Ettina Bhuja Trek
Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka
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- Max altitude
- 1,300 m
- Satellite terrain suggests about 1,160 m
- Days
- 1 day
- Distance
- 4 km
- Difficulty
- Moderate
The Forest Department rates it moderate. The walk itself is short (about 2 km each way) through grassland and a short forest stretch, but the last part is a steep, narrow scramble up a 70–80 degree rock face where only one person can climb at a time, and it turns slippery when wet.
Photos
On the trail
The route
Day by day
Day 1 · highest point
Sri Nanya Bhairaveshwara Temple, Byrapura → Sri Nanya Bhairaveshwara Temple, Byrapura
1,015 m → 1,300 m → 1,015 m
Ups and downs
Altitude profile
Where it is
Map
Trailhead and high point only — not a recorded track. Use it with a proper map.
Weather
Next 5 days on the trail
Live forecast for the trailhead and the high point. Mountain weather changes fast — check again on the morning you start.
Trailhead · Sri Nanya Bhairaveshwara Temple, Byrapura
at 1,015 mLoading forecast…
High point · Ettina Bhuja summit
at 1,300 mLoading forecast…
Each day: high / low °C · rain mm and chance · snow cm · wind km/h
Weather data: Open-Meteo.comModel forecast, not an official warning. For alerts follow IMD and the local administration.
Plan the trip
How to reach
- Trailhead
- Sri Nanya Bhairaveshwara Temple, Byrapura (nearest town: Mudigere)
- Nearest railway
- Hassan Junction or Sakleshpur
- Nearest airport
- Mangaluru International (about 121 km to Mudigere)
- By road
- Mudigere (about 25 km; auto about ₹600 to the temple); Bengaluru via Hassan and Belur (about 250–280 km); Mangaluru via Charmadi Ghat
- Drive
- About 6 h from Bengaluru
Plan the trip
Permits and fees
We could not confirm the current permit rules and fees from an official source. Check with the local forest department or tourism office before you go.
Plan the trip
Cost
Self-guided
₹2,000–4,000
With an operator
₹2,099–7,250
Per person, ex-Bengaluru. Guided: Thrillophilia lists a 2-day Ettina Bhuja trip with homestay, meals and jeep ride at ₹2,099 (offer price valid to 22 Oct 2026); BMC Adventures sells a 3-day Bandaje Falls + Ballalarayana Durga + Ettina Bhuja trip at ₹7,250 (Oct 2026). Self-guided is an estimate: overnight bus Bengaluru–Mudigere and back, auto from Mudigere to the temple (about ₹600 per auto, shared), a homestay night and food, plus the Forest Department booking fee. The fee is shown only during portal booking, so it is not quoted here.
Gear
Top picks for this trek
The gear that matters most on this route, chosen from its altitude, season and risks.
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Packing checklist
Matched to this trek: altitude, season, days and the risks on the route.
Packed 0 of 20
Tick each item as it goes in the bag.
Know before you go
Good to know
- Mobile network
- BSNL works along the whole trail; Airtel and Vi are patchy.
- Last ATM
- Mudigere
- Nearest hospital
- Government taluk hospital, Mudigere (about 25 km)
- Water
- No water on the trail or at the temple; fill bottles at Sattiganahalli, the last village, and carry at least 2 litres.
Highlights
- A rock peak shaped like an ox's shoulder (ettina bhuja in Kannada), visible from the first few minutes of the walk
- Starts at the Sri Nanya Bhairaveshwara Temple at Byrapura, a 13th-century Hoysala-era temple
- Short forest stretch that opens onto shola grassland on the Charmadi range
- Summit views over the Charmadi range and Shishila valley, with Amedikallu, Jenukallu Gudda, Ombattu Gudda and Deepadakallu around
Risks
- Final 70–80 degree rock scramble is narrow and loose in places; one person at a time, and it is slippery in rain
- Leeches in the forest section during and just after the monsoon
- The Shishila village route has no clear trail and several strong stream crossings; operators say do it only with a local guide and after October
- Daily cap of 40 trekkers in one 6 AM–12 PM slot; weekend slots sell out, and without a booking you cannot enter
- Hot and hazy in summer (March–May), with no shade on the upper grassland
Know before you go
Questions
Do I need to book the Ettina Bhuja trek in advance?
Yes. The Karnataka Forest Department sells slots on its Aranya Vihaara portal (aranyavihaara.karnataka.gov.in, district Chikkamagaluru, trek 'Ettina Bhuja'). There is one slot, 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM, for 40 trekkers a day, up to 3 people per booking. Bookings open up to 30 days ahead. Check the portal for the current fee and carry a government photo ID.
How long is the Ettina Bhuja trek?
About 4 km round trip from the Sri Nanya Bhairaveshwara Temple at Byrapura, which the Forest Department times at about 4 hours. Indiahikes measures the climb in three sections (800 m, 600 m and 700 m), about an hour up for a fit walker. The longer route from Shishila village is about 8 km.
Is Ettina Bhuja difficult?
The walk is short and suits beginners, but the last stretch is a steep scramble up a 70–80 degree rock face. The Forest Department rates the trek moderate; Indiahikes calls it easy with a tricky finish that gets slippery in the monsoon.
Do I need a guide?
Not from Byrapura, where the trail is clear and signposted at forks. From Shishila village there is no proper trail and several stream crossings, so a local guide is needed.
When is the best time to go?
October to February, after the monsoon, when the grassland is green and the air is clear. The Forest Department closed bookings from mid-May to mid-August in 2026.
How do I reach the start by public transport?
Take an overnight bus from Bengaluru to Mudigere (about 5 hours). From Mudigere, an auto to the temple costs about ₹600, or take the 7 AM bus towards Gowdahalli/Hosakere and walk about 5 km via Sattiganahalli.
In an emergency
Save these numbers before you lose signal. Tap to call.
- 112All emergenciesIndia’s single emergency number — works in every state
- 108Ambulance
- 1077District disaster control room
You are in
District: ChikkamagaluruKarnataka
- Nearest hospital
- Government taluk hospital, Mudigere (about 25 km)
- Last ATM
- Mudigere
- Phone network
- BSNL works along the whole trail; Airtel and Vi are patchy.
Before you set off
- Tell someone your route and when you will be back.
- Carry a charged phone and a power bank.
- Download an offline map of the route.
- Turn back if the weather turns bad — the mountain will wait.
Questions about Ettina Bhuja
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Where this comes from
Sources
Last reviewed:
- Aranya Vihaara – Ettina Bhuja (Chikkamagaluru, trek id 98) — Karnataka Forest Department (official)
- Ettina Bhuja Trek – The Complete Guide — Indiahikes
- Ettina Bhuja — Wikipedia
- Ettina Bhuja Trek: route, distance, booking, entry fee and best time — Explurger
- Complete guide for Ettina Bhuja trek — Machaan Plantation Resort
- Ettina Bhuja Trek, Chikmagalur — Thrillophilia
- Bandaje Falls & Ettina Bhuja Trek — BMC Adventures
- Aranya Vihaara: new online portal for regulated trekking in Karnataka — News Karnataka
Photos: Shashidhara halady / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Shashidhara halady / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Shashidhara halady / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; ShrinidhiM2004 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
