VANAMCOVE 
Trek peak above the Kollur forests
Why this weekend?
The day-by-day plan
Day 1 · The climb
- Kollur start
- Trail hike
- Falls stop
- Summit camp
Day 2 · The summit
- Sunrise views
- Peetha visit
- Descent
- Return
Geography & terrain
Kodachadri lies in the Shivamogga district of Karnataka at about 1,343 m, 30 km from Kollur and 350 km from Bangalore — the trekking peak of the region, its Sarvajna peetha, the Hidlumane falls and the views set on the Western Ghats' western ridge.
History & culture
The peak's story runs with the region's pilgrimage and the trekking — the peak of the 1000-pillar temple legend and the Sarvajna peetha of the sage Adi Shankaracharya's meditation, with the peak's modern role as the summit trek of the Ghats and the camping stop of the region; the peak's history of the Kollur link and the forested slopes, gives Kodachadri its trek-peak character.
Where to stay
Things to do
Fees & timings
- Peak trek entry
- Free
- Aranya Vihaara passes (approx)
- ₹500
- Entry total
- ₹500
Eat & drink
- Kollur boards — The temple-town plates
- Camp kitchens — The trek meals
- Route stops — The chai corners
Getting there
- Train
- Shimoga station + 3 h drive
- By car
- 5.5 h via Shimoga–Kollur (330 km)
Practical info
- Connectivity: Poor in the hills
Practical tips
- Start the trek by 10 am to reach the summit for sunset
- Carry headlamps — the descent is in the dark
- The summit can see the sea on clear winter days — go in Dec–Feb
Frequently asked questions
What is Kodachadri?
The trekking peak of the western Ghats.
What is there to do?
The trek, the summit and the falls.
How long is the visit?
Two days.
The trek starts in the cool of the morning, through shola forest that smells of damp earth and wild nutmeg, and climbs into rolling grasslands where the wind takes over. As the afternoon wears on, the views open in every direction — the Ghats rolling away inland, the coastal plain shimmering below, and on a clear day, a silver line on the horizon that is the Arabian Sea. The summit at sunset is the whole point: the sky turns orange and pink, the shadows climb the valleys, and the temple town of Kollur glows far below. The descent by torchlight is a memory in itself — the forest dark, the stars dense overhead, the homestay's dinner waiting like a reward. Kodachadri is a full day of effort that ends in the most satisfying view in Karnataka.
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