Agumbe

Facts

• Distance from Bangalore: 360kms
• Terrain: Greenery
• Type: Rainforest
• Total Trek/Hike Kms: 24kms
• Forest Type: Rainforest
• Difficulty Level: Difficult
• Altitude: 3,800ft

Agumbe is a beautiful tourist destination, situated in Thirthahalli Taluk of Shimoga district, nestled amidst the dense forests of the Malenadu region in the Western Ghats. It witnesses the highest rainfall in Karnataka and is termed as “The Cherrapunji” of South India. Cherrapunji is a place that records the highest rainfall in the entire India. This beautiful place is well-known for its rainforest conservation efforts, medicinal plants, tourism, and cottage industry. The Agumbe Rainforest Research Station was constructed as a sanctuary for the King Cobra, it is termed as the flagship species of this place. 

This tourist spot is a petite hill village with limited visitor accommodations available. There are approximately 500 people in the whole village. The village covers an area of three square kilometers. Rice and Areca nuts are the main crops grown here. You can experience a spectacular sunset over the Arabian Sea. Agumbe is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also acclaimed for magnificent waterfalls. The best season to visit Agumbe is post-monsoon and winter as rain makes this place more green and beautiful to visit.

Agumbe is home to several rare species of medicinal plants like Garcinia, Myristica, Listsaea, Diospyros, Hoiligarna, Eugenia, and Ficus among others. Hence it is called ‘Hasiru Honnu’ which means ‘green is gold’ in the language Kannada. The Rainforest Research Station in Agumbe was established to conduct experiments to observe the behavior of recycling water. The verdant and dense vegetation have made it convenient for the King Cobras to settle down here. This place is also known as the capital of the King Cobra. The most dangerous and resplendent ghats in Karnataka are in Agumbe. 

 

The places of interest in this scenic destination

• The Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, 
• Rainforest Research Center, 
• Jogigundi Falls, 
• Koodlu Theertha Falls, 
• Onake Abbi Falls, 
• Narasimha Parvatha Trek, 
• Guli Guli Shankara Temple, 
• Achakanya Falls, 
• Jomlu Theertha Falls, and 
• Dodda Mane Agumbe. 

 

1. Narasimha Parvatha Trek: Surrounded by a picturesque landscape, Narasimha Parvatha is at an altitude of 3,800ft. This is the tallest mountain in the whole of Agumbe. The trek to this mountain begins from a village called Malandur village. The trail amidst the legion of flora and fauna. Along the trail, flows river Sita. Though the path is easy to trek in the beginning, the way further goes narrower and the forest denser. If you wish, you can quench your thirst on the way to the peak. You can find some age-old deep-rooted trees en route. You can take refuge under a tree for some time, as very little sunlight gets penetrated through the dense canopy of this forest. If you go a bit further, you come across an alluring Barkana Falls. The waterfall is so captivating that you will get a once in a lifetime feeling to witness the waterfall flowing both from its place of origin as well as from below. The water plummets down from a height of 2200ft, which adds this falls to one of the 10 largest waterfalls in India. 

The humidity in the forest leads you to the windy grasslands enveloped with bushes. The landmark to Narasimha Parvatha is two stone pillars. Once you reach here, be assured, you have almost reached the mountain. After having a good time in this enchanting place, start descending from the Kigga side to visit the Rishyasringa temple on the way.

As it is difficult terrain, the trek is not advisable for first-timers and inexperienced trekkers. The total trekking distance is 24kms from both sides. 

 

Things to Carry

• Personal medication (if any)
• Strong backpack (Preferably waterproof)
• Fresh pair of clothes for two days.
• Toiletries.
• Mosquito Repellent Cream
• Water bottles (at least 2 liters of water)
• A torch with new batteries (must in case of emergency)
• You can carry Energy Food (Chocolate bars, flavored milk, 
• Electrolyte drinks –   Glucose, etc.)
• Sunglasses, Sunscreen.
• Camera (Optional)
• Shoes with good grip

2. Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary: Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected wildlife sanctuary situated in the Western Ghats of Karnataka. This sanctuary is named after the preceding God “Lord Someshwara.” The famous Lord Someshwara temple is located inside the sanctuary premises. Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary lies between Udupi and Shimoga below Agumbe. You can even find a nature camp called Sitanadi in the sanctuary. It is run by the Government of Karnataka. The nearest town from Agumbe is Hebri. It is connected to Udupi, Mangalore, and Bangalore daily. 

The Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary consists of tropical wet evergreen forests, west coast semi-evergreen forests, and southern secondary moist mixed deciduous forests in its ranges. The sanctuary has fauna like Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, Ussuri dhole, Indian elephant, Indian jackal, Asian palm civet, jungle cat, Indian boar, Indian crested porcupine, sambar, spotted deer, Indian muntjac (barking deer), Indian spotted chevrotain, gaur (Indian bison), Black-naped hare, lion-tailed macaque, bonnet macaque, Southern plains grey langur, Indian giant flying squirrel, king cobra, etc. 

Great Indian hornbill, Malabar grey hornbill, Malabar trogon, Ceylon frogmouth, Malabar pied hornbill, and Malabar whistling thrush are some of the birds found in the sanctuary. Otters and mahseer fish are found in the Sitanadi river. Situated in the Western Ghats, the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 88.4 88.4 sq. km in Udupi District, Karnataka. It was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1974. 

Activities offered in and around Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary are: Trekking, Camping, 

River Rafting 

• Timings: Monday-Sunday 6 AM to 6 PM
• Best Season to visit: November to April
• Entry Fee: Adult – Rs. 200/- and Child – Rs. 100/-
• Still, Camera or Video Camera charges: Free 
• Address: Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary

Karnataka Forest Department, Karkala,

Udupi – 574104

Phone: +91 08 2582 1183, Deputy Conservator of Forests

3. Rainforest Research Station: Agumbe Rainforest Research Station or (ARRS) is a permanent field station of the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust. It is located amidst Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary and Agumbe Reserve Forest, approximately 1.5km from Agumbe village in the district of Shimoga. ARRS was founded by renowned herpetologist Romulus Whitaker in 2005. ARRS is situated at an altitude of 2,100ft above sea level.

Agumbe Rainforest Research Station had managed the world’s first radio-telemetry project on the King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), which was also the first radio-telemetry study done on any snake in India. ARRS conducts and aids a wide assortment of research projects, ranging from rainforest ecology, behavioral and population ecology, phenology, geoinformatics, and socioeconomics. Apart from research, ARRS focuses on education and outreach in the local community, schools, and colleges

 How to Reach Agumbe Rainforest Research Station?

 

• Nearest Railway Station: Udupi – 60 km, Shimoga – 92 km, Mangalore – 110 km
• Nearest Airport: Mangalore – 110 km, Bangalore – 380 km
• Frequent buses from Udupi, Mangalore, and Shimoga, Direct bus to and from
• Bangalore (KSRTC non-ac sleeper and SRS non-ac sleeper).
• Closest towns – Thirthahalli – 31 km, Sringeri – 26 km

4. Onake Abbi Falls: The Onake Abbi Falls is one of the magnificent waterfalls in the district of Shimoga. The trek to the pinnacle of the falls is comparatively short, covering a distance of 4-5kms. The trekking trail continues through the dense forest that is rich in flora and fauna. The trek summit offers a spectacular outlook of the entire waterfall that plummets from a height of 500ft.

Food: There is only one Bhajji-Bonda shop at the Agumbe check-post. Hence, it is advisable to carry some quick refreshments along with you. It is advisable to consume a wholesome meal before and after the trek to feel energized. 

Accommodation: There is no accommodation available at the summit of the waterfall. Therefore you need to arrange for it in the Agumbe village itself. 

 

Trek Route: The waterfall is located 4 kilometers in the forest from the main road. Two routes can be used to reach the destination. The first one is amidst the Agumbe bus stand and the Agumbe check-point. You come across a right turn in the road with a sign at the beginning that says, ‘OUSHADEEYA SASYA VANA’. You can follow the road from that sign and directly reach the falls. The second route is from the check-point.

How to reach Onake Abbi Falls?

Rail: To reach Agumbe, you need to travel to Udupi, as it has the nearest Railway Station. Located at a distance of 55 kilometers, Shimoga is situated just 90 kilometers away. Taxi and Auto-rickshaw facilities are available at both locations.

Road: Agumbe can be reached via buses that connect from Bangalore to Thirthahalli and then Agumbe which lies 30 kilometers away.

5. Guli Guli Shankareshwara Swamy Temple: Guli Guli Shankareshwara Temple is a less explored magnificent temple in Shimoga. It is one of the oldest temples which dates back to thretayuga. Guli Guli means water bubble, and Shankareshwara is a synonym of Lord Shiva. The water is very pure and has lots of medicinal value.  According to a legend, when Lord Shiva visited this place with Goddess Parvathi Devi, she felt thirsty. To quench her thirst, Lord Shiva requested Goddess Ganga to flow as a pond. 

As the water sprouted upwards, it created lots of water bubbles. This bubble made a sound called guli guli. Elated, Lord Shiva ordered Goddess Ganga to settle in that place. But when Goddess Ganga did not agree, it angered Lord Shiva, who tied her to his jata. So Goddess Ganga agreed to stay in that place only if Lord Shiva also settled there. Hence, from that day, Lord Shiva settled there in the form of Guli Guli Shankareshwara Swamy. 

Inside the pond, you will find yellow water algae that grow vertically, unlike any other algae which grow horizontally, and a Shiva Linga. If you clap or stand next to the pond, bubbles erupt out of the pond making the sound guli guli. There is a bilva patra (bilva Leaf) tree opposite the temple. It is believed that devotees who drop a bilva patra in that pond, at the same time make a wish in mind, that wish would be fulfilled. Generally, in this pond, if any other leaf falls, it floats. However, if a bilva leaf is dropped inside this pond It sinks. 

After some time, you can see a miracle happening, as the bilva leaf which sank, comes back to the surface surprising all the devotees. It is said, if a devotee drops the bilva leaf out of much devotion, the leaf comes to the surface like a prasadam from the Lord, and all the wishes of that devotee will be fulfilled. People throng here to make a wish and wait till the bilva leaf they had offered comes to the surface. As per a website, it sometimes takes half-a-day, or a few minutes to come to the surface of the water. Until now, no one has an answer for the questions like – why will bilva leaf sink? Where will it go? Or How can it come back to the surface? Hara Hara Mahadev!

There is no entry fee for this temple. It might be tough to find this ancient temple. So, the best you can do is ask some locals to help you out with the route. You can even check in 

Google Maps for Shree Guli Guli Shankareshwara Temple. Here is the link I found – https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/Shree+Guli+Guli+Shankareshwara+Swamy+Temple/@13.9430298,75.3498686,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x3bbba20fc4eb9a27:0x701f7893cbbcb5e5!8m2!3d13.9430246!4d75.3520573?hl=en&authuser=0 

 

Transport: Buses are rare to go to Guli Guli Shankara and there are very few direct buses from Shimoga to reach this temple. Therefore it is best to go in your vehicle or hire a cab. 

 

Things not to do in this pilgrim place: Do not get into the pond, do not pollute the water by spitting or littering, don’t pluck the bilva leaf from the tree, and ask the temple authorities for any assistance.

6. Achakanya Falls: Achakanya waterfall is one of the rare places to explore in Karnataka. This waterfall is situated near Aralasurali village, which is about 10kms from Thirthahalli in Shimoga district. Achakanya falls join the river Sharavathi when it chutes down, amidst the thick forests of the Western Ghats, from an altitude of 6-7ft. 

This waterfall is resplendent and is surrounded by splendiferous nature. It is difficult to trek the Achakanya falls, as there are no marked ways or routes to reach this waterfall. One has to either discover the path amid the dense jungle or take help from the locals to locate the place to trek. The best time to visit is from July to October. 

7. Jomlu Theertha Falls: Jomlu Theertha falls is one of the captivating waterfalls that joins River Sita. This place is located inside Someshwara Wildlife Range near the Belve village in the district of Udupi. It takes 40kms from Udupi town to reach this waterfall. This alluring waterfall plummets from an elevation of 20ft. It is the second waterfall that joins the river, Sita. The first waterfall is in Koodlu, a place in Hassan district. When it comes to the landscape, it is very picturesque around this waterfall. This place is considered to be one of the ideal travel spots for a perfect weekend getaway to hang-out with friends and family. Ellamavasya is a significant auspicious occasion celebrated in this place, and on that day devotees come in large numbers to take bath under this exquisite holy waterfall or Jomlu Theertha falls. There is a bridge on which people have to go in a line. Do not visit this waterfall during the rainy season as it is dangerous. 

8. Doddamane Agumbe: Doddamane is a homestay situated in the village of Agumbe. What is so special about this homestay? It was built 150yrs ago, and it is the same house where two episodes of a popular television serial Malgudi Days was shot. The caretaker of this house is an old lady named Late Kasturi Akka or Kasturi Amma. She has been taking care of this homestay for quite a few years now. The icing on the cake is, you can stay and dine here for free, as Kasturi Amma won’t charge a single rupee for the hospitality she renders. However, you can offer any sum of rupees to her out of affection, which will be used for the maintenance of the homestay and educating the underprivileged children. The donated money will also be used to provide food to the poor children of the town. 

How to reach Doddamane Agumbe?

Doddamane can be reached by just 2-3 minutes of walking distance from the Agumbe bus stand. 

To explore more about this amazing Agumbe, visit our website – www.chaloghummne.com 

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