Daytime trekking allowed till Shesha Parvatha in Subramanya, says Khandre

Trekking has been restricted to Shesha Parvatha in Subramanya in the Dakshina Kannada district, and trekkers are not being allowed to proceed to Kumara Parvatha to ensure that the trek is completed within 12 hours (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) with all safety measures, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B. Khandre told the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

Those wishing to trek to Shesha Parvatha must purchase tickets online, and only 150 people are allowed per day. Mr. Khandre said the 20-km trek (both ways) between Subramanya and Shesha Parvatha takes about 12 hours to complete during the day.

The minister said that since December 2025, trekkers have been permitted only up to Shesha Parvatha. The 2-km stretch between Shesha Parvatha and Kumara Parvatha is steep and challenging, and hence trekking to Kumara Parvatha has been stopped.

He said overnight stays have been banned following reports of wildlife movement and incidents of trekkers going missing during the night.

Replying to a question from Bhagirathi Murulya (BJP), Mr Khandre said it was difficult to manage crowds of 2,000–3,000 trekkers gathering at one location on the hill in a single day, especially in an area known for wildlife movement. As a safety measure, only 150 people are permitted to trek daily during the rainy season. Trekking is not allowed during the summer due to the risk of forest fires.

Referring to the distance between Subramanya and Kumara Parvatha, he said the 24-km trek (both ways) would normally take two days, and trekkers earlier stayed overnight at Kumara Parvatha to watch the sunset and sunrise. It may be noted that many trekkers have expressed disappointment on social media about not being able to experience sunrise and sunset from the hilltop after the restrictions.

Following wildlife movement and to ensure trekkers’ safety, a decision was taken to ban overnight stays from June 5, 2024. The Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Fund Committee, chaired by the Chief Conservator of Forests of the Kodagu Circle, decided to prohibit night stays at Kumara Parvatha.

The distance between Subramanya and Kumara Parvatha is 12 km (one side), and since December 2025, trekking has been restricted to Shesha Parvatha to ensure that trekkers return the same day within the 12-hour window.

Trekking begins at 6 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m. To handle emergencies, one response team has been deployed at the Subramanya check-post and two teams at the Beedalli check-post to provide first aid and drinking water, he said.

Bhagirathi Murulya, who represents the Sulya constituency, demanded that trekking be allowed to start at 5.30 a.m. instead of 6 a.m. and that all trekkers be permitted to begin from Devaragadde in Subramanya. Currently, trekkers who reach Devaragadde after 10.30 a.m. are not allowed to continue the trek, she said.

Safari

In response to the Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashok, on the resumption of safari operations at Bandipur Forest, Mr. Khandre said the decision was taken following recommendations by the Wildlife Board headed by the Chief Minister. More forest staff and safari vehicles have been deployed in the region to prevent wildlife-human conflicts following the deaths of people in tiger attacks. The number of tigers has increased to 175 from 12 in 1972, he said.

However, the department had incurred a loss of ₹6 crore-₹8 crore following the ban, the Minister said.