Bhadra Dam

The nearest railway station to the Dam is Tarikere. From the station one can take either a bus or cab to reach the dam. The Mangalore Airport is the nearest to the Dam. From there one can take either a bus or a cab to reach the dam. There are also many state run buses from Chikmagalur that will go to the Dam. If not a bus, one can also travel by a cab to the Dam as the place has good road connectivity. One also has the option of driving to the Bhadra Dam in their own vehicle. The best time to come to this place is during the monsoon season.

There are many places where one can stay around the dam. The prices too are affordable. Some of the names of the places are Green View Clarks Inn, Royal Orchid Central, Hotel Jai Maata Grandeur, Blue Crystal Lodge, Mathura Residency, etc. There are also many places where one can eat food at. Some of the names of the restaurants are Meenakshi Bhavan, Royal Orchid, Hotel Shubham, Rice Bowl Restaurant, Tiger Trail,etc.

Bhadra Dam is surrounded by greenery on all sides. This is why this place is suitable for a one day picnic. It is possible to camp here during the day time. At this dam there are many small islands which show the creativity of the reservoir which is present there. As one moves from one island to another they get to see many migratory birds. This dam also has many water adventure sports. One can indulge in water sports like kayaking, sailing, water cycling,boating activities, etc here.

The Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is another place that one can visit as it is close to the Dam. The Bhadra River flows through this sanctuary. One gets to see a variety of flora and fauna here such as green pigeon, Malabar parakeet, black woodpecker, wild boars, hill mynas, etc. It is also possible to see various species of butterflies here. This sanctuary is also a part of the Project Tiger which aims at protecting tigers all across.

The Gajanur Dam is another interesting place to visit. It is located in Gajanur village which is also known as the gateway of Malnad and built across the Tunga river.  This dam is also surrounded by greenery and is a beautiful tourist spot to visit. This dam was built in 1972 by Mysore Construction Company. This dam is S shaped and the purpose behind building it was to provide additional irrigation and also deal with River Tungas heavy flows during monsoon and prevent flooding. One also gets to see different varieties of birds chirping here.

The Sakrebyle Elephant Camp is another tourist attraction. It is maintained by the Karnataka Forest Department. This camp is basically a forest camp for the captive elephants in Karnataka. All the elephants who are sick or even uncontrollable are brought here for training. Those people who visit this camp are allowed to interact with the elephants. They can also view how the elephants are given a bath in the Tunga River, how they enjoy their drink and also how later they move towards their feeding area. Sometimes elephant rides are also allowed here.

The Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary is a small and beautiful island which is located in the River Tunga. Migratory birds from all over come here especially during the month of May for the purpose of breeding. The various species of birds found here are Darters, Median Egrets, Cormorants, Willy Neck Stalk, Pied Kingfisher, etc. One can enjoy bird watching here and for this purpose there is a watch tower that has been made specially for this purpose. It is also possible to camp and trek here.

An interesting monument for one to see is the Shivappa Nayaka Palace. This  was built by the Keladi Nayakas and the entire place is made of rosewood.Inside the palace one gets to see the darbar hall,four rooms and also a mini balcony. The pillars are carved in detail and it is quite interesting to look at the intricacy of these details.There is a museum here inside the palace. All the artifacts and sculptures found in this museum belong to the Keladi, the Chalukya and the Hoysala Era. Outside the palace is a beautiful garden where one can have a walk in.

The Kavaledurga Fort is on top of a hill and is also in the midst of a dense forest. Another name for this fort is Bhuvanagiri. In order to reach the top of this fort one will have to go trekking. At the fort one can find only a few remains of the palace , guard rooms and weapon storage houses. There is also a freshwater pond found here. Also in the fort one finds various shrines dedicated to Virupaksha, Vijaya Vittala, Veerabhadra, Mallara and Bhuvaneshwari. On the hill one will find the Srikanteshwara temple and Nandi Mantapa.

One can also visit the Kundadri Jain Temple in the Kundadri Hills. The name Kundadri is derived from the name of Acharya Kundakunda who was a Jain monk who took shelter in these hills. The Kundadri Hills are a good place for trekking. On top of this hill one finds the Kundadri Jain Temple which is dedicated to the 23rd Tirthankara of the Jains.Two small ponds are also found here.

Thus the Bhadra Dam is truly an exciting place to visit.