As I look back on our trip to North Karnataka, I often think about the Best Tourist Places in Shimoga. After Chikmagalur, Shimoga was our next destination in our tour.
From this blog, you will know about the Best Tourist Places in Shimoga so that you can plan your trip better.
Shimoga is one of the most interesting places to visit in North Karnataka. It is a district place and is part of the Malnad or Sahyadri mountain range. Some even call it the Gateway of Malnad. In 2006, the Shimoga Adminitration changed its name to Shivamogga and now Shimoga is also known as Shivamogga.
I was particularly impressed with the Pollution levels (AQI 7) in October. The temperature averages around 25 Degrees but summer can be hotter. The district has a lot of plains and produces rice in plenty.
There are many places to visit in Shimoga like hills, waterfalls, cultural and historical places of interest. One can plan to visit many places in a 3 day trip to Shimoga and enjoy their stay here.
Check out our Video on the Top 7 Tourist Places in Shimoga.
The Paddy Fields of Shimoga
Shimoga is full of paddy fields, coconut groves and arecanut trees everywhere. This wouldn’t count as one of the particular places to visit in Shimoga as the fields everywhere. You will hardly miss them as the paddy or rice fields dominate the landscape.
The endless paddy fields alongside the roads are scenic. We enjoyed getting down from our vehicle. You can too get down from your vehicle and check the endless fields and engross in the greenery.
Check the pictures here.
Shimoga Jog Waterfalls
Jog Waterfalls are one of the best tourist places in Shimoga. Well known and highly popular in India and out of India as well.
The topography of the western ghat is such that it creates landscapes for waterfalls. You will find gorgeous waterfalls everywhere. Of these, Jog Waterfalls is one which stands out.
The falls have names like Gerosoppa, The Mahatma Gandhi Falls or others. The name Jog Falls originates from Jogada Gundi which means falling water.
Jog Falls lies on the Sharavati river in the western ghat of North Karnataka.
One can gauge its height on viewing it. It is the 3rd highest Plunge Waterfall in India.
We are thankful to the tourism department of Karnataka for creating safe viewpoints. Jog Falls does not fall on some rock to flow, it has a single uninterrupted stream. It is the highest un-tiered waterfall in India
Jog Falls is not a single waterfall but includes 4 streams. The names of the streams are as Raja, Rani, Roarer and Rocket.
The Rani flows like a White Lady. Roarer roars while flowing and Rocket is the fastest. The best time to visit Shimoga’s Jog Waterfalls would be from July to December.
Tyavarekoppa, Shimogga - Zoo and Tiger - Lion Safari
If we keep family and kids in our mind then Tiger – Lion Safari is also one of the Best Tourist Places in Shimoga.
The zoo with a Lion and Tiger Safari is 15 mins from the City centre. It is quite a big forest and the forest department provides for the facility.
The Shimoga Zoo is a fun place to visit. It has 2 parts in it. One is the regular zoo, having animals in cages. Animals like Leopards, Bears, Indian Bison, Deer and other birds and animals. The kids love watching these animals. The Zoo authorities feed the animals good but which animal would not crave for freedom.
In the other part one can spend time in the safari either in the jeep or in the bus. These are vast areas but separate for the lions and the tiger.
One can spend 3 to 4 hours in this place. It is open on all days except for Tuesdays from morning 10 am to evening 5. 1 pm to 2 pm being lunch time. My daughter and I enjoyed the safari.
Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
For nature and wildlife lovers, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the Best Tourist Places in Shimoga . Bhadra National Park lies in both the Chikmagalur district as well as Shimoga. We found it closer to Shimoga. You can travel from either of the places when you plan your trip.
The Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is a unique place to visit. It is a vast forest area through which passes the Bhadra river. The Bhadra Dam is very close to it too.
It has 2 Safaris, the jeep Safari and the unique water safari. When we reached there, unfortunately the jeep Safari was closed for maintenance. Due to this we went in for the water safari.
This left us disappointed. The jeep Safari has a higher probability of viewing 30 Tigers and 20 Leopards in the wild. If you are lucky then you might spot elephants, gaur, deers, monkeys(langurs), gaur etc
Little did we know that the Water Safari was going to be an out of the world experience. Luckily, we got the front seats in the boat. Roughly it takes almost an hour for the entire boat ride
The water Safari begins with some less dense forest. As we move ahead, you can see the beautiful colors of the trees surrounding the lake. Shades of Green, red and reddish-brown leaves add to the beauty. We noticed some monkeys watching us from the branches and climbing higher once we got nearby.
Check out the pictures below.
The boat then moved through the undisturbed water of the lake. The cool breeze filled us with fresh air from the sanctuary. We reached a distant corner of the lake and the boatman switched off the engine. The silence of the jungle is eerie and we looked into every nook and corner to find the presence of any wild animal.
The boat moved into the larger area which looked stunning. It made the water a portrait of the reflections of the blue sky and the distant mountains.
We found a flock of birds, the great Cormorant. We could get some shots up close. It was feeding its little one and finding food. Check out these Pics.
It was a lovely evening in the forest in a boat. We moved from there and slowly watched every part of the forest as we maneuvered through the lake. Finally, the safari ended and we all moved on to Shimoga.
On the way back, we saw this beautiful statue of Lord Shiva. Please do not mistake it for the one at Murudeshwar, as this one seems to be a wonderful replica. Check out the Pics.
Sarkebelye Elephant Park
Elephants are in every state of South India. Few places like Coorg have Elephant Parks like this one in Sarkebelye. The Elephant Park in Sarkebelye is one of the highest visited places. It is also one of the best tourist places in Shimoga.
The Elephants were in chains but looked at peace. The officers here told us that the elephants are on display for the morning else they set free in the jungles nearby. Though we are not sure about it.
These magnificent beasts native to Asia stand almost 8 – 10 ft tall and weigh almost 4 -5 Tonnes. A thought which humbles every man and wild animal.
This place is a treat for Kids and families as you get to see the Elephants from up close. Sometimes you get a chance to feed them too.
The nearby jungles are a treat for nature lovers. The road passes through dense forest and one gets the chills to get down as the traffic is minimal. One should experience the silence of these jungles to understand what we say.
Mandaggade Bird Sanctuary
Mandaggade Bird Sanctuary is at maximum 45 mins distance from Shimmoga by car. It hosts a lot of birds but unfortunately, we didn’t find much of them due to reasons unknown to
There are a few watch towers adjacent to the Tirthanhalli road but one needs patience and timing to watch the birds. In our view one can give it a miss unless you are a big bird watching fan.
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Shivamogga
This too is one of the best tourist places in Shimoga.
The Sacred Heart Cathedral or Church is a kilometer away from the heart of Shimoga city. It is one of Christian religious places to visit in Shimoga. One can park the car outside and walk into it. It has a prayer hall and Statue of Lord Jesus. It is a very big church and is very peaceful.
With that we come to the end of our list of 7 best tourist places in Shimoga in North Karnataka.
How to Reach
In Aug ’23, the Shimoga Airport started functioning and now you have direct flights here. Shimoga lies landlocked and to travel here one needs to rely on the road or rail. It is well connected by road with Bangalore, Mysore Mangalore, Hubli and Davangere. The roads are good too. Since we were on our road trip, we traveled here from Chikkamagulur.
If you would like to know about our travel to Chikmagalur then please check Our Blog on Chikmagalur Tourist Attractions Travel Guide for First Time Visitors Here.
Where Did We Stay in Shimoga
There are quite a few hotels here. We chose to stay at the Royal Orchid and found it comfortable and the hospitality was equally good. The hotel is well maintained and clean. The rooms have all the required facilities and are relaxing.
Shimogga or Shivamogga – Urban, Natural & Traditional
Shimogga is a very peaceful and beautiful place to visit anytime during the year though summers can be hot. It has a mix of city, nature and traditional locations hence makes it even more special. It is light on the pocket. It has good food to try. One shouldn’t give it a miss, if you are on a family road trip.
Please share our blog to people who are interested in family road trips. And also to travel, wildlife, history and nature lovers.
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