One or Two days Trip from Bangalore to Dharmasthala to Bangalore, If you are Solo riding on a MotorBike or You are a Family driving in Car, then this one or two days plan works very well. Below is the route mentioned where you can plan accordingly, if at all you need to spend some more time in some place in the list, you can skip the next place in the planned route.
Dharmasthala is a small Hindu pilgrimage town devoted to god Manjunatha. Also has other temples and shrines dedicated to Ammanavaru, Chandranath and the Dharma Daivas (meaning guardian spirits of Dharma) — Kalarahu, Kalarkayi, Kumaraswamy and Kanyakumari.
It is a Hindu temple run by a Jain administration and poojas are conducted by Hindu priests who subscribe to the Vaishnava ideologies. It's unusual because most Shiva temples are run by Shaivas as opposed to the Madhava Bhramins who are devotees of Vishnu and his avatars.
Route
Bangalore -> Hassan -> Belur -> Charmadi Ghat -> Ujire -> Dharmasthala -> Shiradi Ghat -> Sakleshpur -> Hassan -> Bangalore
Bangalore -> Hassan -> Belur
- Time & Distance: 2 hr 30 min to 3 hrs (220 km) - Including small breaks
- Leaving Bangalore at early morning around 4:00 would be a good choice, so that you would be reaching early morning 6:30 or 7:00 Belur.
- Road is very good and you can see a lot of heavy vehicles till you take a diversion into NH 48. At every toll plaza you get something to eat and have small breaks.
- Till Hassan you should be on NH 48 and after that take a diversion to Hassan Outer Ring road and travel towards NH 373 and continue on this highway till you reach Belur.
- In Belur you can visit Chennakeshava Temple (If you are interested or time permits), It would take 1 hr and leave from here. You can have breakfast here or you have few options after your cross Belur.
Belur -> Charmadi Ghat -> Ujire -> Dharmasthala
- After you leave from Belur you will cross through good views on the road and if you haven’t had your breakfast, I suggest you have at Kottigehara (you can check Hotel Nisarga Grand, view is really good especially if fog exists).
- Travel towards Ujre on NH 73, Charmadi Ghat is a scenic route, you come across a few waterfalls and hills covered with moist in the mornings, views are really good.
- Once you reach Ujre, you need to take a diversion towards Dharmasthala onto the State highway 37.
- You might reach Dharmasthala based on the time you take breaks at the scenic places. Make sure you reach around 12:00 or 1:00 so that you can take some rest in the afternoon (till 4:00) and start exploring further.
Dharmasthala
- First visit Annappa Betta, It takes some 20 min to 30 mins, here is where the Dharma Daivas are worshiped.
- Then visit the Lalithodyana park, then visit Manjusha Car Museum and at the end visit Sri Chandranatha Swamy Digambara Basadi temple. Finish your day here.
- Next Day, Early in the morning, first visit Netravati River. If you wish to take a bath here, or else offer your prayers at the river and start towards the Sri Manjunatha Temple. I suggest you reach the temple queue around 5:30 AM in the morning so that you get in the dharshana as soon as possible (Early morning dharshana is really divine here).
- Once you finish the dharshana, Visit Manjusha Museum (opening at 9:30) you can spend time till 12:00 PM or 1:00 PM. The museum preserves terracotta coins from Mauryan period, dating around 1st century BC. A 300 yr old Veena, a musical instrument of Vidhwan Veene Sheshanna. The museum also houses a unique collection of 6000 palm leaf manuscripts.
- After this, you can have the food at Annapurna Dining Hall. And take some rest for an hour or if you are fine visit Shri Bhagwan Bahubali Monolithic Statue. And get ready to leave Dharmasthala, mostly you will be done by 11:00 or max 12:00.
Dharmasthala -> Shiradi Ghat -> Sakleshpur -> Hassan -> Bangalore
- While leaving you will be taking a different route, via Shiradi Ghat.
- This route is too scenic, you will connect to NH 75 and you can see few waterfalls on the Shiradi ghat route.
- You can visit Manjarabad Fort, which is before Sakleshpur. You can spend 1 hr to 2 hr here.
- I suggest you leave Sakleshpur around 5:30 or 6:00 so that you reach bangalore by 10:00 or 11:00. You will have few options for food after you cross Hassan.
Important Safety Advisory for Dharmasthala Visitors
While Dharmasthala remains a revered pilgrimage town, visitors—especially solo travelers and families—should remain alert, informed, and cautious throughout their journey. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Exercise extra caution at remote spots such as river ghats, isolated shrine areas, or dense forested pathways. These are less frequented and may pose higher risks.
- Stick to busy, well-lit zones—like the main temple complex, dining areas, or museums—where assistance is readily available.
- Travel in groups whenever possible, especially during early morning or late evening visits.
- Be vigilant with belongings and avoid accepting help from strangers for directions or assistance; unauthorized guides have been reported in isolated areas.
These precautions are not merely theoretical—several traumatic incidents linked to Dharmasthala over the past decades underscore the importance of awareness:
- In 1979, educator Vedavalli was reportedly raped and burnt alive under suspicious circumstances, with strong accusations against individuals tied to Dharmasthala’s power structure.
- In 1986, PU student Padmalatha, a trailblazer in her class, disappeared en route to college and was found murdered two months later; her hands and legs were tied, and the case remains unresolved despite activist efforts.
- The 2012 rape and murder of 17-year-old Sowjanya triggered statewide outrage but remains unresolved. The case, first investigated by Belthangady police and later handed to the CID and CBI, led to the arrest of Santhosh Rao, who spent nearly six years in jail before being acquitted by a CBI court in June 2023 due to lack of evidence. The court noted serious flaws in the investigation, including mishandling of forensic evidence, missing CCTV and call records, and a poorly conducted autopsy. Sowjanya’s family and activists continue to allege a cover-up to protect powerful figures, but their appeals for an SIT reinvestigation were rejected by the Karnataka High Court.
- A whistleblower alleges he was coerced into burying numerous raped and murdered victims, including minors, between 1995 and 2014 near Dharmasthala.
- Importantly, Locals are hesitant to speak on record about the Dharmasthala crimes. Many agree to share information only when the camera is off, but avoid giving recorded statements due to fear.
These tragic events have prompted renewed calls for a comprehensive and unbiased investigation, including from groups like the AIDWA, which advocated for the SIT to also probe these historic cases along with the recent mass burial allegations.
Conclusion
You might have a clear picture of how to plan your trip from Bangalore to Dharmasthala and the best places to visit in Dharmasthala and a brief idea of when to visit what places. Thanks for reading the article, for more travel related articles read our people blog articles.
