Are the golden days of trekking over in Karnataka?

Once upon a time, I was able to camp overnight on Kumara Parvatha and Narasimha Parvatha peaks, stay at the abandoned Lobo house in the middle of the wilderness in Kudremukh, and much more. I could walk on the green route trek without any hurdles. Nobody stopped me from visiting waterfalls. All that good old days have changed now in Karnataka. This post tries to explain these dramatic shifts.

About Western Ghats

Running parallel to the coast of Karnataka, western ghats separates the plateau from the coastal region without any gap. The entire section of western ghats in Karnataka is rich in flora and fauna. Naturally, it provided a lot of opportunities for adventure seekers.

Not just western ghats, many parts of Karnataka like Chamarajnagar, Chitradurga, Ballari, outskirts of Bengaluru has many trekking destinations, though most of these can be covered in a day.

Good old days

I consider the decade of 2000 (or at least the first half of it) as a golden era of trekking in Karnataka. Until then, barring exceptions, people trekked only in their surroundings. Lack of information, fewer transportation options and low income were a few reasons that limited people from indulging in trekking activities. It changed with the advent of the IT boom in Karnataka.

Personally, my travel life started with trekking activities in the western ghats area of Karnataka. Sites like dream routes came up with new destinations each week. We used to travel overnight from Bengaluru to some location in the western ghats, start our trekking and camp overnight in the forest. Return to the base by Sunday evening and catch the overnight bus to Bengaluru. We were back in Office on Monday.

It was the case with many enthusiasts in those days. Mobile network was not available inside forests, and maps and GPS were still in infancy. We trekked in the forest armed with a printout of a blog post. We lost our way many times but always managed to retrace using our intuition. Ready to eat food, and Maggie noodles tasted great in the water boiled using firewood in the forest and makeshift kitchen using stones!! It seems like a dream now.

So, what happened? Nothing could remain constant forever, but few things accelerated the pace of change.

Increase in number of trekkers

In the beginning, only few people were trekking. It was limited to people who took the pain of searching for location and planning. Trekking organisers were very few. It changed as more IT people filled Bengaluru. Money was not a problem, information was readily available, and commercial trekking organizations found opportunities. There was an increase in the activity in our forests and hills. It was a dramatic shift with people entering forests, considering it an extension of the pubs, bars and discotheques.

This change affected Government and local people in different ways. Government is generally not happy if people enjoy without them extracting a pound of flesh. But local people saw it differently. Many times, we need to cross private land to order to reach the destination. Earlier, people welcomed the strangers wholeheartedly. But few people misused and started polluting the places they visited. Locals saw it as an invasion of their peaceful way of living. Houses that welcomed strangers earlier started avoiding them altogether. Few people decided to monetise and charged trekkers to enter their private land.

There were always restrictions on entering forests, but the procedures were simple. We mostly had to write our names in the register and sign at the check post. In some cases, police asked us to write a letter stating that we would be responsible if anything untoward incident happened while trekking. Officials were not very strict in enforcing rules as the number of trekkers was less, and most of them were interested in enjoying the forest and had no ulterior motives.

The increase in the number of trekkers forced the forest department to enforce new rules and also use that opportunity to make new sources of income.

Tragic and foolish incidents

While trekking in forests, it is natural for people to get lost. Experienced people manage it deftly while few novices need rescue efforts to be launched. It gets worse during monsoon when the visibility is low and rivers overflow. Forest and Police department officials had to rush to the spot, conduct search activities and rescue them. The Government officials do not like such things. It resulted in administrators putting a blanket ban on trekking activity.

In some tragic events, people also lost lives due to drowning and falling from the hill. It also resulted in officials tightening the rules.

Impact of Tiger reserves

Trekking inside Tiger reserves was banned due to various orders. Trekking destinations like the Parambikulam tramway trek (in Kerala) vanished. I do not understand when we can have highways cutting through tiger zones (Ex: Bandipur, Nagarahole), safaris being conducted in all tiger reserves, resorts mushrooming around National Parks and religious events held inside core forests, why trekking cannot be allowed.

Trekking trails converted to roads

Many trekking trails got converted to motorable roads. For example, we hiked Mullainagiri, the highest point in Karnataka, on a beautiful trail named “sarpadhari (Snake trail)”. We were the only people on the top apart from the temple priest. After relaxing on the top for a long time without disturbance, we proceeded further. A road is now built to the base of the hill. Go on any weekend, and you can see thousands of people creating ruckus on those hills. Traffic jams and parking issues are common.

What should have happened?

Regulations were much needed when trekking activities took off. The Forest Department should have marked trekking trails and made them public. They should also have put staff to control the hiking trails as Indian public do not generally maintain the cleanliness and sanctity of the places they visit. Charging people for forest entry to cover the expense of maintaining the trails is fine. The average per capita of Indians should be considered and not the income of people owning SUVs or flashy cars!! Government should have moved away from the post-Independence era or Soviet mindset of punishing people who earn by honest means. A person purchased a DSLR camera by saving money after paying income tax on his salary and then shelled out various taxes like GST. Why should you further suck the person like a leech for using the camera?

It may be necessary to regulate the number of people entering the forest at a few places. In such cases, open the slots online or take advance booking and not make people stand in the queue early in the morning (Ex: Kudremukh peak). Also, hiking paths should not be closed on the whims and fancies of the officials.

But what is the situation today?

• You can book a few treks through an online portal. Note that all these are short treks requiring 1-2 hours of walking. Most of them are located around Bengaluru. They charge about Rs 250/- for these treks. I have trekked to many of these places before the control, and I do not understand why one should pay for these treks!! (Refer to the post by Srinidhi which provides more details)
• You will not see a lot of treks online, but you should know somehow that entry is restricted. Examples are Kudremukh, Kodachadri and etc. These treks are heavily priced (Details below).
• Many places have restrictions. The Forest Department puts up a “warning” board and vanishes. After travelling to reach the destination, you see a board warning not to enter the forest!!
• If no warning boards are present, it does not mean that people can enter the forest. Rules are hazy, and officials can harass people.
• I do not think overnight camping is allowed in any forest. Trekkers can only camp in homestays, resorts or other designated areas.
• Forest Department can decide to close a trail suddenly, citing some vague reasons. While passing through Agumbe last year, we decided to check out a few waterfalls in that area. All of them were closed to visitors. “Corona” was cited as a reason. I did not understand why should forests be closed when everything was open during that time.

How is it compared to other countries?

For example, I need to shell out Rs 850 for trekking in Kudremukh (Entry – 150, Trekking – 200, Guide – 500). On top of it, I need to pay between Rs 200 to Rs 1000 if I am carrying a DSLR camera. The permit is valid for only one day, and I can trek either to Kudremukh or Kurinjal peak. No other trails are open. Now let me compare it with Yosemite National park in the United States. It has 282 trekking trails compared to 2 in Kudremukh. The entry fee is $15 (Rs 1200) and is valid for seven days!! For $80 (Rs 6400), I can visit all 63 National Parks in the United States unlimited times for one year!! Nobody comes and checks whether I have a DLSR camera or run a tape to measure the focal length of the lens!! (pun intended)

I have trekked in Yosemite National Park, Mount Rainier and Grand Canyon. I only paid the entry fee that I mentioned above and nothing more. The trails are well marked, and toilet, drinking water and parking facilities were available.

During our New Zealand trip, we went on many short treks. We did not pay a single cent for it.

What does Karnataka Forest Department give back in return? Nothing. No washroom or drinking water facility, no shelters or medical facilities.

It is nothing but sheer greed. Recent news mention that Karnataka Government jobs are sold for money and a 40% commission on all contracts. What can we expect in such a situation?

It is true not just for trekking but also for the travel industry. I have visited 25 out of 28 states in India, and I can tell that Karnataka ranks among the lowest on tourist-friendly policies. It is sad considering the great places that Karnataka has. Do not go by flashy ads shown in newspapers or social media handles.

Does it mean that the forests are well protected because of these strict measures?

Sadly no. Restrictions apply only to the general public. Permissions are given to build a dam in the heart of western ghats to pump water to a higher altitude location 300 km away. Highways are expanded inside forests without any issues. Laying railway lines or high tension wires inside core forests continues to happen. We hear poachers killing animals every now and then. Poornachandra Tejaswi, the famous writer in Karnataka, mentions in his book “Jugari cross” that forests have become an open treasury for Government people to make money. He wrote that novel 25 years ago, but nothing much has changed.

What is the solution?

There is nothing much you can do. In India, especially in Karnataka Government circles, trekking is not appreciated. They see it from a money angle. Given this situation, here are a few things you can try.

• There are still some trails that are not popular. You can try hiking in those areas.
• Shell out money to Government and go on the treks opened by the Forest department.
• Try the Himalayas. It is vast, and there are hundreds (possibly thousands) of trails. It is also well regulated in most states. Self-organizing for long treks is a challenge in Indian Himalayas, and you would have to go with trekking operators.
• For solo trekkers, Nepal offers excellent options. It is well regulated and organised. On the downside, the popular trails are crowded during peak season.
• States like Kerala or Maharashtra could be an option. But I haven’t trekked recently in those states, and am not in a position to give an opinion.
• Try western countries if you can afford to bear travel and stay costs. Trekking is cheap in those countries.