Kumara Parvatha Trek

INFORMATION IN BRIEF

Location	Dakshina Kannada (District) > Karnataka (State) > India (Country)
Distance from Bangalore	280 Kms
Trek starting point	Kukke Subramanya Route
Trek difficulty Level	Difficult
Kumara Parvatha trek distance	13 KMS(Oneside)
Kumara Parvatha peak height	1712 Mts
Time to trek	8-10 Hours (one side)
Camping site	Allowed, Only near buttaramane or Near Forest office
Best time to trek	Oct to Feb
Permission	Required, should be taken forest office
Trekking fees	Trekking Fee- Rs350
Contact Number	Mr . Shashi Dy RFO 9483342733 Battaramane* – 9448647947 (For food and Accommodation) Alternate numbers to battramane : 9480230191, 9945618495, 9480527765. Mr. Mr. Jayaraj( Retired Forest Guard)*: 9449475506, 9141226784

Information in detail:

Location:

Kumara parvatha is second highest peak in Coorg district (Karnataka state) after Tadiandamol peak. Trekking starting point is Kukke Subramanya. Famous Kukke Subramnay temple is located in Subramanya village. 

Kumara parvatha trek starting point :

Getting to trekking starting point is very much easy. Overnight bus journey to Kukkesubramanya. If you are going by private vehicle then its 6hrs drive(280 Kms). Trek starting point is a temple road. Take right in temple road. 

BANGALORE  to  KUKKESUBRAMANYA Bus details*:

AIRAVAT (VOLVO AC) : Timings-22:44,23:14 Journey Hours:06:30

RAJAHAMSA EXECUTIVE: Timings – 21:59,22:30 Journey Hours:07:30

RAJAHAMSA EXECUTIVE: Timings – 21:59,22:30 Journey Hours:07:30

Non AC Sleeper  Timmings : 22:15, 22:40, 23:02 Journey Hours : 06:30

KARNATAKA SARIGE: Timings -20:17, 21:17, 22:00, 23:16 Journey Hours :7:00

* updated in November 2019  

Kumara parvatha trek route  :

Trek can be logically divided into 4 stages

Stage 1 : Trek starting point (Kukke temple) to Battara Mane:

Trek starting point is from Kukke temple. Initial trek is easy on wide road till forest. In stage 1, you trek inside forest. Water is not available any where in between. You will find zig-zag trail which indicates that you are there at the end of forest. After exit from forest till Battara Mane trek trail is relatively easy. Total length of this stage – 1 is 5.5 KMS. Time required to trek is about 3 – 4 hours. You can get basic food and water in Battara Mane. You can fill your water bottles if its empty. Restroom is available here. on this trail after Battara mane no rest room available.

Stage 2 : Battara Mane to Kallumantap :

Inital part of stage-2 trek is easy not much to ascend. After battra mane you will come across one view point where you can relax bit. You will find forest office just after first view point. You enter your name in register and pay Rs 200 per person. Getting permission is not much difficult. You can fill your water bottles if its empty.Very soon you will come across second view point. After this trek trail become little steeper. Trek length of this stage is about 2.5 kms. Time required to trek stage 2 is about 1.5 – 2.5 hours. Kallu mantap is place for break. Just before Kallu mantap you will find water. If your trek pace is very slow and if you reach Kallu mantap by 4 pm then it its better to camp at this place. Near to water stream you will find flat place to camp.

Stage 3 : Kallumantapa to Sheshaparvatha:

Stage 3 is most difficult part of whole trek. Its only because of steepness of the trail. You will gain lot of altitude during this stage. If you are trekking in summer then this part will be very difficult one. You will come across couple of small flat trail stretch in between. Distance of this stage is about 3 kms. Time required to trek is about 2.5 – 3.5 hours.

Stage 4 : Shesha Parvatha to Kumara Parvatha Peak:

Relatively easy trek trail if you compare with previous stage. You will descend bit and trek trail goes inside forest. You will find water stream inside this forest. This will be there till end of Dec or Jan. After Jan water stream will dry up, even if you find water that will be stagnant water. So please confirm in forest office about availability of water if you are trekking after December. Distance of this trek trail is about 2 kms. Time required to complete this stretch will be 1 – 2 hours.

Trek route can be better understood using color coded trek trail map  :

 

Bus stand to “trek starting point” is about 1 KMS, Initial trek is on tar road which is marked using brown color. Distance between “trek starting point” and “foothill of the forest” is about 1.5 Kms where you will find “Trek Information Board”.  Actual trek begins from the information board. This stretch is marked using “green color” in above map. This stretch is completely inside forest. This trek trail is bit difficult. You require good amount of energy to cover this. It will be better if you cover this stretch in early morning, total length of this stretch is about 2.5 KMS.

The “blue line” represents stretch between “just after forest” and “Battara Mane”.    This stretch length is about 1.2 KMS. This is bit easy. From here you will get first glance of Kumara Parvatha peak.

Battaramane is best place for break, you will get lunch in Battaramane. Lunch consist of Rice, Sambar, pickle and butter milk. You can take rest for some time here.

Next stretch is marked with “yellow line” in above map. This is stretch is between Battaramane and “forest office”. This stretch is also easy. Length of this stretch is about 0.5 Kms. In Forrest office you required to pay trekking fees . Per person you need to pay Rs 75.  

Next stretch is marked with “purple color” in above map. This is stretch between forest office and “Kallu Mantap”. Length of this stretch is about 2 Kms, This stretch is bit difficult. You will find two view points on the way.  Just before “Kallu Mantap”  there is source of water. Camping this place is better option. You will find water, wood for campfire and bit flat surface for camping.

Next stretch is between “Kallu Mantap / Chappara” and “Peak” which is marked using red color in above map. Length of this stretch is around 5KMs. This is very difficult part of trek. Elevation may vary from 45 – 60 degrees. At the peak small shiva temple is there. There is lot of space on the peak. Only thing you should make sure that need to carry sufficient water along with you. There is small water stream near to the peak, but most likely you wont find this water stream in summer. Better to carry water from stream near “Kallu Mantap / Chappara”.

Kumara parvatha trek difficulty: 

In route map trek path is represented in different color. Initial route is represented in brown color. This stretch is easiest one. Its on tar road. Next stretch is in side forest which is represented in green color. Green color stretch is difficult one because you will gain more altitude in this stretch. Next stretch is represented in blue color which between forest and Battaramane. This stretch is easy. Yellow color represents color between Battaramane and Forest office which is aslo easy. Stretch between Forest offce and Kallumatap is difficult which is represented in purple color. After Kullumantap trek will be very difficult until peak is represented in red. Overall trek is Difficult one. 

Kumara parvatha trek distance::

Subramanya temple road(Trek starting point) —  1.5Kms –> Forest starting point — 2.5Kms –> Forest end point — 1.2Kms –> Battaramane — 0.5Kms –> Forest office — 2Kms–> Kallucheppara — 5Kms –> Peak . Total length is about 12.7 Kms i.e approx 13 Kms

Time to trek Kumara parvatha : 

Subramanya temple road(Trek starting point) —  1/2 hrs –> Forest starting point — 2 hrs –> Forest end point — 1/2 hrs –> Battaramane — 1/2 hrs –> Forest office — 2 hrs–> Kalluchappara — 3hrs –> Peak . Total time required to trek is about 8.5 hrs + lunch break for average trekker.  So approx time is vary between 8-10 hours 

Best time to trek  Kumara parvatha Hill :

You can trek all arround year. Best time for trek will be post monsoon months. October to February will be best time to trek. If You are planing to trek in March, April and in May then it will be very difficult to trek. Best thing you can do if you are trekking in summer is to start your trek very early in the morning around 6 AM. If you are trekking In Monsoon then avoid your trekking in heavy rains. It will be very had to do camping in heavy rains. Check out weather forecast before you start trekking in monsoon. 

Getting Permission for trekking : 

Its more like formality. You need to enter your address and contact number at Forrest office which is on the way to peak. Forrest office is there .5 Kms from Battaramane. You Required to Pay trekking fees over here.              

Kumara parvatha Camping sites:

Now only near to forest office camping  allowed in Kumara Parvatha trek 

TREKKING ITINERARY ( STARTING POINT :BANGALORE)

Please note that if you want to reach same day peak then you should reach forest office within 11 AM, After 11 AM forest people wont allow us because returning back will become late.

Other option is you reach forest office late and camp there till morning 6 AM and start your trek.

 

TREKKING ITINERARY  option-A (Reach peak on first day)

Friday :

• Board bus to Kukke Subramanya from Majestic, Bangalore @ 22:00 

Saturday :

• 4.30 AM: Reach Kukke Subramanya 
• Get fresh up in Public toilet near Temple road.
• Get Packed break fast from near hotel
• 6.00 AM :Start trekking from temple road
• Have packed breakfast in middle
• 10.00 AM :Reach Battara Mane ( 5 KMs from starting point) 
• 10.15 AM : take permission 
• Have early lunch at battara mane start trek immediately
• 3.00 PM : Reach peak 
• 3.30 PM : start decent 
• 6.30 PM : reach forest office and pitch your tents
• 8.00 PM : Have dinner at battara mane 

Sunday :

• 6 AM : watch Sunrise near view points 
• fresh up, have breakfast in battara mane . 
• 8.30 AM : start  your return trek towards kukke subramanya
• 12.00 PM : reach kukke Subramanya (If you want to fresh up then there are lodges which starts Rs : 400 on words ) Visit temple and have lunch
• If you want to reach back same day to Bangalore then start towards Bangalore (You will be reaching by 9 PM).
• If you are planning to reach next day morning then you can visit kukke temple and also Dharmastala (Next morning you will reach by 5AM) 

 

TREKKING ITINERARY   option-B (Reach peak on second day)

Note : You need to carry Sunday breakfast might be dry chapati or bread and jam etc

Friday :

• Board bus to Kukke Subramanya from Majestic, Bangalore @ 23:00 

Saturday :

• 5.30 AM: Reach Kukke Subramanya 
• Get fresh up in Public toilet near Temple road.(There are lodge to fresh up rate starts from Rs 400)
• Have breakfast near hotel
• 9.00 AM : Start trekking from temple road
• 1.00 PM :Reach Battara Mane ( 5 KMs from starting point) and have lunch
• take rest in battaramane till 4 PM
• Reach forest office and pitch your tents  
• 6.00 PM : reach view points , watch sunset  
• 7.30 PM : Reach battaramane and have dinner 
• 9.00 PM : sleep

Sunday :

• 5 AM : Getup early fresh up and take permission and start trek. (Note it will be long day so start as early as possible)
• 7:30 AM : Reach Kallumantapa and have breakfast 
• 11 AM : Reach peak .
• 11.30 AM : start return trek
• 1 PM reach Battaramane and have lunch
• 2 PM : start  your return trek towards kukke subramanya
• 6.00 PM : reach kukke Subramanya (If you want to fresh up then there are lodges which starts Rs : 400 on words ) Visit temple and have dinner
• Start journey towards Bangalore. 

Monday :

• 5 AM : reach Bangalore 

Clicks from Kumara Parvatha Peak:

Kumara Parvataha Trekking FAQS

Which is best time to trek Kumara Parvatha ?

September to December. If you love rains and don’t care about leeches then June, July and August will be best time to trek as whole mountain looks like green carpet. In these months it will be raining heavily hence trek will be difficult if you dont carry proper rain proof tents and raincoat.If you just want best trekking experience then just after monsoon i.e September, October, November and December will be Best time to trek. You will get clear view and super weather to trek in these months. January , February will be hard to trek as temperature goes high. Post January this trek is not recommended.

Kumara parvatha is really difficult trek in Karnataka ?

Yes. Its one of the difficult trek in Karnataka. Trek difficult level vary based on two parameters 1) trekker physical fitness 2) Season in which you are trekking. If you are regular trekker and you are planning your trek in month of Sept or October then trek you may feel trek as moderate to difficult.If you are new to trekking or not good in your physical fitness and trekking other than winter then you may find this trek very difficult.