Kunchikal Falls (Kannada: ಕುಂಚಿಕಲ್‌ ಜಲಪಾತ), also called Kunchikal Abbe, are located near Masthikatte-Hulikal in Shimoga district of state of Karnataka. Kunchikal falls are formed by Varahi river. Varahi River cascades down hundreds of rocks near Hulikal (Ghati Temple), Hosanagara taluk, Shimoga District.

Kunchikal falls cascades down rocky boulders and total height of this fall is 455 meters (1,493 feet) and this height makes this falls as highest waterfalls of India. The total length of cascade exceeds 1 km.

After construction of Mani Dam near Masthikatte and underground power generation station near Hulikal, Shimoga district, the water flow to this falls is greatly reduced and visible only during rainy season (July-Sept).

Kunchikal Falls view from Metkalgudda 

Photos: Manjappa Jois-Hosangadi

Information Courtesy: Wikipedia

There is a large pool and the water is falling down from one side of the rock mountain. The pool is very beautiful and equally dangerous. If you take some villagers with you, they will tell some strange stories about this place. After going out of the pool, the water is flowing in a zigzag manner through rocky path and there you can play, bath, and enjoy the fresh water.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Bandaje falls is a waterfall located in the Charmadi ghat section of the Western Ghats in the Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka.

Bandaje Falls has a very nice view, and it is believed to be 700 Mtres above the sea level (though no one has officially measured it). it flows as a single stream, and falls from approximately 400+ metres in between the vallies of Western Ghat. This flows further and joins the river Netravathi as a tributary.

Bandaje Falls has become a hot tourist destination in the western ghats. It is a nice treking spot too. To visit Bandaje Falls, there are actually two different routes. If you are travelling via Mangalore - Ujire, it is located 25 km from Ujire. Travel 6 km from Ujire towards Charmadi Ghat, take left at Somanthadka, travel for another 6 km, then take a right turn, and travel for 2 km to find a village named kadirudyavara, from where you can have the remote view of the Falls. However, you have to trek for 10 more km from Kadirudyavara to reach the falls. Locally this falls is called as Bandaje Arbi, where Arbi means falls in Tulu language. ಬಂಡಾಜೆ ಜಲಪಾತವು ನಿಸರ್ಗದ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ರಮಣೀಯ ತಾಣಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

The Barkana Falls (Kannada: ಬರ್ಕಣ ಜಲಪಾತ) is among the ten highest waterfalls in India. This falls is located near Agumbe in Shimoga district of state of Karnataka. The Barkana falls are formed by the Sita river. Currently Barkana falls is the prime source of one of the hydro electric projects in Karnataka. It is a wonderful location for sightseeing and enjoying a picnic, but beware of the leeches during the rainy season.

Courtesy: Wikipedia

 Koodlu Theertha/Kudlu Theertha Falls is a picturesque waterfall located at a distance of 42 Km from Udupi near Hebri. Kudlu Theertha Falls is located amid jungles of Western Ghats in Udupi district and recognized as the first water fall of river Sita.The water falls from a height of 126 feet directly to the pond. It is believed that this pond is holy because many sages performed penance here many years ago.

Nearest bus station is Hebri. From there one can get bus to Nalikatte, which would drop you at Kudlu gate. Nearest railway station is Udupi, 42 kms from Hebri. Better to take your private vehicles as public transports do not enter deep forest and you have to walk 1.5 Kms extra into the forest.  

Another one is from the Agumbe check point. There is a small lake and adjacent to that there is a small park. If you go to the right end of the park, you will see the board as “Onake Abbi Jalapathakke Charana Hadi” in Kannada. From here if you start, you will join the 1st suggested path in the mid way. There is no clear path here, you have to find the traces of used path and follow the same. If you are new to forests and trekking, then this path is not for you!. You have to walk around 1 km to join the clear mud road. You have to walk around 4 km in the mud road. Around 200 mt before the falls, there are steps to go down a little because the place is pretty much in 'V' shape. From that distance itself, you can hear the roaring sound of this amazingly beautiful falls. Once you clear the steps, you will see the 'Onake Abbi Falls'. Beware of “Leaches”.

Don't forget to take some food with you because you feel extremely hungry here and if you have no food then you have nothing to eat here. Near the Agumbe check post, there is one 'Bajji - Bonda' shop.

Courtesy: Manjappa Jois-Hosangadi & Wikipedia

 "Sri Mahaganapathi (Dodda Ganapathi) Temple-Sirsi" is one of the famous attraction for devotees. This temple is located near Rayarapete the center of Sirsi town. Here you can see the big Lord Ganesha Idol. So this temple is locally called as "Dodda Ganapathi (Big Ganesha) Temple". According to history this Ganesha Idol was made in "Hoysala style" & it is approximately 400 years old. The height of Idol is approximately 183 cm. & width is 159 cm. The original temple was built in the period of "Sonda Empire", the temple is renovated later.

For those who believe in astrology / fortune telling but do not have a horoscope in place, there is a ritual performed at the Maha Ganapathi temple by the priests there. The seeker has to frame the question that will have a binary outcome (Yes or No; True or False) The priest does the needful and the seeker is told about the verdict from Lord Ganesha. A lot of decisions like buying/selling property, choosing a vocation for higher studies are taken by some people through this ritual.

Near by Attraction: Sri Marikamba Temple,Sri Shankara Temple, Shankara Honda (Origin of Aghanashini River), Vishnu Matha, Ambagiri, Veerabhadra Temple

Photo Gallery:

Photos: Shriharsha.B.S-Banavasi

Information Courtesy: "Sirsi Sri Mahaganapathi" Book written by- Sri T.M. Subbaraya 

 Kere Bylu Falls is a hidden beauty of Western-ghat, located near 'Hosangadi' (Kundapur Taluk) town  (Approx-2 Km) which is in Udupi district of Karnataka state. This falls is located in hillock of Western Ghats  which is unpolluted & untouched by tourist.

 The Chakra River is a river flowing through Kundapur and Gungulli in western India. It originates in Kodachdri peak. It joins with the Souparnika River, Varahi River and Kubja River and merges into the Arabian Sea.

The Chakra nagar is a small town which is famous because of this river.Chakranagar is on the way to Shimoga to Mangalore via Hosanagara Nagara- Mastikatte- Chakranagar-Kundapuar.There is also a Chakra dam which was built long ago as a balancing reservoir and does not have sluice gate to the Linganamakki Dam and you need special permission to visit this dam.The Chakra Dam was a KPC project and the chief engineer was B Seetharam.

Getting There:

From Shivamogga go to Mastikatte (100km from Shivamogga).Masthikatte is a city located in Hosanagara Taluk, Shimoga district, Karnataka, India. From Mastikatte, Chakra Dam is about 20km. Savehaklu Dam is 10km. A guide & vehicle are required. For stay & food, Thirthahalli (45km) is the nearest place.

Nearest Places of Interest: Kunchikal Falls,Savehaklu Reservoir,Vanadurgeshwari temple,Varahi backwater, Chandikmba Temple-Hulikal. 

Photo Gallery:

A part of the Sharavathi river basin was declared as a wildlife sanctuary on 20 April 1972. Spread over an area of 431.23 km² (166 sq mi)., it has dense evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. Linganamakki reservoir spread over an area of 128.7 km² (50 sq mi). is a part of this sanctuary. The remaining area has been divided into core zone (74.33 km².), buffer zone (170.67 km²) and tourism zone (57.53 km².). The altitude in the sanctuary varies from 94 to 1102 mts, the highest point being Devarakonda on the southern edge of the sanctuary. Temperatures range from 15° to 38 °C and mean annual rainfall is 4500 mm.

The sanctuary has mainly evergreen, semi-green and some moist deciduous forests. Trees in the evergreen forest include species such as Dipterocarpus indicus, Calophyllum tomentosum, Machilus macrantha, Caryota urens and Aporosa lindleyana. In the semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests, common species include Lagerstroemia lanceolata, Hopea parviflora, Dalbergia latifolia, Dillenia pentagyna, Careya arborea, Emblica officinalis, Randia sp., Terminalia sp. and Vitex altissima.

The sanctuary is a refuge of the endangered Lion-tailed macaque. Other mammals include tiger, leopard (black panther), wild dog, jackal, sloth bear, spotted deer, sambar, barking deer, mouse deer, wild pig, common langur, bonnet macaque, Malabar giant squirrel, giant flying squirrel, porcupine, otter and pangolin. Reptiles include king cobra, python, rat snake, crocodile and monitor lizard. Some of the avian species found in the sanctuary include three species of hornbill, paradise flycatcher, racket-tailed drongo, blue-throated barbet and Indian lories and lorikeets.

Photo Gallery:

Lion-tailed macaque

Courtesy: Wikipedia