3 DAY TRIP FROM BANGALORE | CHIKMAGALUR & KEMMANAGUNDI

At a distance of 0.5 KM from Belur Bus Station, Sri Chennakesava Temple (also known as Vijayanarayana temple) built in 1117 AD is the main attraction of Belur. The temple is very famous for extensive carvings, stone sculptures, art work and its unique architecture. The temple is listed as UNESCO World heritage Site.

Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple was built by King Vishnuvardhana of Hoysala Dynasty. A six feet tall idol of Lord Vishnu is placed in the temple. This temple was built in Hoysala style of architecture with main shrines being built on a star shaped platform. The temple has one hundred feet high magnificent gateway tower.

The raw material used in the construction of the temple was gray-green chlorite. The main temple is surrounded by the Kappe Chennigaraya Temple and two more shrines. The outer walls of the temple have 645 unique elephant carvings. It took about 103 years to complete the temple construction.

Timings .....

At a distance of 2.5 km from Belur Bus Stand, Yagachi Dam is an earthen gravity dam situated near Belur in Hassan district of Karnataka. Famous for its water sports, the dam is one of the beautiful dams in Karnataka and also one of the popular places to visit in Belur.

The Yagachi Dam is built in 2001 across the River Yagachi, a tributary of River Kaveri. The length of the dam is 1280 m and the height is 26 meters. Situated at an altitude of 965 feet, the dam was constructed with the objective to harness water resource for the purpose of irrigation and to meet the demands for drinking water in Belur, Chikmagalur and Hassan districts.

The natural beauty of the landscape mesmerizes visitors. Tourists flock in large numbers to enjoy the beauty of the dam and the surrounding areas. The place is ideal to spend time away from the hustle and bustle of the city life. The cool breeze of the dam rejuvenates the mind and the body. Just sitting near the reservoir and watching the calm .....

At a distance of 10 km from Chikmagalur & 50 km from Kemmanagundi, Hirekolale Lake is a beautiful manmade lake amidst beauty and surrounded by high mountains. The famous hills of Mullayanagiri can be viewed from here. This lake was built to supply water to Chikmagalur town and irrigation of lands in surrounding villages. Hirekolale Lake is one of the top places to visit in Chikmagalur.

This place can be easily accessed from the town of Chikmagalur. It can be visited throughout the year. There is no boating facility at the lake.

At a distance of 5 Kms from Chikmagalur, 66 Kms from Kemmangundi, 81 Kms from Sringeri, the Kodanda Rama Temple located in Hiremagalur is an ancient temple build during Hoysala's period. It is one of the well known Chikmagalur places to visit.

Though the central structure of the temple is built in Hoysala style, the remaining portions were the additions of subsequent rulers including Vijayanagara's. The navagrahas were added in14th century & Mukhamantapa was added in 16th century. The images of Kodanda Rama, Sita & Lakshmana are worshipped at this temple.

According to the Sthalapurana, Rama along with Sita & Lakshmana gave darshana to Parashurama at this holy place.

Timings: 6 AM - 8 PM

At a distance of 6 km from Kemmanagundi, 36 km from Tarikere and 66 km from Chikmagalur, Hebbe Falls is a wonderful waterfall located in Chikmagalur District of Karnataka. The waterfall is situated inside Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary which is a tiger reserve. It is one of the top Kemmanagundi tourist places and among the best places to visit near Bangalore.

Hebbe Falls is surrounded by dense forest and coffee plantations. It cascades down from a height of 550 feet in two stages to form Dodda Hebbe (Big Falls) and Chikka Hebbe (Small Falls). This falls is created by the springs generated in the mountains. A pool is formed by the waterfall below the second stage which allows visitors swim and play in the water. It is believed that the waters of these falls are infused with herbs and can cure skin diseases. Taking a refreshing bath in .....

At a distance of 10 km from Kemmanagundi and 82 km from Chikmagalur, Kalhatti Falls is located at Kallattipura in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. Also known as Kalhattagiri or Kalahasthi Falls, it is one of the spectacular waterfalls near Bangalore and among the most picturesque tourist places to visit in Kemmanagundi.

The waterfall cascades down from a height of over 400 feet through the Chandra Drona Hills in front of the Veerabhadreshwara Temple, which is the most commonly visited part of the falls. The presiding deity in this cave temple is Lord Shiva. It offers an excellent view of the surroundings valleys. The adjoining mountain is enriched with rare flora and fauna.

According to legend, sage Agastya had prayed for a long time at this place. The Veerabhadra temple is believed to be built in the Vijayanagara .....

At a distance of 20 km from Chikmagalur and 23 km from Baba Budangiri (by road), Mullayanagiri located in Chikmagalur district is the highest peak in Karnataka with an altitude of 1950 meters. Regarded as the highest peak between Himalayas and Nilgiris, Mullayanagiri is one of the best treks in Karnataka and among the top trekking places to visit in Chikmagalur. It is also one of the top attractions you must include in Chikmagalur Packages.

The peak gets its name from a small temple at the summit, which is dedicated to a Tapasvi Mullappa swamy, who is believed to have meditated at the cave near the summit. For adventure enthusiasts, the location offers an opportunity to engage in activities like mountain biking, trekking and road biking. Being the highest peak in Karnataka, it offers some very .....

At a distance of 11 km from Baba Budangiri, 11 km from Mullayanagiri and 18 km from Chikmagalur, Kavikal Gandi, also known as Horse Shoe Viewpoint, is a popular viewpoint in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka.

Located on Mullayanagiri - Baba Budangiri road, Kavikal Gandi is a prominent hill viewpoint in Chikmagalur region. There is a check post on the road. The horse shoe viewpoint can be easily reached by climbing up about 50 steps from this check post.

There is a small idol of Hanuman at the foot of the hill. Atop the hill, someone has recently drawn a painting of Swami Vivekananda. This hill is always windy and pleasant. From the viewpoint one can get a breathtaking view of Chandra Drona mountain range.
Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

At a distance of 29 km from Kemmanagundi & 36 km from Chikmagalur, Baba Budangiri (also known as Dattagiri & Chandra Drona Parvatha) is a mountain in the Baba Budan range in Chikmagalur District of Karnataka. At an altitude of 1895 m, this is one of the top places for trekking in Karnataka and among the best places to visit as part of 2 day trip from Bangalore. It is also one of the prime place to visit during Chikmagalur Trip.

Baba Budangiri is named after the Muslim saint, Baba Budan who used to reside here. Baba Budan was a 17th century Sufi saint who came to India in from Saudi to spread the message of Islam and peace. According to legend, he introduced coffee to India by bringing beans from the port of Mocha, Yemen in 1670 AD. This place is also important .....

At a distance of 7 km from Baba Budangiri Dattatreya Peetha, 36 km from Kemmangundi & 29 km from Chikmagalur, Manikya Dhara Falls is situated in the dense forest of Baba Budangiri hills in Western Ghats of India. It is another popular attraction not to miss in a Chikmagalur tour package.

With a height of about 30 feet, the waterfall is situated midst dense Forest offering great views of Baba Budangiri Hills. Locally known as Nellikayi Theertha, this waterfall is considered as a holy site by Hindus as well as Muslims. Manikya Dhara, which literally means a string of pearls, is the ideal site for people looking for a peaceful and scenic atmosphere. According to the legend, saint Baba Budan along with his 4 disciples came to the site in search of water. After their prayers, they were blessed with water flowing from the mountains in the form of this waterfall.

People believe that bathing in this fall can cure various ailments. .....