Kundadri is a beautiful hill in the amidst the western ghats which is gaining popularity among the youths. This monolithic rock formation lies in Theerthahalli Taluk of Karnataka State. It is a nice destination to visit during post-monsoon.
There is a tar road till the peak as it is a Jain pilgrimage centre. There is a belief that a saint by name Kundakundacharya performed a deep penance at this peak.
How to Reach :
Nearest Airport: Mangalore ( Around 200 km)
Nearest Major Railway Station: Shimoga (Around 70km)
However, it is easy to reach by road and we chose this option. The hill is around 8 km from Agumbe, a scenic town in the western ghats. Take road towards Guddekere from Agumbe and take diversion from this point to reach Kundadri.
We can take the road till the peak or trek through the thick jungles of Kundadri. It is advisable to take a guide if you plan to trek. Since we found nobody to guide us, we took the road with disappointment. On the top of the hill, there is a beautiful, small Jain temple. The view from the top is breathtaking.
The priest in the temple agreed to guide us for a downhill trek. Hence, with great enthusiasm, we began the trek. The path was completely covered by shrubs and this is where we began the trek.
The trek is an awesome experience for an adventure lover and trail is through the thick ever green forests of the western ghats and takes approximately 2 hrs for a downhill trek. The path is very steep and requires footwear with good grip. At the end of trek, we paid the priest Rs.200 as gratitude. The locals are really co-operative.
As a concluding note, I would say Kundadri is an awesome place for adventure enthusiasts but it is very much necessary to plan effectively as there are very less people around in the early morning hours to guide you. It is almost impossible to take the jungle route without a guide as there is no path visible.
There is a tar road till the peak as it is a Jain pilgrimage centre. There is a belief that a saint by name Kundakundacharya performed a deep penance at this peak.
How to Reach :
Nearest Airport: Mangalore ( Around 200 km)
Nearest Major Railway Station: Shimoga (Around 70km)
However, it is easy to reach by road and we chose this option. The hill is around 8 km from Agumbe, a scenic town in the western ghats. Take road towards Guddekere from Agumbe and take diversion from this point to reach Kundadri.
We can take the road till the peak or trek through the thick jungles of Kundadri. It is advisable to take a guide if you plan to trek. Since we found nobody to guide us, we took the road with disappointment. On the top of the hill, there is a beautiful, small Jain temple. The view from the top is breathtaking.
The priest in the temple agreed to guide us for a downhill trek. Hence, with great enthusiasm, we began the trek. The path was completely covered by shrubs and this is where we began the trek.
As a concluding note, I would say Kundadri is an awesome place for adventure enthusiasts but it is very much necessary to plan effectively as there are very less people around in the early morning hours to guide you. It is almost impossible to take the jungle route without a guide as there is no path visible.
