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Time for another delayed blog post in the already delayed blog posts from Chikmagalur. In my last few blog posts, I wrote about my experience of driving from Hyderabad to Chikmagalur and also about sunset spots in Chikmagalur. In today’s post, I’m going to share my experience of visiting Mullayangiri Peak and Baba Budangiri in Chikmagalur. Both of these are quite popular spots and are loved by trekkers especially.
PS: If you follow me on Instagram, you might know that I often spend time at cafés and write blog posts. Well, right now it’s a bit different. I’m currently sitting in an Airbus A321 cruising at 35,000 ft somewhere above Madhya Pradesh.
Land Of Coffee And Mountains
Chikmagalur as many of you might already know, is one of the popular hill stations in the southern part of India. Located about 250 km from Bangalore, it’s flocked by people from the garden city. I, however, drove 670 km from Hyderabad. It’s known for its coffee plantations, thanks to the terrain and the relatively cool weather. Chikmagalur itself is a hill station and is surrounded by high mountains and peaks. In fact, Karnataka’s highest peak Mullayangiri is in Chikmagalur.
If you love trekking, then you must visit Mullanyangiri Peak. From what I know, it’s a good 3-4 hour trek that passes through some beautiful spots before reaching the top. I’m not aware of any trekking groups who go on treks. However, if you’re aware of one or have experienced one, please reach out to me. I’ll have your experience shared here.
Karnataka’s Highest Peak – Mullayangiri Peak
On my third day in Chikmagalur, I decided to visit Mullayangiri Peak. Since I was working remotely, the only time I had to explore Chikmagalur was either early in the morning or in the evening. Mullayangiri was a perfect morning destination to witness a beautiful sunrise.
Located about 30 km from the town center and about 20 km from where we were staying, it takes anywhere between an hour and a little more. This is due to the ghat roads that take you to the highest peak. You need to cross a forest checkpost where you need to pay an entry fee of Rs 20 before heading to Mullayangiri. Even though I was at the check post around 5:30, there were already many cars and buses queued up. So you might end up waiting at the check post for a few minutes.
The road condition is pretty good and the condition goes down a little as you reach the top. You’re greeted with tall green trees and lush green forests as you drive through the ghat roads. As you move closer to the top, the road narrows and the trees disappear as you climb above the clouds. The last stretch is a tricky drive with bad roads, steep climbs, and sharp hairpin bends. So unless you’re an experienced driver, drive with caution. There will be a lot of spots along the way where you’d want to stop and experience the place (also click photos). I loved the drive.
Once you reach the top, there is a small parking area which isn’t well maintained. This is the last point until where you can drive. There are some small shops selling tea, coffee, Maggi, and similar things. However, since I was here around 7, most shops were still opening. From the parking, there’s a flight of about 400 steps that take you to a temple which is at the top. I took climbed about 100 steps and decided to come back. I knew it was going to be stressful since I also had to be back in my room by 9 to start my work day.
Overall, I quite liked the place. If you’re traveling in a group, make sure you have ample time at hand. Do take the stairs and visit the temple. And my final recommendation is to visit Mullayangiri Peak early in the day and witness a beautiful sunrise.
Baba Budangiri Peak
The next day I planned to visit Baba Budangiri Peak. Baba Budangiri is attributed to bringing coffee to India. It was apparently here in Chikmagalur where he showed the coffee beans that lead to the widespread coffee cultivation in India. His dargah is at this peak, hence the name. It’s flocked by a lot of people especially Muslims who visit the place to pay respects to the saint.
It’s also on the same route as Mullayangiri but deviates after about 10 km into the journey. So you also need to cross the forest check post and pay the entry fee. Compared to Mullayangiri, Baba Budangiri Peak is far from the city. It’s close to 45 km and takes close to an hour and a half.
Once you take the detour, you are greeted with a dense forest that doesn’t last long. But that again depends on the time of the year you’re visiting. The road condition is similar to how it is in Mullayangiri. On this route, you’ll also pass a lot of small towns with each having a ton of homestays. While these are close to nature, they are quite far from the town and even basic amenities aren’t available in the area. On the way, you’ll also cross a waterfall which isn’t worth your time.
Once you reach the top, you’ll see a lot of traffic and pilgrims around. While dargah is what most people visit for, I’d suggest taking the road less traveled. The tar road is only until the dargah, however, if you’re interested in some good off-roading, I’d suggest taking the trail that goes up to a cell tower which is further away. The cell views are mesmerizing whether you’re at the bottom or at the cell tower. There were a lot of people who were stationed at various spots and were having a picnic.
Compared to Mullayangiri, I felt this was way too crowded. That’s probably, I didn’t quite like it. But either way, both spots are a must-visit when you visit Chikmagalur.
Must Visit Attractions In Chikmagalur
During my week-long stay in Chikmagalur, I loved driving to Mullayangiri and Baba Budangiri Peak. The drives are beautiful and gave me the perfect start that I needed for the day. I’m sure these drives would be much more beautiful when you visit during the monsoons. If you’re a trekker, you’ll have an amazing time hiking to the peaks passing through forests.
That’s about it for this blog post, stay tuned for the next blog post where I’ll talk about the coffee plantations of Chikmagalur and how you can experience one. Let me know your thoughts about this blog post in the comments below, tweet to me at @Atulmaharaj, DM on Instagram, or get in touch.
