Day trip to Kollur
MANGALORE – KOLLUR
Pick up from your hotel and drive towards Kollur. Kollur is about 140 km from Mangalore. Kollur is said to have been amongst seven pilgrim centers created by Parashurama.
ARRIVES KOLLUR
Arrives Kollur. Upon arrival, Kollur day trip starts. Kollur is famous for the temple dedicated to Goddess Mookambika.
THE MOOKAMBIKA DEVI TEMPLE :
History says it is 1200 years old temple. The Mookambika temple is an important seat of Shakti worship. Temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvati who said to have killed Asura (demon) called Mookasura and in this context of fight Parvati devi is known as Mookambika Devi. Deity was installed by Sri Adi Shankara. The main shrine of the temple contained just the Jyotirlinga. The metal idol of Goddess Mookambika was installed just behind this Jyotirlinga.
TREKKING TO KODACHADRI HILL RANGE
The Kodachadri hill is a part of the Western Ghats and lies in the district of Shimoga. Covered by dense forests, beautiful trekking trail that has waterfalls, luxuriant vegetation and diverse wildlife. Best time to visit Kodachadri hill peaks is October to February, at an altitude of 1343 m. It is frequented by trekking enthusiasts. Adi Shankaracharya said to have meditated here at the peak and had the first Darshan of Goddess. A small temple called Sarvajna Peetha, built with stone is dedicated to Adi Shankaracharya at the top of Kodachadri hill. The trek takes you inside the dense forest and falls en-route is unbelievable. It is a modest trek and can be approached in 3 to 6 hours by a healthy person.
Places to see around:
Sarvajna peetha, Iron Pillar, Ganesha Guha, Hidlumane Falls, Arasinagundi falls, Nagara fort, Kollur Mookambika Temple, Sunset and sunrise from kodachadri peak.
Best time to trek :
Best time to trek is from October to February. It is good to trek in winter. It will get difficult in heavy rain though it is possible to trek in normal rain sometimes. It is always recommended to take trekking guide in heavy rain.
Three trek routes to reach Kodachadri
Route 1:-
Via Nittur, which is 20 kms from kollur. One can go directly till the points where Guest houses are located from Nittur by jeep. Jeeps are available at Kollur and Nittur.
Route 2:-
Via Hindulmane falls; It is recommended to take guide on this trek as there are many diversion en-route. You will find Hindulmane falls on this route. Avoid monsoon season for this trek. This trek route is also from Nittur via Hindulmane falls. Route is a mix of 2 to 3 km walk on tar road, after Hindulmane falls there is a steep climb for about 2 km and again trek on Jeep road for another 2 km to reach PWD guest house. One has to trek for another 1.5 km to reach the sunrise and sunset point.
Route 3:-
Via Karikatte gate, most of the people prefer this route to get the peak. It is 12 km from Kollur. Trekking routes are well defined. One can easily go for trek even without a guide.
Remarks
One day trek to Kodachadri hill form Kollur is possible but chances of seeing the sunrise and sunset are rare as one has to cover long distance and get back to the base in time. One side trek and take Jeep another side can also be done.
RETURN TO MANGALORE
Come back to Kollur and drive towards Mangalore.
ARRIVES MANGALORE
Arrives Mangalore. Upon arrival, drop at hotel.
