2 DAY TRIP FROM BANGALORE | BEST OF SAKLESHPUR

At a distance of 1.5 km from Sakleshpur Bus Stand, Sakleshwara Swamy Temple is a Hindu temple situated at Sakleshpura town in Hassan district of Karnataka. It is one of the oldest temples in Karnataka and among the top Places to visit in Sakleshpur.

Situated on the banks of River Hemavathi, Sakleshwara Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Constructed between the 11th and 14th century, Sakleshwara Temple is a great remnant of the time when the Hoysala Empire was at its peak in South India. It is a beautiful temple that stands as a testimony to the excellent craftsmanship of Hoysala architecture.

Located at the entrance of the town, the temple is a very renowned place for pilgrims in the region and the town got its name due to this temple. The temple has a gigantic statue of Lord Shiva that captures the eye of everyone. The temple is famous for ratha yatra that takes place every year in the month of February (on Purnima).

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

At a distance of 35 km from Sakleshpur, Betta Byraveshwara Temple is ancient temple situated near Mekanagadde in Sakleshpur Taluk of Hassan district, Karnataka. Surrounded by serenity, it is one of the top places to visit in Sakleshpur.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Betta Byraveshwara Temple is located atop Pandavar Gudda Hill and is considered approximately 600 years old. The temple is nestled in the beautiful Western Ghats and offers a panoramic view of the landscape. According to the mythology, the Pandavas in Mahabharata stayed here for a short while during their exile. Also known as Bettada Bhairaveshwara Prasanna Temple, this is an excellent tourist spot for those who like the calm and beauty of nature. One can see some big grinding stones at the temple.

An annual Abhisheka will be held once in a year in January month where all the people from surrounding places come here to take the blessings of Lord Bhairava. There are also many popular hills of Sakleshpur which are located .....

At a distance of 5 km from Hanbal and 21 km from Sakleshpur, Magajahalli Falls is a beautiful waterfall situated at Magajahalli Village in Hassan district of Karnataka. It is one of the picturesque waterfalls in Sakleshpur and among the best Sakleshpur Tourist Places.

Also known as Hanbal Falls and Abbi Gundi Falls, the waterfall falling from a height of about 20 feet and is a popular picnic spot in Sakleshpura region. Wrapped up under the lush greeneries, the whole place is filled with serenity and tranquility. Visitors can even get into the waters and enjoy themselves but need to be more cautious about the slippery rocks. Visitor can get a breathtaking view of the Pushpagiri Mountain range from the waterfall as it is situated just at the foothills of the mountain.

The best time to visit Magajahalli waterfalls is post monsoons and is dried up during summer and winter months.

Timings: 7 AM - 5.30 PM

At a distance of 6 km from Sakleshpur Bus Stand, Manjarabad Fort is an ancient fort situated in Hassan district of Karnataka. It is one of the historical forts in Karnataka and among the best places to visit in Sakleshpur.

Situated at an altitude of 3, 240 feet, Manjarabad Fort is a star shaped fort built in 1792 by Tippu Sultan, the then ruler of Mysore. Built as a frontier to store ammunition, Manjarabad Fort was used as a protection for Tippu Sultan's army against the British. The fort, when built, was inspected by Tippu Sultan who then found it enveloped in fog and hence named it as Manjarabad fort. The name Manjara is the corrupted version of 'manju' which mean 'fog or mist' in Kannada.

This star shaped fort was built on the pattern of the military forts developed by the French architect Sebastian Le Prestre de Vauban. It boasts of an interesting octagonal design with eight walls. Built using large granite blocks and mud and surrounded by a deep moat, the fort has a parapet, .....

At a distance of 27 km from Hassan and 63 km from Sakleshpur, Hemavathi Dam is an earthen dam situated at Gorur in Hassan district of Karnataka. Also known as Gorur Dam, it is one of the popular picnic spots in Hassan and among the prime places to visit in Sakleshpura.

The dam is built across the river Hemavathi, an important tributary of River Kaveri. Built in 1979, the reservoir has been providing water supply for drinking and irrigation purposes to the nearby villages. The dam is 58 meters in height, and 4692 meters long, impounding a reservoir of 8502 hectares. The reservoir has 6 large radial spillway gates.

Hemavathi Dam offers a beautiful view to the visitors. The sight is more attractive when the gates of the reservoir are open and the water gushes down in a lovely manner. There is a garden covered in green grass right next to the dam which enhances the beauty of the location. The garden is often used by the locales as a picnic spot. An early morning visit to the dam .....

At a distance of 16 km from Gorur Dam, 25 km from Hassan and 45 km from Sakleshpur, Shettihalli Rosary Church is an ancient church situated at Shettihalli village in Hassan district of Karnataka. It is one of the popular places to visit in Hassan and among the best places to visit near Sakleshpur.

Popularly called as Floating Church, Shettihalli Church was built in 1860 by the French missionaries for the wealthy British estate owners. After the construction of the Hemavati Dam and Reservoir in 1960 the church was abandoned. Since then the church submerges in water every year during monsoon season.

The church was built magnificently in the Gothic Architectural style. The uniqueness of the church lies in the fact that the church remains submerged in the backwaters of the Hemavathi River at all times of the year except summer. Even when the church is half under the water, tourists can go near it on a coracle. During the summer season the water recedes and visitors can pay a visit .....