Shravanabelagola itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Shravanabelagola

1. 01

   Day 1: Vindhyagiri at first light, town temples later

   Arrive early and climb Vindhyagiri at opening time, stopping at the Kushmandini shrine and the small resting points on the way. Spend time at the statue and walk the enclosure, then look at the Odegal Basadi and the Tyagada Brahmadeva Pillar on the way down. Have an early lunch and rest. In the late afternoon, walk to the Bhandari Basadi and the Akkana Basadi, then visit the Jain Math if it is open. If energy allows, finish with the view of the town from the pond.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Bhandari Basadi	30 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon, outside the midday heat
   Akkana Basadi	20 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon
   Jain Math (Charukeerti Peetha)	30 to 45 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Plan 02

2 days in Shravanabelagola

1. 01

   Day 1: Vindhyagiri and the town

   Climb Vindhyagiri in the first hours of the morning, see the statue, the Odegal Basadi and the pillar, and come down before the sun is high. Rest through midday. In the afternoon, visit the Bhandari Basadi and Akkana Basadi, both level and in town, and end at the Jain Math to see its murals.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Bhandari Basadi	30 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon, outside the midday heat
   Akkana Basadi	20 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon
   Jain Math (Charukeerti Peetha)	30 to 45 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Chandragiri and a nearby temple

   Go up Chandragiri early, see the walled enclosure with the Chavundaraya Basadi, the Chandragupta Basadi and the Parshvanatha Basadi, then walk out to the Bhadrabahu cave if the path suits you. After lunch, arrange a car to Jinanathapura for the Shantinatha Basadi, a Hoysala-style Jain temple near the town.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Chavundaraya Basadi	20 to 30 minutes	Moderate	Morning, between November and February
   Chandragupta Basadi	10 to 15 minutes	Moderate	Morning light
   Parshvanatha Basadi (Chandragiri)	15 to 20 minutes	Moderate	Morning, between November and February
   Bhadrabahu Cave	15 to 25 minutes	Moderate	Morning

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Chavundaraya Basadi: It is inside the hilltop enclosure, so you need the Chandragiri climb first. Inside the compound the ground is mostly level but uneven stone, and shaded seating is limited.

   With parents at Chandragupta Basadi: It sits inside the Chandragiri enclosure, so you need the hill climb first. The temple is small and shaded inside the compound, but space is tight at the door.

Plan 03

3 days in Shravanabelagola

1. 01

   Day 1: Vindhyagiri

   Climb at first light, spend time at the statue and walk the enclosure. Visit the Odegal Basadi and the pillar on the way down. Rest in the afternoon, then take a gentle evening walk around the pond area.

2. 02

   Day 2: Chandragiri and the town temples

   Spend the morning on Chandragiri, including the Bhadrabahu cave if suitable. After lunch, visit the Bhandari Basadi, the Akkana Basadi and the Jain Math in the cooler afternoon.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Bhadrabahu Cave	15 to 25 minutes	Moderate	Morning
   Bhandari Basadi	30 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon, outside the midday heat
   Akkana Basadi	20 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon
   Jain Math (Charukeerti Peetha)	30 to 45 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon

   Pace: Moderate walking today — plan a sit-down break between stops.

   With parents at Bhadrabahu Cave: The cave is reached from the enclosure over rock, with an uneven surface and some low entry space. Anyone with knee trouble or mobility difficulties should check the route first and may prefer to skip it.

3. 03

   Day 3: Day trips by car

   Drive to Jinanathapura for the Shantinatha Basadi. If you enjoy early temples, continue to Kambadahalli in Mandya district for the Ganga-period Panchakuta Basadi, or head on to Hassan, Belur and Halebidu for the Hoysala temples, or to Mysuru.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Shravanabelagola trip for parents and children

• Do Vindhyagiri at first light and ask at the base about a hired chair (doli). Agree the arrangement before you start and check the rate locally.
• Chandragiri is lower than Vindhyagiri and easier for many people. If you can do only one hill and are interested in architecture, it is a good choice.
• The Bhandari Basadi, Akkana Basadi and Jain Math are in the town on level ground, which makes them the easiest temples for anyone who cannot climb.
• The steps are open to the sun with little shade. Carry water, wear a hat and avoid midday from March to May.
• Avoid the hills in heavy rain, when the rock steps can be slippery, and wear shoes you can slip off easily because footwear is normally removed at the foot or at shrine doors.
• Break the trip with a night in town or in Hassan, rather than driving back to Bengaluru the same day, if anyone in your group tires easily.

Shravanabelagola with elderly parents: the full guide →