Kodachadri, Mountain peak in Shimoga District, India

Kodachadri is a 1,343-metre peak in the Western Ghats of Shivamogga District, Karnataka, and the highest point in the district. Its broad, rounded ridge is covered in dense dark-green forest, with lighter green patches on the lower slopes. The summit itself is barren because of strong winds, and the forest cover below hides the peak from lower ground.

Stone formations in the area point to early human settlements long before the place became a pilgrimage destination. Over the centuries, ascetics and scholars retreated here, giving the mountain its reputation as a place of meditation.

The name Kodachadri combines "Kodacha", meaning Kutaja flowers (Wrightia antidysenterica), with "Adri", Sanskrit for mountain; locals also call it Kutajagiri, or "Jasmine of the Hills". Near the peak stands Sarvajna Peetha, a small stone temple-like structure marking where Adi Shankara is said to have meditated. Pilgrims from Kollur often trek up to it, and the forest path passes Ganesha Guha.

The starting point for the hike lies a few kilometers outside Kollur, where jeeps drive up to a higher point. From there, a steep trail leads to the summit, which can become slippery when wet and requires sturdy footwear.

The summit is barren because of strong winds, while the dense forest at the base hides the peak from lower ground. Lewin Bentham Bowring, Commissioner of Mysore from 1862 to 1870, recorded that the summit commands a long stretch of the Ghat range and a wide view over Malnad.