KARNATAKA TREKKING GUIDE ยท UPDATED OCTOBER 2026
Karnataka Trekking Permits: How to Book Forest Department Treks Online
How the Aranya Vihaara booking system works, what the April 2026 trekking rules changed, which trails are bookable this season, and the mistakes that get trekkers turned back at the gate.
Quick answer: do you need a permit to trek in Karnataka?
Yes, for the forest treks. Book a dated slot for your exact route on the Forest Department’s Aranya Vihaara portal, up to 30 days ahead, carry the original photo ID you booked with, and expect to walk with a certified local guide. Do not buy slots from agents or third-party sites.
Karnataka has designated 44 forest trekking destinations under a standard operating procedure issued in April 2026, after several trekker deaths and missing-person cases. Bookings run through one state portal, Aranya Vihaara, which an operator’s October 2026 listing puts at about 21 live treks. Not every hill needs a slot. We found no portal listing for Mullayanagiri or Nandi Hills, so treat their rules as something to confirm on the day.
A note on how this page was checked. The portal blocked our automated check, so the rules below come from news reports (The News Minute, Outlook Traveller, Deccan Herald, News Karnataka, Daijiworld, Udayavani) and trekking-operator notices, cross-checked where two sources existed and labelled where only one did. We print no rupee fees because we could not verify any. Read the fee and the live status of your trail on the portal before you plan.
How to book a trek on Aranya Vihaara
- Create a login. The portal works in English and Kannada. Use the official address only; a 2024 Deccan Herald report described an online trekking-ticket scam that led the Forest Department to order a probe.
- Pick the trek and the route. Permits are issued per route and per named date. A slot for the Beedahalli side of Kumara Parvatha does not cover a start from Kukke.
- Choose a date up to 30 days ahead. The window was 15 days until July 2026, when News Karnataka reported the change to 30. One operator also says slots must be booked at least two days ahead; treat that as single-source.
- Add every trekker with ID details. One login or phone number can book up to 10 tickets. Operators list voter ID, PAN, driving licence, ration card and passport as accepted, and one asks for a recent photo under 1 MB. Only one operator source gives that ID list, so confirm it on the booking form.
- Pay and save the ticket. The amount is shown at checkout.
- Carry the original ID on the day. Officials check it at the reporting point, and a photocopy or a different ID from the one booked is a common reason for refusal.
Cancellation: the rule changed in 2026
Under the revised booking rules reported on 23 July 2026, cancelling at least 7 days before the trek gets a 50% refund, cancelling inside 7 days gets nothing, and a cancelled slot is not reopened for others. Older guides still say a cancellation 7 or more days out is refunded in full, which was the October 2024 rule. Only one outlet has reported the new terms so far, so check the cancellation line on the portal before paying.
The April 2026 trekking rules in plain English
The SOP was announced by Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre around 17 April 2026. The table separates what two or more outlets agree on from what only one reported.
| Rule | What it means for you | How sure |
|---|---|---|
| Certified nature guide | Mandatory on approved routes. One guide per 10 trekkers, and a solo booker is assigned one too. | Two outlets agree |
| Batch size | No more than 150 trekkers per batch. | Two outlets agree |
| Tracking | A trekking app with a route map and mobile tracking is mandatory. Guides carry GPS walkie-talkies and first aid and check in every 30 minutes. | Two outlets agree |
| Stay with the group | A trekker who breaks away can be barred from later treks. | Two outlets agree |
| Banned items | Single-use plastic, carry bags, flash photography, loud devices, sharp objects, weapons and campfires. Earlier lists also named liquor, cigarettes and lighters. | One outlet for the 2026 list; earlier lists agree |
| Minors | Written parental consent. | Single source |
| Senior citizens | A fitness certificate. | Single source |
| Waste | Carry everything back. Fines are mentioned, but no amount is published. | Amounts unknown |
What changed between 2024 and 2026
If a blog post or a friend’s advice disagrees with this page, check its date against this table. Most old trek advice predates these changes.
| Item | October 2024 rules | 2026 rules |
|---|---|---|
| Booking window | Up to 15 days ahead | Up to 30 days ahead (July 2026) |
| Cancellation | Full refund 7 or more days out | 50% refund 7 or more days out, none inside 7 days (single outlet) |
| Guide | Not required on every route | Mandatory, one per 10 trekkers (April 2026) |
| Crowd cap | About 300 a day statewide; 335 a day on Kumara Parvatha | Up to 150 per batch |
| Tickets per login | 10 | 10 |
Which treks are bookable? Status by trail, October 2026
Trail status changes by forest order, sometimes within weeks, so this table records what could be verified and when. If the portal disagrees, the portal is right.
| Trek | Area | What we could verify |
|---|---|---|
| Kumara Parvatha | Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada, Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary | Two secondary sources dated 17 and 21 October 2026 say the Beedahalli (Somwarpet side) round trip became bookable from 18 October and that Kukke routes were not listed. A Kukke reopening was unconfirmed. No Forest Department notice was found. |
| Kudremukh division trails | Chikkamagaluru and Dakshina Kannada | On 4 July 2026 The News Minute reported that the division has 16 trails and that 8 had reopened: Netravathi, Kudremukh, Kurinjal, Gangadikal, Kodachadri (two routes) and Narasimha Parvatha (two routes). |
| Tadiandamol | Kodagu | Trekking was banned for the 2025 monsoon (Deccan Herald, 31 July 2025, no end date given). The portal lists it under Kodagu. |
| Brahmagiri, Skandagiri, Kaiwara Betta, Nagamalai, Talacauvery to Nishani Motte | Kodagu, Chikkaballapur, Chamarajanagar | Listed on the portal according to an operator's list. We found no verified quota, cut-off or fee. |
| Mullayanagiri and Nandi Hills | Chikkamagaluru, Chikkaballapur | No portal listing or permit rule found. Ask at the gate or the local forest office. |
Kumara Parvatha: the trek the rules were written for
Why it closed and reopened
Kumara Parvatha was closed from 1 February 2024 after a rush on 26 January 2024, when about 1,500 people were reported queuing at the entry. It reopened on 6 October 2024 with online booking mandatory. That episode is why a mountain once climbed on a walk-in basis now needs a dated ticket. The longer route description is in our Kumara Parvatha trek guide.
The Kukke-side rules, as of late 2024
These are historical and may have changed, so use them to plan your day, not to book. Daily quota was 335. Entry from Kukke Subramanya (Devaragadde) was allowed between 6 and 9 am. Trekkers had to leave the Girigadde forest checkpost for the upper slopes by 11 am and be out of the forest by 6 pm. The route is about 12 km each way, walked in a single day, with no overnight stay at Girigadde and no halts. Udayavani and Daijiworld agree on these figures. If you start from Kukke, the Kukke Subramanya temple guide covers the town end.
What is open now
The Beedahalli round trip is the route reported as bookable from 18 October 2026, with a cap of 300 a day reported for it. Overnight camping is not permitted, and campfires are banned statewide under the 2026 SOP. Do not count on Bhattara Mane, the old halt on the Kukke approach, for food or shelter; no official rule supports it.
Seasons, closures and what a permit costs
When trails close
Western Ghats trails follow a pattern: closed through the monsoon, closed again in the dry-season fire period that starts around mid-February, and reopened around October. The dates are set by individual forest orders, not by a fixed calendar. Single-source reports also describe short closures when wildlife was sighted on a route, so a slot on the portal can still be cancelled. Our Karnataka in monsoon and best time to visit Karnataka pages explain the weather side.
What a permit costs
We could not verify a current fee for any trek, so we print none. A figure of Rs 355 for Kumara Parvatha still circulates on older pages; a temple-affiliated site removed it as unverifiable. Read the amount on the portal at checkout. Budget separately for the guide’s tip if you choose to give one, transport to the base village, and a night’s stay the evening before, because reporting times start early.
What to carry, and what to leave
Carry the original ID, a printed or saved ticket, a reusable bottle, a rain layer and your own waste bag. Leave plastic carry bags, loud speakers, lighters, cigarettes and liquor at the base. Bags can be inspected at the checkpost.
Mistakes that get trekkers turned back
- Booking through an agent or a third-party site. Resold slots fail the ID check.
- Showing a photocopy, or an ID that differs from the one used to book.
- Assuming the Kukke side is open because Beedahalli is. Permits are route-specific.
- Relying on the old full-refund cancellation rule.
- Carrying plastic, lighters, cigarettes or liquor. Bags are inspected.
- Planning to camp at Girigadde or a summit.
- Missing the reporting window. On Kukke in 2024 that meant 6 to 9 am.
- Leaving the group. Tracking is app-based, and a trekker who breaks away can be barred.
- Trekking in the monsoon or fire season on an old blog’s advice.
Karnataka trek permits: frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to trek in Karnataka?
For treks on the Forest Department’s approved list, yes. You book a dated slot for your route on the Aranya Vihaara portal. We found no portal listing for Mullayanagiri or Nandi Hills, so confirm those locally.
How far ahead can I book a Karnataka trek?
Up to 30 days ahead, according to News Karnataka’s report of July 2026. The window was 15 days before that. One operator also says you must book at least two days ahead.
Can I trek without a guide?
Not on approved routes. The April 2026 SOP makes a certified nature guide mandatory, with one guide per 10 trekkers, and a solo booker is assigned one.
How many people can I book for?
One login or phone number can book up to 10 tickets. A batch on a trail is capped at 150 trekkers under the 2026 SOP.
Can I cancel a trek booking for a refund?
Under the terms reported in July 2026, cancelling at least 7 days before gets a 50% refund and cancelling inside 7 days gets none. Earlier rules gave a full refund 7 or more days out. Check the cancellation line on the portal before paying.
Is Kumara Parvatha open?
Two secondary sources dated 17 and 21 October 2026 say the Beedahalli round trip is bookable from 18 October and that Kukke routes are not listed. We found no Forest Department notice, so check the portal.
Can I camp overnight on a Karnataka trek?
On Kumara Parvatha, overnight camping is not permitted, and campfires are banned across approved routes under the 2026 SOP. Other trails set their own rules, so ask when booking.
Which ID do I need to carry?
Carry the original of the government ID used at booking. One operator lists voter ID, PAN, driving licence, ration card and passport as accepted. A photocopy or a different ID can be refused at the reporting point.
Keep exploring Karnataka
Pick a trail from our treks in Karnataka list, then read the individual guides for Kumara Parvatha, Kudremukh, Tadiandamol and Mullayanagiri. Base yourself using the Kodagu or Chikkamagaluru district guides, compare other hill stations in Karnataka, and read the solo female travel guide if you are heading out alone.
Rules, quotas and fees change by forest order. Confirm everything on the Aranya Vihaara portal or with the local forest office before you travel.