Kodachadri, Kudremukh and Kumara Parvatha are the three popular mountain peaks in the Western Ghats of coastal Karnataka. The subtlety of Mother Nature can be best perceived essentially by setting one's foot into the bounteous terrains of such provinces. Although there may be hardships along the way, the experience will rejuvenate you and render a sense of accomplishment, and bestow new insights into the ways of nature. Kodachadri is a mountain peak with dense forests and an elevation of1,343 metres above sea levelin the Western Ghats in South India 8 kilometres from Shimoga .It is declared as natural heritage site by Government Karnataka and it is 13th highest peak of Karnataka.
Location & Route
Location: Kodachadri forms a background to the temple of Mookambika in Kollur. It is located at a distance of 21 kilometres from Kollur and 15 kilometres from Nagodi village, in Hosanagara taluk. 78 kilometres and 42kilometres from Sagara, Karnataka via Hasirumakki Ferry from District Headquarters Shimoga and there are different routes to reach the Peak of Kodachadri and the difficulty varies highly with respect to the route chosen.
Route: From Bangalore, one has to go to Shivamogga (285 km) and from there, one can take public transport to reach Nagodi village (Hosanagara Taluk). From Udupi, it is three hours journey to Nagodi village, from where trekking starts. Kodachadri peak is connected with an all rough jeep road (partially metalled) on which only jeeps can travel.
Kodachadri Jeep ride from Kattinahole:
From the Kattinahole side, I would recommend you to take the Jeep ride unless and until you think you can drive on a trail. One can drive up to the peak of the Kodachadri hill. However, last 10 Kms of the drive is uphill. As the road condition to Kodachadri peak is not good. It is advisable to take four by four vehicle or one can easily drive with the bike. Driving with pillion might be a problem during monsoon. You can book the entire jeep for around 2500-3000 rupees. Else, if you are alone, you can pay around 300-400 per head for the shared jeep.
Kodachadri HomeStay:
There are a lot of Homestay locations around Kodachadri hills. Even there are many other options to stay in the nearby towns around which Homestays are located. But it is important to choose where to stay and which homestay to live in. The best place for Homestay that I would like to recommend will be Kattinahole. There is a lot of options for the homestays around Kattinahole.
Kodachadri Trekking Guide:
There are two trekking routes to the Kodachadri peak. One is from the Kattinahole through Hidlumane falls and another trekking route is through Santhosh hotel, Valur. Both of the trekking routes will be explained below. You should also know that Kodachadri trek does not end at the Kodachadri Information Bureau point. There are a further 2 kilometres of trekking from there until the Kodachadri sunset point which takes around 40 minutes to reach at the sunset point.
Kodachadri trek via Hidlumane falls: If you want to attempt Kodachadri trek via Hidlumane falls then you will have to start from the kattinahole. There is no proper trail from the Kattinahole to the Hidlumane falls as it crosses farms, villages, grasslands and uneven trails. However, there is a proper trail from Hidlumane falls to the Kodachadri peak which joins Kodachadri trail. If you want to attempt the Kodachadri trek via Hidlumane falls then you might have to ask for a guide at the homestays. Talk in advance before booking.
Kodachadri trek distance via Hidlumane falls: 10 Kms until the Kodachadri Sunset point
Trekking time: Around 6 Hours (Including breaks & fun at the Hidlumane falls)
Kodachadri trek via Santhosh hotel, Valur: The second route starts from Sampekette-kollur- Nagara road. Just search on Google maps for Kodachadri Trek Trail, Nagodi, Karnataka and it will land you there. From there, there is a direct trail to the peak.
Famous places to visit
Some of the interesting places to visit in Kodachadri are Sarvajina Peetam, Sri Mookambika Devi Temple, Hidlumane Waterfalls, Sauparnika River, Arasinagundi Waterfalls, Belakallu theertha Waterfalls, Nagara Fort, Kodachadri Trekking Route and Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary. Those who love to travel to adventurous places can plan the trip to Kodajadri.
Mookambika Devi Temple: Sri Mookambika Devi Temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvathi. Believed to be one among the seven pilgrim centers created by Parashurama, this temple located on top of Kodachadri hill, at the foot of the Western Ghats. The temple attracts thousands of devotees not only from South India but from all around the country. Here the goddess is worshipped in the form of a 'Jyotirlinga' incorporating aspects of Shiva and Shakti.