Chikmagalur Residency
Hotel or lodge, twin sharing
5 days, planned by Kestrel High Routes
Coffee came to India through Baba Budan's seven smuggled beans, planted on the hill above this town in the 1600s.
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| Coffee estates |
| Chikmagalur town |
Sunrise from Mullayanagiri is above the cloud about half the mornings in the season.
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| Mullayanagiri |
| Baba Budangiri |
| Manikyadhara falls |
Raja's Seat looks west over the Ghats and is where all of Madikeri watches the sun go down.
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| Abbey Falls |
| Raja's Seat |
| Madikeri Fort |
Shola forest in the folds and grassland on the ridges — the Western Ghats mosaic, and it exists nowhere else.
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| Tadiandamol |
| Nalknad Palace |
| Shola grassland |
Dubare is a forest department camp for retired timber elephants — no rides, and that is the right policy.
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| Dubare elephant camp |
| Cauvery river |
Day 1 · Fri, 18 Sept, 2026
Most of these can be added to your booking later — the operator confirms within a day.
Published by the operator. Nights on the ground can move with weather and permissions.
Hotel or lodge, twin sharing
Hotel or lodge, twin sharing
4 breakfasts and 4 dinners across 5 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 5.
8 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
“Himalayan trekking with a fixed guide ratio and no offloading surcharge”
Started by two IMF-qualified leaders who were tired of watching groups of thirty share one guide. Ratios are written into the price and are not negotiable downward.
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. Meals were good throughout and the vegetarian options weren't an afterthought. Would book with them again.
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Would book with them again.
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. Would send friends their way.
Thank you for travelling with us — glad the route worked out.
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. No complaints about any of the hotels — all of them well placed. Would book with them again.
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to see you on another trip.
Long transfer at both ends that isn't obvious from the listing. Budget a day either side. The lead was calm and knew when to slow the group down.
Thank you. We've taken the point about the transfer and are reviewing it.
Karnataka in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. No complaints about any of the hotels — all of them well placed. Recommended.
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Hotels were clean and central, which saved a lot of time. Food was plentiful and hot, which counts for a lot at altitude. Recommended.
Pace was set for the fastest people in the group and it made the middle days hard. The lead was calm and knew when to slow the group down.
Thank you. We've taken the point about the transfer and are reviewing it.
Picking runs from about November to February and it is the best time to be on an estate — the whole place is working and the growers will show you the process end to end.
One other operator runs this trail. See all 2 side by side →