
The deepest and remotest of Karnataka’s ghat roads, climbing 817 m through unbroken rainforest across 12 hairpins on a single-lane road that sees almost no tourist traffic.
The ghat begins at Charmadi village and climbs immediately into dense evergreen forest, the 12 numbered hairpins spread out with long climbs between corners. Genuinely narrow (two trucks cannot pass), it is part of NH73 linking Mangalore to Tumkuru; heavy vehicles avoid it for the lower Shiradi Ghat. Above the trees the ridge opens westward toward the coast, the summit at Kottigehara at 970 m.
Charmadi Ghat on the map15.0 mi · point to point
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Character
Corners
busiest around mile 4Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%136.3 – 977 mPoints of interest1 stop
- Charmadi GhatiViewpoint9.2 mi in
Hazards
- Narrow single-lane road
- Blind corners
- Wildlife crossing
- Monsoon closures
- Landslides
See the typical season and live conditions for the high passes ›
Sources
“This ghat section is very deep compared to the other Ghat sections of Karnataka. The roads in this ghat section are very narrow.”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
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