Gadaikallu aka Jamalabad Fort Trek

I had trekked Gadaikallu back in 2010. But, I had completely forgotten about the experience. So, I planned to trek to Gadaikallu again along with my friends Naresh and Deekshit. On thursday, the 9th of December, I picked up Deekshit from Surathkal bus station and drove to Naresh’s house. His mother had invited us over for lunch. We had a heavy and delicious meal at their place. While Naresh finished his meeting, we had a good chat with his parents. 

At around 2PM, we left to Belthangady. Gadaikallu or Jamalabad fort (1700 ft) is located 70km from Mangalore, near the town of Belthangady. Do not type Gadaikallu on google maps. Instead type - Jamalabad fort entrance and you will reach the right location. 

At the base, we were greeted by two friendly forest guards who took down our details and collected a fee of Rs 50 per person. Normally, Gadaikallu is open from 6AM to 5PM for trekkers. They requested us to be back by 5PM. However, they also told us that in case we did not find them there, we could just leave. 

Gadaikallu might look like a small rock but the climb is very challenging. The first stretch is steep. After that steep climb up the hill, we reach a forest area. The walk in the forest is fairly simple. Next, you reach the main rock with steps cut on it. This is the most difficult part of Gadaikallu trek. You might take anywhere from 1 to 1.5 hours to climb the fort. 

Jamalabad fort was built by Tipu Sultan in 1794. It was named after his mother, Jamalabee. During the 4th Mysore war in 1799,  it was captured by the British.

At Gadaikallu summit, make your way to Tipu drop point. From here, you will get an excellent view of the Kudmreukh mountain range. 

It was just the three of us there for a long time until a group of police inspectors came by. After sunset, we decided to begin our walk back to the car. It took us just 30 mins to descend but our legs were shivering with pain. Gadaikallu is a moderate to difficult climb and the humid weather around Mangalore makes it even more difficult. Expect some cramps in the legs when you are done with this trek. Enjoy your Gadaikallu experience!

Here is the video on Gadaikallu Trek -