Shivamogga

Introduction

Shivamogga, still widely called Shimoga, is the headquarters of its district in Karnataka and sits on the banks of the Tunga River. Its position makes it the practical starting point for the hilly Western Ghats country known as Malnad, and the city is nicknamed the "Gateway to Malnad" for that reason.

Use the city as a base for the hills rather than a destination in itself: the riverbank setting and the road onward into the Ghats are what define a visit here.

Before you go

Shivamogga sits in the Malenadu region of Karnataka, where dense evergreen rain forests grow in many places. If you plan to venture into these forests, go carefully and be prepared for conditions that change quickly.

The rainy season months of June, July, August and September can bring flooding and water logging on roads and within the forests. Carry a torch, water, food, a rain coat, a first aid box, a whistle, cotton wicks and other essentials with you. Fill your vehicle's fuel tank with petrol or diesel before entering the forests, as there are no petrol bunks or pumps in many rural areas.

Getting there

Shivamogga is served by trains from Bangalore and Mysore, with services from Bangalore running throughout the day from morning until late at night. On arrival, if you move quickly you can catch the city service bus into town; auto-rickshaws are also available at the station. Either will get you to the main bus terminus, where you can pick up onward buses to places such as Sagar and Talaguppa. A railway station link bus to Sagar is also timed to meet arriving trains.

Buses from the state capital, Bangalore, are plentiful and run during both the day and the night, with several classes of service to suit different budgets. The journey takes roughly seven hours, passing through Tumakuru, Tiptur, Arsikere, Kadur, Tarikere and Bhadravati before reaching Shivamogga bus terminus.

Getting around

Shivamogga has no metro or tram, so you'll get around by auto-rickshaw, city bus or hired cab. Autos are widely available for short trips within the city, but they aren't metered, so agree on the fare before you set off. Hiring a cab is a reasonable option, especially if you're covering several stops or carrying luggage, and the most convenient approach of all is to arrange for a local person to take you around rather than negotiating each trip separately.

Buses are the backbone of public transport. If you arrive by train at Shivamogga Town Railway Station, take a city service bus or an auto to the main bus terminus, which serves as your interchange point for onward travel to places such as Sagar and Talaguppa; a dedicated railway link bus runs to Sagar timed to train arrivals. From Bengaluru, buses run throughout the day and night in several classes, a journey of nearly seven hours. If you fly into Shimoga Airport near Sogane, south of the city, arrange a cab or auto for the transfer into town; the nearest international gateways are Kempegowda and Mangalore, with onward travel by road or rail. The city is compact, but for anything beyond a short distance plan on an auto, cab or bus. Kannada is the most widely spoken language, with Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi and Konkani also spoken — useful when speaking with drivers. Most rain falls between June and early October, so plan outdoor movement accordingly.

Where to stay

Shivamogga and its surrounding countryside offer a handful of places to base yourself, ranging from a town hotel to riverside farm stays. In Shivamogga itself, Hotel Heritage sits opposite the railway station on B.H. Road, a convenient choice if you arrive or leave by train and want to be in the centre of things.

• Vihangama Holiday Retreat — a family-run resort in the Western Ghats on the bank of the Tunga, about 4 km from Thirthahalli on Highway 13 towards Shivamogga.
• River View Farm Stay — at Harakere on the Thirthahalli Road, a short drive from the bus terminal and railway station, with rooms facing the Tunga and lush greenery and river views all around; local attractions are a short drive away.

Food & drink

Shimoga has no real nightlife, so plan your evenings around eating rather than going out. A few bars are scattered through the commercial areas, and a handful of remote bars near Mandagadee stay open late into the night.

What to see and do

Start in the busy lanes on the banks of the River Tunga, where the Shivappa Nayaka Palace, a 16th-century building of rose wood, houses a museum of stone carvings and antiques from the Keladi period, along with recovered Hoysala and Chalukya idols. In the heart of the city stands the Sacred Heart Church, renovated and equipped with a large prayer hall. The city's railway station is one of the earliest in Karnataka, and the meter gauge line to Birur has been part of its story since the late 19th century.

• Tyavarekoppa Lion and Tiger Safari, on the way to Sagar, combines a zoo with fenced enclosures for lions and tigers, so sightings are guaranteed; covered buses run into the enclosures regularly, and the mini zoo holds hyenas, bears, porcupines, pythons and alligators.
• Elephant Training Camp at Sakrebylu, on the way to Thirthahalli, where elephants from the adjoining forests are tamed by professionals and bathe in the water each morning; arrive before 9AM to catch them at play.
• Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary, also on the way to Thirthahalli, set around a small island in the Tunga amid dense forest, with a high platform for birdwatching and boats for a closer look at egrets, cormorants, darters and snake birds that migrate here for breeding.
• The 12th-century Kudli Hoysala Rameshwara Temple, an early Hoysala Shiva temple in simple Vesara style.
• Kudali Sangama, where the Tunga and Bhadra merge, with a branch of the Sringeri Math, the Chintamani Narasimha Temple, a rare Brahma temple and stone inscriptions; there is no shade and nowhere to linger, and don't confuse it with Kudalasangama.
• Kimmane Golf resort on the city's outskirts and Gangur Dam, both a short drive away.

Nature photography and hiking are the best ways to spend your time in the district, which holds waterfalls, trekking passes, mountains, viewpoints and hill stations, plus a wide variety of wild animals, butterflies, moths, snakes and insects. For a very different culinary experience, visit one of the local temples for lunch.

When to go

Shivamogga has a tropical wet and dry climate, so the timing of your visit shapes what kind of trip you get. The dry stretch runs from winter into early summer. January and February are the driest months of the year, and November and December are among the coolest, with comparatively comfortable days, little rain and straightforward travel conditions. If you want reliable weather for getting around, this is the window to aim for.

Heat builds toward April, the warmest month, and in April and May temperatures climb high enough that you should plan around the heat rather than long days outdoors. The wet season dominates from June to early October, with July the wettest month. July and August are also among the coldest months, so the frequent rain arrives with noticeably cooler days and a damp, green landscape.

Three days in Shivamogga

Day one: Arrive in Shivamogga, the gateway to the Malnad region, and use the city as your base for exploring the Western Ghats. Fill your first afternoon with the Tunga River, which runs along the town and gives the place much of its character. If you are coming from Bangalore or Mysore, the train is a comfortable way in; either way, autos and hiring options make it easy to get around once you arrive.

• Start with the Tunga River and the town centre.
• Keep the evening free to settle in before heading into the Ghats.

Day two: Head west into the Western Ghats, the hill country that defines the Malnad and Malenadu landscape around Shivamogga. The routes toward Sagar and Talaguppa are the natural direction for a day in the hills, and buses connect the towns along the way. Carry what you need for a full day out, and plan to return to the city in the evening.

• Take a bus or hire a vehicle toward Sagar and Talaguppa.
• Spend the day among the Ghats and return to Shivamogga.

Day three: Use your last day to see more of the city and the surrounding countryside before you move on. If you are travelling onward toward Mangalore or back toward Bangalore, the rail and road links through Bhadravati, Tarikere, Kadur, Arsikere, Tiptur and Tumakuru give you options. From Bengaluru, Kempegowda is the main arrival point, while Shimoga Airport at Sogane serves the city itself; Shivamogga Town Railway Station is the local railhead. The monsoon months of June, July, August and September bring heavy rain, so carry rain gear if you visit then.

• Check onward connections through Bhadravati and Tarikere.
• Carry rain protection if travelling in June through September.