9 Best Hill Stations near Mangalore (2024)

Fondly called the Scotland of India, Coorg is one of the top hill stations in South India and among the most popular attraction not to miss in your Karnataka holiday packages. Coorg (or Kodagu) is about 265 km from Bangalore city and takes about 6 hrs drive.

Coorg is the largest producer of Coffee in India. Also, it is one of the places with the highest rainfall in India. Places like Raja's Seat, Abbey Falls, Iruppu Falls, Omkareshwara Temple, Bylakuppe, Talacauvery and Dubare are the major attractions to be included in Coorg Holiday Packages. The famous Cauvery River is originated in the hills of Coorg at Talacauvery.

Explore our Coorg Travel Guide for complete details on the hill station of Coorg. Being a part of the Western Ghats, Coorg is home to three wildlife sanctuaries - the Talacauvery, Pushpagiri, and Brahmagiri Sanctuaries, and one national park, the Nagarhole National Park. Coorg is also famous for trekking activities with peaks like Thandiyandamole, Brahmagiri, and Pushpagiri. Besides, Coorg can also be visited along with Ooty tour packages. If you are planning to visit Bandipur or Nagarhole along with Mysore, staying at Jungle Lodges & Resorts (JLR) properties is the best way to explore.

Distance from Mangalore: 132 Kms

Chikmagalur or Chikkamagaluru is a scenic hill town situated at the foothills of Mulliyangiri range with an altitude of 3,400 feet. It is one of the best hill stations in Karnataka and among the most famous tourist places near Bangalore.

Chikmagalur is famous for its serene environment, lush green forests and tall mountains. Baba Budangiri, Hirekolale Lake, Mulliyangiri, Ayyanakere Lake, Manikyadhara Falls, Horanadu and Kemmanagundi are among the must include places in Chikmagalur Holiday Packages.

Chikkamagaluru is also famous for coffee and is known as the Coffee Land of Karnataka. It is the place where coffee was cultivated for the first time in India. The climate of Chikmagalur is pleasant all year round but the best time to visit the place is from the months of September till March. Explore our Chikmagalur Travel Guide for complete details on the mighty hill station. Chikmagalur can also be visited along with Coorg packages.

Distance from Mangalore: 148 Kms

Wayanad is one of the popular hill stations in Kerala, and among the best places to visit near Kozhikode. It is about 118 km from Ooty, 246 km from Kochi, and 442 km from Trivandrum.

Wayanad is a picturesque plateau nestled among the mountains of the Western Ghats on the borders of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. This hill district is home to several lakes, caves, sanctuaries, and waterfalls which are the main attractions of Wayanad Packages. Banasura Sagar Dam, Edakkal Caves, Meenmutty Falls, Soochipara Waterfalls, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary are some of the prominent tourist places in Wayanad.

Wayanad is one of the biggest foreign exchange earners of the State with its production of cash crops like pepper, cardamom, coffee, tea, spices, and other condiments. Wayanad can be visited along with Ooty tour packages.

Distance from Mangalore: 265 Kms

Kemmanagundi is one of the popular hill stations in Karnataka. About 62 km from Chikmagalur, and 246 km from Bangalore, it is among the best places to visit near Bangalore.

Breathtaking views of the valleys amidst mountain streams and lush vegetation are the main attractions of Kemmanagundi tour packages. Situated at an altitude of 1434 m on the Baba Budan range, the region is covered with plantations of coffee and tea along with thick bamboo groves forming a dense forest cover. Raj Bhavan, Z point, Rock garden, Hebbe Falls, Kalhattagiri Falls, Baba Budan Hill, Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Shanti Falls, and Hebbe Falls are the most poular place to visit in Kemmanagundi.

Kemmanagundi is also popularly known by the name of KR Hills, named after the Mysore King Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. Kemmanagundi is one of the top attractions you must include in Chikmagalur packages.

Distance from Mangalore: 209 Kms

Sakleshpur is a quaint hill station in the Hassan district of Karnataka. Situated at an altitude of 3061 feet, Sakleshpur is one of the least explored hill stations in Karnataka and among the must include tourist attractions in Karnataka tour packages. It is about 151 km from Mangalore and 220 km from Bangalore.

Lies in the Malnad region, this beautiful hill station is very popular for its fascinating mountains, scenic beauty, and pleasant weather as well, which are the must-experience things to do as part of Sakleshpur holiday packages. Manjarabad Fort, Sakleshwara Temple, Agni Gudda Hill, Magajahalli Waterfalls, Betta Byraveshwara Temple, Hemavathi Dam, and Pandavar Gudda are some of the popular places to visit in tourist places in Sakleshpur. Besides, this lesser-known hill station is famous for trekking activities in Bisle Reserve Forest Trail and Kumara Parvatha trail, in which one can explore the rich biodiversity of the place.

Sakleshpura is the gateway to the Western Ghats from Bengaluru & Hassan side. Sakleshpur is among the major producers of coffee and cardamom output in India.

Distance from Mangalore: 131 Kms

Nestled in the thickly forested Malnadu region of the Western Ghats, Agumbe is one of the most mesmerizing offbeat tourist places in Karnataka, and among the must-visit places as part of Karnataka tour packages. It is located about 112 km from Mangalore and 342 km from Bangalore.

Situated at an altitude of over 2100 feet, the scenic village of Agumbe lies in the Western Ghats belt with some of the last remaining lowland rainforests. The place is nicknamed 'The Cherrapunji of the South' as it receives the heaviest rainfall in the southern part which makes it a perfect home to some of the scenic waterfalls, dense forests, and rivers. Prominent Agumbe tourist places are Sri Gopala Krishna temple, Kunchikal Falls, Barkana Falls, Onake Abbi Falls, Jogi Gundi Falls, Koodlu Theertha Falls, Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, Narsimha Parvatha trek, Kudremukh National Park, Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, etc. It can be visited as part of Mangalore holiday packages.

Agumbe is home to the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, the only rainforest research station in India, and was established as a sanctuary for the King Cobra. It is also the place where RK Narayan has filmed his novel Malgudi Days.

Distance from Mangalore: 98 Kms

Sirsi is a small hill station located in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. About 99 km from Shimoga, 102 km from Hubli, 395 km from Bangalore, it is the main commercial center and a business hub in the Malnadu region, and among the top tourist places in Karnataka.

Situated at an altitude of 2000 feet, Sirsi is surrounded by thick forests and towering hills, among the must-experience things to do as part of Sirsi tour packages. This pristine hill station is also known as 'Gateway of Malenadu' or 'Gateway of Western Ghats'. Unchalli Falls, Vibhuthi Falls, Marikamba Temple, Magod Falls, Benne Hole Falls, Shivaganga Falls, Muregar Falls, Burude Falls, Mattighatta Falls, Manjuguni, Sahashralinga, Sodhe / Sonda, Devimane Ghat, Banavasi, and Gudavi Bird Sanctuary are some of the top place to visit in Sirsi/a>.

Sri Marikamba Jatra is the main festival held every alternate year in March at Sirsi. The fair attracts nearly 5 lakh devotees, tourists, and pilgrims from throughout Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Maharashtra. It is said to be the most famous and biggest fair in the state of Karnataka.

At a distance of 55 km from Kasaragod, 50 km from Bekal, 45 km from Kanhangad, 195 km from Kozhikode, 100 km from Mangalore & 80 km from Madikeri, Ranipuram is a hill station of Kerala located in Kasaragod district. It lies at an altitude of 750 m adjacent to Kottancheri-Talacauvery mountain range and sharing the border with Karnataka.

Ranipuram was formerly known as Madathumala. The extensive forests of Madathumala merge with the forests of Karnataka. It is a beautiful mountain terrain covered with evergreen shola woods, rain forests and grasslands.

The prime attraction of Ranipuram is Ranipuram National Park. The 50 sq.km sanctuary is bordered with Talacauvery in Karnataka. The national park is home to a substantial population of elephants and many fauna like deer, leopard, porcupine, butterflies and giant Malabar squirrels. There are more than 200 species of birds. Safaris can be arranged in the park and this is the best way to explore the sanctuary.

Ranipuram is famous for its trekking trails and varied vegetation. There are two trekking trails available to explore the beauty of Western Ghats of Ranipuram. In order to reach the top of the Ranipuram hill which is called Mani, a 45 minutes' walk through the forest is needed. One can get a panoramic view of the landscape and large expanse of green valleys. The rocks on the trekking path are slippery and visitors have to be cautious. Since leeches are very common here travellers are advised to wear long socks ...

Distance from Mangalore: 110 Kms

At a distance of 67 Kms from Sringeri, 90 Kms from Chikmagalur and 26 Kms from Kudremukh Town, Kudremukh is one of the best trekking destinations in Karnataka. At an altitude of 1894m, it is one of the highest peaks of Western Ghats and among the top destinations for trekking in Karnataka.

Permission from RFO at Kudremukh town is necessary to do this trek. The trekking is performed inside the national park and camping is not allowed in specific seasons (check with RFO before planning the trek). Though there are several routes to trek Kudremukh peak, the Samse - Mullodi route is quite famous. Mullodi is 12 Kms from Kudremukh via Samse and can be reached by Jeep from Kudremukh. Though Mullodi is starting point of the trek, some people trek from Samse, which is 4 Kms before Mullodi.

The peak is about 14 Kms from Mullodi village and takes about 5 Hrs to trek. Incase the camping is not allowed on the peak, you will need to start early & return to Mullodi by evening (total 8-9 hrs trek) and stay at Mullodi (home stays available).

Distance from Mangalore: 98 Kms