Shivamogga district attractions, planning guide, FAQs

I've written lots of posts on Shivamogga district over the years but they are scattered all around. So I felt it will help put them all together in one place. If you're planning a trip to explore Shivamogga district this post will provide all information in one place- detailed posts on specific locations, FAQs, Itineraries and more.

Below are my already written blog posts about Shivamogga district- I've atleast 25-30 of them written over the years

Popular attractions	Offbeat/lesser known spots
Kavaledurga Sakrebailu Elephant Camp Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary Arasalu Rail Museum Shivappa Nayak palace, Nagara Fort Kundadri hill Tiger and Lion Safari Bhadra dam	Nyamati Windmills Santa Sevalal Foundation Muppane ferry point Gudavi Bird Sanctuary Barkana falls viewpoint Mattur Sanskrit village Malgudi Days house, Agumbe Anjanapura Dam & Park Kavishaila, Kuppalli  Champaka Sarasi
Stay Options	Waterfalls/Rivers/lakes
Kalinga -Agumbe JLR Seethanadi Nature Camp JLR Sakrebailu KSTDC Mayura Gerusoppa Hill View homestay near Jog falls Tangu Mane Pure Veg Homestay	Jog Falls Honnemaradu Nipli Husur falls Talasi Abbi falls Jogi Gundi falls Chakra Dam (now closed) Ambligola Dam Hire Bhaskara Dam  Koodli   Achakanne falls
Temples	Nearby
Keladi Banavasi Temple Chandragutti Rock temple Guliguli Shankara temple Ikkeri Nadakalasi  Balligavi	Honnavara Udupi Karwar Dandeli Sirsi Gokarna Chikmagalur district

What is the best itinerary for exploring Shivamogga district?

There is no one shot answer for this, as best itinerary depends on number of days you’ve got, starting point, season and your interests. Below are some of the popular itineraries

Shivamogga Itinerary 01: Ex-Blr, weekend plan covering most important places

Day 01: Arrive in Shivamogga (train, own vehicle etc)

• Head towards Kavaledurga fort, hike- takes 2-3 hours easily, better start early
• Visit Talasi Abbi falls nearby
• On the way back stop at Mandagadde (not many birds)
• Back to Sakrebailu elephant camp
• Evening visit to Tiger & Lion safari, Tyavarekoppa
• Night stay in either Shivamogga town, or drive till Jog falls, stay in Jog falls or Sagara town

Roughly 200 kms Shivamogga to Shivamogga, Map link

Day 02:

• Arasalu Malgudi Rail Museum,
• Keladi & Ikkeri temples
• Honnemaradu,
• Jog falls (very little water),
• Nipli Husur falls,
• Gudavi bird sanctuary (if season)
• Chandragutti & Banavasi,
• Nyamati windmills
• Back to Shivamogga by night

Proceed to BLR (Map link: Around 320 kms Shivamogga to Shivamogga, will be better if you stay in Sagar town)

Shivamogga Itinerary 02: 5 days, at leisure

Day 01: Visit Sakrebailu Elephant camp, Gajanur dam, Kavaledurga fort, Talasi Abii falls, stay at Theerthahalli town

Day 02: Kavishaila/Kuppalli, Sringeri temple & Sirimane falls, Kundadri hills, Jogi Gundi falls, Stay at Agumbe

Day 03: Nagara fort, Keladi and Ikkeri temple in Sagara, Honnemaradu, Jog falls, Nipli Husur falls, stay near Jog falls

Day 04: Banavasi, Chandragutti, Nyamati windmill,s Muttatti, Shivappa Nayaka palace in Shivamogga down, Tyavarekoppa Lion Safari, stay in Shivamogga town

Day 05: Visit Sanskrit village, Bhadra dam, Bhadra wildlife sanctuary and return to Bengalur

Shivamogga travel planning FAQs

Q1: Will there always be water in jog falls?

A1: No. The water that comes to jog falls needs to be released from Linganamakki reservoir. Most of the time jog falls will have minimum water. More water is released during VVIP visit or when reservoir is full and can;t hold more water. So higher chance during August-September months

Q2: How many days should I plan to explore Shivamogga?

A2: 3 days minimum recommended. If you have only weekends, plan 2 separate weekend trips

Q3: How are road conditions in Shivamogga

Q4: Most of the roads are in good condition

Q4: Where to plan our stay during Shivamogga exploration

A4: You can plan one night around Sagara/Jog falls, another night in Thirthahalli/Agumbe or Sakrebailu

Q5: What are the popular wildlife spots in Shivamogga

• Bhadra wildlife sanctuary
• Sakrebailu elephant camp
• Tyavarekoppa tiger & lion safari
• Gudavi & Mandagadde bird sanctuary (seasonal and low probability)

Q6: How to reach Shivamogga?

A6: Shivamogga has an airport now with daily flight from Bengaluru- if you’re flying in from far away city flying to Shivamogga might be more convenient. Mangaluru & Hubballi airports are within 200-300 kms from Shivamogga

Shivamogga has good train connectivity from Bengaluru & Mysuru and bus connectivity from all parts of Karnataka

Q7: What is the best season to visit Shivamogga district

A7: September to February is best to avoid peak summer & heavy rains. Rest of the months either expect heavy rains or hot summer. But in general Shivamogga has good tree cover, so even in summer not too difficult to explore

Hope this was helpful. Do ask if any specific questions.