iMahesh (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia CommonsNethravati Peak (also spelt Netravati), at roughly 1,520 m, straddles the boundary between Belthangadi taluk in Dakshina Kannada and Chikmagalur district, inside the Western Ghats — a range UNESCO recognises as a World Heritage Site for its biodiversity. The peak gives its name to the Nethravati river, which rises near its base and flows through Dharmasthala before it eventually meets the Arabian Sea, and is considered one of the holy rivers of the region.
The trail alternates between dense shola forest and open rolling grassland — the same terrain Kudremukh itself is known for — and is one of the less crowded routes into the range, since most trek traffic in the park heads for the higher, more famous Kudremukh Peak instead.
The trek starts from the forest checkpoint near Samse/Mullodi village and is a single long day on the hill: a shade under 14 km there and back, with the climb spread out enough that a reasonably fit beginner can manage it, provided the trek is not their first hike ever. Because the whole route sits inside a protected national park, every trekker goes in with a Forest Department-assigned guide and a permit booked in advance — there is no walk-up entry.
Distance
~14 km round trip
Duration
4–6 hours on the trail
Base village
Samse / Mullodi, Kudremukh National Park
Difficulty
Moderate
Day 1
Day 2
14 km4–6 hours
Fees are revised periodically by the Forest Department — confirm the current rate on the Aranya Vihaara portal before booking.
A guide is mandatory and bundled with the permit — you do not book one separately.
Forest permit required
Report at the Samse/Mullodi checkpoint by 6:00–6:30 AM. The Forest Department expects everyone back out of the park before dusk.
Required documents
Forest entry permit desk & mandatory trek guide handover
Contact number not confirmed yet — verify locally before travelling.
It is rated moderate — manageable for a fit beginner, but it should not be your very first hike. The forest guide sets the pace, but the grassland stretch near the top is exposed and the round trip is a full day on foot.
Yes. The entire route lies inside Kudremukh National Park, so every trekker needs an Aranya Vihaara forest permit booked in advance, and a Forest Department guide is compulsory — there is no walk-up or unguided access.
September through May. The June–August monsoon brings heavy leeches and slippery trail conditions, and the Forest Department may restrict access during the worst of it.
Coverage is patchy to non-existent for most of the route once you are inside the forest. Let someone know your plan before you set off and treat the guide as your only reliable line of communication on the hill.
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₹2,000 / night
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