Kudremukh Trek Reviews: What Do Our Trekkers Have to Say About Kudremukh Trek?

Kudremukh Trek is one of the most beautiful, serene and peaceful treks in the western ghats. It is famous among zealous trekkers because of its majestic view, 360-degree spectacle, and sound of water that barely leave your company on the whole trail. 

The region is also abundant in iron ore; earlier, KIOCL operated here for iron ore mining until the last decade. Besides this, the three most essential rivers originate from here: the Tunga, the Bhadra and the Nethravathi. Along with the storage house of natural resources, the Kudremukh national park is one of the five national parks in Karnataka. It hosts bewildering flora and fauna, unique views and a high-altitude forest landscape.

Read from our own family of trekkers, most of which are avid trekkers, what they have to say about the Kudremukh Trek:

“Once I was done, the pain and fatigue in my legs felt strangely good. It was a sense of achievement, and I knew I had made memories that would last.”

-Sharan

Born and raised in Bangalore, I’m now another engineer who is confined to working from home. As someone fond of exploring, I have been on a few treks before. So, I know how rewarding and refreshing a trek can be. This monsoon, I was raring to go on another one, and I finally zeroed Kudremukh. 

Kudremukh national park is quite remote. Right at the forest office, we got a glimpse of the lush green mountains around. The trail to Kudremukh peak had a mix of different terrains. In the beginning, we made our way through the forest, crossed multiple water streams, and then finally, halfway through the trek, when we reached “Ontimara”, the views started to open up. I was utterly blown away by the majestic beauty of the meadows! We took a much-needed breather here and continued to more stretches of forests, streams and marshy land. 

We could see the peak during the last stretch, and it was a steep climb from here. This was where the views were most beautiful for me. The skies were relatively clear. There were ghats, valleys and clouds as far as the eyes could see. It was grand to stand there, catch a breath and take it all in. 

Once we reached the peak, we were actually in the middle of the rainy monsoon clouds. It was cold, windy and wet. It was exhilarating! As we sat there and patted each other’s backs, the cold and wind was turned up a notch or two.

With freezing faces and fingers, we quickly gathered for a group picture and started making our way down. The descent was a bigger challenge amidst the rain and the water flowing down on the trails. Personally, it took a lot of grit to finish the trek when the path seemed never-ending. After all, we had been at it for 9 hours, if not more! Once I was done, the pain and fatigue in my legs felt strangely good. It was a sense of achievement, and I knew I had made memories that would last.

At the end of these trips, you will probably go back to being the same person and doing the same things that you do. But days like these put things into perspective. You feel refreshed and recharged. And I think that changes everything.

“I embarked on what is now one of my favourite trekking experiences.”

-Sarthak

From the time I got addicted to trekking, Kudremukha was on my must-do list. And so, during the perfect weather for any western ghats trek, on Friday evening, August 13, 2021, I embarked on what is now one of my favourite trekking experiences.

We initially started on the jeep track and diverged after about 20 minutes by crossing one of the numerous streams into the jungle route and the leeches. The rolling lush grasslands and hills surrounding the peak are a sight to behold. However, heavy rains and unpredictable weather made crossing the waterfalls much more challenging, and trekking became relatively tricky. 

After crossing the artistic and daunting concealed surprises of nature, it feels much more accomplished and complete.

“For a surgeon, there is only so much pain you can handle. I have come back with the feeling that however tough life may be, you just need to hold on and move ahead.”

-Satabdi

Firstly, Kudremukh made me realise how brilliant an artist God is! The sprawling hills, rolling clouds, luscious meadows, spell-bounding valleys, clear streams, tropical rainforests, bamboo shrubs, with the sound of the water never leaving you, just seem to reaffirm how nature can heal you. 

It was the detox I badly needed. For a surgeon, there is only so much pain you can handle. You tend to feel broken and disheartened at times as well. I have come back with the feeling that however tough life maybe, you just need to hold on and move ahead. You can take a break but not stop. And you will reach wherever you want!

“I have slip disc issues. I could finish this 22 km distance and 1800 m altitude trek with my inner push. And yes, I have succeeded in it. “

-Teja

I am a Software Engineer based in Hyderabad. I have slip disc issues. Aware that a severe slipped disc can lead to permanent nerve damage, I am glad to complete the whole trek peacefully. Earlier, doctors had suggested that I should not take stairs, but I knew somehow that I could finish this 22 km distance and 1800 m altitude trek with my inner push. And yes, I have succeeded in it. Kudos to me.

And now I realise all of this happened because of my and nature’s contributed efforts. It was a pleasure to walk into the 3rd highest peak of Karnataka—the first two being Mullayyangiri and Baba Budangiri—filled with forest sections, multiple waterfalls, sounds of nature, and above all, love from peaks that laid bare green.