Kumara Parvatha | 4th Highest Peak of Karnataka
Kumara parvatha - My first ever trek in western ghats and it is the 4th Highest Peak in Karnataka
This place is a trekking paradise and one of the challenging trek in western ghats/ Sahyadhri Hills.
Where it is located
It’s located next to kukke subramanya temple, the base camp or starting point of the trek.
How to reach
By road - Bangalore to kukke Subramanya temple is around 280 km via Hassan and Sakaleshpura. Many private buses and government KSRTC buses available from Bangalore and from parts of karnataka too. Nearest city is Mangalore.
By train - IRCTC Train facilities are available to reach this place directly, kukke railway station is located around 40 km from the temple/base camp. Local jeeps/buses will be available any time to reach kukke from railway station. Cost will be cheaper.
The best part of train journey is, it covers Edakamuri trek rails.., Train journey between Sakaleshpura and kukke covers a beautiful western ghats, many tunnels/Bridges, water channels and hidden falls in rainy season, so if your planning in train to reach this place, plan a day train. Train will take 10 hrs to reach this place from Bangalore.
By Air - Nearest airport is Mangalore, kukke is 100 km.
Best time to visit
Summer - Feb to May : Trek might be difficult due to high sunshine and heat.
Rainy - June to September : Trek will be good for people who love to explore the place in rain, but lot lot leeches will be there.
Winter - October to January : Best time to visit, fully covered with green and peaceful climate.
TREK
Trek Difficulty level - Difficult. Suitable for average to pro trekkers. Not recommended for families due to lack of accommodation and food service.
Trek distance - 12km (One side) trek from base camp (Temple), Trek path is easily visible through out the trail.
Time required - 8-10 hrs required to reach the peak. Descending can be done in 5-6 hrs.,
Accommodation / Camping
“Bhattara mane” is a home half way to the trek near forest check post, here you can have food by informing a day before the trek.
No accommodation at this home but you can set your camp near by or near forest check post. Toilet facility available at this place.
Food - Bhattara mane is run by Bhatru, he stays there only and provides food for 150/- for trekkers, there are no other option for food except this. Trust me the food is awesome. But book it by priority, it will be helpful. Contact number of Bhattara mane - 94802 30191
Please carry fruits, biscuits, energy savers to avoid starving. Read trek plan information below for better food planning.
Permission
Trekking fee of 350 INR to be paid at forest check post by filling basic details.
Previously camping was allowed beyond check post near to kallu Manatapa place on the way to peak, but now its restricted and we cannot trek after night, early morning by 5 am we can start trek from check post.
Things to carry - Shoes, rain coat, tent, sleeping bag, torch or headlamp, enough water bottles, emergency first aid kit, energy savers, fruits, energy bars, cookies, importantly camera. 😇
Precautions
Take some prevention from leeches in rainy season, and from heat in summer, no worry about wild animals, carry enough water to avoid dehydration, carry torch you will be camping on the hill.
Experiences
Stay at mountain is the best moment of our life, Sunset beauty is mind blowing, An adventure feel of one of the summit in Karnataka.
NOTE: LATEST UPDATES DEC-2020
Camping allowed only in Bhattara mane and Forest check post, Not allowed after forest check post or at view point.
Drinks/Smoking - Strictly prohibited, Forest official will check before Bhattara mane.
Before 11 am, you have to cross check post to reach peak, otherwise you will not get permission, and need to wait for next day.
If you are planning to start from Kukke and descend at Pushpa giri side or vice versa, need to deposit 2000/- at the forest check post and will be refunded at other side forest check post. Keep less plastic, each plastic or paper will be counted. You have to reach other side check post before 5.30 pm as a must.
Tents are available in Bhattara mane and Forest check post too for a price 75-100 per person, make use of it in case you don’t have tents an unable to carry one.
Trek plan
Kumara parvatha is located in Coorg
Detailed travel plans for Coorg with various options are explained on the Guide page.
Check the link below for more information.
Trek Route - Stage 1
Temple to Bhattara Mane - 5.5 km (1.5km on road, 2.5km inside forest, 0.5km on grassland). Autos or local transport might be available till the entry point of the forest which is 1.5km from the temple.
Stage 2
Bhattara mane to Kallu mantapa - 2.5km on open grassland with steep
Stage 3
Kallu Mantapa to Shesha Parvatha - 1.5km. A steep for a while.
Stage 4
Shesha parvatha to Pushpa giri - 1.5 km. Short trail inside forest again and a small lord Shiva temple will be found at the peak.
Return can be done on same route or can also be descend at Somwarpete side near Pushpa giri temple which is 7 km (3 hrs) from the peak.This route is easier compare to first one but less scenic. Trek trail easily visible and dense forest.
“It’s always further than it looks.
It’s always taller than it looks.
It’s always harder than it looks.”
My Trek story to Kumara Parvatha
How it got triggered
It was a casual discussion with my friend on 2012 and he said his brother has visited a place which is 2 days trek near to Western Ghats, and “we can camp on top of the hill“, that last line blown my mind, I came home and searched about this place and gone mad by seeing the images, its keep on disturbing my mind every day for almost 2 weeks, I have never done any camping on top of the hill or any 2 days trekking till that date, I read so many travel blogs about this place and gathered all the information’s required, contacted few and discussed with my friends and for them also it was first time experience and we were in dilemma on “what if something goes wrong”, still the enthusiasm was high on us and what happened next was unbelievable!!!
How it started: It was a Friday; we took a bus from Bangalore to kukke, reached early morning by 5 am. Took a small room, fresh up, breakfast, took blessing from Subramanya temple which is the base camp of trek, took water bottle, fruits, eatables, and we headed around 9 am.
It was a normal walk on the road for few minutes, and then trek starts by getting inside the dense forest by a small gate which has a sign board of Kumara Parvatha trek route; the trek path is very clear and visible, after 2-3 hours of trek in forest only, we got a rest at Hill rock (Kallu Bande - Kannada) and decided to reach Bhattara mane for lunch. further started and came out of forest and we saw the peak along long distance away, uff.., it was an open green grassland and I have never seen that much mountain close look until that moment, I was lost by the beauty of Western Ghats/Sahyadhri hills, we reached Bhattara mane by 1 pm, our lunch was ready and we had it, I felt it was the most satisfied meal at that time, we stayed for a while and took photos at view point, and our plan is to reach Kallu Mantapa and camp there.
(NOTE: Now it is not allowed to camp after forest check post, which is just half km from Bhattara mane, there are water facility at forest check post and we can camp there now.)
Camping
After the lunch & a small rest, we visited the forest check post and filled few details, paid fee and moved on. From there the trek starts bit steep, we reached Kallu Manatapa by 6 PM, which is 2 hrs from Bhattara mane. We took a camp there & with few minutes of rest we felt a complete silence, beautiful stars, cold wind breeze; we were all speechless for this amidst beauty of our nature.
(Camping at forest check post or View point also the best plan and comfortable with more safe & we can also have dinner at Battara mane),
It was the best moment we had on the mountain and we never forget in our life, it’s even drizzled while we were sleeping, it was our first trek we didn’t took any tents or sleeping bags, in fact we didn’t had 1, but we took a big Tarpaulin and that was our tent and sleeping bag too, what a plan!!!. We had our dinner as fruits, cookies, bread and jam, we all slept except with 2 guys, they were scared of the dark and we didn’t care, just kidding.
Summit: Early morning we woke up at 5.30 am and awaited for the most beautiful, scenic, much awaited for the life time sun rise from top of the mountain, it was unbelievable. What a view!!! Experience cannot be explained. You should feel it.
Later we started towards peak and reached by 10 am, it was 3 hrs from kallu Mantapa. We enjoyed the beauty of trek trails, amazing sunset, night camping, drenched by rain, torn shoes, wet dress and we didn’t had normal dinner, morning we left with only few bread, we shared it all (As there was no food facility except Bhattara mane) and that was the 1st summit in Western Ghats range and we did it.
Return: After few moments we started descending, and reached Bhattara Mane by 2 pm for lunch. Descending in little bit slippery but the time consuming is half of ascending, took lunch and straight forward back to Base camp through the same dense forest and reached base by 6 pm.
We went to Kumaradhara river and took bath, which is 2 km from Base camp (Temple), Autos/Local transport will be available.
From the river we can see the tip of the mountain and we were shocked by looking at our faces, “Did we reach there!!!” Unbelievable. And that’s the spirit we had in our mind and we headed back to Bangalore by bus and reached Monday morning by 5 am.
The most beautiful moment in this trip we had was we asked our self while taking bath at the river & seeing the tip of the peak…,,
“Which one is next”!!!
( WE DID IT AGAIN IN DEC 2020,
START - KUKKE
END - PUSHPAGIRI ) AWESOME…, for more info, please leave a comment.
Thank you for reading our travel story and please visit this place, share your moments.
Have a safe journey
Thank you all
If any information is insufficient or if any latest updates from the recent travelers, Please leave your comments below.., Your comments are most welcome & valuable.
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