Belur is the ancient Indian city and is city of temples. King Vishnuvardhana during his reign built as many as 1500 temples in 958 locations across the city. Only 100 of those temples survive today. Belur is a south Indian cultural treasure and an amazing holiday destination.
Apart from offering a spectacular cultural sites, Belur is surrounded by amazing holiday destinations and is an ideal place to spend a long holiday. So, learn more about what you can do around Belur.
Watch Wildlife at Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
Bhadra wildlife sanctuary is a 44 km drive from Belur and is situated in the midst of Western Ghats of Karnataka state. The sanctuary houses about 250 species of birds and many endangered wild animals. It is surrounded by hills and tributaries like Somavahini, Tadabehella and Odirayanahalla of the River Bhadra are flowing through it.
The sanctuary offers activities like wild life viewing, water adventure sports, island watching, trekking and rock climbing.
Trek to Mullayanagiri Peak
Mullayanagiri is about 66 kilometers from Belur making it an hour�s drive. Mullayanagiri peak stands 6330 feet from sea level and is considered to be the highest peak in the entire state of Karnataka. The complete trek is 13 km and ends at Baba Budanagiri. The path is called sarpadhari meaning serpentine path and that indicates how arduous the nature of the trek is. Half way through the trek there is cave with multi coloured walls. Most of the trek is the misty hillside where sometimes the visibility reduces to 10 m!
Trek at Kemmangundi
Kemmangundi is 76 kms from Belur and it is two and half hours from Belur. Kemmangundi hill station is surrounded by Babu Budan Giri Hills. Kemmangudi is an enchanting place with water falls dense forests and lush grasslands all surrounded by the hills.
So, you can embark in multiple short day treks in Kemmangundi and also swim at the waterfall!
Explore more Heritage at Sravanabelagona
Sravanabelagola is about 90 km from Belur. Literally meaning monk of the white pond, this town houses a 17 and half meter tall statue of the Gomateshwar which greets you before you reach the town. The statue dates back to 978 AD and has been one of the most important Jain pilgrimage spots over the ages. The great emperor Chandragupta Maurya is said to sought the peace and tranquillity among the hills of Sravanabelagona and have played very important role in spreading Jainism in South India.
Feed an Elephant and Take a Ride at the Dubare Elephant Camp
Located 117 km from Belur, Dubare elephant camp is project undertaken by the forest department in the dense deciduous forests of Karnataka. The Dubare Reserve is located in Coorg, on the banks of river Kaveri.
The camp has many trained elephants and a naturalist is at the visitors� disposal to explain the various aspects of elephant�s biology, ecology and history. The visitors can not only observe but can also participate in various activities. The elephant interaction programs offers the visitor to participate in the activities such as elephant grooming, feeding elephants, and commanding the elephants and the elephant ride.