Shivanasamudra falls Travel Guide: Gaganachukki & Barachukki falls

Shivanasamudra falls travel guide from Bangalore – Know about stay, road conditions, entry fee, Gaganchukki falls and Barachukki falls.

Shivanasamudra Falls is a famous waterfall located in the Mandya district of the southern Indian state of Karnataka. The waterfall is situated on the Kaveri River, which is one of the major rivers in India, and is around 135 km away from Bangalore.

The Shivanasamudra Falls is actually a segmented waterfall with several cascades. The western branch of the waterfall is known as Gaganachukki, while the eastern branch is known as Bharachukki. The Gaganachukki falls is the larger one of the two and has a height of around 90 meters. The Bharachukki falls is smaller and has a height of around 69 meters.

The waterfalls are surrounded by lush greenery and are a popular tourist attraction. Visitors can also take a boat ride to the base of the waterfall and experience the waterfalls up close. The best time to visit Shivanasamudra Falls is during the monsoon season when the waterfall is in full flow.

How to reach Shivanasamudra falls from Bangalore:

Shivanasamudra situated at a distance of around 140 Kms from Bangalore. The road route from Bangalore to Shivasamudra is – Bangalore -> Nice road -> Kanakpura -> Malavalli -> Shivanasamudra (Gaganchukki waterfalls viewpoint) and there are a few ways to reach there. Here are some options:

  1. By Car/Taxi: You can hire a taxi or drive yourself from Bangalore to Shivanasamudra Falls. The journey takes around 3 hours depending on the traffic conditions. You can follow the Bangalore-Mysore highway (NH275) till Maddur, from where you need to take a left towards Malavalli. After crossing Malavalli, you will reach the Shivanasamudra Falls.
  2. By Bus: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operates regular buses from Bangalore to Shivanasamudra Falls. You can take a bus from Bangalore’s Kempegowda Bus Station (Majestic) to Kollegal, which is the nearest town to Shivanasamudra. From Kollegal, you can take another bus or a taxi or auto to reach the falls.
  3. By Train: The nearest railway station to Shivanasamudra is Maddur, which is about 40 km away. However, Maddur is a small station and not all trains stop there. The nearest major railway station is Mysore, which is about 75 km away from the falls. From Mysore, you can hire a taxi or auto or take a bus to reach the falls.
  4. By Tour Operator: There are several tour operators in Bangalore that offer day trips to Shivanasamudra Falls. They usually provide pick-up and drop facilities from your hotel or residence in Bangalore, along with a guided tour of the falls.

Regardless of the mode of transport you choose, it is recommended to visit the falls during the monsoon season (June to September) as the waterfall is in full flow and looks spectacular during this time.

on-the-way-to-shivanasamudra

Road condition from Bangalore to Shivanasamudra:

Once you leave the NICE road on Kanakpur exit, you can expect traffic until Kanakpura. After Kanakpura, the traffic will be less until Malavalli and from Malavalli, the traffic is almost nil on the road. There is only one toll on this route and that is NICE road toll.

Except the NICE road toll, there are no other toll booths. Total time taken would be around 4 hours including normal breaks on the way.

Shivanasamudra falls and river Kaveri:

shivanasamdura-gaganachukki-falls-barachukki-falls-and-river-kaveri-map

Shivanasamudra is basically a name of an island formed due to splitting of river Kaveri. Due to the split of river Kaveri, two waterfalls formed on the each of the splits. These waterfalls are called as Gaganachukki falls and Barachukki falls. Later, these splits join and goes towards Tamilnadu. There are other famous waterfalls enroute like Mekedatu falls, Chunchi falls, Hogenakkal falls etc.

Gaganachukki falls, Shivanasamudra:

gaganachukki-falls

As you arrive from the Malavalli side, Gaganachukki is the nearest waterfall to you. Gaganchukki waterfalls is situated at the eastern split of river Kaveri. There is no entry fee at Gaganchukki falls. There is also a viewpoint. You can walk until there and enjoy the waterfall from a distance. However, you are not allowed to go to the base or any further down nearer to the waterfall.

Barachukki falls, Shivanasamudra:

Barachukki falls is situated on the western split of river Kaveri. It is around 14 Kms from the Gaganchukki falls. There is no public transportation to go there. To reach Barachukki from Gaganchukki falls, you will have to return to the main road and again drive to the Barachukki as shown in the map above.

River Kaveri canal on the way from Gaganachukki to Barachukki

River Kaveri canal on the way from Gaganachukki to Barachukki

Taking bath in Kaveri in Shivanasamudra:

Since bathing is not allowed near the waterfalls, you can take a bath in the upstream direction or towards the further north. From Gaganchukki falls, you can also see a Dargah. People also get down in the water near Dargah but I would not recommend that.

people-taking-bath-in-kaveri-near-shivanasamudra

Search on Google for “Old stone bridge across Cauvery river“. There will be many people taking bath there. Just drive across the bridge and park your vehicle. There are also coracle rides over there. The water is around 5 feet deep near the bank but mind the flow. Undercurrents are little strong.

old-stone-bridge-on-river-kaveri-near-shivanasamudra

If you some other information about this place, please update in the comments below.

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