What to expect
Highlights
- The eight-pointed star (Vauban-style) fort plan.
- The central rainwater tank and old gun emplacements.
- Panoramic Western Ghats views from the ramparts.
Manjarabad Fort
Manjarabad Fort stands on a hilltop near Sakleshpur, built by Tipu Sultan in 1792 to guard the Shiradi ghat route to the Malabar coast. Seen from above, it forms a striking eight-pointed star on a Vauban-style European plan.
Practical guide
Plan Manjarabad Fort
Who's going?Tailor Manjarabad Fort to your trip
Typeheritage
Nearest baseSakleshpur
DistrictHassan
Best timeOctober to February for clear views
Time needed1 to 1.5 hours
EntryFree
Places to visit2→The low granite ramparts enclose a central rainwater cistern and gun positions, and the walls give sweeping views over the surrounding Western Ghats — the fort’s geometry is best appreciated from an elevated angle or a drone-eye photo.
Getting there
How to visit
- ~6 km from Sakleshpur off NH-75; a short drive plus a climb of stone steps from the road to the fort.
- Entry is free or nominal; wear good shoes for the steps and uneven ramparts, and go on a clear day for the views.
Distance by road
- Bengaluru185 km
- Mysuru120 km
- Mangaluru170 km
- Chikkamagaluru55 km
- Madikeri (Coorg)115 km
Road km to Hassan; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
October to February for clear views; the surrounding hills are lush and misty just after the monsoon.
Weather in Manjarabad FortSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Manjarabad Fort
Sunrise6:17 am
Sunset6:07 pm
Golden hour best light5:07 pm–6:07 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:07 pm–6:32 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 260°
Moon tonight🌓 First quarter · 47%
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
- Uneven walls and open drops with few railings — watch your footing, especially in mist or rain.
Photos
Manjarabad Fort in pictures
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop
Stays, food & things to do near Manjarabad Fort
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Top experiences around Sakleshpur
One more place around Sakleshpur worth a day of its own.
B
Bisle Ghat View Point
Place
viewpointBisle Ghat View Point
44.9 km · 43 min drive
A panoramic viewpoint on the ghat road between Sakleshpur and Kukke Subramanya, overlooking a vast sea of Western Ghats rainforest in the Bisle reserve forest, with distant peaks such as Pushpagiri and Kumara Parvatha on a clear day.
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Add a nearby businessBefore you go
Manjarabad Fort — at a glance
TimingsDaylight hours
Best timeOctober to February for clear views; lush after the monsoon
Entry: Free or nominal
Getting here
How to reach Manjarabad Fort
~6 km from Sakleshpur off NH-75, then a climb of steps
Getting back
If you are travelling by bus or ferry, check the return service with the operator before setting out. Leave time to reach the stop or jetty after your visit.
- 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 Manjarabad Fort
If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.
If you need help at Manjarabad Fort
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 Manjarabad Fort
templeChennakeshava Temple, Belur
The Hoysala masterpiece begun in 1117 by King Vishnuvardhana to mark a victory over the Cholas — a star-platform Vishnu temple worked for over a century, covered in soapstone friezes, madanika bracket figures and pierced stone windows, and still in active worship.
41.0 km · 36 min drive
templeHasanamba Temple
The temple of the goddess Hasanamba, from whom Hassan takes its name — unusually opened to devotees only once a year around Deepavali (in the month of Ashwayuja), when vast queues form; a lamp is said to keep burning through the year the shrine stays shut.
43.8 km · 33 min drive
damYagachi Dam
A reservoir on the Yagachi river 3.5 km north of the Chennakeshava temple at Belur, backed by low hills, popular for boating, kayaking and other water sports and as a quiet sunset picnic spot.
44.0 km · 39 min driveB
Bisle Ghat View Point
Place
viewpointBisle Ghat View Point
A panoramic viewpoint on the ghat road between Sakleshpur and Kukke Subramanya, overlooking a vast sea of Western Ghats rainforest in the Bisle reserve forest, with distant peaks such as Pushpagiri and Kumara Parvatha on a clear day.
44.9 km · 43 min drive
churchShettihalli Rosary Church
A Gothic-style church built by French missionaries around 1860 on the Hemavathi river, partly submerged each monsoon when the Gorur reservoir fills and re-emerging in summer — a striking, roofless "floating church" ruin popular with photographers.
46.2 km · 41 min drive
templeLakshmi Devi Temple, Doddagaddavalli
An early Hoysala temple of 1114 CE near Hassan, unusual for its four-shrine (chatushkuta) plan around a common hall, its stone-lattice screens and a fierce Kali shrine at one corner.
54.9 km · 49 min drive
templeBucesvara Temple, Koravangala
A twin-shrined (dvikuta) Hoysala Shiva temple of 1173 CE at Koravangala about 10 km from Hassan, with two well-preserved towers and detailed carving — a quiet alternative to the crowded Belur and Halebidu temples.
56.2 km · 45 min drive
templeJain Basadis, Halebidu
A cluster of Hoysala-era Jain temples (the Parshvanatha, Adinatha and Shantinatha basadis) at Bastihalli near the Hoysaleswara temple, known for lathe-turned polished pillars and a tall image of Parshvanatha.
59.3 km · 57 min drive
templeHoysaleswara Temple
The great twin-shrined Shiva temple of Halebidu, the former Hoysala capital Dwarasamudra, begun around 1121; its walls carry an unbroken band of intricate carving and two large monolithic Nandi pavilions face the shrines.
59.7 km · 57 min driveWalking 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 Manjarabad Fort is
Good to know
Manjarabad Fort — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Manjarabad Fort?
October to February for clear views; the surrounding hills are lush and misty just after the monsoon.
What are the entry fee and timings at Manjarabad Fort?
Entry: Free or nominal. Timings: Daylight hours.
How do I reach Manjarabad Fort?
~6 km from Sakleshpur off NH-75; a short drive plus a climb of stone steps from the road to the fort. Entry is free or nominal; wear good shoes for the steps and uneven ramparts, and go on a clear day for the views.
How much time do I need for Manjarabad Fort?
1 to 1.5 hours.
What else is near Manjarabad Fort?
Nearby you can pair Chennakeshava Temple, Belur (41.0 km), Hasanamba Temple (43.8 km), Yagachi Dam (44.0 km), Bisle Ghat View Point (44.9 km).
Read before you go
Manjarabad Fort guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Manjarabad Fort itself yet. These cover Sakleshpur and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Around Sakleshpur
These guides explore Sakleshpur and the surrounding area. Choose a visit that fits your interests, allowing separately for travel between stops.
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
Image credits
Photographs: Aravind K G, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0), Shyamal (CC BY-SA 4.0), రవిచంద్ర (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wikimedia Commons.