Sringeri, Horanadu and Agumbe Malnad Trail

Terraced gardens and a viewpoint around the old Raj Bhavan guest house at about 1,400 m. It can be misty and cool even in the afternoon.

A walk of about 45 minutes to an hour each way from the Raj Bhavan, with steep, uneven bits near the top. Wear good shoes. Those who prefer can rest at the gardens.

An old Shiva temple on a small rise in Kalasa town, on the way to Horanadu.

Men remove shirts and vests before the darshan line and cover their shoulders with a shawl; a dhoti is expected. Women wear a saree or salwar. Queues are long on weekends.

The road from Kalasa to Kerekatte runs through the Kudremukh national park, with rolling grass hills and shola forest. Your driver stops at safe pull outs for photos. No stopping is allowed in some forest stretches.

The temple reopens at 4 PM and the evening mangalarati is at 7:30 PM. Since August 2024 only traditional dress is allowed inside: men in dhoti with an angavastram, women in a saree, salwar with dupatta or langa davani.

A 14th century stone temple beside the Sharada temple, with 12 zodiac pillars. Feed the big river fish at the steps of the Tunga if there is light left.

A quiet old temple in a small village about 10 km from Sringeri, linked to the sage Rishyashringa, after whom Sringeri is named.

A short walk and some steps down to a pretty waterfall in the forest. Opens about 9 AM. The steps can be slippery, so wear sandals with grip.

Cross the footbridge over the Tunga to the quiet garden side of the Math, where the Jagadguru lives. Guru darshan is usually at 10:30 to 11:30 AM when he is in Sringeri. Traditional dress applies here too.

A short forest trail near Agumbe to a small fall that drops into a rock pool, the source of the Malapahari river. A taste of the Agumbe rainforest. Forest entry, included. Watch for leeches after rain.

On a clear evening you can see the sun go down over the forest and, far away, the Arabian Sea. Sunset is around 6:15 PM in December. Clouds often hide it in the rains.

A 900 year old Hoysala temple, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, right on the way home. Free entry. Shoes off at the gate.