Kudremukh National Park

Location :Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka
Coverage area : 600.32 sq. km
Main attraction : the lion tailed macaque or the sloth bear
Best time to visit :October and May
Nearby excursions : Gangamoola,Jamalabad Fort,Lakya Dam
Nearby cities :Kalasa

The maverick choice for environment lovers - kudremukh national park

Located in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, Kudremukh National Park is a wildlife preserve which is the second largest wildlife protected area belonging to a tropical evergreen type of forest in the Western Ghats.

In the Kannada dialect ?Kudre? means horse and ?mukha? translates to face. So, the name Kudremukh derived from the shape of the peak which appears like the face of a horse. Rolling green hills with the descending fog and mist, the first word that would come to your mind when you step in this place for the first time is it's beautiful! Everything around the place is just fresh and seems like nature is painting its own canvas.

Back in 1916, the British Government declared Kudremukh as a Reserved Forest. The sole idea was to stop deforestation of the area.

The Government of Karnataka in 1987 declared the region as a National Park.Total area of the park is about 600.32 sq. km. and was declared as a National Park in the year of 1987. Today, this place is notable as one of the most visited Chikmagalur tourist places and is one of the finest getaway destinations for the Bangalorean crowd. It stretches between NarasimhaParvatha (in SringeriTaluk) in the north to the Jamalabad Fort (in BelthangadyTaluk) in the south.

Nestled between beautiful tea and coffee plantations, it is a delight for wildlife enthusiasts and adventure lovers. The National Park is divided into four ranges Kudremukh, Kerekatte, Kalasa, Shimoga and is mostly covered with evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.The cascading hills, interspersed with shola forests in between the valleys and hills makes it a thrilling destination for the trekkers.

Climatic conditions

The topography of Kudremukh National Park is clearly marked by deep ravines and steep cliffs and has lies at an altitude of 1,894 m above sea level. The temperature varies from 35 Celsius to 10 Celsius. To enjoy the lush green of the forest, the ideal time to visit is between October and May. To watch the wildlife in the safaris, time between December and February suits the best.

The Kudremukh receives an average annual rainfall of 7000 mm. With its tremendous water retention capacity of the shola grasslands and forests, it has an all-year round humid climate and interetsingly has resulted in the formation of thousands of perennial streams in the region. They all converge to form three major rivers the Tunga, the Bhadra and the Nethravathi.

Animals that inhabit the sanctuary

The Park nurtures a diverse range of flora and fauna, thanks to its unique geographic location.

The bountifulness of almost 7000mm of rainfall every year supports the dense grassland. Flora of the mountain reserve encompasses evergreen and semi evergreen forests, plantations of eucalyptus, Shola grasslands, casuarina, acacia auriculiformis, and grevillearobusta. Most of the sections of the park have restricted entry of tourists, but in the non-restricted areas visitors can enjoy themselves in admiring the beauty of these plants

Kudremukh National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is slotted under the Global Tiger Conservation Priority-I. So, apart from the tourists, the researchers also frequent this Park to study about the wildlife. Most commonly, the visitors can spot:

the lion tailed macaque or the sloth bear
gaur
sambar and the spotted bear
Barking deer
Malabar giant squirrel
giant flying squirrel
porcupine
mongoose

Indian Peafowl, Grey Francolin, Spotted-necked Dove, Sri Lankan Frogmouth, Grey Nightjar, Crested Treeswift, Grey-bellied Cuckoo, Cinnamon Bittern, Eurasian Woodcock, Red-wattled Lapwing are some of the interesting avian species found in the area.

If you can spot all of them, there are around 195 species are found and they include rare birds such as Malabar whistling thrush, great pied hornbill imperial pigeon, and Malabar trogon.

Floral diversity

The primary evergreen trees are found in the periphery and northern region of the park, while the semi-evergreen types were confined to the plains of the national park. They are scattered all through the low lands towards the windward, northern region of the area. The ?shola? type vegetation is found to be surrounded by vast stretches of grassland across the hilltop of the central part of the park in Kudremukh and Sringeri ranges.Rare plants such as Nilambur Cobra Lily and the South Indian Jewel Orchid which are both endemic and endangered are found in the Park.

Distance of Kudremukh National Park from major cities:

Kalasa , 22 Km
Horanadu ,28 Km
Sringeri ,52 Km
Udupi ,89 Km
Balehonnur, 62 Km
Karkala ,53 Km
Chikmagalur , 110 Km
Bangalore , 334 Km
Mysore ,268 Km
Mangalore ,100 Km
Karwar ,303 Km
Shimoga ,164 Km

How to reach the National park ?

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Airways

The closest airport to the national park is the Mangalore Airport, which is approximately 130 km from the park. After reaching the placeyou can take a taxi and reach the park in no time.

Railways

Kudremukh does not have a train station but the nearest major railway station is Mangalore. It is connected to almost all the major cities of India by express as well as local trains. Mangalore station is around 130 km away from Kudremukh.

Roadways

Kudremukh is well connected by road to Sringeri, Chikmagalur and Mangalore. The State Highway-66 crosses through the park. Sringeri is the nearest town to this Park and is well connected to the other nearby towns. The distance to the park by road from the various places is:

Kalasa ( 20 Kms)
Karkala ( 50 Kms)
Mudigere ( 75 Kms)
Mangalore (130 Kms)
Bangalore (350 km)

The park is easily reachable from Bangalore via Chikmagalur, Hassan or from Mangalore via Karkala.the local bus service which leaves every 30 mins is one of the best ways to reach there.The KSRTC buses are available from various cities such as Mangalore, Bangalore, Chennai, Chikmagalur and more.

Accommodation facilities

One of Chikmagalur's most renowned tourists' sites is Kudremukh National Park. There is a wide variety of choices for accommodation near the site varying from luxurious hotels to affordable guesthouses. You can make the online hotel reservations through the various platforms available or might also look for staying in various lodges upon arrival. There are some decent forest house facilities available inside the area which requires prior booking.

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Manipal
Silent Valley Resort
Fortune Inn Valley View
Hotel Central Park
Sri Devi Comforts
Samanvay Boutique Hotel
Ratna Forever

The above mentioned are some of the popular choices for staying near the National Park. They are equipped with the modern day amenities and are at a close proximity to the area.

The price for staying at of most of Forest Rest Houses inside the park costs from INR 3,000 to INR 25,000 depending on your requirement and the facilities offered in the lodging.

Activities

To enjoy the limitless mosaic of golden grass lands, there are arrangement for safaries in this UNESCO World Heritage Site - Kudremukh National Park. Being an important catchment area where three important rivers Tunga, Bhadra and Nethravathi originate, the area offers a truly majestic pleasure of nature. The steady humming sounds of cicadas from deep inside the forest creates a thrill altogether.

Being a nature?s paradise, Kudremukh has always attracted trekkers that pass through the rolling hills and are perfect to hike on. It requires permission from the Range Officers beforehand.

The Kadambi Waterfalls and the Hanumangundi Falls are undoubtedly the must-see attractions of the Park.

Exploring the lush green plantations, walking amidst them or just sitting and admiring their sheer beauty is nothing less than a treat.
After spending a day trekking or hiking, take a dip in the natural pools to rejuvenate yourself.

Places of nearby attractions

Gangamoola: Encircled by thick forests, this is a beautiful spot in the Bhagawathi Forest that marks the origin of three important rivers, the Tunga, the Bhadra and the Nethravathi. There is a shrine of Goddess Bhagavathi that calls for religious sentiments of the locals.
Jamalabad Fort: Built by Tipu Sultan in 1794, this fort was renamed after his mother Jamalbee. Today, it is preserved as one of the major tourist attractions of the place.

Lakya Dam: Located near the Kudremukh project area, this is an interesting man-made project in the Kudremukh range. You can know more about the dam and the project from the locals.