Ulavi, North Canara (UK): Places to visit
Ulavi is a temple town in North Canara (Uttara Kannada). It largely remains off the tourist grid as it is a bit interior. Tourists visiting Karwar or Dandeli often skip Ulavi due to lack of time, information and accesability. However, below are some places of interest around Ulavi you can consider exploring, if you have a day to spare.
#1 Ulavi Chennabasaveshwara Swami Temple
At the heart of Ulavi town is Ulavi Chennabasaveshwara Swami temple. Once a year massive festival happens here, devotees from all over visit Ulavi on their bullock karts carrying offerings. Rest of the year temple hardly gets any visitors. However temple serves free food to devotees everyday, because of which hotels in Ulavi town don't even bother selling meals. They only sell light snacks as almost everyone goes to temple for meals.
2. Panchaganga Cave temple: Some 30-40 steps down, 5-6 kms from Ulavi town with last 1 km off road, nice cave with a temple inside.
3. Basava falls:
We didn't visit. Maybe for next trip
4. Bubbling Well (haralayyana Chilume)
Enroute to Ulavi caves, at the unmarked juction where 4 mud roads intersect each other, going straight takes you to Ulavi caves. If you stop and look around you will see steps to go down. Those steps will lead you this small spring with bubbling water. Locally named as Haralayyana Chilume.
Watch a video [Watch on instagram]
Similar to Goa's has Budbudathe taal, but smaller n lesser known.
Ulavi Caves: Wanted to visit during my previous visit to Ulavi but was closed due to monsoon. This time October first week it was accessible. Ulavi caves is a complex of 4-5 caves, spread across a small area, accessible by foot- some 250 steps down and again back up
Read a separate, detailed post about Ulavi caves here
Mahamane Caves: Need 3 to 4 kms trek inside the forest. A few marking boards exist but final bit is still difficult to go on your own. Expect lots of leeches in monsoon, post monsoon season. Road condition till the trek start point is also pretty bad. Better go with a local guide.
Typical hanging bridge, bikers can pass across it and reach Yellapura, Sadhodi falls, Magod falls etc. Cars can't cross. Road is bit rough. Exclude this if short of time or not wanting to ride on rough terrain.
In Ulavi town you can hire jeep to explore nearby places. Most places need 4 wheel drive, so even if you have a car, better hire the jeep.
Reaching Ulavi:
Ulavi is about 75 kms from Karwar town. You can reach Karwar by train or bus and hire a taxi from there. Few buses are available but at poor frequency. Once in Ulavi you can hire a jeep to show you around.
Overall, Ulavi makes a nice day trip from Karwar/Goa/Dandeli/Yellapur
Also check
Ulavi-Shivapura Hiking Trail to Akala Gavi - Google Maps
Nearby: Karwar * Dandeli * Sathodi falls * Magod falls *
Leave a Comment