Skip to main content

Trip to the Misty Hills of Kudremukh


Trip to the Misty Hills of Kudremukh:

About Kudremukh: Kudremukh National Park is the second largest protected wildlife area in the Western Ghats (around 600 sq.kms). Three important rivers of Karnataka, the Tunga, Bhadra and Netravathi are said to have their origin in this area.
Mist covered roads in Kudremukh
All these can be reached within 80km. We first started with sringeri, which is famous for its Vidyashankara temple built in1342 AD. Reached Sringeri at 11am. There is a bridge Sri Vidya Teertha Setu across the Tunga river which connects from Vidyashankara temple to Sringeri Mutt. We had prasadam (lunch) at the mutt. There is one more temple called as Sharadamba temple which has lovely architecture built inside and photography is banned inside. The whole temple area is kept very clean and it was a pleasant experience to spend time in the temple complex. We then left at 12.30pm towards Kudremukh.
Vidyashankara temple 
Vidyashankara temple 
Vidyashankara temple 
Gardens around the Sringeri Mutt
View of Vidyashankara temple from other side of the river, Also the bridge can be seen on the left side
Vidyashankara temple 
Sringeri
Entered Kudremukh at around 2pm which is around 30km from Sringeri, there is no specific tourist spots inside Kudremukh except for Kadambi falls and Hanumana Gundi Falls both of these fall on the highway. Kudremukh National park is a Tiger reserve and the entry and exit are regulated including the time you stay inside the National Park. Kudremukh is famous for its natural grassland and shola forest, throughout your journey till the exit point you pass by some scenic landscapes, as it is a protected tiger reserve it is a plastic free zone, and all the tourists are advised to keep the forest cover untouched.  
Mist covered Kudremukh National park at noon
Kadambi falls
It was in the afternoon and we had no clue of sun, as it was so much mist filled around that we were unable to find our road. It was a heavenly experience, never seen before at afternoon such a heavy mist passing around us. On the way we found a small tea stall where we enjoyed drinking tea with mist covered around. While on the road you pass by Kadambi falls which can be viewed from the road itself, we reached here around 3pm. And Hanumana Gundi Falls also passes near the Road but needs a small trek down to view the falls, there are steps built from government for the convenience of the tourists. 

Route list at Kudremukh

 There are many unnamed small waterfalls formed due to the monsoon rains which come across the highway. After you cross by the KIOCL mining industry (which is not closed by court orders), you pass by the coffee estates of Chikmangalur, which are again very pleasant for your eyes.










Coffee estates at Kudremukh
Shola Grassland and forest, Kudremukh
State Highway, Kudremukh
After coming out of the Kudremukh national park we reached Kalasa at 4.30pm, which is around 75km from Sringeri. Kalasa is home to Kalaseshwara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It started to rain heavily so we had to shelter under the temple complex and waited till the rain stopped and then started our journey towards Horanadu at 5pm, which was our last destination which is just 10km away.
We reached Horanadu at 5.45pm and it was still drizzling and we entered Annapoorneshwari Temple for darshana, there wasn’t much of crowd due to rains. There are some scenic landscapes around the temple complex. Had coffee having the sights of the mountains and left the place past 6pm to end our Kudremukh trip with all the lovely picturesque images in our camera and in our hearts.
Due to time constraints we couldn’t cover Sirimane Falls which is just 14 km from Sringeri.
View from the kalasa Temple
View from Hornadu Temple



Labels:
Location: Kudremukh, Karnataka

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sky Islands to the Pacific shores - Part 1: The Sky Islands of Southeastern Arizona

In August 2026, I crossed the Atlantic to chase a long-cherished dream, stepping into the vast, untamed birding horizons of the American Wild West. Across a sweeping route through Arizona, Texas, Utah, and California, I logged 108 total species -  the vast majority of them absolute lifers for me! While the landscapes were vast and the wildlife was extraordinary, what truly made the Arizona portion of the trip unforgettable was the incredible warmth of the local birding community. At almost every trail, feeding station, and wetland, I met welcoming, friendly locals who were quick to share site tips, point out hidden roosts, and make a first-time visitor feel right at home. While North America’s diverse habitats delivered endless surprises, it was Arizona's high-desert canyons, towering rims, and lush riparian corridors that anchored the trip. Here is a location-by-location breakdown of the top birding hotspots, standout avian highlights, and unexpected wildlife encounters from the A...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sky Islands to the Pacific Shores – Part 2: Desert Valleys, Urban Wetlands & The Grand Canyon

If you missed Part 1: The Sky Islands of Southeastern Arizona , we explored the cool, high-elevation pine-oak Canyons of Madera, Montosa, Ramsey, Ash, and Carr, tracking hummingbird diversity and vibrant montane species across the legendary Sky Island ranges. Leaving the high, pine-scented peaks of the Sky Islands behind, the journey transitions into the sprawling lowlands and desert basins of Arizona. This second leg follows a dramatic ecological gradient—from open desert waters and lush suburban wetland oases into the iconic giant Saguaro forests of the Sonoran Desert, before ascending the Colorado Plateau to the high-elevation pine rims of the Grand Canyon. 3. Canoa Ranch Conservation Park Nestled in the Santa Cruz River Valley, Historic Canoa Ranch combines rich Southwestern heritage with wide-open water and vast desert horizons. Spending the late afternoon here delivered a bustling wildlife spectacle right up until dusk. Active hunters like the Belted Kingfisher, Black Phoebe, Ver...
Post a Comment
Read more

Seabird photography adventure on the Isle of May

Seabird Photography Adventure on the Isle of May – July 2025 Tucked off the east coast of Scotland, the Isle of May National Nature Reserve is a dream for wildlife and photography enthusiasts alike - especially during seabird breeding season. My trip in early July 2025 turned out to be more thrilling and rewarding than I had imagined, thanks to an unexpected boat change, incredible wildlife encounters, and a few lucky early moments of solitude with the stars of the island— the Puffins . A puffin staring right at the lens, proud of its catch. Getting There: A Wild Ride on the North Sea Originally, I had booked a standard boat tour with BlueWild from Dunbar harbour, but due to a last-minute issue with the vessel the night before, our journey was downgraded - well, depending on how you look at it - to a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) . What followed was a wild, wind-whipped ride across the North Sea , bouncing over waves with little warning. Thankfully, our guide kindly offered me a spar...
Post a Comment
Read more

Birding in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has a coastline of over 451 km, wide open to the north sea. Much of its land has been reclaimed from the sea and is below sea level, not surprisingly its coastal wetlands make up some of the best birding hotspots, apart from the inland nature reserves. Close to 500 bird species are recorded in the country, much of them are waders and water birds due to its geography. As a non-resident birdwatcher it was not an easy task to locate the right bird watching spots, whilst ebird helped considerably, the rest was on me to explore the Dutch lands. Nevertheless, the country is much safer to explore and the good facilities such as birding hides at the right places, easy access to most reserves makes it a birder friendly country. I have explored two of the birding hotspots, the Texel Island and Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve. Apart from these, I found bird watching and bird photography can be interesting in the neighborhood city parks and also tourist places such as Zaans...
Post a Comment
Read more

Chennakeshava temple of Belur- Exteriors

Chennakeshava temple of Belur: Some facts about the Chennakeshava Temple: Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana defeated the Cholas at Talakad & to commemorate this great event built many temples in 1117 A.D., of which Chennakeshava temple at Belur is the most important & beautiful , dedicated to Keshava one of the 24 forms of Vishnu. Although the temple was completed by Narasimha, it took over 103 years to finish the structure. Though the legends assign this temple to have been built by Jakanachari, as per the inscriptions the master builders of this temple are Dasoja and his son Chavana, other sculptors include Chikka-Hampa, Malliyana, Padari Malloja, Masada and Nagoja who bestowed their best in creating this masterpiece. Chennakeshava Temple, Belur Back to the travelogue: Most important aspect of these Belur Halebeedu temples is that Chennakeshava temple is famous for beautiful and intricate interiors and Hoysaleshwara temple is famous for the magnificent sculpture...
3 comments
Read more