Get ready for a truly inspiring journey through the unique Holy Cross estate. Experience the history of the flourishing plantation which is surrounded by the region called Masigadde which literally means “Coal field”.

The history of this plantation is an interesting story. There was a period when the entire forests would be burned down for producing charcoal to run the steam locomotives during the British era. It was the vision of Mr. Anthony Saldanha, who had a lifelong passion for plantations. He took this as a personal challenge, considering the Bhadra River as lifeline. He embarked on setting up the estate and yielding began in 1983-84. Thus Converting barren land into wealth, he brought back life to the dead place.

The plantation tour journey is not just entertaining but also informative.

During the plantation tour, we take you through Robusta coffee plantation, most of which is exported. You’re guaranteed to learn the ins and outs of coffee production here. You will be taken through the growing procedure of the coffee plants and their stages of pruning, manure, shade regulation and harvesting. Alongside in the walkway, you could also find intercrops like Areca, Black pepper, Cardamom, Vanilla, Banana enormously grown. It is also amusing to find some precious old hardwood trees such as Matthi, Honne, Huleve, Beete (Rosewood) throughout the journey. This is one unforgettable informative experience which is worth taking into consideration while on a vacation to Chikmagalur.

Birds have an extremely unique ability to delight and inspire us. They connect us with the mesmerising nature and its beauty.

At Shanthikunnj, there's a wonderful world of birds just waiting for you. Though many bird populations are declining, we offer the memorable opportunity to explore the bird watching experience to the fullest.

Bird Watching Tips at Shanthi Kunnj:

• Birds are very sharp, and will know you are nearby so be quiet.
• Always stop and stay still for a while if you discover a bird, to let them know you are not a threat to them.
• Listen to its song and tune and try to work out what it is doing.
• The hummingbirds are out in early morning or late evening hours.

Stepping outside and experiencing nature itself is a wonderful activity for body and soul. Shanthi Kunnj provides only assistance and guidance of the places to walk through. You may explore the places on your own with your loved ones and make your experience, the most memorable one. Before you decide for a nature walk, decide on the theme of your walk ahead of time. Carry all necessary items required to capture the details of the theme.

Some of the items you could carry if you are going for a serious nature walk:

• Binoculars
• Microscope (for research)
• Small telescope(for research)
• Drawing tools like pencils, crayons, markers and sketch pads
• Digital camera or disposable
• Tape Recorder or Mobile for recording sounds
• Magnifying Glass
• Small vials or jars for collecting samples
• Back pack for carrying all your stuff
• Digging tools like small shovel and hammer
• Walking Sticks
• Metal Detector(for research)

Wild life watch is the extraordinary experience anyone could have in their life. At Shanthi Kunnj we give you an opportunity to find and explore various wild animals, few of them like Hares, Wild Hen, Peacock and much more...

Tips for Wild life watch:

• Read Wildlife Signs
• Walk softly and quietly without trying to sneak.
• Keep a Safe Distance
• Wildlife animals are sensitive to human presence so be patient and Quiet
• Choose day time for the Wild life watch

WILDLIFE

Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary: Occupying 495 km² of wildlife sanctuary and Project Tiger Reserve, this region is an important watershed of the Tungabhadra river. The huge reservoir here is the main water supply to several districts in the rain shadow regions of south Karnataka. The forests here are rich in Bamboo and birds species unique to both the Malabar and Sahyadri ranges.

Kudremukh National Park: The Kudremukh National Park (latitudinal range 13°01'00" to 13°29'17" N, longitudinal range 75°00'55' to 75°25'00" E) is the largest declared Wildlife Protected Area (600 km²) of a tropical wet evergreen type of forest in the Western Ghats. The Western Ghats is one of the twenty-five hot spots identified for bio-diversity conservation in the world. Kudremukh National Park comes under the Global Tiger Conservation Priority-I, under the format developed jointly by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and World Wide Fund-USA.

Muthodi Forest Camp is the most famous part of Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. It is 32 km from Chikmagalur.Muthodi is a natural forest with a variety of lofty mountains and wide variety of birds. It is part of Bhadra Tiger Reserve and inhabits sizeable number of tigers. Besides,one can sight Elephants, Sambhar, gaurs, red Squirrels, spotted deers, barking deers and variety of birds. There is a nature camp run by forest department.

Sharadamba Temple situated at Sringeri on the banks of river Tunga , is the most famous worship place in the Chikmagalur district. The temple is dedicated to the Goddess Sharada Parameswari, Goddess of Knowledge and houses a deity image.

The temple is believed to be built during Adi Shankaracharya's period. It is believed that it had a deity image of the goddess at that time made out of sandalwood. The sandalwood statue was replaced by a stone and gold image in the 14th century by Vidyaranya.

Sringeri Sharada Peetha popularly known as Dakshinamnaya Sharada Peetham, is one of the four Hindu Advaita Mutts established and contributed by Adi Shankaracharya. The Mutt follows the principles of Yajur Veda and established by Adi Shankaracharya, the head is called Jagadguru, teacher of the world.

The temple structure was made of wood till early 20th century and has been rebuilt due to the fire which damaged the ancient structure. The Goddess at Garbhagriha, made of polished granite, is seated on the Sriyantra on a golden throne. A capacious hall supported by pillars with beautiful carvings lies in front of the sanctum. Also at Sri Sharadamba Temple, free food is offered to the devotees.

Hebbe Falls, located 8 km away from Kemmangundi, is another popular tourist spot. The water stream is also a source of drinking water in the region due to its enriched minerals.

On striking a rock, the waterfall splits into two separate water streams. Among these diverging streams, the smaller one is known as Chikka Hebbe, whereas, the bigger one is known as Dodda Hebbe.

The Baba Budan Hills are named after the Muslim saint, Baba Budan, who took up residence here in the 17th century. The Baba Budan Shrine is revered by both the Hindus and Muslims and thousands of devotees throng the shrine for the blessing of the peer. A complex of three caves can be found here, believed to have been sanctified by three revered siddhas, whose icons and 'gaddinges' (tombs) are located in the caves.

It is situated at a height of 1434 m above sea level. Kemmanagundi is at a distance of 55 km from Chikmagalur. The main attraction of the hill station apart from the places to visit is the absolutely enamouring climate. It remains the same throughout the year. The places to visit in Kemmanagundi are Hebbe falls, Kallathi falls, Rose Garden and Raj Bhavan.

Amruteshvara Temple, is located in Amruthapura town, 67 km north of Chikmagalur. One of the highlights of the temple is rows of shining lathe turned pillars supporting the ceiling of the mantapa. The inner ceiling of the mantapa is carved with floral designs. The open mantapa has 140 panels depicting Hindu mythological characters. South side of the wall is carved with scenes from the 'Ramayana' in an unusual anti-clockwise way, whereas the north side depicts life of Lord Krishna and scenes from Mahabharata in a clockwise manner.

Situated beside Bhadra River dam, the temple can be approached by road. Besides, tourists can also reach Tarikere town and thereafter, proceed to Amruthapura.

Vidyasankara Temple is situated on the banks of the Bhadra River in Sringeri on the south-west of the town of Chikmagalur. One of the highlighting features of the shrine is Mahadwara (entrance) of the temple.

The holy shrine is one of the Pancha Kshetras, positioned on the banks of Bhadra River. Along with the temple, there is also a sacred pond, known as Pancha Theerthas, in the premises. Built in Hoysala style, the temple has sculptures of various Hindu mythological characters.

The pillars are carved with symbols of the 12 divisions of the zodiac like face of a lion. Besides, the positioning of the zodiac symbols is associated with astronomical concepts and movement of the sun. Pillars are positioned specific to the movement of sun that calculates time zone accordingly.

Kalahatti Falls, one of the major tourist spots of the region, is located at a distance of 10 km from Kemmangundi.They are also known as Kallathigiri Falls and Kalahasthi Falls.this is believed to be the favourite tourist spot with the 122 m high waterfall along with its beautiful surroundings.

Mallikarjuna Temple is situated at the Mullayanagiri hilltop. Mallikarjuna Temple, is one of the religious shrines located in Sitalayangiri. Located at Sitalayangiri point in Baba Budan Giri Hills, the temple is visited by devotees from across the country. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and features a small stream in a sanctum.

Built under the patronage of Harihara Dandanayaka in 1234 AD, the structure stands on a four-foot 'jagathi'. The door of the lintel has a detailed carving of Nataraja surrounded by his disciples.

The temple is a lovely place for meditation and also watching the sunset and sunrise at the location is an amazing experience.

Ayyanakere Lake is located at a distance of 20 km from the town of Chikmagalur. The view of a pyramid shaped peak standing alongside the reservoir is one of the highlights of the lake.

This is also the second biggest lake in Karnataka, It was developed in the 12th century with the objective to maintain and enhance the fertility of the land. Irrigation is carried out widely over 21,560 hectares in the region. Fishing and camping at the lakeside is an added recreation for the tourists.

Kudremukh National Park, is the famous tourist spots around Chikmagalur. Designated under the Global Tiger Conservation Priority-I, the national park offers opportunities for sightseeing, outdoor activities, in the presence of rivers and historical shrines in the vicinity. Apart from Tunga and Bhadra Rivers, and rivulets, various perennial streams also flow through the park.

You can spot few interesting animals like sambar, muntjac, chevrotain, sloth bear, mongoose, lion tailed macaque and also some of the rare bird species.

Mullayanagiri, the highest peak in Karnataka, is located in the Baba Budan Giri Range of the Western Ghats. Standing at an altitude of 1,930 m above sea level, it is the highest peak between the Himalayas and the Nilgiris.

The route to the amazing destination begins from Sarpadaari, which is connected with Chikmagalur by road. Located in the Baba Budan Giri range of the Western Ghats, the mountain peak is the highest peak between the Himalayas and the Nilgiris after Chembra, Banaura and Vellari Mala peaks located in Kerala.

For those who would love to have adventures, this is the right place for activities like mountain biking, trekking and road biking.

Central Coffee Research Institution (CCRI) was set up in the year 1915 at Koppa laboratory. This was later renamed by the Government of Mysore as 'Mysore Coffee Experimental Station' in 1925.

Spread over an area of 130 hectares with a plantation area of 80.26 hectares, CCRI is the frontrunner coffee research institute in Asia. The plantation area comprises 51.32 hectares of Arabica and 28.94 hectares of Robusta coffee.

CCRI features a dam for impounding the quantity of water. The farm infrastructure encompasses 4 drying yards, one check dam and two water tanks. The other features are advanced laboratory, central library which features books and periodicals on coffee and plantation.

Mahatama Gandhi Park, also known as Rathnagiri Bore, is located to the north of the town.

This park has also an entry exclusively for vehicles. Moreover, the park has a wide suite of contrasting hued flowers and ornamental plants.The other attractions of the park are the lotus pond and a children-cross bridge. Besides, there is Nehru Rose Garden, amphitheatre and also a greenhouse within the garden housing over 300 floral species.

There is also a telescopic view point, from where tourists can view contours of Baba Budan Giri mountain range. Besides, the garden also features a canteen, which serves various beverages.

Kodanda Ramaswamy Temple, a heritage monument, is positioned south-east of the town. The temple hosts a popular festival every year called Jatra.

This temple is built in three phases and designed in Hoysala style of architecture. Navagraha of the shrine was built in 14th century AD, while the Mukhamantapa (porch) was constituted during 16th century AD. Moreover, the entrance of the temple was set up in the 17th century.

Temple consists of six cornices in square basement, on which outer walls of the Garbhagriha and vestibule of the brick are raised. The Garbhagriha exhibits a common Hanuman pedestal having images of Lord Ram, Laxman and Sita.

Inam Dattatreya Peetha, situated on the Baba Budan Giri Hills, is the holy place for Hindus as well as Muslims.The cave at Inam Dattatreya Peetha is believed to have sheltered Guru Dattatreya and Hazrat Dada Hayath Mir Khalandar. Hazrat Dada Hayath Mir Khalandar was a Muslim saint sent to India by Prophet Muhammad.

In the month of Rabi-ul-Avval, they host three day celebration every year known as “URS”. Hindu devotees visit the site during the Kartik Poornima celebrations.

Inam Dattatreya Peetha can be approached either from Chikmagalur or Kemmangundi.

The sanctuary is named after a perennial river, 'Bhadra', which flows through this place. Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary has an elevation gradient ranging from 750 metres to 2,100 metres above sea level.

Spread over an area of 490 square km, In 1974, the reserve was named as the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary. In addition to this, the sanctuary was also declared as the 25th Project Tiger of the country in 1998.

At Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, you can find a wide range of animals like bison, gaur, leopard, elephant, tiger, sambar, boar, chital, deer, porcupine and muntjac. Bird species like emerald dove, southern green imperial pigeon, great black woodpecker, malabar parakeet.

Besides, the sanctuary features reptiles such as Indian rock pythons and king cobras. The sanctuary also is famous for wide range of birds.

Manikyadhara means 'a string of pearls'. Manikyadhara Falls is one of the chosen tourist spot by many in karnataka. It is located in proximity to Baba Budan Giri Hills. The site is liked by both muslims and hindus. The falls is situated in the midst of the Shola Forest, and it flows throughout the year.

Manikyadhara, meaning 'a string of pearls' is also associated with a legend. According to the natives, saint Hazrat Dada Hayath Mir Khalandar along with his 4 disciples came to the site in search of water. After their prayers, they were blessed with water flowing from the mountains in the form of this waterfall.

Manikyadhara fall is 40 km away from Chikmagalur, Visitors can reach Manikyadhara Falls from Kemmangundi

Bhagwathi Nature Camp is located 15 kms North of KudreMukh. The Kudremukh National park covering an area of 600.32 sq.kms is 1,894.3 meters (5682.9 ft) above sea level and is rich in iron ore deposits. With prior request the forest department provides tented accommodation and the treks to the park. One may relax in the camp, take long walks in nature, visit the Hanuman Gundi Falls near Karkala and Ganga Moola, the birthplace of three rivers, the Tunga, the Bhadra and the Nethravathi. Jamalabad Fort is quite a distance from the camp.