Wake early and breathe in the cool hill air with a guided walk through a working coffee estate near Chikmagalur town — visit a family-run plantation such as Bhadra Coffee Estate or one of the estates around Bilagudda to see shade-grown plants, learn about bean processing, and sip a freshly brewed filter coffee straight from the source. Pause for a leisurely breakfast of local akki rotti and filter coffee at the estate cafe while soaking up panoramic views of terraced slopes and the distant Baba Budangiri range.
After a short drive to the western Ghats, cool off at the scenic Hebbe Falls or Kallathigiri (Milky Falls) where you can take a refreshing dip, enjoy a picnic lunch on the riverbank, and explore the surrounding trails lined with coffee and cardamom. If time permits, stop by the small Mullayanagiri foothill villages en route to sample local snacks and watch estate workers drying coffee cherries under the sun.
Make your way up to Mullayanagiri peak for a memorable sunset — park at the base and hike the final stretch to the viewpoint, then watch the western sky light up over rolling green hills and misty valleys; the experience pairs perfectly with a warm cup of tea from a roadside vendor. Descend as dusk falls for a relaxed dinner in Chikmagalur town, perhaps trying Malnad-style chicken or vegetarian kurma, reflecting on a day of coffee, waterfalls, and mountain vistas.