Thirunetti Kallu - 5 Things to Know Before Visiting
Viewpoints
Mountain Peaks
Off-road Spots
Short Hikes
About Thirunetti Kallu
A mountain peak with tall rocks that resembles a forehead. A short trek of 2 kilometers takes you to amazing views of wavy Western Ghat mountains.

Located in a small hilly town of Josgiri in Kannur District of Kerala State, Thirunetti Kallu is a short and sweet hike of about 2 kilometers(one side) to the top of a hill which consists of large rocks that resembles a forehead (from some angles). The name translates to "Holy Forehead Rock", it is a local pilgrimage site for the Christian population of the area.
Unless you have a hardcore off-road vehicle, you will have to walk uphill to reach the peak. It is not an extremely difficult hike though. The peak offers panoramic views of the many hills of the western ghats, the sunset from here is amazing too. If you are a bit adventurous, you could even climb the tall rocks on its peak. One side of the peak is a steep drop so be careful while going there, especially due to the slippery nature of the rocks after rains. Also, the area in general is very windy, so mindful of that while standing near the drop.
In order to reach here, if you are coming from the direction of Payyannur where the nearest railway station is, reach the town of Pulingome and from their to the small town of Josgiri. The route from Pulingome to Josgiri itself comes with great views. The hiking trail starts from Josgiri, you can check with any of the locals for direction.
Attractions Near Thirunetti Kallu
Christ the Redeemer statue Thabore (Lord Jesus in Thabore hill top)
3.29km from Thirunetti Kallu
A large sculpture of Christ the Redeemer on top of a hill, overlooking valleys and mountain ranges below. About 2 kilometers of hiking(one side) is required to reach the place. Especially popular for sunset views.
Chathamangalam Hills (Theruvumala Kannur)
4.76km from Thirunetti Kallu
Chathamangalam Hills, also known as Theruvumala is a hill station is a trekking spot in the Kannur district of Kerala, India. The hilltop consists of a large plain of grasslands and lies near the border of Coorg in Karnataka.
Kottathalachi Mala (Mount Kottathalachi)
5.89km from Thirunetti Kallu
Located 900 meters above sea level, Mount Kottathalachi is accessible either by a 3 km hike or by off road vehicles. The peak is filled with tall green grasses which dances with the cool breeze, and amazing 360 degree views of thousands of Western Ghat Mountain peaks. This is also a local Christian pilgrim site.
Tejaswini River Rafting
8.03km from Thirunetti Kallu
Tejaswini River Rafting is an exciting white water rafting through the gorgeous upper Tejaswini river. It will take you through the Western Ghat mountains and the lashing monsoon shower. This is one of the few white water rafting offered in the entire Kerala State.
Thayyeni Koomban
10.5km from Thirunetti Kallu
Thayyeni Koomban, translated to Thayyeni peak is a mountain peak in the Western Ghats mountain ranges. It is the highest peak in its vicinity and can be seen from 10-15 KM away. The top is located 850 meters above sea level and an exhausting hike through forest and grasslands is required to reach the peak.
Kottancheri Hill Station Malom
11.76km from Thirunetti Kallu
Part of majestic Western ghats, carpeted by a lush rain forest canopy. A trekker's paradise with numerous trails.
Discover More Attractions in Kannur, Home of Thirunetti Kallu
Where is Thirunetti Kallu
What Visitors Say About Thirunetti Kallu
5.0
2 Reviews
Excellent
(2)
Good
(0)
Average
(0)
Poor
(0)
Terrible
(0)
Second time here and it was much better this time around since the visit was at late evening. Great views, amazing sunset and cool breeze all the time.
You have to off road two kilometers followed by a hike of another two kilometers to reach this place. The last 200 meters of the hike is on a an extremely steep slope, diffodiff to climb. We unfortunately did not carry any water, we were panting all the way up.
The spot is the usual good Friday hiking point for the nearby churches to commomerate Christ's crucification. There is a cross installed on top the bigger rocks.
From the top, you can view criss crossing mountains of Western ghats in all directions. The tall rocks looks like forehead of a person. The name "thirunetti" means holy forehead, probably named due to religious reasons. You can climb on few of the rocks but then the largest one of the all is not climbable (at least from our experience). One side of the mountain top has a steep drop as well. You don't want to get in near to that.
Aside from the mountain, there is a small restaurant running there, supplying some basic snacks and drinks. They also provide off road vehicles as there was on monster looking one parked nearby.