Tourist places › Hill & Trek
Agumbe
A rainforest village on the Western Ghats ridge, known for its sunset viewpoint and king cobra research station
Agumbe sits on a plateau of the Western Ghats in Thirthahalli taluk, wrapped in evergreen rainforest thick enough to earn comparisons to Cherrapunji — this coast-facing stretch of ghat gets some of the heaviest rainfall anywhere in the state. Outside monsoon, most visitors come for the sunset: a short walk from the village centre, the viewpoint opens onto ridge after ridge of hills running down toward the coast.
The village is also known in conservation circles for the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, set up to study the king cobra and the surrounding rainforest ecosystem. A handful of waterfalls and treks branch off from the area, though most need a forest permit and a local guide.
Highlights
- Nicknamed the "Cherrapunji of South India" for some of the heaviest rainfall in Karnataka
- Agumbe Sunset Point, about a kilometre from the village centre, faces out toward the Arabian Sea
- Home to the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station, known for its long-running king cobra studies
Getting there
Agumbe sits directly on the Thirthahalli to Udupi road, so any bus on that route passes right through the village.