot

Posted on November 30, 2019 by Ghoomophiro

During our travels in Karnataka, the hill station of Chikmagalur was one of the topmost of the cities we intended to visit because of its countless attractions.

How to reach Chikmagalur?

By Air

The town does not have an airport of its own and the nearest airport is Mangalore airport which is 113 kilometers away which is well connected to major cities of the country. You can hire a prepaid taxi from there.

by Road

Chikmagalur enjoys good road connectivity to cities like Bangalore, Mangalore, Hubli, and Hassan via state-run and private buses.

By Rail

Chikmagalur does not have a railway station and the nearest station is 40 kilometers away in Kadur but you can hire a taxi from there. This is the option we took.

Places to visit in Chikmagalur

1.    Kudremukh National Park

Located at a distance of about 96 km from Chikmagalur city, this National Park is at a high latitude which ensures a cool temperature even in the worst of the summers. We loved this National Park for giving us a break from the heat of summers but far more for the tremendous diversity of its flora and fauna. The national park gets its name from the ‘Kundre’, the Kannad word for a horse and ‘mukh’ which is Kannad word for face. The name is inspired from a hill here which is shaped like the head of a horse. Three rivers  – Tunga, Bhadra, and Nethravati originate from within this national park. We also visited a cave that serves as a temple here devoted to goddess Bhagavati – a statute of which is kept inside the temple. This cave is of great spiritual importance among the local Hindus.

We didn’t spot a tiger here because of a rare case of bad luck but we spotted a barking deer and a couple of leopards and a bear and, overall, it was an amazing experience.

Another amazing sight was Kandambe falls which held us captive with its first sight for several minutes with its stunning beauty. We reached the falls in the afternoon and spent some time nearby orchids (with permission of their owners of course) and when we came back for a last look at falls, we saw Jackal visiting the falls.

2.    Mullayanagiri

Chikmagalur holds the highest mountain peak of Karnataka – Mulllayanagiri which rises as high as 2000 meters and offers several incredible trekking trails. We spent a whole evening trekking amidst stunning scenery created by the flora here to reach a temple right at the very top which is dedicated to Lord Shiva and attracts hundreds of devotees.

3.    Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary

Another wildlife protected area, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as the Muthodi Wildlife Sanctuary, is about 35 km from Chikmagalur town. This wildlife sanctuary is home to a number of exotic wild animals and birds. This time we got a chance to spot a tiger during our Jeep Safari but the tiger was only one of sights we were offered by this sanctuary filled with a tremendous abundance of flora and fauna. is about 35 km from Chikmagalur town.

The Sanctuary gets its name from Bhadra region from which it gets its name. The river is surrounded by deciduous forests which have over a hundred species of trees – of which we recognized rosewood, teak, mathi, Kindal, etc. Among fauna, an expert will be able to spot about 250 species of birds but since we were no experts, the Ornithologists that accompanies acted as our encyclopedia. The sanctuary is also claimed to have king cobra and pit viper among other reptiles as well as marsh crocodiles that roam in the banks of small water bodies of the region.

4.    Sharadamba Temple

Located in Shringeri, a town in Chikmagalur district, Sharadamba Temple, Shardamba Temple Is the place where great Hindu sage Adi Shankaracharya set up his practice. Once he was walking by the Tunga River when he saw a cobra with its head raised high. Upon a little closer observation, he realized that the serpent was providing shelter to a spawning frog from the heat of the sun. Seeing this, he decided to set his abode here. He stayed for twelve long years teaching tenets of Hinduism to his disciples in the gurukul that he established here.

The temple stands at the banks of the Tungabhadra River and dates back to the 8th century and is dedicated to the goddess of wisdom. Praying to this goddess can, so the myth goes. improve your learning capacity. This reputation attraction a number of students as well as other people in pursuit of wisdom here. We paid our respects but since we had long ceased to take any maths tests, we didn’t feel compelled to pray for wisdom.

At the beginning of the 20th century the temple was entirely built out of wood, the statue of the goddess too was made of Sandalwood but then fire less destroyed the entire thing and thus the temple was entirely rebuilt and a statue made of gold was placed inside it. It now attracts thousands of pilgrims.

5.    Hebbe Falls

Next in our list of sights to see in Chikmagalur is Hebbe Falls. These enchanting falls are accessed from Kemmangundi hill station, located at a distance of 8 km from Chikmagalur. We reached them after walking the 8 km trek from Kemmangundi. The falls create a stunning sight surrounded as it is by astonishing greenery of dense forests, coffee plantations, and hilly background. The stunning effect was heightened for us by the music of splashing water that greeted our ears even before we had seen the falls; the serene weather and a chance to take a dip in the waters together making it a perfect picnic spot. The 168 meters fall is divided into two stages – the Big Falls called Dodda Hebbe and the Small Falls called Chikka Hebbe. The falls are also surrounded by some of the best homestays of the region one of which we chose as our accommodation after we had our fill of photography the immense beauty of the falls.

 

6.    Baba Budangiri (Datta Peeta)

Baba Budangiri also is known as Datta Peeta and the Chandra Drona Parvatha is located in the Baba Budan Giri range and named after the Muslim saint Baba Budan. Located at a height of 1900 meters, the sight has three caves. Three Siddhas, the religious oracles, are buried here. An annual ceremony is held in these caves. The places also have a popular Diwali celebration.

Sri Guru Dattatreya Bababudanswamy’s Darga, an ancient institution is located nearby and is respected both among Hindus and Muslims.

Another holy site nearby is a cave built by Dattatreyaswamy which is claimed to be the residence of Hazrat Dada Hayath Mir Khalandar.

Conclusion

Chikmagalur is one of the most important tourist attractions of Karnataka despite lacking direct connectivity. Here we have presented only a small list of its numerous attractions that also include nearby hill station Kenmmangundi, Kallathigiri Falls, Coffee Museum (yes you heard it), Bhadra Dam, Kadambi Falls, Manikyadhara Falls, etc. A hill station that you just can’t have enough of. J