Gangadikal is a prominent hill inside Kudremukh National Park in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka. It is one of the treks recently opened by the Forest Department, and it requires prior booking through their website. A forest guide is mandatory.
Reaching the Starting Point
We took an overnight bus from Bengaluru to Kalasa. By 7:15 AM, we were ready—checked into a hotel, freshened up, ate breakfast at a local restaurant and packed our lunch. And that’s when the challenges started.
Gangadikal is logistically difficult if you depend on public transport. The trailhead is off the Kalasa–Karkala road, deep inside the national park. First, all trekkers must register at the Kudremukh Forest Office.
Our first task was to reach Kudremukh, about 20 km from Kalasa. The first bus had left at 6:30 AM, and the next one was only at 8 AM, followed by another at 9:30 AM. Since we had to change buses again after Kudremukh, it looked like reaching the starting point itself was turning into a trek.
We shared an auto and reached the Forest Checkpost after Samse village, 10 km from Kalasa. We hoped to register there, but registrations were only done at Kudremukh. The person at the checkpost was kind enough to request a passing car to drop us. Luckily, they had space for two seats, and we reached Kudremukh township.
Registration completed, guide assigned, and the bus from Kalasa arrived soon after—perfect timing. We hopped on.
The stretch of road from Kudremukh township was very scenic, surrounded by lush shola forests and rolling grasslands. Surprisingly, the road condition was terrible, something I had never seen here in the last 20 years. Something is definitely not right with the infrastructure in Karnataka.
At the Start of the Trek
The bus driver dropped us exactly at the trail entrance. Several vehicles parked there indicated that many trekkers had already entered. Our permits were checked carefully. The guard was strict—not even a chocolate wrapper was allowed.
A small incident amused me: a girl had a chocolate, which the guard refused to let her carry due to the wrapper. She decided to eat it immediately, opened it, and casually dropped the wrapper on the ground. The guard scolded her, and only then she realised what she had done. It showed how deeply throwing trash is wired into our behaviour!
The Trek
The total trek distance was about 4 km (one way). The initial stretch was a pleasant walk through a forest jeep track, silent and peaceful. Soon the landscape opened up, and the hills around us came into view. The tallest ridge visible ahead was Gangadikal—it looked steep.
Once the jeep track ended, the trail climbed sharply. We took a short detour to a viewpoint with beautiful vistas. From there, the steep zig-zag climb began. We took our time.
It took us about 1.5 hours to reach the summit. A wireless tower stood at the top.
At the Top
The summit was a long ridge, and we walked across enjoying the views. The most striking sight was the backwaters of the Lakya Dam. We could also see Kurinjal Peak across the valley and endless stretches of shola forests and grasslands.
We found some shade under a rock, rested for a long time, and enjoyed our packed lunch.
Return
Later, we reluctantly left the summit. When we reached the road, we were told the bus would arrive in a few minutes—perfect timing again! The bus was crowded and we stood most of the way, but we didn’t mind. It was a memorable day.
Information & Tips
- Trek needs to be booked online. (Link here)
- Pack lunch and carry at least 2 litres of water per person. There are no water sources on the trail.
- Avoid carrying any plastic items. Bags are thoroughly checked.
- No facility is available to store belongings at the entrance.
- Nearest stay option: Bhagawati Nature Camp (Jungle Lodges), but a private vehicle is required to reach it.
- Otherwise, stay in Kalasa or Samse.
- Mobile signal is weak—only available at the summit.
- Entry inside Kudremukh National Park is restricted and regulated—please follow all rules.
Syam
Useful
aravindgj
Thank you!