Kumara Parvatha is situated in the Western Ghats of Karnataka. At the foothills lies an ancient and famous temple called Kukke Subrahmanya.Right behind the Kukke Subrahmanya temple, standing tall is Shesha Parvatha, with its thick blanket of lush green forest of the Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary. Kumara Parvatha or Pushpagiri is the name of the peak which is hidden most of the time and is visible only after crossing Shesha Parvatha, but the entire trail is popularly known as the Kumara Parvatha trek. Kumara Parvatha is the second highest peak in Kodagu district, only after Tadiandamol and the fourth highest peak in Karnataka. As the dawn breaks, the first glimpse of Shesha Parvatha will give you an idea of the adventure you are going to have and it sets your hearts racing! Climbing up to slightly more than 1,700 metres (approx. 5,600 feet), Kumara Parvatha is the most challenging trek in Karnataka. And it lives up to its name.

Day 0

Depart from Bangalore by sleeper class train

Day 1

The trek starts in the early hours where we reach Kukke, have our breakfast, and catch the trail to Bhattaramane, stocking up on snacks & water.

Once you begin the trek it’s about 2.5 - 3 hours before you reach the first major checkpoint, the ascent is through a tropical rainforest that is a part of the Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary. 

While you’ll be trekking through dense forest, the thick foliage and canopy offers you much needed shade. If you stand still and listen to the forest you’ll hear the forest come alive with various sounds of nature. 

About an hour and a half of trek and you’ll come across a boulder called Bheema’s rock that serves a 2.5 km milestone on our 7km journey to Bhattaramane. 

Bhattaramane, or Bhatt's Hut is our Base Camp-1.  Have Lunch at the Base Camp -1 and that day is free for us. Enjoy the beautiful, green lush surroundings and spend the night in the camp.

Day 2

Early next morning, we clear formalities with the forest department, pack breakfast and make our way to the next checkpoint that is Kallumantapa, enroute the false peak Sheshaparvatha. 

Here you can rest and drink delicious stream water that flows just below it. Once you resume the trek, Sheshaparvatha is just 45mins to 1 hour away. According to local folklore Sheshaparavatha is said to protect the Subramanya temple at the base of the mountain.

This part of the journey is simply mesmerizing and we could go into the details of the beauty but seeing it fo yourself is sublime and surreal!

Once you reach Shesha Parvatha you’ll witness the majestic Kumara Parvatha in all it’s glory. With the trail descending for a couple of hundred meters, you’ll soon be at the mercy of the mountain and will have to cross a stream and climb a waterfall to reach your goal! THE KUMARA PARVATHA PEAK!

Spend time and enjoy the view and have the packed lunch amidst the green lush surrounding. 

After relaxing for some time, start descending back towards Kukke Subramanya!

On reaching Kukke, we catch local transport to the railway station, and then board our train back to Bangalore at 2200 hrs.

Day 3

Reach Bangalore in the morning.