READ THE ENTIRE POST FIRST BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS TREK
Pre-Requisites:
1) Tent to stay the night (Rent available at Kukke Tourism For Rs 200/- per day with a Rs 2000/- security deposit which will be returned to you once you bring the tent back safe else you can kiss your deposit goodbye LOL)
Click Here To View The Tutorial On How To Assemble The Tent
2) 1 Liter of Glucose Water
3) 1 Liter of Water
4) Cap
5) Sun Glasses
6) Trekking Shoes for this location is mandatory for this trek
7) Blanket so that you don't freeze yourself at night
8) A Torch In case you decide to wander around at night which I highly recommend you don't do
Budget Breakdown
1) Tent rent (Rs 200 per day) + Security Deposit (Rs 2000) = Rs 2400
2) Bus from Jyothi to Subramanya (Rs 90 back and fourth) = Rs 180
3) Breakfast = Rs 45
4) Lunch at Bhattara Mane = Rs 150
5) Dinner = Rs 45 (Parcel From New Mysore Cafe)
6) Travel snacks = Rs 100
7) Forest Office Charges = Rs 400
To start of with this is one of the most difficult treks in the Karnataka Western Ghats and is considered to be one of the best treks in India. This trek is an approximate of 26 km to 28 km back and fourth. I have trekked Kumara Parvatha (KP) 7 time already in which 6 of them were solo treks. A small heads up This route is opened only from October to February.
From here we walk 7 km uphill and make sure you have enough of water as there is no other source of water until you reach the Bhattara Mane. The first 5 km is covered with dense vegetation and then opens up into the grasslands from here there's almost another 1 to 1.5km to trek till we reach the Bhattara Mane.
On reaching the Kukke Subramanya KSRTC Bus Stop (10:15 am) take a left once you come out of the bus stop and make your way down towards the temple you have a really good veg hotel called New Mysore Cafe from here you can have breakfast for Rs 45 . Once done walk a little further from the cafe towards the temple and turn in to the narrow route towards the right.
Past this right turn walk straight for almost a kilometer and you'll find a house towards your right now if you have rented you tents or sleeping bags from the link mentioned in the pre-requisites this is where you'll collect your tents and other gear from. Once you have collected your gears make your way forward towards the starting point of the trek.
By 07:45 am I had started out my journey to Kumara Parvatha. Caught A bus at the Jyothi Bus Stand which goes to Kukke Subramanya Temple which is the initial area of our trek, The bus journey is around 2 hours 30 minutes.
From here we walk 7 km uphill and make sure you have enough of water as there is no other source of water until you reach the Bhattara Mane. The first 5 km is covered with dense vegetation and then opens up into the grasslands from here there's almost another 1 to 1.5km to trek till we reach the Bhattara Mane.
The Bhattara Mane marks the end of the first half of the trek. Here you can stock up of water and have home food which is served at the Bhattara Mane for a small fee of Rs 150.
On reaching the Kukke Subramanya KSRTC Bus Stop (10:15 am) take a left once you come out of the bus stop and make your way down towards the temple you have a really good veg hotel called New Mysore Cafe from here you can have breakfast for Rs 45 . Once done walk a little further from the cafe towards the temple and turn in to the narrow route towards the right.
Past this right turn walk straight for almost a kilometer and you'll find a house towards your right now if you have rented you tents or sleeping bags from the link mentioned in the pre-requisites this is where you'll collect your tents and other gear from. Once you have collected your gears make your way forward towards the starting point of the trek.
A bit further from the Bhattara Mane is the Forest Office and the First View Point of the trek where you can pitch your tents at.
Okay now coming to dinner and campfires, you can either get your dinner from home and eat it here or have dinner at the Bhattara Mane. Setting up a campfire near the view point isn't allowed as such but there's a place near the Forest Office where you can set up a good campfire and can actually even cook your food here if you'd like.
By 11:30 pm you should be able to stargaze from the view point area and might I say the view is breathtaking. Well it's time to sleep now and rest well for tomorrows climb.
30 min into the walk from the Forest Office you will reach the Second View Point of this trek and within 1.5 km you will reach The Rock Temple also know as Kalla Mantap you can break here for a while, Refresh yourself and then carry on with the ascent.
Cool now within 2.5 to 3 km after the Kalla Mantap you should reach the first peak know as Shesha Parvatha.
Alright from Shesha Parvatha you must now descent 1 km into the thick dense forest and the ascent 1 km up now this last climb you will have to be a little careful to finally reach Kumara Parvatha Summit as you'll have to do a bit of rock climbing. You also have a small temple here called Shri Shanta Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple.
Well that's pretty much about it your at the Summit hurrayy !!!
Rest here for a while then begin the down trek the goal is to reach Bhattara Mane by lunch and Subramanya Temple by 3 pm and you can stop by New Mysore Cafe for snacks and then make your way to the KSRTC Bus Stop and head on back home.
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