Kumara Parvatha Trek

Beginning at an elevation of nearly sea level, you will hike up to 5,600 feet over the course of two days while covering a distance of 22 kilometers. The path up Kumara Parvatha is difficult from the start.

The hike can be divided into three sections based on distance and elevation gain.

Section 1: Trek Base to Bhattaramane ( covered on Day 1 )

Section 2: Bhattaramane to Shesha Parvatha ( covered on Day 2 )

Section 3: Shesha Parvatha to Kumara Parvatha ( covered on Day 3 )

Section 1: Trek Base to Bhattaramane

Trek Distance: 7 km 

Duration: 5-6hrs

Shortly after Kukke Subramanya Temple, the trail to Kumara Parvatha begins. A signboard pointing in the direction of the trail is located close to the temple. The trail is clearly marked and accessible right away. You will enter deeper into the dense forest if you continue on this trail. The hike starts out with a modest to moderately steep climb, but it gradually gets steeper with some flat-level segments. Wild animals abound in this jungle, but they usually stay away from the trekking trail. You can only hear the sounds of wild animals and see some types of birds and snakes if you have eyes and ears. After three kilometres of ascent, there is a large rock known as Bheemana Bande or Bheema Rock that serves as the first rest area. This is your chance to relax and refuel before the challenging, upward climb that lies ahead.

As you continue to ascend from Bheema Rock, the forest section will come to an end as you come to an open area. Bhattara Mane is only a little over a kilometre away. Viewpoint Bhatta’s House is not far from both the Forest Office and myself. The path turns left and descends to Bhattara Mane. You will arrive at the Forest Office if you continue straight. Viewpoint I is there for you if right is what you seek. Viewpoint Right in front of you, I’ll show you scenic views of Shesha Parvatha and the breathtaking Western Ghats. You can choose to camp at Bhattara Mane Camping Ground or take a short break at Bhatta’s house. Since camping is not permitted beyond this point, you must obtain Forest House’s permission if you intend to spend the night here.

Day 2: Section 2- Trek from Bhattara Mane / the Forest Office to Shesha Parvatha

Length: 3.5 Kilometres

Journey time: four hours

The climb today is quite difficult and requires an early start. The trail becomes steep as you enter the grasslands after about ten minutes. The grasslands open up to a vast, seemingly endless view of greenery, with the bushy jungle on your left. After that, you ascend to Shesha Parvatha. After this challenging hike, which offers breathtaking views and scenery, you arrive at Kallu Mantapa in just over two kilometres. This is where you will rest. If you’re lucky, you can find a stream here to fill up your bottles. You are greeted by a sizable green gorge and Shesha Parvatha’s vertical rock face to your right as soon as you begin approaching Shesha Parvatha.

Day 2:  Section III: Two-kilometer trek from Shesha Parvatha to Kumara Parvatha Peak

Two hours long trek

When you reach Shesha Parvatha Peak, the most difficult portion of the trek is over.

The pathway descends into an open forest after Shesha Parvatha. Once you reach the second forest section of the trail, keep going. Without a doubt, this section is spectacular! A difficult trek leads to massive rocks after the forest. After climbing the rock face, it takes about 20 minutes before Kumara Parvatha Peak embraces you with open arms. From here, the hidden side of the mountain on the other side emerges. includes the vast Madikeri spread, the hills of Coorg, and the rest of the Western Ghats spread out everywhere on a crisp morning.

It’s time for a well-earned summit party right now. Take in the scenery and peace; you won’t find them anywhere else. Engage in some landscape photography to capture the Western Ghats from every angle. Close your eyes for a while and think back to how you got there. Take note of the silence and any signs of nearby birds twittering. Spend as much time as is necessary being thankful for this trek and the surrounding nature. Before you begin your descent back to base, relax your overworked muscles.

Returning to base

You’ll take the same path back that you came on. However, be cautious of unstable areas and move steadily and gradually. If you slip, you run the risk of hurting yourself. Return in time for lunch at Bhatta’s House. After eating, go to the forest office to pick up your belongings. After you have recovered, take the same trail you used yesterday to return to the base. From this point on, it will be a descent, so you should take extra care not to run or lose your balance. Ideally, you should allow the same amount of time for the descent as you did for the ascent. Therefore, proceed cautiously as you descend through the forest and arrive at the base before dusk because it gets very dark here.

Once you return to the base, you freshen up and head out for a stomach filling dinner before your depart to Bangalore