Camping in Chikmagalur

1. Japavathi River Camp: Surrounded by the western ghats, Japavathi River Camp has coffee bushes on one side, and the Japavathi river flowing on the other. Located 4,000 feet above sea level, between Sakleshpur and Chikmagalur, this campsite offers scenic surprises, valleys, streams, and a whole lot of adventure activities like mud volleyball, waterfall visits, sightseeing, and trekking. The tents are comfortable, and the food’s freshly home-cooked and inspired by the Malnad cuisine, and there’s unlimited south Indian coffee at your disposal.

Location: Devarunda - Jannapura Rd, Dist, Devarunda, Karnataka- 573134
Price: INR 2,200 per person per night, inclusive of all meals, activities, and campfire.
Amenities:
24/7 Help Desk and Emergency Services
Home-cooked food
Bonfire
Adventure activities and Sightseeing provided
In-house shop selling homemade wine, black pepper, coffee powder, and fig jam

2. Bhagavathi Nature Camp: This one’s a popular spot for camping in Chikmagalur. Located inside the Kudremukh National Park, it provides tented cottages, wooden cottages, and dormitories. This campsite is also the starting point of many treks and hikes, offers adventurous jeep safari rides in the national park, and bird watching. The tents are comfortable, neat, and hygienic, the food is homemade and local, and you will have a fun and memorable time around the warm bonfire, under the starlit sky.
This campsite is located in a no-network zone, and this is specifically to encourage you to go on a digital detox and just unwind amidst nature while you’re there.

Location: Kudremukh, Kudremukh National Park, Chikmagalur, Karnataka- 577101
Price: INR 2,000 per person per night, inclusive of meals
Amenities:
24/7 First Aid & Emergency Services
Indoor and outdoor activities
Bonfire
Fresh meals
Jeep Safari rides inside the National Park

3. Rangers Camp: Situated on the foothills of Kemmanagundi mountain range, with a forest cover that has cashew and teak trees, Rangers Camp is a perfect Chikmagalur camping spot. Stay inside cozy and clean tents, indulge in various activities, and enjoy the warmth of the bonfire and gaze at the stars while having conversations with your tribe. They have a swimming pool, offer games like table tennis, carrom, a private lake for boating, and bird watching.
They’ve also got hammocks at the campsite, so you can rejuvenate while reading your favorite book, or just casually swing on the hammocks. Various hikes, trails, and waterfalls are also accessible from the campsite.

Location: Ballavara, Tarikere Taluk, Kemmanagundi Road, Karnataka 577129
Price: INR 1,500 onward (check for their various meal packages)
Amenities
24/7 Emergency Services
Private lake with boating
Indoor/Outdoor adventure activities
Swimming Pool
Hammocks
Freshly prepped meals

4. Bhadra Nature Camp: If you’re looking to have a rustic and rugged Chikmagalur camping experience, Bhadra Nature Camp will be your jam. The Bhadra river flows on one side of the campsite, and it is surrounded by coffee plantations on the other side. So naturally, the scenic beauty of the Bhadra Nature Cap is top-notch. They have the usual small tents, plus the bigger dome-style tents, as well as cozy cottages with private bathrooms.
You can go swimming at the Bhadra river, explore the nearby forest trails, go fishing or on a coracle ride, bird watching, and come back to the campsite to enjoy the bonfire in the evenings.

Location: Kadabgere, Chikamagalur, Karnataka - 577101
Price: INR 2,000 onward per person per night (inclusive of meals and activities)
Amenities:
24/7 Emergency Services
Swimming in Bhadra River
Forest Trails
Hygienic and fresh homemade food
Bonfire
Indoor/Outdoor Activities

5. Camp Alpha: Camping in Chikmagalur will be pretty bland if you don’t book your stay with Camp Alpha at least once. This unique campsite is located amidst the heritage coffee plantations and the beautiful silver oak trees. They have deluxe tents with regal king and queen-sized double beds inside. You will literally feel like you’re in a hotel room, surrounded by wilderness, as Camp Alpha is a modern and more luxurious take on camping.
Enjoy a comfy stay, plus games like volleyball, badminton, cricket, football, Jenga, treasure hunt, cards, and more. They also arrange for coffee estate walks for you. Your stay will be inclusive of all meals and activities and you can choose from various plans and packages. If you’re looking for a therapeutic and homely retreat, look no further than Camp Alpha. You can also pitch your own tents on their property at nominal prices.

Location: Lourdes Estate, Kuduvalli, Aldur, Chikmagalur, Karnataka- 577111
Price: INR 1,599 onward
Amenities:
Complimentary breakfast (for select packages)
Bonfire
First-Aid Services
Kitchenette facility
Fresh Meals
Friendly housekeeping
Power backup
24/7 Hot water

6. Tusker Valley: Tusker Valley is a part of a camp organizing venture called Let’s Hit The Road, and offers scenic river view tents. Stay amidst the woods and coffee plantations, inside their Stingray Hanging tents, which are basically suspended in the air. If you’re afraid of insects and mud that comes with camping on the ground, they can arrange this for you. Hanging tents aren’t just convenient for your OCDs, but also enhance the thrill of camping.
Their campsite offers an A La Carte as well as a package menu that comprises local delicacies. They’ll take you swimming in their private stream, arrange for bonfire nights with music, indoor games like chess and carrom, outdoor games like mud volleyball, and activities like kayaking and zip-lining. And that’s not it, they also provide barbeque facilities at the campsite. Your camping in Chikmagalur experience will be more thrilling with them.

Location: No. 6 and 7, Jedigadde Village, Hethur Hobli, Sakleshpur Taluk, Hassan District, Karnataka- 573123
Price: INR 1,900 per person per night, inclusive of meals and activities (they have several packages to choose from)
Amenities:
Plantation trek/hike
Indoor/Outdoor games
Bonfire & BBQ facilities
First Aid
Homemade Meals
24/7 help desk
Raindance with music.

South India is pretty hot and humid during the summer season. So going there between September and mid-March is a good idea. The weather is pleasant for you to camp and engage in fun activities with your friends. Monsoons are a good time too if you want to experience lush greenery.

Chikmagalur lies in the Malnad region of Karnataka and is covered with lush green forests, aromatic coffee plantations, natural waterfalls, streams, and rivers. Chikmagalur and its neighboring areas have great scenic spots and empty spaces that are ideal for experiencing the camping life. Nature’s beauty in abundance makes this town perfect for camping.

All the camping sites provide indoor and outdoor activities along with stay, and some of these include:

-Mud volleyball
-Table tennis
-Carrom
-Bonfire
-Barbecue
-Ziplining
-Kayaking
-Swimming
-Trekking
-Coffee estate tours

Camping is a rugged experience in general, so make sure that you have essentials like:
-Sunscreen
-Mosquito-repellent gels
-Sunglasses
-A personal first aid kit
-Torch
-Sturdy shoes
-Raincoat as the weather might be unpredictable
-Toiletries.

Monsoons, even though slightly risky, are a great time to go camping in Chikmagalur. Everything becomes green and fresh and pleasant. Monsoon treks are a lot of fun if you don’t mind the muck while hiking. Be prepped with monsoon essentials like raincoats, gumboots, etc., and you should be good to go.