Cuddled in the Baba Budan hills, Chikmagalur is a tranquil, calm town, full of scenic beauty. Hills, valleys, streams and snow-white coffee blossoms cast spell in the minds of nature lovers and tourists. Lying almost 251 km from Bangalore, Chikmagalur`s rugged terrain is a trekker`s joy. It is also referred as Chikkamagaluru by some, which signifies "The town of the younger daughter" in the local Kannada language. Legend says that the town was presented to the younger daughter of Rukmangada as dowry. Rukmangada was the renowned ruler of `Sakrepatna`. Hiremagalur, a portion of this town, was presented to the elder daughter of the same king.

Covering an area of approximately 13.2 sq. km, Chikmagalur pleases every one with its soothing climate. The average record of rainfall is 121 cm. In fact, June to August are the monsoon months when temperature varies between 10°c - 23°c. Summer starts from March and continues till May. During that period temperature ranges from 17°c - 34°c. Average temperature in winter is 12°c - 29°c. October to January constitutes the winter months in Chikmagalur.

Places of interests of Chikmagalur
For tourists` delight, ample scope is there to go and enjoy various tourist spots of both in and around of Chikmagalur.

Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary (Muthodi)
Built at a distance of approximately thirty-eight km northwest, this wonderful sanctuary is worth a view for nature freaks. Gaur, Chital, Sambar, Elephants and Tigers deserve mentioning.

Kemmanagundi
Lying at a distance of nearly fifty-five north of Chikmagalur, this is a scenic hill resort. It is located atop Baba Budan range rising almost to an elevation of 1,434 m. From Kemmanagundi, Hebbe Falls is only eight km away. This beautiful waterfall gushes from a height of 168 m. Kalhatti Falls is only ten km from Kemmanagundi. The cascading waterfall ascents to a loftiness of 122 m. Amidst the rocks, a temple has been erected locally.

Kudremukh, a popular hill resort is only ninety-five km south west of Chikmagalur. Its rich variety of wild flora and fauna must be explored by all tourists from all over the country.
Amruthapura is truly a tourist heaven. Lying almost ten km from Tarikere, this small town houses an ancient temple. This eight hundred year old temple is consecrated to `Amrutheswara`.

Sringeri
No one can miss a visit to Sringeri, a center for pilgrimage. Vidyashankara Temple is a special attraction of the place. It has twelve zodiac pillars on which rays of the sun fall according to the equinoctial time.

The hill station has few more significant tourist locales like, the Kondadarama Temple, the Jamia Mosque and the new St. Joseph`s Cathedral. Kondadarama Temple
This temple exhibits a beautiful blending of Hoysala and Dravidian style of architecture.
St. Joseph`s Cathedral:
It is an interesting tourist locale. Its primary appeal lies in the captivating `shell-shaped portico`.

Nearby excursions include Lakshmi Kantha temple built during seventeenth century and the 13th century Siddeshwara temple at Devanur located almost thirty-five km away. The beautiful cave of Nirvanaswam at Thiruvanahalli is also a landmark . It lies at a distance of 44 km from Shringeri.

How to reach Chikmagalur By air :The closest airport is Mangalore lying at a distance of nearly one hundred and seventy km. The airport at Bangalore is only 170 km.

By rail:Excellent railways serve the needs of the people. Kadur is forty km , Hassan sixty km. and Hubli 239 km away from Chikmagalur.

By road :The town of Chikmagalur is well linked by road routes . Regular buses run to and from cities of South India like Mangalore, Bangalore, Mysore and Hassan. For instance to reach Bangalore , lying almost 240 kms away, it needs four hours to reach the destination. Distance of Chikmagalur from Mangalore is 170 km and it takes almost three hours to reach there. The town is situated on NH 48 . The linking roads are maintained quite well.

Accommodation in Chikmagalur
Quite a number of hotels have sprang up in Chikmagalur, providing all ease and comfort to the tourists. Accommodation in Chikmagalur is wide, ranging from deluxe hotels and first class hotels with modern amenities. Economy and budget hotels also have developed which are less expensive and affordable. The government also run their hotels in Chikmagalur.

Hotel Taj Garden Retreat, Chikmagalur is one such hotel that has caught the attention of tourists.