Gajanur Dam, Shimoga - Timings, Boating, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 14 km from Shimoga, Gajanur Dam is a concrete dam situated at Gajanur near Shimoga. It is one of the scenic places to visit in Shimoga during the monsoon season.

Gajanur Dam was built across the River Tunga in the year 1972 by Mysore Construction Company (MCC). The length of the dam is 770 meters, and the full reservoir level of 534 meters. The S-shaped dam was mainly constructed to provide water for drinking and irrigation purposes of Shimoga city and other taluks of the district. The engineering uniqueness of this dam is that there are 22 crest gates and yet, it can handle the River Tunga's thundering flows during monsoon. Water from the dam is pumped to Bhadra Dam during the peak monsoon season, which is then further used to serve dry regions of the Chitradurga district.

Gajanur Dam is one of the scenic picnic spots for tourists. Surrounded by lush green fields, plantations, and forests, the dam is a feast to the eyes when the gates are opened during the monsoon season. It is also the birthplace of Kannada actor Dr. Raj Kumar. Near Gajanur, one can find Sakrebyle which is famous for the Elephant training camp run by the government.

Timings: 10 AM - 4 PM

Entry: Free