Ikkeri Shimoga

The Mangalore Airport is close to this place. From the airport one can take a bus or a taxi to reach Ikkeri. There are many buses that one can take to reach Ikkeri. If not by bus one can also travel by a taxi to reach this place. One can also travel by an auto rickshaw and reach Ikkeri. The Sagar Jambagaru Railway Station is close to this place. From the railway station one can take a bus or a taxi to reach this place.  The best time to visit this place is from the months of April to August.

One can stay at many places near Ikkeri. The prices too are affordable. Some of the names of the places are Sanjeevini Homestay, Sri Ranga Homestay, Sri Ranga Residency, Mandaara Comforts, Gundi Mane, etc. There are also many places where one can eat food at. Some of the names of the restaurants are  Hotel Shri Pavithra Pure Veg Restaurant, Hotel Suvidha Swada, Shanti Sagara Canteen, Hotel Athithya Pure Veg Restaurant, Hotel New Sukh Sagar, etc.

Arsikere: Arsikere actually  means Queen's Lake. It is called so because it is believed that a princess of the Hoysala dynasty built a lake near this town. In this town one also finds many popular temples like the Ishwara Temple,The Malekal Tirupati Temple, etc. The Ishwara temple here is quite famous and it is considered to be one of the best structures of Hoysala architecture. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple has a 16 pointed star shaped hall along with a shrine that has an asymmetrical star shaped hall.  When it comes to the Malekal Temple, this temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This temple is built in the Dravidian style of architecture. It is also called as Chikka Tirupathi Temple.Since this temple happens to be similar to the Tirupati  Venkateswara Temple  which is in Andhra Pradesh thus this temple came to be known as Chikka Tirupati where Chikka means small.

Amrutheshwara Temple: This temple is located in Amruthapura. The temple dates back to approximately the 12th century. It was built during the reign of the Hoysala King Veera Ballala II by Amrutheshwara Dandanayaka. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. One finds a Shiva Linga in this temple which is believed to be approximately 300 years old. There is an idol of Sharada Devi which is next to the Shiva Linga. Many people visit this temple for various reasons such as any problems related to health and  money,etc. The temple is built in the Hoysala architectural style. The Shikara of this temple happens to be decorated with detailed carvings of demon faces and also mini towers. The sculpture on the southern wall of the temple depicts events from the Ramayana. The north side of this temple has panels that show important Hindu mythology. One also finds a stone inscription in the temple complex which happens to be a great example of old Kannada poetry and this poetry is attributed to Janna who was one of the most famous poets of the region.

Bhadravati: This city was earlier called Benkipura which meant city of fire. The city derives its name from the River Bhadra which flows here. One also finds many temples here at Bhadravathi. The Lakshmi Narasimha Temple here is quite popular. This temple was built approximately  in the 13th century. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple is built in the Hoysala architectural style. The Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary can also be visited. One gets to see various types of flora and fauna here.

Linganamakki Dam: This dam is spread across the Sharavathi River. The dam was built in 1964 by the Government of Karnataka. The purpose behind building this dam was to help in irrigation facilities of the surrounding area and later also to supply fresh drinking water. It is considered to be one of the largest human made dams of the country. This is because of the width of this dam and its storing capacity. The view that one gets to see around this dam is amazing forests and hills. This dam has resulted in beautiful backwaters because of which one can indulge in many water sports like boating ,kayaking ,etc. There is also a hydro electricity plant that has been set up here.

Sharavathi Wildlife Sanctuary: It is located in the Sharavathi River Valley. The area of this sanctuary is approximately 431.23 sq km. One finds here evergreen and semi- evergreen forests. The animals that one finds in this sanctuary are Jackal,black panther, tiger, otter, lion tailed macaque,etc. This sanctuary is also  a good place for bird watching since it houses many birds like woodpeckers,lorikeets,etc. One can also enjoy water sports like kayaking and canoeing in the backwaters of this sanctuary.