The Narasimha Parvatha Trek will take you 380 km from Bangalore, to Agumbe, a high altitude village in the Malnad region of Karnataka. It is often referred to as “The Cherrapunji of the South” because of its biodiversity and excessive rainfall. It is also home to many medicinal plants and the only Rainforest Research Station in India. Surrounded by the majestic mountains of the Western Ghats, covered in depths of lowland rainforests and touched by beautiful waterfalls and streams, Agumbe is the perfect place for a weekend escape.
Start your journey through a trail of the forest to immerse yourself in the beauty of untouched greenery and the serenity of waterfalls, warm your hands over the campfire, and drink in the spectacular evening view from one of the highest peaks in the Western Ghats.
Read on to know how you can spend quality parent-child time camping in the forest. The best way to get a kid outside is to go with them!
“There is no Wi-Fi in the forest but I promise you will find a better connection.”
Day 0
Day 1
Note: Bonfire is dependednt on weather conditions and fuelwood being dry.
Day 2
Following are the pick-up points & timings:
Located in Agumbe in the Shimoga district of Karnataka, the Narasimha Parvatha Peak standing at an altitude of 3772 feet forms the tallest peak in the Agumbe Ghats. The peak which forms part of the Kudremukh National Park is accessible from Mallanduru as well as Kigga, the former being higher in terms of trek distance as well as difficulty level. This will also be the trail we shall be taking for our trek to Narasimha Parvatha. The 12 km ascend shall take anywhere between 6-7 hours whereas the 6 km descend via Kigga can be completed in a couple of hours.
Dense forest cover forms the majority of the trail followed by open grasslands that help you appreciate the steep climb and the panoramic views given the peaks imposing height. The trail is also marked by several small streams during the monsoons as well as the mighty Barkana waterfalls. A wide variety of wildlife from colorful birds to deadly snakes can also be spotted throughout the trek.
We start off the trek from our basecamp at Mallanduru along a jeep trail that is relatively flat and easy to cover. Keep an eye for the wide varieties of flora and fauna as the trail slowly moves into thicker forests marked by tall and ancient trees that let little to no sunlight hit the forest floor. Make your way through a maze of fallen trees, winding roots and lush greenery as the forest gets thicker and the inclines steeper.
The Sita River also winds along with the initial parts of the trail giving rise to several smaller streams during monsoons until it narrows down and plunges down a gorge giving rise to the mighty Barkana Waterfalls later on along the trail. Once there, navigate your way over slippery rocks to the top of the waterfall that offers a birds-eye view of the valley down below along with a unique perspective of the watching a waterfall from its point of origin.
The view of the roaring waterfall cascading down from a height of 2200 feet cutting across the eerie silence of the surrounding green valleys in stark contrast is a sight to behold. Spend some time here enjoying the view or taking a quick dip in the pristine waters as trek gets harder further ahead from this point with steep inclines all the way up until the end of the forest cover. Do make sure to refill your water bottles as there are no further water sources until after the peak.
The trail gets a bit confusing from here as there are no visible trails along this stretch, add to that the slippery ascend over dry leaves and leech-infested forests make the climb so much more worthwhile. The forest cover opens up almost immediately to airy open meadows and rolling hills- a welcome relief from the heat and humidity of the forests. Although the peak stays out of sight till the very end, the vast openness gives one the feeling that you are almost there.
Have your packed lunch along the way as you cross one hill after the other through tall grasslands until you reach the final stretch of forest cover before heading back to the plains again.
On the final stretch towards the peak, one comes across pillars made of stones loosely stacked over each other located at intermittent intervals from one another until finally culminating into a large platform of rocks at the peak. One can also find a small makeshift Narasimha Swamy temple beside this platform. Enjoy the panoramic views of the surrounding Kudremukh Ranges or have a look down and admire the long and tiring climb you have made once here. You can also find several flat rock surfaces that make ideal places to take a quick power nap.
We now take the descent towards Kigga. On the way down just below the peak, stop by a small hut near which a water source can be found to fill your bottles. The trail further down is a continuous descent through shola forests. Though fast, this is a tricky one as one has to make their way over slippery rocks and dry leaves throughout the stretch until you reach the Rishya Shringa temple at Kigga.
From here we shall be transported back to our base camp where we shall freshen up after a long and tiresome day of trekking before settling down for a well-deserved dinner around a cozy campfire.
Have a good night’s sleep recollecting the various sights, smells, and experiences from an eventful day in the mighty Western Ghats.
Hill-top Sunrise: Get out of bed and head to Kundadri Hill to witness the sun rise in all its glory before you. Atop the hill is a 17th Century Jain Temple which gave shelter to earlier sages. The Tunga River fills the site to form two small ponds on one side of the temple and provided water to the sages in earlier days. The sunrise from Kundadri offers the best sights in the Western Ghats!
Breakfast: Head back to the homestay, get ready and eat up before you start your second day of adventure!
Visit Sirmane Falls: Located at a distance of 5kms from Kigga village which is home to many beautiful waterfalls we have the Sirimane waterfalls. Take a shower under the Sirimane falls or just dip your legs in the flowing stream as you sit on the rocks!