Agumbe, in Shivamogga district, is known as the Cherrapunji of the South for the enormous rainfall it receives, more than 7,000 mm in some years. The village sits on the crest of the Western Ghats where the road drops to the coastal plain in fourteen hairpin bends, and its sunset point looks west over unbroken rainforest towards the Arabian Sea. The forests are the stronghold of the king cobra, studied here at a research station founded by the herpetologist Romulus Whitaker. Agumbe was also the setting for the television series Malgudi Days. Rain is heavy from June to September; October to February is best for the views.

Built in the 9th century and strengthened by the Keladi Nayakas, Kavaledurga is a hill fort near Thirthahalli with three lines of walls, ponds and a temple on the summit. The trek through forest to the top is especially beautiful during and after the monsoon, when mist rolls over the hills.

Jog Falls, on the Sharavathi river in Shivamogga district, is one of the highest plunge waterfalls in India, dropping about 253 metres in four separate streams known as Raja, Rani, Rocket and Roarer. Unlike stepped falls, the water falls free to the rocks below, and in full monsoon the roar carries far up the valley. The Linganamakki dam upstream controls the flow, so the falls are at their best from July to October or when water is released. Viewpoints face the falls from the opposite cliff, and about 1,400 steps lead to the base for those who want the climb. A ropeway and new visitor facilities have been added in recent years.

A peak of the Western Ghats rising about 1,340 metres in Shivamogga district, Kodachadri is covered in grassland and forest and is known for its sunsets. The Sarvajna Peetha, where Adi Shankaracharya is believed to have meditated, stands near the top. Most visitors go up by jeep and trek the last stretch.