Place: Chikmaglur, Karnataka
Nearest town: Sringeri (5km)
Best time to visit: Between October to May and December to February
Main Attraction : Trekking 

The Kudremukh or Horse Face Range is situated 95 Kms southwest of Chickmagalur town. The broad hills which overlook the Arabian Sea are chained to one another with deep valleys and steep precipices and is so named because of the unique shape of the Kudremukh peak which has the highest elevation at 1892 metres. The park named after the peak, extends over three districts, Dakshin Kannada (South Kanara), Chickmaglur and parts of Udupi and stretches between Narasimha Parvatha (in Sringeri Taluk) in the north to the Jamalabad Fort (in Belthangady Taluk) in the south. The park is divided into four ranges Kudremukh, Kerekatte, Kalsa, Shimoga. 

The park with an area of 600.32 sq.kms is 1,894.3 meters above sea level and is rich in iron ore deposits. Country’s largest iron ore mining company, Kudremukh Iron Ore Company (KIOCL) is situated within the park area. The park is cool and salubrious round the year, but during monsoon from June to September, there is heavy rainfall. The best time to visit the park is immediately after the monsoon ie, October to May when the forests are lush green. To watch the wild animals best time to visit is between December and February.

There is a wide variety of flora and fauna in the park. The park is covered with thick hilly forests, mostly evergreen and semi-evergreen near the coastal plains on the western portion; and the shoal–grassland habitat at elevations above 1400m on the Western Ghats. Plantations of Eucalyptus, Casuarina, Acacia auriculiformis and Grevillea robusta are found here. The park is surrounded by Coffee and Tea plantations on the northern and eastern boundaries.

The wild animals seen in the park include tiger, leopard, wild dog, jackal, lion-tailed macaque, common langur, sloth bear, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, Malabar giant squirrel, giant flying squirrel, porcupine and the mongoose.

The park is particularly rich in the diversity of birds. Approximately 195 types of birds are found in the park. This  includes rare birds like the Malabar trogon, great pied hornbill, Malabar whistling thrush and the imperial pigeon.

Trekking is another interesting thing can be done in Kudremukh. One has to obtain an entry permit for trekking inside the park from the Range Officers or Deputy Conservator of Forests. The whole scenery of lush green grassland interspersed with narrow strips of forests rivers, cascades, variety of flora and fauna, caves, ruins and traces of old civilizations provide a fantastic vista for a trekker. There are 13 trekking routes inside the park and the anti - poaching camps (APC) on the way are useful as camping sites. The Bhagavathi Nature Camp located along the state highway, also forms an excellent camping site with tented cottages and dormitory. Ganga Moola, the source of several rivers including Bhadra, located inside the park is a scenic spot in the Bhagawathi Forest for trekkers. The Kadambi falls and the Lakya Dam located near the Kudremukh project area is another interesting spot in the Kudremukh range.

The park is quite rich in water resources. The famous Tunga, Bhadra and Netravati rivers flows through the park. Apart from these, there are numerous seasonal streams. The Park also has in its vicinity pilgrimage centers like Sringeri, Ganga Moola and Annapurneshwari Temple, which makes this place a favorite among tourists.  

How to get there

Air : The nearest airport to the park is Mangalore130 Kms
Rail :The nearest rail to the park is Mangalore 130 Kms
Road: Kudremukh is well connected by road to Chikmagalur, Mangalore and Sringeri. The State Highway-66 passes through the park. The nearest town to this Park is Sringeri. The distance to the park by road from the various places are Kalasa ( 20 Kms), Karkala ( 50 Kms), Mudigere ( 75 Kms), Mangalore (130 Kms) and from Bangalore  350 Kms. The park is approachable from Bangalore via Chikmagalur, Hassan or from Mangalore via Karkala.

Accommodation

There are number of Forest Rest Houses inside the park. They include Samse, Kudremukh (on the Mudigere-Kudremukh State highway in the heart of the park), Kerekatte (located along Sringeri-Mangalore National highway), Navoor rest house near Belthangadi (20 km) etc. The rest houses also are starting points for treks. Apart from these, one can also stay in the hotels in Kalsa town, Kudremukh Inspection Bungalow (Ph: 08263- 354148) or Shri Sharada Devi Temple guest House (Ph: 08265- 550123) at Sringeri. There are also privately owned luxury resorts. 

• Silent Valley Corporate Resorts
  Thodlu, Kalasa, Kudremukh Road,
  Chikmagalur – 577 124
  Tel: 08263-4801
  Fax: 080-2996702 (Corp. Office)
  Email- Contact Us
  Web site: www.silentvalley.net
  Tariff range: Rs. 1400/- to
  Rs. 1800/- per couple
  For reservations, contact:
  080-2211007, 2996704/05
  

• Hotel Chandan
  Mahaveera Road, Kalasa,
  Mudigere Taluk,
  Chikmagalur – 577 124
  Tel: 08263-374209, 374291
  Tariff range: Rs. 225/- to Rs. 525/-
  

• Seethanadi Nature Camp
  Kudremukh Wildlife Division,
  Seethanadi, Hebri Village, Karkala Taluk,
  Udupi – 576 112
  Tel: 0825-731183
  Fax: 0825-731183
  Email- Contact Us, Contact Us
  Tariff range:
  Deluxe Rooms for Indians: Rs. 250/- per head
  Deluxe Rooms for Foreign citizens: Rs. 500/- per head Tent for Indians: Rs. 50/- per head
  Tent for Foreign citizens: Rs. 100/- per head
  

For further information and Reservations contact :

• Deputy Conservator of Forests,
  Kudremukh Wildlife Division, 
  Karkala 574 104, Udupi District 
  E-mail : Contact Us
  

• Range Forest Officer,
  Wildlife Range,
  Kudremukh,
  Mudigere Taluk,
  Chikmagalur District.
  Ph: (08263) 355998
  

• Range Forest Officer,
  Wildlife Range,
  Kerekatte,
  Sringeri Taluk,
  Chikmagalur District.
  Ph: (08265) 561041
  

• Range Forest Officer,
  Wildlife Range,
  Karkala,
  Udupi District.
  Ph: (08258) 731183
  

• Range Forest Officer,
  Wildlife Range,
  Belthangadi,
  Dakshina Kannada District.
  Ph: (08256) 403189
  

• Deputy Conservator of Forests,
  Uttara Kannada – 581 325
  Ph: 08284-30266

• The Chief Wildlife Warden
  Aranya Bhawan, 
  18^th Cross, Malleswaram,
  Bangalore - 560003 
  Tel.: 080-23341993/23345192