Haklamane Falls between Byndoor & Kollur

There are absolutely no blogposts on Haklamane falls and you are reading the first article about Haklamane falls on my blog enidhi.net

As I was scouting for places of interest around Kollur, Haklamane falls came to my attention. It wasn't too far from highway so felt like a good destination to explore. I made first attempt in September 2021 which was only a partial success and made a second visit a month later, mid-October 2021 which turned out to be better.

September 2021 visit experience: Max water but limited access

Haklamane falls is located off Byndoor-Kolluru highway. Following google maps, at the turn we crosschecked with a local shopkeeper. He said we can proceed in car. Map was showing the falls is about 1.5 kms from main road. The road was muddy (red soil) but drivable in a Venue. After driving for about 1 km road got even more tricky. A Thar or jeep could have cleared it, but in a Venue I didn't feel confident due to loose soil, rain and slippery surface. So decided to park and walk the last 1 km. Depending on your confidence level and your vehicle's ability, you can go further to reduce walking time.

As we reached Haklamane falls area there was a massive flow of red water. (Water with lots of mud). Water was overflowing the road we took to reach the falls, it was almost crossing over the bridge and with water all over, it was impossible to find a path to get closer to the falls. I took a few photos of the falls from my mobile amidst ongoing rains, but later realized that some photos were not saved at all. Thus I have limited photos of the Haklamane waterfalls from my September 2021 visit. As it was close to 6 PM we decided to return back.

I revisited Haklamane falls again in October. This time rain had reduced, road was not slippery and I was confident to drive further. Thus drove all the way till the Haklamane falls, though it did involve a bit of risk. Loose gravel, slopes and so on. But it is manageable.

As we reached the falls we saw that water level has reduced significantly compared to a month ago. More importantly, water was pure now. Crystal clear and not muddy orange like last time. This time we explored a bit, found a path that can take us closer to the falls. Got a closer look, took better photos, spent some time and returned.

Spot the difference in colour...

It is not clear how the name Haklamane was assigned. As I said earlier no other article exists on internet about Haklamane falls. Mane in Kannada refers to "Home". May be someone named Hakla has a home nearby, hence the name. Not aware of any meaning for "Hakla" in Kannada. If it is not name, nickname or surname of someone, it could be a derivative of Haikla (loosely refers to kids).

Overall it was good visiting Haklamane falls once at its peak power and once again when it was more easy to access. It is a nice little waterfall in the woods, away from tourist attention. I wouldn't say Haklamane is a "must visit" falls that is worth arriving from far away destination. But if you are in the area (Kollur, Byndoor, Bhatkal, Kundapur etc) and have some time to spare, Haklamane is a good option. It is a short deviation from main road if you are traveling between Kollur and Baindoor towns.

Things to note while visiting Haklamane falls:

• About 3 kms from highway, mud roads are bearable for about 2 kms. Last 1 km is tricky- might be difficult for small cars, but depending on your confidence, driving skills and your car's ability you can drive all the way till Haklamane falls. 
• No shops, no support, no entry fee. If lucky you may find some locals. You are on your own. Proceed at your own risk. You can decide how close to falls you want to go- path involves climbing rocks, crossing streams.
• It is not a designated tourist area. No sign boards, no ticket counter, no time limits.
• Water level will be at its peak during July-Aug-September, moderate from October to December, probably not much water will be left during Jan-June period.
• No point planning a tour exclusively for this. If you are in the region to visit Kolluru, or passing through Byndoor and have an hour to spare you can divert and explore Haklamane waterfalls.

Map showed a "Gulnadi falls" nearby, but when we checked with some locals, the amount of trekking needed didn't make it viable for the time we had with us. So Gulnadi will have to wait for another day, another trip.

Watch this video to understand how Haklamane falls behaves differently in September and October. Watch on Youtube here

June 2022 Update: Visited again and also explored Gulnadi falls nearby. Google map now shows this destination in Kannada only hence you may not find it easily

Nearby: Kshitija Nesara Dhama * Belkal Theertha waterfalls * Waterfalls of Udupi district *