Rani Jhari View Point

We missed the Kuduremukha trek, but we were able to hike a beautiful place near Mudigere instead. After Kuduremukha, our plan was to stay at Gatikallu Homestay, which is located in Mudigere and around 200 kilometers away. On the way, we took a quick break near Samse and took some beautiful pictures. 

 

The journey was fantastic, and singing old songs with friends made it even more enjoyable 😄. We didn’t even realize that we had been traveling for 6 hours! 😎 

 

Unfortunately, the sun was nowhere to be seen, and it was raining continuously without stopping 😟. This forced us to stay back at the homestay. However, we found a fun way to pass the time. After lunch, we decided to go into the pool despite the cold weather. We later headed to play mud volleyball, which turned out to be a lot of fun.🤩 

 

The homestay offered various activities like mud volleyball, kayaking, and estate walks. We made the most of our time and had a memorable day. The next day, we were all excited for our next adventure, a trek to Rani Jhari view point, and we were asked to be ready by 8.30 AM. 

 

From the homestay, it took us around 30 minutes by jeep to reach the starting point of the trek. To reach Rani Jhari, we had to park our vehicles at the beginning and then walk to the destination. Since it’s a 4X4 drive, we were able to reach the checkpoint easily. There was no entry fee for this place, but it was more crowded than we expected because many other treks were closed. 

 

Rani Jhari is an ideal place for beginners to get used to trekking. The trek itself was refreshing, and the viewpoint offered a unique perspective of the Western Ghats, a view that many people haven’t seen before. The lush greenery added to the beauty of this place. When we reached the top, we could see Rani Jhari covered in fog, creating a mesmerizing view.

 

 

 

The rain came and went, but luckily, it allowed us to take some pictures. At times, it became heavier, but since we were well-prepared, we were able to complete the trek.

If you’re planning a trip to Rani Jhari, there are a few things to keep in mind. If you’re going during the rainy season, bring a raincoat to stay dry. If you visit during the winter, pack warm sweaters because it can get quite chilly. Also, be aware of leeches as they are common in the area and might affect your trekking experience. If you have an off-road vehicle, it will make your journey to the site more comfortable.

 

Samse

Samse is a small village in the southern state of Karnataka. It's found in the Kalasa area of Chikkamagaluru district. This village is part of the Kudremukh range and is about 10 kilometers away from Kalasa. We planned to visit it on my way back because when we was going to Kuduremukha, it was getting dark.

On the road, you can see a beautiful tea plantation in Samse. Inside the tea plants, there's a beautiful temple for Sri Siddhi Ganapathy. This temple is famous, and many people visit it. I stopped there quickly to take some pictures.

Samse is also popular for being a location where movies are sometimes filmed. The place is really nice for enjoying nature and its beauty.

Even though it had been raining for a few days, the rain stopped for a bit when we was there. This let us take some pictures. 

There's a tea shop across the road that serves good tea. If you ever stop there, you should try the tea – it's quite nice.

After enjoying the surroundings for a while, we made our way to Ghatikallu Resort, where we had booked our next adventure.

How to reach:

Samse is around 320 kms from Bengalur. Kalasa is the near town and Samse is around 10 Kms from Kalasa. Samse can be reached by road easily. 

Travel Tips

Distance from Bengaluru	–	320 Kms
Road Condition	–	Decent
Nearest Town	–	Kalasa
Fuel Station	–	Kalasa
Near by places to visit	-	Kuduremukha, Kalasa, Soormane waterfalls

Kudremukha National Park

Trek to Kudremukha was planned and organised by Pradeep, and I got the opportunity to join the group. Unfortunately, heavy rain in the past days led to the last-minute cancellation of the trek by the forest department. This marked the fifth time I've missed this trek, which made me a bit disappointed about my luck. However, being with this group was incredibly enjoyable. Despite being a new member, I never felt like an outsider.

Following the plan, we reached Bhagawathi Nature Camp, though we were a bit late, which was quite funny. This camp is situated inside Kudremukh National Park, and we had to drive about 2 to 3 kilometers through the forest from the main road. The route we took was exceptionally picturesque and beautiful.

At the camp, they had different accommodation options, and we chose the dormitory package. Right when we arrived, heavy rain began again, and it continued for the rest of the day. After a night journey and a hike to Ettinabhuja, a good night's sleep was much needed to recharge for our next adventure. We enjoyed delicious food provided at the camp and then went to sleep.

There was an option for a safari, but due to the rain, some of us decided not to take part and instead went for a walk around the camp area. We managed to take some beautiful photos around the camp, but on our way back, the rain became stronger, and we had to quickly return to our camp.

With loads of memories in our hearts, we moved on to our next destination. 

Taking photos at this point was a must; otherwise, the visit to Kudremukha wouldn't feel complete. 

 

Every part of this journey was filled with the beauty of nature at its finest.

How to reach:

Samse is around 340 kms from Bengalur. Kalasa is the near town and Samse is around 30 Kms from Kalasa. This beautiful place can be reached by road easily. 

Travel Tips

Distance from Bengaluru	–	340 Kms
Road Condition	–	Decent
Nearest Town	–	Kalasa
Fuel Station	–	Kalasa
Near by places to visit	-	Kuduremukha

Ettina Bhuja Trek

We had to change our plans for the trip because of heavy rain in the area, which closed down the trekking route to Nethravathi peak. We waited for the weather to improve, but it didn’t, so we decided to hike to Ettina Bhuja instead. No matter which peak you want to climb in the Western Ghats, it always provides an amazing experience.

Ettina Bhuja is a hill in the Chikkamagaluru District, about 8 km from Mekanagadde. It’s close to the historic temple town of Dharamsthala. The hill is located in the Byrapura village in the Mudigere range of Chikkamagaluru district, around 250 km from Bengaluru. You don’t need permission from the forest department to hike this trail, at least as of today. The trek is relatively easy and suitable for beginners. The only challenging part is the last 100 meters.

We started our trek in steady rain, and the initial trail is flat and straightforward, so you don’t need a guide. However, due to the rain, the whole area was covered in fog, and we couldn’t see much or take pictures. It was also very windy at the peak, so we couldn’t stay there for long.

As we were heading back to the starting point, the rain stopped, and the fog cleared. We could finally see the peak, which tempted me to go back and take some photos. I rushed back to the peak, and my friend Karthik joined me in this sprint, allowing us to capture some pictures.

The total trek distance is around 5 kilometers and can be completed in about 3 hours.