AUGUMBE TOURISM | TOURIST PLACES TO VISIT & TRAVEL GUIDE TO AUGUMBE
Hill Station
About Agumbe
#29 of 33 Places to visit in Karnataka
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days
Nearest City to Agumbe: Mangalore (112 Kms)
Best Time to Visit Agumbe: October to March
Peak Season: November to January
At a distance of 26 km from Sringeri, 31 km from Thirthahalli, 55 km from Udupi, 62 km from Kundapura, 77 km from Kudremukh, 94 km from Shimoga, 112 km from Mangalore, 342 km from Bangalore, Agumbe is a small hill town located in the Shimoga district of Karnataka, India. Nestled in the thickly forested Malnadu region of the Western Ghats, it is one of the most mesmerizing offbeat hill stations in Karnataka, and among the most famous places to visit near Mangalore.
Situated at an altitude of over 2100 feet, the scenic village of Agumbe lies in the Western Ghats belt with some of the last remaining lowland rainforests. The place is nicknamed 'The Cherrapunji of the South' as it receives the heaviest rainfall in the southern part which makes it a perfect home to some of the scenic waterfalls, dense forests, and rivers. It is also called Hasiru Honnu means green gold as it is home to several rare species of medicinal plants. It can be visited as part of Mangalore tour packages.
Agumbe is associated with rainforest conservation efforts, documentation of medicinal plants, tourism, and the promotion of cottage industry. Agumbe hosts the first automatic weather station in India, founded by Romulus Whitaker in 1943. The village is also home to the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, an only rainforest research station in India, and was established as a sanctuary for King Cobra, Agumbe's flagship species. Interestingly, Agumbe is also called the 'Cobra Capital' because of the high number of Cobras found here. It is also the place where RK Narayan has filmed his novel Malgudi Days.
During rains, Agumbe comes alive with several waterfalls and attracts a huge number of tourists from all over the globe. Besides, Agumbe is the base station for several trekking destinations & waterfalls spread around the hills. Sri Gopala Krishna temple, Kunchikal Falls, Barkana Falls, Onake Abbi Falls, Jogi Gundi Falls, Koodlu Theertha Falls, Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, Narsimha Parvatha trek, Kudremukh National Park, Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, etc. are some of the famous places to visit in Agumbe. Narasimha Parvatha is the tallest peak in Agumbe.
Mangalore International Airport is the nearest airport which is about 96 km from Agumbe. It has direct flights from Bangalore, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. Udupi Railway Station is the nearest railhead which is 53 km from Agumbe. It has well-connected trains from Mumbai, Mangalore, Trivandrum, Bangalore, Kochi, Amritsar, Kochuveli, Haridwar, Dehradun, Porbandar, Delhi, Jamnagar, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Jabalpur, Ajmer, Okha, Bhavnagar, and Pune. Agumbe Bus Station is well connected by buses from Thirthahalli, Mangalore, Shimoga, and Sringeri.
Agumbe is a small village hence there are not many accommodation places. Inspection bungalow and a lodge near the bus stand are the only options at Agumbe. However, one can stay at Sita Nadi Nisargadhama (River Camp) which is 17 km away from the village center, or book your stay at Shimoga which is home to numerous accommodation options for all budget sizes.
The best time to visit Agumbe is from October to February. Avoid traveling to Agumbe during the heavy monsoon period, which begins in June and lasts till September. The summer months between March and May are quite hot and dry.
None