Chikmagalur, considered the birthplace of coffee cultivation in India, is a hill town ringed by coffee estates and forested peaks in the Western Ghats, including Mullayanagiri, Karnataka's highest peak. The combination of working coffee plantations, waterfalls and trekking routes has made it one of Karnataka's most popular weekend hill destinations, particularly for visitors from Bengaluru.
Estate stays, where visitors can walk through working coffee plantations and learn about processing methods, add a distinctive agro-tourism dimension not found at most Indian hill stations, and the surrounding Baba Budangiri hills offer both trekking and a significant Sufi shrine drawing pilgrims of multiple faiths.
Legend holds that Sufi saint Baba Budan first brought coffee seeds to these hills from Yemen in the 17th century, smuggled past export restrictions, giving rise to India's coffee industry and the enduring name of the Baba Budangiri range.
October to March, and June to September for a lush, misty monsoon atmosphere.
About 245km from Bengaluru, roughly 5-6 hours by road.
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