Tourists visiting the ‘Land of Coffee’ during Christmas and New Year will have a rare opportunity to enjoy breathtaking aerial views of Karnataka’s highest peak, Mullayanagiri, as the Chikkamagaluru district administration has organised a special year-end helicopter tourism programme.
An 18-day heli-tourism initiative, beginning December 20, aims to showcase the district’s natural beauty from the skies, including the Western Ghats mountain ranges, Baba Budangiri Hills, lush coffee plantations, valleys and scenic lakes around Chikkamagaluru.
Limited slots, online booking begins
Online booking for the helicopter rides has already started, with only 156 passengers allowed per day on a first-come, first-served basis. The fare has been fixed at ₹4,500 per passenger, officials said.
Each helicopter ride will last six minutes and will operate daily between 9 am and 4 pm. The district administration has emphasised that the programme is being conducted with strict safety and environmental guidelines.
Tour schedule across three locations
According to Assistant Director of Tourism M R Lohith, heli-tourism will commence on December 20 in Mudigere, followed by Chikkamagaluru on December 21 and 22, Mudigere again on December 23, Chikkamagaluru on December 24, Kalasa on December 25, and from December 26 to January 6, the service will operate exclusively from Chikkamagaluru.
Three temporary helipads have been constructed to facilitate smooth operations across the locations.
Scenic highlights from the sky
In the Mudigere sector, tourists can enjoy aerial views of sprawling coffee estates, dense forests, rolling valleys and rural landscapes, along with distant glimpses of Kudremukh National Park and the Baba Budangiri range.
The Kalasa sector offers a bird’s-eye view of Kalasa town, rivers, valleys, waterfalls and surrounding hills in the Kalasa–Kudremukh region, showcasing the pristine beauty of the Western Ghats.
Officials clarified that helicopter routes will strictly follow paths approved by the district administration, keeping weather conditions and wildlife movement in mind.
Boosting festive tourism
The heli-tourism initiative is aimed at attracting more visitors during the festive season and adding a new experiential dimension to tourism in Chikkamagaluru district, long known for its coffee culture and hill landscapes.
Online booking can be done at helitaxii.com, while further details are available through the Chikkamagaluru District Tourism Committee. Interested tourists can also contact committee member Nagaraj Chitti at 7892886875 for assistance.