About Udupi

Country: India | State: Karnataka

Ideal Trip Duration: 2 Full Days

Nearest City to Udupi: Mangalore (60 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Udupi: October to March

Peak Season: December to January & May to June

At a distance of 65 km from Mangalore, 102 km from Murudeshwar, 147 km from Shimoga, 309 km from Mysore, and 403 km from Bangalore, Udupi is a famous temple town and headquarters of the Udupi district. It is also one of the most famous places of Pilgrimage in Karnataka, and among the best places to visit in Karnataka.

Udupi is the land of breathtaking beauty, located between the verdant mountains of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. Udupi is famous for Sri Krishna Temple, among the must include places in Udupi tour packages. The name of this city was originated from Odipu. According to local legend, the 27 stars of Hindu astrology were married to the Moon, and soon after, the Moon lost its luster. As Lord Shiva is the last resort for everyone, the Moon and the stars created a Lingam and offered puja. Udu means Lord and Pa means Stars in Sanskrit. Udupi is one of the most popular places to visit near Bangalore.

The Udupi Krishna Math was established in the 13th century by the great philosopher, Madhavacharya. The Sri Krishna temple attracts pilgrims from all over India and is also a center for the Dvaita philosophy. This temple has a fascinating idol of Lord Krishna that is richly adorned with jewels. Famous Hindu saints such as Chaitanya, Purandaradasa, and Kanakadasa visited this temple for the darshan of Lord Krishna. Another attraction of Sri Krishna Temple is the Kanakana Kindi, a small window through which Lord Krishna is believed to have given darshan to his devotee, Kanakadasa. There is also another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, believed to be more than 1000 years old, located near Yellur. Malpe Beach, Kaup Beach & St. Mary's Island are the other prominent places to visit in Udupi.

Udupi is synonymous with the world-famous Udupi cuisine, which is served all over India in the efficiently-run Udupi restaurants, famous for dosas, idlis, and other snacks. The tradition of this cuisine started in the great kitchens of the Krishna Temple which serve meals in the form of prasad to the thousands of devotees who come to pray at the holy shrine. Udupi can be visited along with Murudeshwar tour packages.

The most popular festivals include the Paryaya festival held every alternate year; the last being held in 2014. The festival is organized on January 18 and attracts a large number of devotees. The roads are flooded with chariots with processions that display cultural shows such as folk dances and religious hymns. Holi, Ramanavami, Rathasaptami, Krishna Janmashtami, Dusshera, and Diwali are the other festivals that are celebrated with great enthusiasm.

Mangalore Airport is the nearest airport, which is 62 km from Udupi. Udupi Railway Station is well connected by trains to cities like Trivandrum, Bangalore, Mangalore, Kochi, Bikaner, Madgoan, Mumbai, Tirunelveli, New Delhi and Goa. Buses regularly fly from Udupi to major cities like Bangalore, Mangalore, Goa, Shimoga, Mysore, Karwar, Pune, and Mumbai.

The best time to visit Udupi is from October to March while the peak season is from November to February. Usually, it takes 2 days to visit places in and around Udupi.

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Very Good
STD Code: 0820
Languages Spoken: Tulu, Kannada, English
Major Festivals: Car Festival, Krishna Janmashtami, Paryaya Festival
Notes/Tips:
None

How to Reach Udupi

By Air

Nearest Airport: Mangalore - Mangalore Airport (56 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Udupi Railway Station (0 Kms)
Mangalore Central Railway Station (60 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Udupi Bus Station (0 Kms)

Top 10 Places to Visit in Udupi

Pilgrimage

#1 of 36 Places to Visit in Udupi

At a distance of 3 km from Udupi Railway Station, Sri Krishna Temple is a Hindu temple situated in Udupi, Karnataka. It is one of the famous pilgrimage centers in India, and among the must include places in Udupi Tour Packages.

The Krishna Temple was founded by the Vaishnavite saint Shri Madhvacharya in the 13th century CE. Among the most famous places to visit in Udupi, the Krishna Temple or the Udupi Sri Krishna Matha is one of the most auspicious temples dedicated to Lord Krishna. The unique feature of this temple is that the Lord is worshipped only through a window with nine holes called the Navagraha Kindi. The daily sevas and administration of the Mutt are managed by the Ashta Mathas. During the Paryaya festival, held every two years, the temple management is handed over to the next Matha.

This .....

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Beach | Nature

#2 of 36 Places to Visit in Udupi

At a distance of 15 km from Udupi Railway Station, 65 km from Mangalore & 100 km from Murudeshwar, St. Mary's Island is a group of small beautiful islands situated to the north of Malpe Beach near Udupi. It is one of the best places to visit as part of Udupi Packages.

A quaint island just off the coast of Udupi, St. Mary's Island is an island of white sand beaches, rock monoliths, and great wildlife making it one of the best places to visit in Udupi. It is said that Vasco da Gama first reached this Island before reaching the Kappad Beach (near Calicut) while finding a sea route to India.

This island is a group of four individual islands namely Coconut Island, North Island, South Island, and Daryabahadurgarh Island. The island has two beautiful beaches and crystallized basalt rock formations which .....

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Pilgrimage

#3 of 36 Places to Visit in Udupi

At a distance of 25 km from Udupi, 86 km from Mangalore & 70 km from Murudeswar, Anegudde Vinayaka Temple is a Hindu temple located in Kumbhashi between Udupi & Karwar. It is one of the famous places of pilgrimage in the region, and among the popular places to visit as part of Udupi Tour.

Anegudde Vinayaka Temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Anegudde is rewarded one of the seven 'Mukti Sthalas' of Karnataka or Parashurama kshetras, which are believed to be created by sage Parashurama. Anegudde is the combination of two words - 'Aane' meaning 'Elephant' and 'Gudde', which stands for 'hillock' as it is the abode of the elephant-headed god, Lord Vinayaka.

Anegudde is also popularly called Kumbashi. The name Kumbhashi is said to be derived from the demon Kumbhasura. According to the mythology, when drought hit this area, Sage Agasthya performed penance to appease the Rain, God. During the penance, demon Kumbhasura started troubling .....

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Beach

#4 of 36 Places to Visit in Udupi

At a distance of 10 km from Udupi Railway Station, Malpe Beach is a pristine beach situated along the shores of the Arabian Sea at Malpe village near Udupi. Spread between Swarna Nandi River and Malpe Port is one of the finest beaches in Karnataka, and among the top places to visit as part of Udupi Tour Packages.

Malpe Beach is situated at the mouth of the Udyavara River, a small river that is commonly referred to as the Malpe River by the locals. Characterized by silver-white sands, and rocky islands, Malpe Beach is still quite secluded and not visited by a lot of tourists. It is one of the popular Udupi tourist places for those who want to spend some time alone at the beach.

The vast coastline of Malpe has four rocky islands. The northern-most island is the Daria-Bahadurgad, the middle one is the Daria-Gadara-Kallu, .....

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Beach

#5 of 36 Places to Visit in Udupi

At a distance of 16 km from Udupi, Kaup Beach is a beautiful beach situated close to NH17 between Udupi & Mangalore. It is one of the must include places in Udupi Tour Packages, and among the best beaches near Bangalore.

Kaup Beach is one of the famous beaches in Karnataka where tourists enjoy the beauty of the environment, the long stretches of golden sands, and the cool sea breeze. The beach is covered by palm groves. There is a lighthouse here, constructed in 1901, which is open every day for an hour from 5.30 AM. The delightful view of the entire seashore and the beach from the lighthouse is every photographer's dream.

Besides the lighthouse, Kaup also has ruins of Jain Basadis that line across the stretch of sand, and these are definitely worth a visit. Kaup is also known for the temple of Goddess Mariamman. There .....

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Hill Station

#6 of 36 Places to Visit in Udupi

At a distance of 26 km from Sringeri, 31 km from Thirthahalli, 55 km from Udupi, 62 km from Kundapura, 77 km from Kudremukh, 94 km from Shimoga, 112 km from Mangalore, 342 km from Bangalore, Agumbe is a small hill town located in the Shimoga district of Karnataka, India. Nestled in the thickly forested Malnadu region of the Western Ghats, it is one of the most mesmerizing offbeat hill stations in Karnataka, and among the most famous places to visit near Mangalore.

Situated at an altitude of over 2100 feet, the scenic village of Agumbe lies in the Western Ghats belt with some of the last remaining lowland rainforests. The place is nicknamed 'The Cherrapunji of the South' as it receives the heaviest rainfall in the southern part which makes it a perfect home to some of the scenic waterfalls, dense forests, and rivers. It is also called Hasiru Honnu means green gold .....

Distance (From Udupi): 55 Kms
Trip Duration (From Udupi - Including Travel): Full Day
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Waterfall

#7 of 36 Places to Visit in Udupi

At a distance of 4 km from Agumbe Bus Station, Jogi Gundi Falls is a stunning waterfall situated close to the road between Agumbe & Barkana Falls. Located inside Agumbe's rainforest, it is one of the best waterfalls in Karnataka, and among the must-visit places as part of the Agumbe tour packages.

Jogi Gundi Falls is cascading down from a height of about 20 feet into a huge pool. The waterfall got its name from the saint Jogi who used to meditate at this place. The unique feature of this waterfall is the point of origin. Unlike traditional waterfalls, the Jogi Gundi fall originates from a cave and running through a hill. The water from this stream merges into Malapahaari River, a tributary of the Tungabhadra. The surroundings of the falls capture the great natural beauty and it's an ideal place to spend a couple of hours. It is possible to get into the falls and swim in the pond. .....

Distance (From Udupi): 60 Kms
Trip Duration (From Udupi - Including Travel): 4 Hours/Half Day
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Waterfall

#8 of 36 Places to Visit in Udupi

At a distance of 20 km from Hebri, 30 km from Agumbe, and 47 km from Udupi, Kudlu Teertha Falls is a picturesque waterfall located deep in the jungles of the Western Ghats near Hebri. Also known as Sita Falls, it is one of the most beautiful and most pristine falls in Karnataka and among the best places to visit near Agumbe as part of Udupi tour packages.

Located on Udupi-Agumbe Road, Kudlu Theertha is the first waterfall on the River Sita. It is a spectacular waterfall that drops from a height of about 300 feet into a pond. Legend has it that thousands of years ago sages used to meditate near the place where the pond exists today. As such, the local people consider the water of the pond to be very holy.

The pond where the water drops from the mountain is not very deep. Visitors can walk to a point where they can stand beneath the falling water and enjoy a refreshing bath. However, visitors need to exercise caution while putting .....

Distance (From Udupi): 47 Kms
Trip Duration (From Udupi - Including Travel): 4 Hours/Half Day
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Waterfall

#9 of 36 Places to Visit in Udupi

At a distance of 7 km from Agumbe Bus Station, 22 km from Hebri, and 52 km from Udupi, Barkana Falls is a beautiful waterfall located in the Balehalli forest area near Agumbe village in Shimoga district of Karnataka. It is one of the popular waterfalls in Karnataka and among the prime places to visit in Agumbe.

Cascading down from a height of about 800 feet, Barkana Falls is the 10th tallest waterfall in India. This magnificent waterfall situated in the dense forest of the Western Ghats is formed by River Sita. This waterfall is the source of one of the important hydroelectric projects in Karnataka. The name Barkana comes from the word Barka which means 'Mouse Deer' that is found in the region.

Barkana Falls presents one of the most fascinating sights of natural wonders in Karnataka. The Barkana View Point, located near the waterfall, is an ideal spot to enjoy the mesmerizing view of the Western Ghats and the hill slopes of the region. The waterfall becomes even more charming .....

Distance (From Udupi): 52 Kms
Trip Duration (From Udupi - Including Travel): 4 Hours/Half Day
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Waterfall

#10 of 36 Places to Visit in Udupi

At a distance of 8 km from Agumbe Bus Station and 50 km from Udupi, Onake Abbi Falls is a beautiful waterfall located near Agumbe. It is one of the stunning waterfalls in Karnataka and among the top Agumbe Tourist Places.

Onake Abbi is one of the many waterfalls that Nature has bestowed on this place. The waterfall derives its name from the word 'Onake', that refers to a long pole that is used to grind species in the local Kannada language. There is only one branch in the falls and it is like 'onake', hence the name. The fall is cascading down from a height of around 500 feet and is one of the tallest waterfalls that can be seen on the Western Ghats belt. The summit of the trek offers a breathtaking view of the entire waterfall and the surrounding dense jungle.

It can only be reached through trekking of 5 to 6 km from Agumbe. The evergreen forest on the way is breath-taking and animals like Sambhar, mouse deer, and civet cat can be spotted sometimes. There are two routes that .....

Distance (From Udupi): 50 Kms
Trip Duration (From Udupi - Including Travel): 3-4 Hours
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