Kudremukh Trek

ADVENTURE, CHIKMAGALUR Updated : May 21, 2018, 05.47 PM IST

Supriya Sehgal

Supriya has over a decade’s experience in design and development of travel content for television, digital and print platforms. This includes writing and editing articles for national & international publications, curating a column, developing content for coffee table books to writing scripts for TV shows and spearheading projects in the digital marketing space. Of her many travel writing avtaars, she is happiest when penning a guidebook - it has something to do with the comprehensiveness of knowing a destination and the thrill of being on the road for long stretches. She has authored/co-authored over 30 books on travel and plans to stop only when she hits a 100. Find out more on http://www.supriyasehgal.com/.

Photo courtesy: Supriya Sehgal

The Kudremukh trek in Chikmagalur is a good check on your strength, agility and physical prowess. Conquer the second highest peak of Karnataka (1894 m) trudging through the alternating thick Shola forests and wide yellow grasslands. Trekking to the horse-faced mountain (literal translation from Kudremukh in Kannada), is a challenging experience, especially if you are new to the outdoors. It is not recommended for kids or elderly travellers as the trail has several stream crossings and steep ascents. The topography changes from lush Shola copses, teeming with wildlife, to golden grasslands before you summit the peak. It is not uncommon to spot deer, wild boars, sambars, and if you are lucky, even a pack of bison. The trek is about 9.5 km long (one way) and takes a good 8-9 hours to complete. There is one main popular route which is supported by local guides and rudimentary travel infrastructure. The Kudremukh trekking trail lies within the Kudremukh National Park, for which one needs permission from the office of the Range Forest Officer.

Note: Most trekkers rely on the veteran guide, Mr. Rajappa and his family, to get both permissions and assist them during the arduous trek.
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