Coffee Land of Karnataka – Have you ever heard about this place? Well, let me brief you about the place. Chikmagalur, nicknamed as the Coffee Land of Karnataka, produces the largest amount of coffee in India. If you are a Coffee lover, you should definitely visit this beautiful place. Apart from coffee, Chikmagalur is cherished for its beautiful waterfalls, lush green surroundings, pleasant climate, picturesque locations and adoring temples. If you wish to escape into nature, then there is no better place than the verdant hills of Chikmagalur.
Though there is a lot to experience in Chikmagalur, in short, have a read if you think a Chikmagalur itinerary for 2 nights 3 days will be enough to satisfy you.
Chikmagalur itinerary for 2 nights 3 days would treat your eyes with some stunning scenery and leave you with a remarkable memory which you could cherish for the lifetime. This is specially designed for people who wish to experience the best of nature within a short span. You seem to be curious! Well, continue reading.....
Day-wise Chikmagalur itinerary for 2 nights 3 days
Day 1
Arrive to Gauribidanur.
Sightseeing at Kemmangundi, Hebbe waterfall.
Day 2
Trek at Ballarayandurga Fort
Day 3
Explore coffee estates and Tea plantation.
Depart from Gauribidanur
It was indeed a pleasure to travel with @offbeatcompass which has gained huge followers because of the quality of experience it has been providing and immense hardwork. Upon the checks, a short trip to Chikmagalur was structured for a weekend i.e., 24th June to 26th June.
With a handful of excitement, I got myself registered. The train from Kacheguda started at 9pm. Myself along with 5 other unfamiliar youngsters, boarded the train and headed for our journey. Excited to know more, stay tuned.
Day 1 - Kemmangundi and Hebbe waterfall.
The trip begun with laughter riots, and I felt comfortable to the vibe. Since it was a package trip, the travel, accommodation and the arrangement of food was taken care by offbeat compass. The cab was initially booked by the team which resulted a hassle-free travel. To lift ourselves, we paused at Hotel Ayodhya for a delicious breakfast. As it was earlier informed that the lunch would be skipped, we had heavy breakfast and continued our travel approximately 3 hours and headed over to our first destination spot.
• Kemmangundi, Z point and Hebbe waterfall.
We began our trek to the Hebbe waterfall. I couldn't find enough unmatched words to describe its beauty. Hebbe Waterfalls is one of the best places to visit in Chikmagalur. Although it was quite difficult to reach, our organizer ensured to make us experience at its best and a jeep was arranged wherein we were driven uphill for approximately 30 minutes to view the scenic beauty. The route towards the waterfall didn't easy as it was a ghat road. Hence, it is advisable to brace yourself to experience the adventurous driving.
You would need to trek for an hour to reach the waterfall, once you reach the point. Further after having a gala time, we climbed down the hill to begin our next trek.
Up next was the Kemmangundi Peak, which was situated at a height of 1434 m above sea level. Doesn’t it seem amazing?
To make it more adventurous, our trek was extended till Z point, which was a vintage point in Kemmangundi, which could be reached by trekking on a steep uphill slope. In addition, the trek would take around 50 minutes. Once you have reached the top, experience the atmosphere, feel the breeze and you'll definitely coddle yourself in nature. If you are physically fit to climb up a steep hill, you should definitely gear up for an adventurous trek to the Z point. This place offers some breathtaking views of nature.
After the astounding experience, we returned to our stay wherein we were accommodated in a 2 bhk, surrounded by coffee and guava plantation on either side. We ended the day with a sumptuous delicious dinner.
Duration : 3 - 5 hours for both the treks.
Difficultly level: Easy to moderate
Maximum altitude: 4705 feet
Kemmangundi trek distance: 5 km.
Day 2: Trek to Ballalrayandurga Fort.
The day begun with a delightful breakfast and a charming scenic beauty. Around 8am, we had to checkout from the room so that we could reach the trek point on time. We took to the next home stay (misty home stay), which ensured to safe guard the luggage. We had a tummy filled brunch to avoid the hunger in between the trek and begun our journey.
We felt comfortable enough to reach the trek point as it was around 20 mins away from our home stay.
Destination: Ballalrayandurga Fort.
It is studded in the Nilgiris in the western ghats of Karnataka. The trek leads you to a landscape of rolling hills, gushing waterfalls, a canopy of dense trees, boulder-filled paths, vast laid out grasslands and then finally, a dilapidated fort that in the past overlooked at everything to protect. Today, only the wrecked walls of the fort remain.
It is a fort atop a hill that was constructed by the wife of Raja Ballal I in the 12 centuries of the Hoysala Empire. The height of the fort is 1500 m above sea level. It is said that the fort was built in the Karnata Dravida style of architecture. Presently, only the remains of the fort persist, for it was not protected over time. However, you can see the walls of the fort and enjoy the setting sun. The fort has lost its glory and stands as a distant reminder of its beautiful past.
The trek is one of the secret and lesser-known treks of Karnataka. Not a lot of people visit here, but those who do, leave awed and surprised.
The best part is that the area is uncommercialized, and you get to witness what you come for—Crowd-less trails, natural settings, and adventurous undertakings.
To make us more energized, there’s a shop in between walking path and the start of the trek point, wherein you’ll get a choice to boost yourself with some Maggie, hydrate yourself with pure drinking water or cool drinks. Right opposite to the store, a breath-taking view point will mesmerize you. You should not miss taking the pleasure of viewing it.
On reaching the heights, we made it much more interesting by shooting a few Instagram reels. After an awestruck experience, we trekked down the hill and returned to the stay. With regards to the stay, we were accommodated in a local residence, wherein they had a striking shelter, designed with some simple and classy interiors. The wow factor of the house was it is surrounded by complete greenery and can be camped anytime and anywhere. The family welcomed us with warmth and we cherished our kind-hearted host. In order to make us comfortable, we were provided with a cozy tent and one of their rooms. Since, we were 7 members, we chose to spend time together till late night and our respective options. The dinner was quite authentic and delicious.
It was another day with ample amount of cheer, laughter riots and enjoyable food.
Duration: 3-5 hours
Difficulty level: Easy to Moderate
Maximum altitude: 1300 feet
Ballalrayandurga Fort: 3 Km.
Day 3: Explore Coffee estates and Tea Plantation.
The downhearted moment of the trip arrived as it was the last day. We began our day with some wonderful breakfast followed by an emotional interaction with the hosts and the family members. We bid goodbye to them and left the location around 8am. We ensured to leave the place, but not their love and vibe.
After being driven for an hour, we reached the tea estates, the beauty of land filled with tea leaves, till it reaches your eye sight. It seemed to be a moment to be lived and captured those awesome moments.
We hence, travelled for an hour, reached a location in the city, Bean Breeze, a world of specialty coffee. A place where we could learn about the origination of the coffee extraction.
The person, who runs the farm and store, has made experience the generation of the coffee bean to the coffee powder. It is definitely an eye feast to the coffee lover. Besides, the store owner does accept online orders and he advised us to contact us for our future needs.
Indeed, Chikmagalur is a land of coffee, where you’ll find many coffee plantations to the reach of your eye sight.
We drove for a couple of hours and stopped by a restaurant, Donne Biryani. It was one of the famous food in the city, located in MG Road. Post lunch, we ended our trip with a touch of coolness, Anmol, Ice-cream parlour, and drove for 3 hours to Gauribidanur Station, the end of the next beginning.
As per my personal experience, I wish to suggest a few points, which could be helpful for a hassle free trip.
Ensure to carry snacks for the journey and during the trek for instant energy.
One has to trek uphill. It is advisable to wear sneakers or any comfort shoes which has a good grip.
It definitely meets the expectations, and hence you can experience it to the best.
Also read: rachakonda fort
Since it was a monsoon season, wear a raincoat, not any other thick coats or jackets as it’d be difficult to dry. There would be high breeze over the hill, so always pause in the direction of the wind during the breeze.
The place is pretty scheduled. It’s better and safer to travel in groups. After sunset, the area is pitch dark except the light of the torch of your phones and headlights of your vehicles.
