Trekking situation in Karnataka

A few years ago, I had written an article reminiscing about the good old days of trekking and complaining about the not-so-great conditions in Karnataka (link here). Things seem to have changed for the better, and in this post, I want to talk about what’s improved.

Back then, I had suggested that treks should be regulated with an online portal. The Karnataka Forest Department has actually implemented this in the last few years. I recently used this system and went on a couple of treks in Kudremukh National Park. So, how was the experience?

The Web Portal

The portal for booking (link here) is quite straightforward. Select the district, the trek, and the date. The next page gives you all the details—trek information, a few pictures, downloadable PDFs, and a KML file. You can also see the number of available slots and proceed to booking.

You need to register before booking. After OTP verification, you enter the details of the people joining you. You can book for a maximum of three people at a time. You also need to provide an ID—strangely, Aadhaar is not one of the options! After that, make the payment. The cost is generally around ₹500 per person.

 

Overall, the website is designed well and works smoothly—a pleasant surprise, considering many Karnataka State Government websites are perfect examples of how not to design, implement or deploy software.

Bookings open 15 days in advance and close 1 day before the trek date. Usually, it’s not difficult to get a slot, except for Nethravathi Peak, which fills up within 10–15 minutes on weekends (looks like trekking groups have found a way to game the system!).

This system democratises trekking in Karnataka. No need to know Minister, MLA, RFO/DFO, Home stay owner, Forest guard, etc or form a line at six in the morning. Just book online and proceed.

The Actual Trek

This is where things can get confusing sometimes. The booking ticket only confirms your slot—it doesn’t tell you where to start the trek. The trek-info PDF is not always accurate, and the phone numbers may not always connect. When I told about it in the Forest Office during the trek, they said “See youtube videos made by travellers!!”

 

There is also an additional step before you begin: you must visit the forest office, fill a form, and get a guide. This is where you pay the guide fee and the infamous camera fee. For some treks, the forest office is at the starting point of the trek. For others—like Kurinjal and Gangadikal—you must first drive to the Kudremukh Forest Office, complete the formalities, and then head to the trailhead, which can be another 10–20 km away.

About the Guide

Taking a guide is mandatory. The charge is ₹1,000 for up to 10 people, so small groups end up paying more. To save cost, consider joining other teams. The good thing is that the guides are not forest-department staff but locals trained by the department. This helps the community directly—the payment goes to the guide without middlemen.

Personally, I’m not in favour of making guides compulsory. Most trails are clear, and with GPS, navigation is not difficult. A guide makes sense when:

• There is a real chance of an animal encounter (and the guide should ideally carry a gun in such cases).
• The trails are unclear.
• People genuinely want someone to lead.

I feel guides should be optional. To maintain discipline, Rangers can be put in the trail.

Camping

As far as I know, camping inside the forest is no longer allowed for any trek. The days of pitching a tent deep inside the woods seem to be gone.

Number of People

The cap of 300 trekkers (lesser for some treks around Bengaluru) per day is a good step, though 300 is still a big number. Trekking trails in Western Countries often have hundreds of hikers too. The difference in India is:

• Many people lack basic common sense—it’s common to hear loud, jarring music from speakers.
• People tend to shout and make noise, forgetting they are in a forest.
• Trekkers in India rarely go solo or in small groups—it’s usually big groups.

So 300 people can easily feel like 1,000!

Cleanliness

Bags are checked for plastics and trash before the start of the trek. The trails are fairly clean—especially Gangadikallu, where even chocolate wrappers are not allowed. Smoking and alcohol consumption are strictly prohibited. Good job. But people should also show the same spirit.

Summary

The Forest Department has put in a decent effort to encourage trekking and make it more accessible. Everyone I interacted with—forest office staff, check-post guards, and guides—was helpful and polite.

However, the cost feels high (almost designed for the upper middle class), and in most countries trekking is either free or very cheap. Facilities also vary widely between trails. And guides do not carry even basic first-aid kits, which is a concern.

Still, overall, it is a good step forward. It is good to see Government encouraging trekking even though they seem to be doing it for their monetary benefits.