“The gladdest moment in human life, me thinks, is a departure into unknown lands.” – Sir Richard Burton
ROUTE MAP
We visited Chikmagalur (aka Chickmagaluru) in May 2015.
Chikmagalur is known as the ‘Land of Coffee’. If you want to spend some time out of your busy schedule, this can be a potential spot, especially for people from Bangalore looking for some plans on a long / extended weekend.
Try to start a little early in the morning from Bangalore to avoid the morning peak hour traffic. else, you might also have to spend a long time at the tolls.
Chikmagalur has gained its popularity because of the greenery and the peaceful environment here.
History: Chikmagalur literally means “The town of the younger daughter” in the native Kannada language. The town is said to have been given as a dowry to the younger daughter of Rukmangada, the legendary chief of Sakrepatna and hence the name. Chikmagalur district is the birthplace of coffee in India.
Mullayanagiri Hills:
This is the highest peak in Karnataka, it rises to 1926.7 meters above the sea level and is situated at the south of the range. The road is very narrow. If you are not an expert driver, don’t take the risk of using your own car for sightseeing.
The view from the top of this peak is amazing. There is a temple (dedicated to lord Shiva) on top of the hills and many people come here to visit this temple.
For adventure enthusiasts, the location offers an opportunity to engage in activities like mountain biking, trekking and road biking.
Butter Milk waterfalls (Jhari Water falls):
At a distance of 12 km from Baba Budangiri and 23 km from Chikmagalur, Jhari Waterfalls, also known as Buttermilk Falls, is a beautiful waterfall situated near Attigundi in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka.
Visitors cannot take their vehicles due to bad condition of the roads. One must take a Jeep ride (approx. 4 kms) the hill. There is also small shops just near the falls selling hot omelet, Vada Pav, and more..
Belur and Halebid Temples:
Belur-Halebid go together like twin cities. We visited Belur and Halebid temples, while returning to Bangalore. Belur is around 30 kms from Chikmagalur. We visited Chenna Kesava temple which is definitely a master piece constructed by the Hoysala dynasty.
The stone carvings are extra ordinary, and this temple is a great piece of architecture. Worth a visit, if you are a History Lover.
It’s around 15Kms between both these historic temples :
Other Attractions (within 100 kms):
Manikyadhara Falls (34 Kms)
Baba Budanagiri (35 Kms)
Kemmangundi (KR hills) (62 kms)
Hebbe Falls (65 Kms)
Bhadra Dam & Wildlife Sanctuary (82 Kms)
Kudremukh National Park (90 Kms)
Many Trekking sites are also available.
Kalahatti waterfalls (Not much recommended)
Accommodation:
Chikmagalur as such doesn’t have much attractions. So it’s very important that you select a nice place to stay.
Without a second thought, I would say Thippanahalli home stay (http://www.thippanahallihomestay.com/) will definitely be an ideal place.
They didn’t have the online booking facility. So, we had to call them for the confirmation and the advance was transferred to their Bank account.
The major advantage with this home stay is that they take you for a walk in their coffee plantations, which would be a new experience. You can also buy Coffee Powder from the home stay.
Chikmagalur have a lot of homestays available. My personal recommendation will be to plan your stay in a Homestay rather than a typical hotel type of accommodation.
Otherwise you can also look for more costly options like ‘Serai’.
