Serene Splendour : Sakleshpur - Karnataka's Hidden Gem

Planning a holiday in one of the lesser known tourist destination in Karnataka? Well, the name that immediately flashes is Sakleshpur, aptly christened the hidden gem, for its low density of tourists, and yet competes for a place to be an important tourist destination in Karnataka. It has its fair share of importance and the grandeur of its calmness and serenity are the plus points in this tourist destination. To add to the beauty and serenity the gentle slopes is favourable for tea, coffee and spice cultivation.  

Brief History

A very interesting legend can be associated with the name. A broken Shivalinga was found in the town. This linga according to the locals was known as Shakaleshwara and therefore the name Sakleshpur or Sakleshpura. To commemorate this a temple at the town entrance was constructed. Some other Historians believe that the word sakala-aishwarya-pura   in a more condensed form, led to the name of the town being known as Sakleshpura. The colonial era of the British showed interest in this town for the salubrious climate, gently rolling hills, with perfect conditions for tea, coffee and spices cultivation.  Being a lesser known hill station, it was often referred to as the “poor man’s Ooty”.    

Climate and Terrain

The average elevation of Sakleshpur is 3058 feet above MSL, perched on the Deccan plateau, therefore, presenting a very comfortable weather all the year round. The town is an important commercial centre as it lies on a National Highway connecting Mangalore with Bangalore.  

Come let’s explore some popular tourist spots, what Sakleshpur has to offer. 

Popular places of Interest:

Sakleshwar Swamy Temple:

Close to the banks of river Hemavathi, lies the temple of Lord Sakleshwar Swamy, the derivative of the town’s name.  A statue of Lord Shiva adorns the temple.  If the visit is planned during the month of February, the additional cultural bonanza is the Rath Yatra, a unique tradition followed by the devotees of Lord Shiva. 

Manjehalli Waterfalls:

With a shallow gentle fall from the edge of the mountain, ( 2 to 3 gigantic step drops)  gets metamorphosed into a small little puddle downstream. It then becomes a favourite past time to spend time at leisure. The area surrounding the waterfalls is decked with greenery.   

Murkannu Waterfalls/Hadlu Waterfalls:

Far from hustle and bustle of city life, trek through undulating ground, amidst plantation set in the back drop of the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, lies the Murkannu/Hadlu waterfalls amidst the lap of nature.  A small pool of water at the bottom of the falls is a good place to enjoy the hikers time in tranquillity.  Now here is a tip for hikers.  It is easy to moderate level of difficulty and therefore, prior information will be handy when negotiating the hike to the water falls. 

Sakleshpur -Yedekumeri over land trek route:

The rail route from Sakleshpur to Yedekumeri is an engineering marvel, passing through long bridges and tunnels. This route is not allowed for trekking, due to movement of rail traffic, however, an overland cross country dirt track exists, and a part of the rail route along with tunnels are clearly visible.   A hiker can soak in nature, admiring pristine evergreen forest, small rivulets, and the greenery against the mountainous backdrop which will lend variety to a photographer’s nature album.  

Manjarabad Fort:

Tipu Sultan the ruler of Mysore is credited with the construction of this fort. The fort was constructed around 1792 A.D. as ammunition storage arena. The design of the fort is very unique constructed in an octagonal manner.  When viewed aerially, it gives a beautiful star like appearance.  The fort itself was well fortified to keep the enemy away as evidenced by the numerous cannon ramps, and musket holes adoring the fort. Below the fort there are multiple tunnels some leading to now where and one of them is believed to have a passage right up to Srirangapatna. 

Bisle View point: 

A very rare and unique view point with mountain ranges converging from 3 different locations, namely, Kumaraparvatha, Pushpagiri, and Dodda betta. On a clear day, sans mist the Yennikallu betta can also be spotted. The view from the view point is truly mesmerising with the river Giri flowing beneath to capture a picturesque view and keep the visitors spell bound. 

Trust Skyway International Travels: 

Skyway team working with Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and all stake holders in Sakleshpur to make this a popular tourists destination in a  responsible way.

A week end Sakleshpur trip can be curated by the expert team in skyway office. The guest needs to just spell their bucket list and surely a Skyway agent will work out a perfect itinerary to match your expectations. Do feel free to connect with Ms. Vaibhavi on Mobile No. +91-9845111355 Or Ms. Gaeta on Mobile No. +91-9845170525 who will go the extra mile to enable the guest to come back with pleasant memories.