Charmady Ghat, Chikmagalur - Timings, Accessibility, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 34 km from Belthangady and 57 km from Chikmagalur, Charmadi Ghat or Charmady is a Ghat in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada and Mudigere taluk of Chikmagalur. It is one of the popular ghat roads in Karnataka and among the must-visit places to visit as part of Chikmagalur Tour Packages.

Charmady Ghat is one of the most scenic and dangerous (to drive) Ghats of Karnataka. It is one of the points in Western ghats through which motorable road passes connecting Dakshina Kannada with Chikkamagaluru district. The 25 km stretch starting from Kottigehara and ends at Charmadi Village is awesome, calm, and peaceful. It lies on National Highway 73 that connects Mangaluru to Tumkuru. This ghat section has 12 Hairpin curves and receives very heavy rainfall of over 7000 mm during the monsoon.

Charmadi Ghat is known for its visual beauty as it is home to lush forests, evergreen shrubs, streams, and waterfalls. The roads in this ghat section are very narrow and very deep compared to the other Ghat sections of Karnataka. The Netravati River originates at Bangarabalike which lies between Charmadi and Kudremukh. One of the major attractions of Charmadi is Ballarayanadurga. It is an amazing fort located atop a hill at a distance of 10 km from Sunkasale, via the Kottigehara-Kalasa route. Charmadi Ghat is also blessed with a waterfall named Bandaje Arbi. It falls from a height of 200 feet creating a staggering sight to experience. On a usual note, Charmadi is always filled with mist but on a clear day, one can see the Mangalore coastline from the ghat atop.

Charmadi Ghat is a unique place as it is a rich biodiversity spot with a variety of rare medicinal plants and rare animal species like the elephant, wild boar, panther, and deer, etc. One can also spot birds like the white swan, Indian cuckoo, hawk, etc. here. Due to the charming surroundings of this region, it serves as the righteous destination for enjoying the venture of trekking, rock climbing, and other activities like bird watching and camping.

The real beauty of Charmadi can be seen only during in rainy season when all the seasonal waterfalls come alive. Most of the waterfalls are beside the highway.

Timings: 7 AM - 6 PM