What to expect
Highlights
- The hilltop Renuka-Yellamma shrine.
- The sweeping views over the Malaprabha country.
- The vast full-moon jatre gatherings.
Saundatti Yellamma Temple
The Renuka-Yellamma temple crowning Yellammana Gudda hill above Saundatti, rebuilt in 1514 in a Chalukya-Rashtrakuta style; one of the most visited Shakta pilgrimage sites in Karnataka, thronged at its full-moon jatres. This temple guide is organized from Saundatti in Belagavi district, with practical planning for routes, timing, nearby stays, food, operators and direct local inventory. Use it to compare what to see, how long to spend, when to go and which pilgrim stays, respectful local guides, food stops, shops, transport and verified visitor support should be verified around Saundatti Yellamma Temple.
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Saundatti Yellamma Temple
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Practical guide
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Before you go to Saundatti Yellamma Temple
Entry rules not verified for this temple. Some Hindu temples admit only Hindus, and most enforce a dress code at the door. We have not verified the rule for this particular temple, so please check before you travel — especially if you are not Hindu or are visiting from outside India.
We report each site's own published rules neutrally, and only where we can source them.
Typetemple
Nearest baseSaundatti
DistrictBelagavi
Best timeOctober to February
Time needed2 to 3 hours with travel and the climb
EntryFree
Places to visit3→The Saundatti Yellamma temple crowns Yellammana Gudda hill above Saundatti, rebuilt in 1514 in a Chalukya-Rashtrakuta style and dedicated to the goddess Renuka-Yellamma.
One of the most visited Shakta pilgrimage sites in Karnataka, it draws enormous crowds at its full-moon jatres, especially the Bharata Hunnime fair.
Getting there
How to visit
- About 80 km east of Belagavi via Saundatti town; reached by bus or taxi, then the hill approach.
- Dress modestly, remove footwear, and expect very heavy crowds on jatre days.
Distance by road
- Hubballi100 km
- Kolhapur110 km
- Panaji (Goa)130 km
- Pune335 km
- Bengaluru500 km
Road km to Belagavi; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
October to February; full-moon days are peak but extremely crowded.
Weather in Saundatti Yellamma TempleSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Saundatti Yellamma Temple
Sunrise6:17 am
Sunset6:41 pm
Golden hour best light5:41 pm–6:41 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:41 pm–7:06 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 278°
Moon tonight🌗 Last quarter · 49%
Sunset is in about 3 hours.
South-west monsoon. June to September is the south-west monsoon in Karnataka. Expect heavy showers, mostly in bursts rather than all day — carry rain cover, allow extra time for getting around, and note that ferries and open-air sites are the first things affected.
Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
Visitor notes
- A busy hilltop pilgrimage — keep valuables safe in crowds and follow the queue system.
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop
Stays, food & things to do near Saundatti Yellamma Temple
Verified hotels, homestays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and rentals around Saundatti Yellamma Temple — commission-free, with direct contact. Filter by what you need.
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Top experiences around Saundatti
2 more places around Saundatti, each worth a day of its own.
fortParasgad Fort
6.6 km · 7 min drive
A hill fort above Saundatti linked to the Desai chiefs and later the Marathas, its ramparts and gateways commanding the Malaprabha valley.
templeHooli Panchalingeshwara Temples
8.2 km · 8 min drive
A cluster of 11th–12th-century Kalyani-Chalukya and Ratta temples at Huli (Hooli) in Saundatti taluk, the Panchalingeshwara temple among them — richly carved, protected shrines of the region’s temple-building golden age.
Roampedia is commission-free — own or know a stay, eatery, guide or shop near Saundatti Yellamma Temple? List it and it appears here once verified.
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Saundatti Yellamma Temple — at a glance
TimingsTemple hours; long queues on jatre days
Best timeOctober to February; full-moon days are peak but very crowded
Entry: Free
Getting here
How to reach Saundatti Yellamma Temple
~80 km east of Belagavi via Saundatti; bus or taxi then the hill
Getting back
Work out your return before you settle in for the sunset. Public transport here thins out sharply in the evening, and Saundatti Yellamma Temple is easier to reach than to leave. We do not publish departure times: there is no official live feed we are permitted to republish, and a wrong time here would strand you. Check the operator directly on the day.
- KSRTC — the Karnataka state bus operator; route and schedule enquiries. Online booking.
- Indian Railways — live running and seat availability for the nearest railhead, named under “Getting here” above.
Ask at the bus stand for the time of the last service back, not the next one. If you miss it, an auto or app cab is the fallback — agree the fare before you get in.
Getting around Saundatti Yellamma Temple
We have not assessed physical access at this place yet. Across India, step-free routes, handrails and accessible toilets are the exception rather than the rule, and pavements are often interrupted — if step-free access matters to you, contact the site or a local operator before committing to the trip.
If you need help at Saundatti Yellamma Temple
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).100Police101Fire108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
Nearby
What’s near Saundatti Yellamma Temple
Walking and driving times are real routed distances, except the few marked “straight line”, which are direct-line estimates and will read short. Routing: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
On the map
Where Saundatti Yellamma Temple is
Good to know
Saundatti Yellamma Temple — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Saundatti Yellamma Temple?
October to February; full-moon days are peak but extremely crowded.
What are the entry fee and timings at Saundatti Yellamma Temple?
Entry: Free. Timings: Temple hours; long queues on jatre days.
How do I reach Saundatti Yellamma Temple?
About 80 km east of Belagavi via Saundatti town; reached by bus or taxi, then the hill approach. Dress modestly, remove footwear, and expect very heavy crowds on jatre days.
How much time do I need for Saundatti Yellamma Temple?
2 to 3 hours with travel and the climb.
What else is near Saundatti Yellamma Temple?
Nearby you can pair Parasgad Fort (6.6 km), Hooli Panchalingeshwara Temples (8.2 km), Godachi Veerabhadreshwara Temple (28.5 km), Kittur Fort (43.0 km).