A trek through Rain forest - Kodachadri Hills

          Kodachadri trekking is one of the most adventurous and most amazing weekend tourist destination from Bangalore. We are a bunch of five friends who planned this trip on a short span of time and made it successful in just 2 days. Before starting your journey make sure to plan your stay and  local guide for the trek.

  

Co-Ordinates:

       Kodachadri is a mountain peak in the Western ghats of Shimoga district in south India that has an altitude of 1343 m above the mean sea level. It is situated near the Mookambika National Park about a distance of 21 km from Kollur  and 15 km from Nagodi village, in Hosanagara taluk. This wildlife destination is a lesser known trekking spot.

        What our History and Geography says is that, Sage Adi Shankara is said to have visited this place, meditated here and he also established a temple at Kollur. A small temple called Sarvajnapeetha, built with stone is dedicated to Adi Shankara at the top of Kodachadri. Some of the pilgrims from South Indian states who visit Kollur take a trek to Kodachadri also.

         Dr. K. Shivarama Karantha, noted writer of Udupi District trekked to Kodachadri in 1940s and appreciated the natural beauty of this place by placing Kodachadri as most beautiful of three mountain peaks of coastal Karnataka (the other two being Kuduremukh and Kumara Parvata).

How to reach there?

Well, there are so many answers for this question. 
         Kollur, which is located near Kodachadri, is an ideal spot from where you can reach the hill. You can reach Kollur from Bangalore or from Shimoga. From Kollur, trekkers can travel to Nagodi village, which is at the base of the peak. An alternate route is to travel overnight to Nittur which is on the way from Kollur and Shimoga. The trek is a 12-km route from Nittur from Kodachadri gate.

      
       If you are opting to go by public transportation then book the KSRTC bus/Private bus to Kollur. and get down in Nittur, from there homestay guys will pick you up. If you choose to go by own vehicle then you can reach your homestay directly. There are lot of homestays are available now in that locality.

Let me tell you how we reached there. 

       After so much of planning, we booked a homestay some days prior to our journey and also booked our bus tickets from Bangalore to Nittur. We left Bangalore on Friday night and got down in Nittur bus stand early Saturday morning. From there we were escorted to our homestay by their people on jeep. After a brief refresh and breakfast, we ignited our trek to this beautiful mountain. We were given with packed lunch of rice bath which we had after climbing first peak of Kodachadri. And trust me it was so delicious. 

Now lets talk about the serious stuffs.

Pre-Requirements for the trek:

1. Pre-booking of Homestay.
2. Taking enough pair of cloths(Raining most of the times).
3. Umbrella/Raincoat a must.
4. Jackets
5. Medicines/pain relief sprays
6. Moov ointment/salt (To get rid of Leeches)

Best time to visit:

The best time to undertake this trek during the October-February time period. If you want to enjoy the rain while trekking then August-October is good. The trek takes 8-10 hours to complete and should be undertaken only by experienced trekkers with fitness levels at their peak.

To-Do List:

• The route through jungles is infested with leeches. Protective footwear and long trousers are a must on the trek
• The dense jungles house several species of poisonous snakes, including theKing Cobra. Thick, ankle-length footwear is preferable to sneakers.
• The amenities along this route are basic. The trekker is advised to carry adequate water, beverages, and food.
• The route passes through a wild life reserve. The trekker is advised to avoid littering the route and to keep noise levels to the minimum.
• Carrying torches and insect repellents is essential on this trek.

Must visit places(On the way):

Hidlumane Falls:

Hidlumane falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls u can witness while trekking in Shimoga dist. You will reach here after around 5 km from your starting point. The only way by which you can reach here is by trekking on a bridle path, which involves a little adventurous trekking.

Ganesha Guha:
Ganesha Guha is near the trekking path to Sarvajna peetha. This is a very small cave where a ganesha idol is being placed and is worshiped daily.

Sarvajna Peetha:

Sarvajna Peeth is a small temple like structure near the peak where Adi Shankara meditated.  This small structure bears a name which is similar to Sarvajnapitha, also called Sharada Peeth of Jammu and Kashmir. 

The view and weather here is amazing. Its good to sit down for a while and enjoy the nature.

Places around Kodachadri:

• As discussed above, Kollur, the famous temple town is located 12 km from Kodachadri. The temple of Mookambika Devi is believed to have been established by sage Parashurama. In fact, there is a Mookambika temple at Kodachadri village, which is believed to be the origin of the Goddess.
• Agastya Teertha is a waterfall in the jungles adjoining Kodachadri. This waterfall can be located only with the help of local guides.
• The backwaters of the Linganamakki Dam on Sharavathi River form a backdrop to the Nagara Fort at a distance of 25 km from Kodachadri.
• The famous Jog Falls.

Shopping options@ Kollur: