Gudavi Bird Sanctuary - Shimoga, Karnataka | Trippyigloo

The Mangalore Airport is close to this place. From the airport one can take either a bus or a taxi to reach the bird sanctuary. There are many buses that one can take to reach this place. If not by bus one can also travel by a cab and reach this sanctuary. The Sagara Jambaguru railway station is close to this place. From the railway station one can take either a bus or a taxi to reach the bird sanctuary.  The best time to visit this bird sanctuary is from the months of June to November.

Near the sanctuary one finds many places to stay at. The prices too are affordable. Some of the names of the places are Vanavasika Tourist Home, Alekha Gateway, Hongirana Homestay, Samrat Guest House, Hotel Madhuvana, etc. There are also many places where one can eat food at. Some of the names of the restaurants are Sri Mallikarjuna Khanavali Veg restaurant, Puranik Veg Restaurant, Hotel Kasturi, Chef's Corner, Hotel Akshaya, etc.

Chandragutti Fort: Chandragutti earlier was known as Chandraguptapura in the ancient times. The altitude of this fort is approximately 848 metres.The famous Renukamba Temple is situated on top of this hill. The fort is surrounded by natural greenery on all sides. It is believed that this fort was under the control of the Kadamba of Banavasi. However today,this fort is mostly in ruins. One finds ruins of small houses inside this fort which tells us that the military officers who were at a higher rank lived in those houses. There are also five ponds in this fort which were used for the purpose of storing water. One also finds an oil well inside this fort which was used for storing oil. The Durgi Dibba happens to be the highest point of this fort which is located towards the northern side. One has to trek to reach this fort and the trek is quite an interesting one.

Lalguli Falls: This waterfall is named after the Lalguli village which is located close to it. The height of this waterfall is approximately 250 feet. It is formed because of the River Kali. This place is also a good picnic spot because of the serene and calm atmosphere here. One can also indulge in activities like trekking and river rafting. For all those who love water sports they can enjoy them in the River Kali. There is also a temple of Lord Hanuman close to this place that one can visit.

Banavasi: It is an ancient town that dates back to approximately 4000 BC. One finds this town located deep inside the forests of the Western Ghats and on the banks of the River Varada. Banavasi actually means forest and spring. It is believed that this town came into existence from a forest directly and thus this is how the town got its name. This town is also mentioned in the Mahabharata. The town is famous for its Madhukeshwara Temple which was approximately built in the 9th century and has many devotees visiting this temple. The Kadambotsava is celebrated here on a large scale. This town is also the centre for Yakshagana which is a  dance form.

Billeshwara Temple: Is located along the outskirts of Hangal. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple dates back to the Kalyana Chalukyan era and it appears to be incomplete because it does not have massive enclosures or halls. One finds here in this temple only the Garbhagriha. The main shrine of this temple is made of square panels that have delicate carvings on them and these are further subdivided into five Sakhas. There are also complex structures of various animals like lions and serpents. Even the ceiling of this temple is quite noteworthy because it has a beautiful pattern on it that happens to be made of lotus medallions.

Mukteshwar Temple: Is located on the banks of the River Tungabhadra and close to Haveri. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It represents Chalukyan architecture. The outer structures of this temple still stand intact and one finds here very detailed sculptures which show various events from the Puranas. This temple is quite popular because of its archaeological circles and this happened during the transition period from Kilimukha to Veerashaiva where the Shivling was given more importance.  Basaveshwara was the leader of this movement in Karnataka  and the scriptures that mention him are found here in this temple. There are also other inscriptions in this temple that mention the Veershaiva movement to have started in 1191.The inscriptions that are on the temple walls also indicate that Gupta dynasty ruled this place during the transition period and one also finds a lot of other information about the Guptas here. This temple is also religiously important as it stands a witness to the Kannada kingdom of the medieval age.