Agumbe: Shimoga’s secluded secret!

‘Life is beautiful, too beautiful to be wasted in school’, every 90s kid in India would remember these words of a genius boy, Swami and his well laid back village ‘Malgudi’. It is Agumbe, in the Malnad region of Karnataka that brought Malgudi in the RK Narayanan books to reality with utmost rarity!

Agumbe, has managed to stay still in time and has still not lost the charm of Swami’s days. A beauty in itself, it’s well known for the scenic beauty and rain forests with many waterfalls. The stormy downpours that sprinkles over the misty hills has somehow become the rhythm of their lives of the people who live here. This lush green village that lies in the UNESCO heritage site is known as the Cherrapunji of South India as it receives the second highest rainfall in the country!

Though it just covers a small expanse, it’s loaded with timeless beauty and charm. Sunsets are enchanting here, and on a clear day one can see the distant Arabian Sea on the horizon. Nestled between Malnad and Western Ghats the jungles are full of rare medicinal plants, and flora and fauna. It also homes a wide variety of fauna like the king cobras, cane turtles, flying wizard, leopard, tiger, lion tailed macaque and much more.

Trekking through the dense rainforest is something that attracts a lot of folks to this place. The most popular trekking trail starts from Agumbe and ends in Sringeri taking one through Narasimha Parvatha. The heavy monsoon increases the challenges of trekking and leaves one with a terrific sense of accomplishment as you complete the hiking. Once you come to terms with the ticks and leeches, walks into the forest lead to hidden waterfalls of different sizes and panoramic view points. A dense silvery fog forms over the Western Ghats contributing to the natural beauty of Agumbe.

In short spectacular sunsets, sparkling streams, verdant village vistas, and an untouched rustic ambiance, this rustic village has it all and stands as an epitome of harmony between nature and man. One may set out to Agumbe to discover adventure under a canopy of green but return awestruck by the majesty of the Western Ghats!

Join us on a trek to Naramsiha Parvatha on April 23rd!