Monsoon trips
Chikmagalur monsoon travel guide
From June to September the hills turn green, the waterfalls fill and mist hangs over the coffee estates. It is also wet, slippery and sometimes difficult. This guide is an honest look at what a monsoon trip is like, and how to make it a good one.
Why go in the monsoon
- The hills are at their greenest, and the plantations look their best.
- Waterfalls are full and loud.
- It is quieter. There are fewer visitors, and rooms are easier to find.
- Cool, misty weather suits a slow, restful stay with a book and a hot drink.
What to expect
- Rain and mist: views from peaks can disappear for hours. Mullayanagiri may be entirely in cloud.
- Slippery trails and leeches: shoes with grip and leech socks or repellent help.
- Road and access issues: some jeep tracks and estate roads become difficult, and a few places may be closed. Ask locally before you set out.
- Interruptions: heavy rain or fallen branches can cut power or internet in the hills for a while.
- Fog while driving: hill roads need slow, careful driving, especially at night.
Staying safe
- Do not enter waterfalls or streams after heavy rain. Flow can rise quickly.
- Avoid trekking on days of heavy rain or when visibility is very low.
- Carry a torch, a power bank and a rain layer.
- Check whether safaris and jeep tours are running before you plan around them.
- Let your host know your plans, and be ready to change them.
Weather varies from year to year. Call your host a day or two before you travel and ask what conditions are like.
Plan a flexible monsoon weekend
- Keep your plans loose. Pick one outdoor outing and keep a backup indoors.
- Go out in the gaps between showers, usually mornings.
- Visit the easier waterfalls, such as Kallathigiri, and take a jeep where the road is rough. See the waterfall guide.
- Pack for wet weather. See what to pack.
- Compare seasons in the best time to visit Chikmagalur.
Lower demand can also make the trip cheaper. See the trip budget guide.
A quiet stay in the rain
If you like the idea of a slow, green, damp break, see our stay options, experiences and tariff. In the monsoon, heavy rain can occasionally cut the internet at our hilltop house, and the last 150 metres is a mud road, so call us before you travel and we will tell you the conditions.