A picturesque verdant valley surrounded by misty hills. The energising sound of a young gushing river only 9 kms from its source. The scream of peacocks and the racket of crickets. Peace and solitude with hardly a soul in site. You may think this is a place far far away in the Himalayas….
RiverMist is a rare find. Its just 295 Km (6 hrs drive) from Bangalore (Madugundi, Sunkasale, Mudigere) just 30 km from Horanadu. Its a small boutique resort spread across 25 acres with 10 rooms that opened in Jan 2021. RiverMist is the brainchild of two passionate young men Srijith & Satish from the Tech sector. They travelled every weekend for 2 years all the way from Bangalore to identify the right spot and then it took them 2 more years to custom design this beautiful place.
At 4950 feet RiverMist is located in a valley that is flanked by the Kudremukh National park on one side and the Charmadi Ghats home to the Ballalarayana Durga on the other side.
See the buildings with red tiled roof – That is RiverMist 
What did we like best about this place?
The RIVER. It reminded me of Alfred Tennysons “The Brook”. A gushing stream that runs along the periphery of this 25 acre property. It’s only a 2 min walk from your room. The source of this river (Netravati) is just 9 kms from here. So its a young stream and it forms a small waterfall as it dances along RiverMist. It may look small and narrow but be careful because the water is powerful – especially after the rains. The river forms a small pool and you can take a dip in the water. You can also go for a 1km river walk with the resort guide – but take your aqua shoes and be careful, its slippery.
The river water is sparkling clean and you can drink directly. (TDS 10 – 15 , Bangalore water TDS 250 – 300, TDS – Total Dissolved Solids)
What else can I do at the Resort?
You can do a 1 hr nature walk with a guide thru the dense forest. (Beware of leeches). And a 30 min walk by yourself around the resort where you can cross the shallow part of the river barefoot and feel the fishes nibbling on your feet. When the weather is good candle light dinners and barbecues by the river can be organised. They also have board games and TT to keep you entertained in the evening.
But then there is a lot to see around the resort
The Annaporneshwari temple at Horanadu is just 30 Km away and the ancient Kalasa Shiva temple where sage Agastya is said to have meditated is 24 Km away. Both are a must visit. Close to the Kalasa temple is a Hanging bridge on top of the Bhadra river. Here the river flows softly and silently between towering hills.
Amba Teertha
And just a little bit away the same Bhadra river is raging ferocious as it scoops out rocks like wax in a series of rapids. Getting here is offroad and you need a 4 wheel drive. (Please note you need a proper SUV not a Mini SUV)
Rani Jhari view point
A short drive from the resort and then a 10 min easy hike leads you to a place of unparalleled beauty and views. A great place for sunset viewing. Most days are cloudy and misty – so you need to be lucky to view the sunset. Close to this place is also the Kodagai falls.
Drive by Maidadi road and stop at the View point from where you can on a clear day see Dharmasthala. When we visited the whole place was engulfed with mist
This area is also a paradise for trekkers. The Ballalarayana Durga trek is a full day affair and needs Govt permission. Many trekking companies organise this trek.
A few more points about RiverMist to help you plan your stay.
Which room should I choose
Its a small resort with 10 rooms – 3 Luxury rooms with Jacuzzi, 3 Premiums Rooms , 3 Deluxe rooms and 1 family room over two levels that can accommodate 8 people
Only the Luxury & Premium rooms have balconies and amazing views facing the misty hills. This should be your preference. We stayed in a Premium room – the rooms are large and the bathrooms are larger. Balconies are also very spacious.
How about Connectivity
There is no mobile network. Remember you are in the midst of nowhere. Wi Fi works 80% of the time.
You need an SUV for the last 3.5 Km
The last 3.5 Km needs a 4 wheel drive SUV. So if you come by car you park it on the main road at a safe designated area and the then RainyMist folks take you by their SUV / Jeep. Travelling around this place to see the views also you need a SUV. This remote area where people know only Kannada. So its best to rent a jeep from the resort for your local travel.
The food is good
Food and service is very good. They serve both Veg & Non veg. All meals are a decent buffet spread unless you are the only one staying there. No alcohol is served – but you can carry your drinks. The people at the Resort go out of their way to make you comfortable. Its a very warm ambience. Room service food is served. One of the few Resorts where you can get Coffee at 6 AM served in your room
Do I eat all meals at the resort or are there restaurants around
There are a few small homestay but no restaurants in a 30 km radius. So all your meals are at the RainyMist. The rate you pay is inclusive of all meals.
The SPA is coming up in Phase – 2
Currently there is no Spa – that is planned. The swimming pool is also under construction and should be up and running soon.
Are there animals..
Dont be afraid of the Elephant Trumpet at night RiverMist is close to the elephant corridor. And its common to hear Elephants. You will almost always see Elephant dung. Bisons and peacocks are also in plentiful. Please note that as of now Pets are not allowed.
A place so far way are there power cuts – will we get Hot water
The whole place runs on Generators. the power line is coming soon. We stayed for 3 nights – we had no problems – power never went and the water was nice and hot 24 by 7
Do they have driver rooms
No separate driver rooms are available, but check while booking if they can accommodate with the staff.
So how long should I plan my stay at RiverMist and how do I cover the sights
A minimum of 3 days to cover all the sights and enjoy the beauty of this place. Here is the suggested itinerary.
Day 1 : Depart Bangalore at 6 AM and reach River Mist by 12 Noon. Breakfast stopover at Kunigal – Dhruvatare. Evening visit the river and walk around the resort.
Day 2 : Enjoy the misty morning and after breakfast head out with this plan.
- Drive past maidadi road and stop at View Point
- Ancient 2500 year old Kalasa Shiva Temple
- Hanging bridge on Bhadra River
- Horanadu Temple
- Amba Teertha ( Sandwich Lunch that you packed in the morning)
- Reach the resort by 3 PM
- Evening relax at the resort
Day 3 :
- Nature walk in the resort
- Breakfast
- Tea Gardens
- Rani Jhari & Kodagai Falls
- Back to resort for lunch
- Evening do a resort walk by yourself
Day – 4 : Depart after breakfast at 9 AM and reach Bangalore by 3.30 PM
What is the best time to visit.
We visited in 1st week of July. We were lucky to have excellent weather. It rained at night and drizzled in the eve but the days were beautiful. I guess the best time to travel would be Sep – Feb but you can travel all year round. In summer you may miss the mist and the river flow may be a trickle. Nov – Dec – Jan may be cold.
Any other points?
It would be nice to go as a group to RiverMist. That way you can have fun in the evening. With just 10 rooms you can form your own Covid Bubble group and take up the full resort. The 8 bed jumbo room is perfect for the kids.
RiverMist Contact details
Address: Madugundi, Sunkasale PO Mudigere, Karnataka 577121
Mobile: +918762797979
Mobile: +919482979797
Email:reservations@rivermistresorts.com
Some more views from our trip in July 2021….
A Few Good Things 
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