Kodachadri, Karnataka
Kodachadri Weekend Trek via Hidlumane Falls
- Duration
- 2D / 1N2 days · 1 night
- Starts from
- Bangalore
- Trip type
- Trekking
Permits for Kodachadri are limited and issued by the forest department via Aranya Vihara. Note -Do enquiry before booking limited Gov Slots
- Trekking
- Heights
- Nature
- Adventure
- Culture
Dates
- 30–31 Oct 20262 days₹4,599
See 4 more datesShow fewer dates
- 6–7 Nov 20262 days₹4,599
- 13–14 Nov 20262 days₹4,599
- 20–21 Nov 20262 days₹4,599
- 27–28 Nov 20262 days₹4,599
Prices are per person.
The trip
Kodachadri is a 4,410 ft peak inside the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary in Shimoga district, one of the greenest corners of the Western Ghats. It is a trek that mixes forest, waterfalls and old legends: the trail climbs past Hidlumane Falls, a staircase of seven waterfalls topped by a main fall of almost 60 feet, and ends at Sarvajna Peetha, a small stone shrine where Adi Shankaracharya is said to have meditated.
We leave Bangalore in the evening and drive overnight to a homestay near Sampekatte run by a warm local couple. After an early breakfast, a short ride takes us to the start of the trail. It begins as an easy walk through dense forest and paddy fields, opens onto a wide green meadow, then turns into a real climb up the wet rocks of Hidlumane Falls. Above the falls the path gets steeper over tree roots and mossy rocks to a first peak and lunch at Everest Meadow, before joining the jeep road to the Mookambika temple. The last stretch runs along a rocky ridge with drops and views on both sides to the summit. On clear evenings you can watch the sun go down towards the Arabian Sea. An off-road jeep ride brings us down for high tea and dinner at the homestay.
Permits are limited and issued by the Forest Department through Aranya Vihara. If the usual route is not permitted for your date, the trek runs on the alternate approved route instead: a hike from the base to Hidlumane Falls and back, a jeep ride to the temple and the trek to the peak, about 10 km in all.
The second day is easy. After breakfast we visit Devagange Temple, tucked into the forest and linked in legend to the source of the Sharavathi river, and then Nagara Fort, an old Keladi Nayaka stronghold with walls, watchtowers and stone gateways. After a self-sponsored lunch we drive back, reaching Bangalore around 10:30 PM.
Transport, the homestay night, the listed meals, forest entry fees and permits, the trek-day jeep ride, a trained trek leader and a local guide are included.
Highlights
Day 1 · 7:30 AMTrek to Hidlumane Falls
Day 1 · 2:00 PMMookambika temple & Kodachadri summit
Day 2 · 8:30 AMDevagange Temple
Day 2 · 10:30 AMNagara Fort
Day by day
Overnight Drive & Kodachadri Trek via Hidlumane Falls
Pickups start at 7:30 PM the evening before (HSR Layout, Domlur, Cubbon Park, Mekhri Circle, Yeshwanthpur by 9:40 PM); dinner that night is self-sponsored, so please eat before boarding. We drive overnight in a non-AC push-back seat vehicle to a homestay near Sampekatte. After breakfast, we trek past Hidlumane Falls and Everest Meadow to the Mookambika temple and the Kodachadri summit, then take a jeep down for high tea and dinner.
- 5:30 AMArrive at the homestay & freshen upReach the homestay near Sampekatte after the overnight drive and freshen up. Stays are on shared basis, with separate zones for men and women.
- 6:15 AMBreakfast (included)Home-made breakfast at the homestay, finished by 6:45 AM so we can start on time.
- 7:00 AMRide to the trek start pointA short bus ride to the start of the trail, where the trek leader and local guide brief the group.
- 7:30 AMTrek to Hidlumane Falls (a highlight)Forest trail, paddy fields and a wide meadow, then a climb up the seven tiers of Hidlumane Falls to the main fall of almost 60 ft. Refill bottles here.
- 12:30 PMLunch at Everest Meadow (included)A steeper climb over roots and mossy rocks to the first peak, then lunch and a rest at Everest Meadow.
- 2:00 PMMookambika temple & Kodachadri summit (a highlight)Join the jeep road to the Mookambika temple, then walk the rocky ridge to Sarvajna Peetha at the 4,410 ft summit, with views on both sides.
- 5:30 PMOff-road jeep ride downAn off-road jeep ride down from the temple to the base, then on to the homestay.
- 7:00 PMHigh tea, snacks & dinner (included)High tea and snacks after the trek, then a home-made vegetarian dinner at the homestay and an early night.
Devagange Temple, Nagara Fort & Return
An easy day after the trek. Breakfast at the homestay, then Devagange Temple in the forest and the old Keladi Nayaka fort at Nagara, a self-sponsored lunch at a local eatery and the drive back, reaching Bangalore around 10:30 PM.
- 7:00 AMWake up, freshen up & check outA calm start at the homestay. Pack up and check out after breakfast.
- 7:30 AMBreakfast (included)Breakfast at the homestay before heading out.
- 8:30 AMDevagange Temple (a highlight)A quiet temple set in dense forest and streams near Kodachadri, linked in legend to the source of the Sharavathi river.
- 10:30 AMNagara Fort (a highlight)Walk the ruins of a Keladi Nayaka stronghold: old walls, watchtowers and stone gateways, with green views all around.
- 1:00 PMLunch (self-sponsored)Lunch at a local eatery. Not included in the price, and options in this region are simple and limited.
- 2:00 PMDrive back to BangaloreHead home over the ghat roads, reaching Bangalore around 10:30 PM along the pickup route, depending on traffic.
What’s included
6 items · extras
Gear & extras, 6 items
- Jeep ride on the trek day
- Shared homestay stay, with separate zones for men and women
- Trained trek leader and a local guide
- Round trip from Bangalore by non-AC tempo traveller or mini bus (by group size) with push-back seats
- 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, high tea and 1 dinner
- Karnataka Forest Department entry fees and trek permit
Not included, 5 items
- Anything not mentioned in the inclusions
- Insurance of any kind (health, medical, life and accidental)
- Meals not listed in the inclusions, including dinner on the way out and Day 2 lunch
- GST @ 5%
- Personal expenses of any kind
Questions about this trip
What should I carry?
A hard copy of the same photo ID you booked with (needed for the permit); a 30L backpack and a 10L daypack; hiking shoes, floaters, a raincoat and a phone cover; 2 water bottles and a lunch box with spoon; 3 T-shirts, 3 quick-dry pants, shorts, socks, a warm layer and a towel; toiletries; personal medicines and a Dettol spray for leeches; a power bank, poly bags for wet clothes, and cash for Day 2 lunch.
How hard is the Kodachadri trek?
It is rated moderate and can feel tough for first-timers: about 10 km to the 4,410 ft summit, with wet, slippery rocks on the climb up Hidlumane Falls, then steep sections over roots and mossy rocks and a rocky ridge to the top. Basic fitness and good shoes are enough. Leeches are common in the monsoon. The minimum age is 12.
Are permits included? When should I book?
Yes, the forest entry fees and trek permit are included and arranged for you. Kodachadri permits are limited and issued by the Forest Department through Aranya Vihara, so book at least two weeks ahead where you can. If the usual route is not permitted for your date, the trek runs on the alternate approved route (falls and back, a jeep to the temple, then the peak), about 10 km in all.
What food is served?
Simple, home-made vegetarian meals: breakfast on both days, lunch at Everest Meadow on the trek day, high tea and dinner at the homestay. Dinner on the drive out and Day 2 lunch at a local eatery are self-sponsored. Non-vegetarian food is not served.
Is it safe to join solo or with strangers?
Yes. Most people on this trek come solo or in small groups. The group is led by a trained trek leader together with a local guide, a female trek leader accompanies every group, and sleeping areas at the homestay are separate for men and women.
Read before you go
- Bandaje Falls Trek 2026: Route, Rules, Cost from BangaloreTravel Guide · 13 min read
- Karnataka Trek Online Booking 2026: Permits and RulesTravel Guide · 10 min read
- Travel Buddies in Bangalore: Find Your Weekend Crew (2026)City Guide · 13 min read
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