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Kumara Parvatha is part of the Western Ghats mountains range and is very close to the famous pilgrimage center Shri Kukke Subramanya Kshetra in South Canara District of Karnataka. About 4000 feet above sea level and lies to the east of the temple.

Raw, rustic and ture bliss in-midst of the nature..If you ever thought of getting lost...here is a good place to start. Cook your own food, have water from various water sources one can find all the way up to the peak. No Civilization, no nothing...absolutely fantastic.

If you are wanting to come back to tell the story to your family and friends make sure you take a local guide and some decent food and good protein suppliments along with you..

Not to mention that you need all that you have ever needed for a trek. Ropes, Torches, Tents, good trekking shoes, jackets, good trek kit etc etc...

Nearest Towns: Somawarpet, Kukke Subramanya

Distances: ~ Bangalore 300+ kms, ~ Kukke Subramanya 15+kms

Kumara Parvatha Treakking Route Map:
Camping Sites: Forest check post, Bhattara Mane, Mantapa, if coming from the Subramanya side), the summit (Pushpagiri), if taking the Somavarpet route.


Route 1: Subramanya. You start from in front of the Subramanya temple; a tarmac road to the left of the temple, and 1 km later, on your left, you see a slight opening and a big house adjacent to the trail into the forest. The first stretch of some 4 km is through thick forest, so it is rather moderate though the stretch has some steep climbs. After the wooded area, some 2 km later, you reach Bhattare Mane. If you are planning a break at Bhattare Mane, it is a good idea to have lunch there at 1 PM, and start after a good nap at 4 PM or so. Right after Bhattare Mane, you will need to go to the Forest dept. check post and get permission for entering and camping. Camping permit comes at 115 per head. After this, you reach an old stone structure well known as Mantapa (1 hour from Bhattare Mane). The last usable water source is at Mantapa, near the wooded area. From there, it is almost 2.5 hours trek through hot, barren, steep hills.


Things to note:
1. After the wooded area cover in the first stretch, which is for some 3 km, the trail is absolutely barren, with sun beating down ferociously. If you are starting the trek early morning (6 AM from Subramanya), carry food for lunch, dinner, and next day breakfast, so that you can avoid the delay at Bhattare Mane.If you are carrying food for both the days, you can do the strenuous stretch before it becomes awfully hot. You can thus reach the peak by 3 PM, latest.

2. Streams and water sources dry up around November-end. The last usable water source is in the wooded area near Mantapa. You might find some water a little before the peak though, but it becomes stagnant after November, so dont use it for drinking.

3. You get food at Bhattara (batta) Mane only at 1 PM, so, however early you reach, you should be prepared to wait until 1 PM and resume the trek at 3 pm or later. If you want a break and a good rest before you start in the afternoon, it is best to reach Bhattare Mane by 12 noon after taking a leisurely trek up and resume trek by 4 PM or so, after the sun has gone down a bit.

4. Of the two routes, this is much more strenuous than the other. You start at 320 ft above sea level from Kukke town, and gain an elevation of 5300 ft over the next 10 kms. Some of the climbs are at 60 degrees or more incline.

Route 2: Somavarpet: Hiring a jeep would cost you Rs. 500+. On the way you get a moderate waterfall also. You reach Heggade Mane from Bidalli, some 5 km. At Heggade Mane, you come across a temple under construction; from there the trail starts. 2 km down, you reach the Forest dept. checkpost. Pay Rs. 115 per head for entry fees.
Watch out for directions painted on rocks and trees, with red paint, essentially arrow marks showing you the way forward, so you don't have to worry about taking the wrong trail.Do watch out for a few steep rocky stretches. After some 4-5 hours of trekking, you reach Pushpagiri, the tallest peak in the range, at an altitude of 5600 ft. You can camp there, but there is no water source. There is a small stream some half km down on the trail to Girigadde/ Subramanya from the Pushpagiri peak, but it becomes stagnant by November end. (If you are using buses for commuting - Catch the 11 PM bus from Bangalore. You reach Somavarpet by 6 AM. There are two buses at 7 AM and 7:30 AM to Bidalli.)

Things to note:
1. There is no recognizable source of food on this trail except at Somavarpet. But if you are stuck with no food, around lunch time, the temple at Heggade Mane should help.

2. If you are climbing down on this route, the only bus is at 4 PM to Somavarpet. This bus stop is at a junction some 6 km from the forest checkpost. From Somavarpet, you get buses to Kushal Nagar at least every half hour. Kushal Nagar is some 30 km; Mysore is some 90 km.

3. Though easier than the Kukke route, this stretch is quite demanding. You start at an altitude of 3600 ft at Bidalli, and climb to 5600 ft over the next 9 km. Trekking through mostly wooded areas however is more comforting.

4. There are three rocky patches which are pretty steep-- two of them are at more than 60 degrees incline. Be sure to have good grip on your shoes.

Some Common Points
1. Streams and water sources on both routes dry up by end of November. So, carry enough water with you.

2. It is extremely windy and cold at the peak. If you are camping at the peak in the open, be sure that your tents can withstand the strong winds.

3. Carry sleeping bags to beat the cold at the peak.

4. If you are trekking up on weekends after December, be prepared to be greeted by a few hundred other trekkers at the peak. So, if your idea of a trekking and camping is a peaceful, noiseless night of camping, where you have the entire peak and the valleys all to yourself, plan elsewhere. However, there is enough space for all these people to camp at the peak or nearby.
Important Phone Numbers: 944 864 7947 (Bhatru mane)

Permission: Need to pay Rs 115 towards forest entry fee to the forest guards, but getting permission is not an issue.

Things To Look for:The jungle, high winds when close to the peak, Beautiful early morning Sun Rise, View of mist filling to the valley in an explosive burst.

Things To Be Aware Of: Snakes, leeches

Adding few more...

Very good writeup. This is one awesome place. brings back lots of happy memories. At time I feel to just run away from the city life and setup a small camp there.