Chikmagalur
which literally means Younger Daughter’s town, is close to Bangalore and is on
most people’s travel list as it provides a wide range of travel and trek
possibilities. The place is known for its coffee estates, lush green hills of
Baba Budan Giri, Mullayanagiri and the Kudhremukh National Park. It is also
very close to the world heritage center “Belur and Halebid” that celebrate the
intricate detailed sculpted work of the Hoysala Empire.
Chikmagalur
makes for a great weekend or long weekend trip for people living in and around
Bangalore or even visiting it.
How
to Reach:
By
Road – You can drive down , it is about 240 kilometers from Bangalore and can
be scaled in about 5 to 5 ½ hours, the roads are mostly good.
You
can also take a bus to Chikmagalur from Bangalore or whichever place you want
to start from.
By
Train : The nearest Rail head is at Kadur
By
Air: Nearest Airport is at Bangalore
Driving
down is the best option as the journey to and also in and around the place is
beautiful laden with green on all sides, if it’s a monsoon drive even the
better.
Things to
Do :
There
are plenty of places to see and things to do in this region. If trekking is
what you love then Baba Budangiri, Mullayangiri and Kudhremukh have many trails
to scale. If a short climb and watch sunset on the ridge is your thing then
just stop pick a hill and climb it, Mullayangiri is just spectacular and you don’t
need to reach the very top to get a great view, where ever your legs start to
ache stop there and take in the view, it’s absolutely gorgeous.
 |
| Sunset at Mullayanagiri |
You
can visit the Kudhremukh national park and Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, drive
down to Hebbe Falls, Ayyanakere lake, and Kalahatti falls. Do not forget to
visit Belur and Halebid Temples on your way back to Bangalore it is exquisite
and an Indian Architecural/ artistic marvel.
 |
| Beautiful Temple Architecture and Relief Sculptures at Belur |
You
can walk around in some coffee estates, the possibilities are limitless, all
depends on what you love the most, in chikmagalur you can afford to pick and
choose that.
Things
to Remember :
1.
If you are traveling during monsoon, the monsoon here is heavy rain with fog
filled roads and valleys. So carry a poncho or an umbrella always. If you are
driving down , fog lights may be a good idea, especially if you have plans of
off roading.
2.
If you plan to trek in any of the hills, carry water and wear floaters or good
shoes as the terrain is full of grass growth and rubble.
3.
The hill tops are always windy and a little chill so carry warm wear.
4.
If you are an ardent photographer carry a telephoto lens, and keep your camera
at the ready always, you could spot something while trekking, walking or even
driving which you wouldn’t want to miss.
5.
Book your accommodation in advance in one of the many home stays and resorts,
weekends most of them get filled quite easily.
Parinitha
Konanur
