Which is the most popular trekking place in Karnataka today?
Surprisingly, it is neither Kumara Parvatha nor Kudremukh, but Nethravathi Peak. Instagram has turned it into a craze among the younger generation. I am not much into social media, but I happened to trek to Nethravathi Peak recently.
Does it live up to the expectations? Let’s find out.
Booking the trek
As I mentioned in my earlier post, you need to book ahead. We initially planned for a Saturday trek. 15 days before the date, I checked the portal and was shocked to see all 300 slots booked. That’s when I realized this “Instagram trek” needs planning!
I stayed awake till midnight for Sunday trek and booked when it opened at 12 in the night. Within 10–15 minutes, everything was booked. Crazy!
Reaching the start point
We stayed in Kalasa. After breakfast and packing lunch, we took a bus to Samse, about 10 km away. Samse was once a sleepy village, but commercial trekking has changed everything. Homestays everywhere, tourist buses/vans parked along the road, jeeps lined up, drivers calling out for trekkers—everyone seems to have a purpose now.
The actual starting point is about 6 km from Samse, accessible only by jeep. You can walk, but the track is dusty and steep. The ride costs Rs 2,000 per jeep (round trip). We shared it with two others to save cost.
Pickup trucks can take around 10 people and cost less, but finding 10 people and syncing time is a challenge.
The ride took about 20 minutes. A toll of Rs 100 per vehicle is charged for that terrible road! The quality standards in India are depleting every day and this was an example!!.
At the Forest Office
From the jeep stop, it’s a 10-minute walk to the forest office, which is the start of the trek. Guides are assigned here—Rs 1,000 to be paid directly to the guide. Water refilling is available. Bags are checked for plastic, alcohol, lighter and cigarettes.
The trek
The total trek distance is around 5 km. After a short initial climb, the first 3 km are mostly flat. We got the first far-off view of Nethravathi Peak—looking steep and slightly intimidating.
About 1 km into the trail is a small waterfall—nice place to take a short break.
An hour later, we reached a stream crossing—the Nethravathi river in its infancy. A rope is installed for support. In monsoon, this can be a tough crossing, but in November the water was calm. We spent some time there.
The next section is a steep climb to the peak. Contrary to how it looked from below, the climb was manageable. As we went up, the scenery opened up beautifully. Now we understood the Instagram craze—it is stunning. It must look even more magical in monsoon.
The impact of crowds is visible here. People find it hard to descend on the steep path and walk on the grass, making the trail unnecessarily wide.
At the Peak
We reached the summit in 1 hour 45 minutes. It was very crowded—the most crowded peak I have ever seen. People were shouting, music was blaring. I quietly moved to a calmer spot to sit and enjoy.
On one side, we could see the massive Kudremukh peak, though the haze reduced visibility. We were standing on the edge of the U-shaped Malvavantige valley. The views were amazing.
Return
After spending about an hour at the top, we started down. We had our lunch at the Nethravathi river. Our jeep driver was waiting at the parking spot. A short ride back to Samse and a bus to Kalasa marked the end of our trek.
Information & Tips
- For fewer crowds, go on a weekday
- For weekend booking, be ready at 12 AM sharp when slots open
- Most trekkers came through trek groups—looks like people have forgotten how to plan treks themselves 🙂
- Better to stay in Samse as buses between Samse and Kalasa are not frequent
- Trekking can be stopped for many reasons – Wild animal presence, forest fires and heavy rains.
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