The Chikmagalur Tourist Attractions are spread out in different directions. To cover all of them in one visit can be rather difficult. Hence it is a task for every first-time visitor to choose the best and travel there.
In this blog, we will give you details with photos of Chikmagalur Tourist attractions. You can choose from these best places to visit and include them in your trip plan to Chikmagalur.
Chikmagalur has a good number of tourist attractions. From Karnataka’s highest peak, scenic pastures, and temples to beautiful mountain tops. It has it all.
All places near Chikmagalur in this blog area are at a distance of max an hour from Chikmagalur. You will need some transport to reach them. On going through this blog, you can choose any of them for your trip to Chikmagalur.
Following are the 19 Chikmagalur Tourist Attractions
Mullayangiri
At an hour’s time from Chikmagalur city lies the highest peak of Karnataka. It is easily the best of all Chikmagalur Tourist Attractions.
To reach the top, you have to pass through a wonderful winding road. This road has pastures and coffee estates all along.
Mullayangiri is one of the most picturesque locations in Chikmagalur. Mullayangiri is the highest peak in the whole of Karnataka around 1600m in height.
You will find long trees and coffee plantations giving a lovely green look to the whole peak. You can listen to the beautiful sounds of birds chirping. You should stop your vehicle here and immerse yourself in the silent woods.
You can even spot animals grazing near the roads and in the fields nearby. It is an experience which one can hardly forget.
As you ascend, you will get countless locations to click pictures.
You will get local cafes to refresh. Most people on seeing the cars parked at the beginning will park cars at the side of the road. You can park your vehicle along the roadside as the peak approaches. Here you should be careful as turning the car around can be difficult in traffic.
Note
There is an allocated area for parking and you can park your car at the place where the climb begins. The parking space is at the end and can be full on weekends.
The people are helpful and can understand English and the local Kannada language.
Once you park your vehicle, you need to stretch your body for a little hike. This hike is of around 30 mins which is easy for most of us as there are steps constructed.
You can even trek Mullayangiri from the base. You can check trekking routes for more information on the same. Be careful of leeches and take precautions in the rainy season.
30 mins hiking and you will see scenes of greens, blues, and greys. The colors are awesome for your eyes as well as the cameras. Shoot as much as possible here. The top gives us lovely views of pastures, mystic clouds, and blue skies.
There is a small temple devoted to Lord Shiva. You can even see the trekking routes from the top. Fill your lungs with fresh air and spending around an hour at the top is good enough.
Walking down is easier and soon you will be at the parking lot. You can get some snacks like maggi, sweet corn etc.
Descending from the Mullayanagiri Peak with your vehicle is also equally beautiful. You can even wet your feet in the waterfalls along the way.
Baba Budangiri is also nearby so you can plan with Mullayanagiri.
Baba Budangiri or Dutta Peeth
The story goes that in the 16th Century, coffee was only exported to Asia in the roasted form. This way no one could grow it in their own land beyond Yemen.
A Sufi Saint Baba Budan from Karnataka on his way back from Hajj, hid and carried a few seeds of coffee with him. Once back to Chikmagalur, he grew them on the Chandragiri Hills. This was the origin of coffee in the whole of India. We should thank him for this good deed.
Baba Budangiri is one of the best of Chikmagalur Tourist Attractions. Wherever you see you will see the colour green. Green Pastures, green mountains. It’s very soothing for the eyes. You can reach the parking place and still go with your car as far as possible.
But we guess it’s the same till the end, we didn’t know where the end was.
There is also an old temple ‘Dutta Peeth’ nearby which people visit often.
Water Falls near Baba Budangiri
Jhari Falls
Jhari Falls are known as buttermilk Falls. This waterfall is on the Baba Budangiri Road and is popular. You can visit it either by a small trek or a private jeep.
Manikyadhara Falls
Manikyadhara Falls or Pearls of Water is another waterfall near Baba Budangiri. It too requires trekking to reach this waterfall.
Sri Veernarayana Temple - An Architectural Masterpiece
There are many Lord Veernarayan temples in Chikmagalur but to reach this one can be tricky at times. You will need to mention the prefix Sri in Google Maps. So for the the 1st time visitors, the village you can find this temple is Belavadi. So plan your trip accordingly.
It will take you through small villages with farmers and their cattle grazing nearby. How simple, slow, and peaceful life can be, is something one can understand from taking this road.
In Belavadi, the temple is prominent. Hence, it is easy to locate this temple which is one of the Best of Chimagalur Tourist Attractions. Parking near the temple is simple if visited on any weekday.
As you enter the temple, you can experience its grandeur. It hosts a grand entrance from which you can see the inside part.
Once inside you can see an iron pillar and the main structure of the temple.
Check out the Carvings and design of this magnificent structure.
When we visited, the temple was very beautiful and tranquil inside. You can sit and meditate for a while if you desire. It is a spiritual experience.
The rear of the temple was impressive. It had perfectly symmetrical designs. It made me wonder about the level of architecture and artistry of those times.
Mahatma Gandhi Park
On the road from Chikmagalur city to Mullayanagiri, at a drive of 10 mins, you will find the M G Park in Chikmagalur. Spread over acres it is a fun place for both adults and kids.
If you want to know if tourists should go or miss M G Park then we have an entire blog dedicated to M G Park in Chikmagalur. Please check Our Blog Here on M G Park Chikmagalur.
Kemmangundi
The road from Chikmagalur to Kemmangundi is one of the best road trips in Karnataka. The beauty is unparalleled.
The road to Kemmangundi was through farms and jungles. It is a lovely drive which we would rate higher than any in Chikkamagaluru.
Perhaps the drizzles made it even more mesmerizing. We even stopped a few times to experience the rain and sounds on the roads. To park the car and enjoy the forests in their tranquil glory was our best experience away from city life.
After the initial forests, the road story went through many paddy farms. Then we took a left turn from the main road. This took us through a winding road that took us through small waterfalls and a scenic forest road.
Once at the top, Kemmangundi has varied locations that you can visit but you need to pay some toll first.
The viewpoints start with a botanical garden and a restaurant with some rooms for a stay. Then comes the entrance to Z point and finally at the top are some viewpoints with a garden.
At the top, you will find lots of viewpoints with scenic backgrounds to take photos and videos. The breeze was filling us with fresh unpolluted air and we will remember this for a long time to come. We could make out that we had reached one of the best of Chikmagalur Tourist Attractions.
Z point
The Z Point trek is an awesome trek route through waterfalls and green pastures. This trek begins within Kemmangundi and you have to be prepared for this trek.
The trek takes around 2 – 3 hours in total and is a distance of 5 – 6 kms in total. The timings to do this trek are 8 am to 5 pm.
The trek is a moderate level trek but you should be careful in monsoon. We saw some people coming out of the entrance with lots of wounds due to leeches. The best time to do this is the winter season.
We gave it a miss as we didn’t come here for trekking.
Hebbe Falls
Hebbe Falls are very close to Kemmangundi. It also one of the best of Chikmagalur Tourist Attractions. On our way back, we tried to make it to Hebbe Falls but due to heavy rains, we gave it a miss.
I guess on a road trip you should know that it is not feasible to visit all places. We can choose and enjoy those few ones that we can reach out to.
Hirekolale Lake
Hirekolale Lake is a beautiful lake on the outskirts of the town. Of all the Chikmagalur Tourist Attractions, it is the best to spend a lovely evening by the water.
Silent and serene you can fill your lungs with pure air surrounded by sounds of peacocks nearby. If lucky one can spot them too. The lake has many locations for photoshoots and couples use it for pre-wedding shoots.
One can even wet their legs in the water and immerse in the peace around.
What is Chikmagalur famous for?
Chikmagalur is famous for its coffee. Cafes, Coffee Estates, and Coffee Shops are famous places within Chikmagalur city. Coffee Shops and Cafes offer a great experience. Apart from Coffee, the estates also grow spices. The smell of coffee in the coffee estates and spices is unique.
The origin of Coffee in India is Chikmagalur, you will see many Coffee vendor shops on the main M G Road.
Coffee Shops on M G Road, Chikmagalur
While walking on the main street i.e. M G Road Chikmagalur we saw many coffee vendor shops. You can buy authentic Chikmagalur coffee from here. You will get Instant Coffee, Filter Coffee powder, and other coffee here.
We saw shops such as Pandurang Coffee, World of Coffee, Nisarga Coffee, Santhosh Coffee Works, 1952 Coffee etc. Most of these shops close at around 8 30 pm so plan your day accordingly.
Walking in the cool breeze is fun. There are roadside eateries that offer good street food too.
Pandurang Coffee
Pandurang Coffee is one of the famous shops in Chikmagalur city. It is one of the oldest coffee shops in Chikmagalur. They sell many varieties of Coffee. You can get powdered coffee, filter coffee, and instant coffee.
We tried their instant coffee back at the hotel and were impressed with it. So then the next day we bought a few more bottles. They have unique filter coffee equipment which can be bought from them. You should buy the filter coffee packets and you can enjoy it at home. They even deliver it after buying online from their website.
They have a unique tourist map of Chikmagalur. This deals with different circuits or routes so that one can cover most places on a particular route. So ask for it when you visit there.
Coffee Museum
Most of the coffee places in Chikmagalur are famous but have you ever heard of a Coffee Museum?
Chikmagalur has a unique museum which is the Coffee Museum. One can gain knowledge about the history, and process of making coffee from growing, drying to grinding and brewing coffee here. The price of the ticket is less than Rs. 100 per person so it’s a value-for-money destination.
The Coffee Museum is closed on the weekends and one must be careful to visit it on a weekday.
Check this website for Coffee Museum which will give you the information on Coffee Museum.
Top Eateries in Chikmagalur
Hotel Mayura Deluxe
Just besides Pandurang Coffee on the M G Road Chikmagalur, is this gem of a snack joint.
This famous place in Chikmagalur serves the yummiest idlis, Dossas and filter coffee. The idlis melt in your mouth. Do not forget to try the open masala dosa. This was a treat of South Indian food for us.
It has a standing facility on the outside. It has self-service here but inside it has a sitting facility where food will be served on the table.
The prices are reasonable and the taste is authentic.
Town Hall Café
Town Hall Cafe is a snacking joint. It is a very famous place in Chikmagalur for food, particularly South Indian Food. It has fast service.
Though it is highly renowned for South Indian snacks but we felt it was not ideal for dinner or lunch. We tried the dosas and idlis which were good too. We didn’t try the meals here though as we felt there were limited options.
The Estate Café
The Estate Cafe is on the outskirts of Chikmagalur and is surrounded by Coffee Estates. Hence we thought of traveling to this cafe. This is ahead on the road from Hirekolale Lake towards the Muthodi Forest Camp.
The road leading to it was scenic with coffee plantations all around. It is in the midst of a coffee plantation so one can even walk around the coffee estate. The smell of Coffee and spices is everywhere here.
It is a classy and beautiful café which serves kinds of pasta, pizzas, coffee etc.
Muthodi Wildlife Camp
You can explore this Wildlife Sanctuary but we gave it a miss as we had planned for Bhadra National Park. It is a smaller Sanctuary compared to the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary but is beautiful.
Bhadra National Park
Bhadra National Park is located in both Chikmagalur district and Shimoga. It has both the Jeep Safari and a unique water safari. It would take you more than half a day to travel to one of the wonderful Chikmagalur Tourist Attractions.
We thought of traveling here from Shimoga to have a balanced trip.
Check our Shimoga Blog here to know of our Shimoga trip which includes places like Bhadra National Park.
Kudremukh National Park
Another of Chikmagalur Tourist Attractions is the Kudremukh National Park. It is a place for nature lovers. Serene and dense forest with a ghost town next to it.
Kudremukh National Park is in the Chikmagalur District on the road to Agumbe. It is a well-preserved rainforest and a rarity.
It is a popular trekking destination. If you cannot trek then at least a drive through the forest is a must for every nature lover.
Note
If you are traveling in a car do not forget to obey the traffic rules as the traffic police are vigilant. Especially, keep an eye on the signal and the seat belts. They follow you knowing that the car is not local.
Summary
Comment to help us know about the Chikmagalur Tourist Attractions that you think we missed out on.
All the wonderful Chikmagalur Tourist Attractions are places approachable from Chikmagalur city. Chikmagalur will take 3 to 5 days for a great experience. Hope the above blog gave you enough information to plan your first trip to Chikmagalur. If you still need more, information check our youtube video on the same.
Please share our blog with people who are interested in family road trips. And also to travel, wildlife, history, and nature lovers.
Thank you for reading and for your support.
Check us on
Facebook | Instagram – @theroadstory.in
Youtube – @theroadstory