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Natural Splendors of Karnataka
With
the best part of the Western Ghats passing through Karnataka, this is a
land of breathtakingly beautiful natural landscapes and roaring
waterfalls. The spectacular views from romantic hill stations and sights
of torrents of plunging waterfalls make Karnataka the perfect backdrop
for nature lovers and eco-tourism enthusiasts.
Romantic Karnataka
Karnataka has its share of several lesser known hill stations; take your
pick from sandalwood forests, coffee plantations, trekking trials,
waterfalls and wildlife. Nested in the Western Ghats, these hill
stations present a spectacular view of dense forests, deep valleys, and
magnificent sunsets.
Coorg
Just
260km from Bangalore,
is the picturesque capital of coorg (also called kodagu),
Madikeri. The town is located in a beautiful hilly setting
surrounded by the densely forested slopes of the Western Ghats. With its
picture-postcard scenery of clusters of red tiled-roof houses, bustling
bazaar and old-world charm, madikeri is one of karnataka’s most popular
getaway.
Attractions in madikeri include 19th century Madikeri Fort,
the Omkareshwara Temple,
built in 1820 and Raja’s Seat, situated on a hilltop, where the
kings of Mysore spent their evenings watching the golden sunset. Near
the town, there are several majestic cascades, including the
Abbey Falls
and Iruppu Falls.
Other
breathtaking destinations in Coorg are:
Nisargadama- a
breathtakingly beautiful island just 2km from Kushalnagar.
Talacauvery- the source of Cauvery River.
Bhagamandal- the confluence of three rivers: Cauvery, Kanika and
Sujyothi. Virajpet- a small town, reputed to be the largest
producer of honey in Asia. Bylekuppe- one of the largest Tibetan
settlements in South India and renowned for its monasteries and
handicrafts.
Dubare Reserve Forest-
famed for its amazing variety of avian fauna, an elephant training camp,
and angling on the river Cauvery. Tadiyendamol- the tallest peak
in Coorg from the summit of which you can see the distant Arabian Sea.
Kudremukh
The
Kudremukh (Horse Face) Range 95km south-west of
Chickmagalur town and 350km from Bangalore overlooks the Arabian
Sea. As yet ‘undiscovered’ by tourists, kudremukh is a trekker’s
paradise with verdant forests, rivers, grassy slopes, waterfalls, rare
flora, caves and ancient ruins. the best time to visit is just before
the monsoon rains. Around kudremukh, ganga Moola is a scenic
place located in the Bhagawathi Forest where the three rivers
Tunga, Bhadra and Netravathi originate. A shrine to Godess Bhagawathi
and a 1.8m high varaha image inside a cave are the chief attractions
here.
Situated at an elevation of 826m in Shimoga District, Agumbe
has spectacular sunsets, sparkling streams, verdant vistas and an
unspoilt rustic ambience. Forested trails lead from here to a jungle
pond called Emkal Kere, a hillock called Nishani Gudda and
to Barkana Falls. There is also a 14th Century temple
with Hoysala-style sculptures. Agumbe is 305km from Bangalore.
Kemmangundi
The
Baba Budnagiri Range rings the erstwhile summer retreat of the
Mysore maharajas, kemmangundi.Located 245kms from Bangalore at a
height of 1434m above sea level, it is beautifully laid-out with
ornamental gardens and enchanting mountains and valleys view. The
spectacular sunsety view from the Raj Bhavan is a photographic delight.
For adventure seekers, there are peaks to scale and intricate jungle
paths to explore. Around kemmanugundi,
Kalhatti Falls
start at the Chandra Drona Hill and fall from a Height of 45m to
flow before the Veerabhadreshwara Temple. A short trek away is
the Hebbe Falls.
The
1895m Baba Budangiri Peak
near hewre is named aftera Muslim saint, who lived here in the 17th
century. The Inam Dattatreya Peetha here is venerated by Hindus
and Muslims with the annual jatra or urus being the biggest event here.
Kundadri Hill
Located about 12km from Teerthahalli, Kundadri Hill is a gigantic
monolithc rock formation. Surrounded by dense evergreen forests, it is a
lovely place for trekking. Camping in the open at kundadri Hills under a
full moon is an exhilarating experience.
Kodachadri Range
Situated 100km from Shimoga and 36km from Hosanagara is the
Kodachadri Range.
On the western side, the hill descends steeply for about 1220m, meeting
the forests of Udupi district. Kollur, a nearby town, is the
ideal base to explore these hills. Mookambika Nature Camp is 4km
south of kollur.
BR Hills
The
BR Hills take their name from the Ranganatha Swamy Temple
that sits at the edge of a granite precipice more than 1000ft above
dense forest. A champak tree believed to be more than 2000 years old is
worshipped by the Soligas tribe of the area. Besides many trekking
trails, the area also has several coffee estates, tribal hamlets and the
Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra.
Nandi Hills
An
idyllic retreat of the British and Tippu Sultan before them, Nandi
Hills is today the most popular weekend getqway for the residents of
Bangalore. Activities available here range from leisurely strolls to
paragliding. Two ancient temples dedicated to Lord Shivas are found on
the hill, one at the foot and the other at the peak.
Amrita Sarovar
is the main source of
water supply to the hill. Magazine is a rock where arms and
ammunitions were kept during Tippu’s reign. Tippu’s Drop is a
sheer drop, once used to execute prisoners
TREKKING
The kodagu region has several of trekking trails. Simply follow
the mountain paths doted with little shrines-some beside waterfalls, and
others n the banks of rivers. Interesting trails include one in the
Brahmagiri Range where a
trail leads from the Iruppu Falls to the
Brahmagiri Peak.
Another trail leads to Pushpagiri (1712m), Kodagu’s second
highest peak, through the village of
Heggademane
north of Madikeri. The
best season to trek is between October and the beginning of February.
CASCADING KARNATAKA
Karnataka abounds in sparkling waterfalls set amidst the sylvan environs
of the districts of Kodagu and Uttara Kannada.
West-flowing rivers gush through thick forests in coastal Uttara
Kannada, breaking into streams that meander over hilly tracts to end in
an series of dramatic, plunging finales throughout the region.
Jog Falls
The
Sharavathi River
makes a spectacular drop of 810ft in four distinct cascades-known
locally as Raja, Rani, Rover and Rocket- to create the highest fall in
Asia-Jog
Falls.
When the sluice gates of the upstream Lingamakki Dam are closed,
it is worth taking a walk right down to the bottom of the gorge.
Unchalli Falls
A
5km trek from Heggarne, a dreamy hamlet in uttara kannada
district brings you to the picturesque
Unchalli Falls
wich is about 400km from Bangalore. These falls are also known as
Lushington Falls, after a former British District Collector, who
first discovered the falls and Keppa Joga because of the
deafening sound they make.
Magod Falls
The
Bedthi River
takes two distinct leaps to hurtle
from a height of 650 ft into a rocky ravine as the
Magod Falls.
Located 80km from Karwar, the thickly wooded country side, the
roar of the gushing water and the beautiful views combine to make this
an idyllic spot for choice outings.
Hebbe Falls
An 8km trek from Kemmanugundi along a steep and narrow path leads
to the
Hebbe Falls.
Surrounded by dense forests ands coffee plantations, the cascade drop
from a height of 250ft to form Dodda Hebbe (Big Falls) and Chikka
Hebbe (Small Falls). A dip in the herb-infused water here is believed to
be remarkably refreshing.
Shivnasamudram Falls
Shivanasamudram Falls
is a tiny island-town
65km east of
Mysore.
The forests provide a staringly calm setting for the
Cauvery River
as it plummets from a height of 75m into a deep, rocky gorge to form two
picturesque falls, Barachukki and Gaganachukki. When the
Cauvery is in spate, watching the river crash into a cloud of foaming
spray can be an exhilarating experience. This is also the site of Asia’s
first hydroelectric project established in 1902.
Abbey Falls
About 9km from Madikeri, in the midst of private coffee and spice
estates,
Abbey Falls
offers a splendid backdrop for picnics. The falls make a sudden and
dramatic appearance amid stocky coffee bushes and tall trees entwined
with pepper vines, before they join the Cauvery River downstream.
The ideal time to visit the falls is during the monsoon.
Iruppu Falls
Adjoining the
Rajiv Gandhi National Park in
Nagarahole, 260km from
Bangalore, Iruppu
Falls, present a stunning sight during the monsoon. The falls plunge
170ft in two distinct stages before flowing as Lakshmana Teertha
(Sacred River of Lakshmana).A forest trail leads from these falls to the
Brahmagiri Peak in Southern Kodagu.
Kalhatti Falls
Kalhatti Falls
start at thee top of
the Chandra Drona Hill, from a height of 45m to flow before the
Veerabhadreshwara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Situated 10km
from Kemmanugundi, kalhatti is about 250 km from Bangalore.
Lalguli Falls
Lalguli Falls
are located 15km north of Yellapur in Uttara Kannada
district. Here, the Kali
River
creates a grand spectacle tumbling from a height of about 250ft in a
series of picturesque rapids of varying heights.
Sathodi Falls
About
32km from Yellapur, several streams converge near Kallaramane
Ghat, and plunge from a height of 15m to create the magnificient
Sathodi Falls, locally known as the “Mini-Niagara of Uttara
Kannada”.
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Information Sources:
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