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
Sunrise6:16 am
Sunset6:37 pm
Golden hour best light5:37 pm–6:37 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:37 pm–7:02 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 278°
Moon tonight🌖 Waning gibbous · 62%
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
- Uneven walls and open drops with few railings — watch your footing, especially in mist or rain.
Photos
Manjarabad Fort in pictures
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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
Work out your return before you settle in for the sunset. Public transport here thins out sharply in the evening, and Manjarabad Fort 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 Manjarabad Fort
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 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
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 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, the town it sits in, and the wider district.
Around Sakleshpur
Manjarabad Fort sits in Sakleshpur, so these cover the streets, buildings and surroundings around it.
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
Temple guide
Belur’s Chennakeshava temple: what to look for, in the order you will walk it
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Story
The thirty-eight: Belur’s bracket figures and the queen they are said to be
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History
The temple with no tower: eight centuries of damage and repair at Belur
7 min read · Read →
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.