VANAMCOVE 
Cave shrine of Channabasavanna
Why this weekend?
The day-by-day plan
Day 1 · The climb
- 1008 steps
- Swayambhu temple
- Valley deck
Day 2 · The ghats
- Ghat trails
- Village lanes
- Return
Geography & terrain
Ulavi lies in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka at about 500 m, 220 km from Mangaluru and 30 km from Jog Falls — the cave-temple village of the region, its Swayambhu temple, the 1008 steps and the valley set on the Western Ghats.
History & culture
The village's story runs with the 18th-century temple era — the cave-temple village of the 18th-century-era temple and the 19th-century-era discovery by a local saint, with the village's modern role as the pilgrimage of the Karnataka circuit and the home of the Swayambhu temple and the 1008 steps and the 2000s-era treks; the village's history of the 19th-century-era saint life and the forest paths, gives Ulavi its cave character.
Where to stay
Budget
₹800–2,000/night
Mid-range
₹2,000–4,000/night
Comfort
₹4,000+/night
Things to do
- Cave temples
- Stone steps
- Valley decks
- Ghat trails
- Village lanes
Eat & drink
- Bisi bele bath
- Ragi mudde
- Mysore masala dosa
- Coorg pandi curry
- Mangalorean fish curry
Getting there
- Fly
- Bengaluru (BLR) / Mangaluru (IXE) / Hubballi (HBX)
- Train
- Bengaluru City / Mysuru / Mangaluru junctions
- Road from Bengaluru
- varies by district — 50–500 km
- Getting around
- Autos, metro in Bengaluru, KSRTC buses
Budget snapshot
- Total
- ₹4,000–9,500 (2 days)
- Per day · Stay
- ₹800–4,000/night
- Per day · Food
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Transport
- ₹500–900
- Per day · Activities
- ₹400–800
Month by month
- Jan · Best
- 20–31°C · None rain
- Feb · Best
- 21–33°C · None rain
- Mar · Hot
- 23–35°C · None rain
- Apr · Hot
- 25–36°C · Moderate rain
- May · Pre-monsoon
- 26–35°C · Moderate rain
- Jun · Monsoon
- 24–32°C · Heavy rain
- Jul · Monsoon
- 23–31°C · Heavy rain
- Aug · Monsoon
- 23–31°C · Heavy rain
- Sep · Monsoon tail
- 24–32°C · Heavy rain
- Oct · Good
- 24–33°C · Moderate rain
- Nov · Best
- 22–32°C · Light rain
- Dec · Best
- 20–31°C · None rain
Practical info
- Language: Kannada (English understood in tourist spots)
- Best window: Oct–Mar
- Connectivity: good 4G in towns
- UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops
Practical tips
- The season (Oct–Mar) holds the climb
- The steps ask the walking shoes
- Pairs with Jog Falls for the circuit
Frequently asked questions
What is Ulavi?
The cave-temple village of the Ghats.
What is there to do?
The temple, the steps and the valley.
How long is the visit?
Two days.
Cave shrine of Channabasavanna
Take the break. We'll take the planning.
Tell us your dates, budget and travel style — we'll build your Ulavi plan with day-by-day routing, stays, food and bookings. First draft + 2 iterations free, then ₹50 per further iterations for planning, book via our links at no extra cost for booking. Draft in ~24 hours.
Get My Free Plan