What to expect
Highlights
- The narrow Cauvery rock gorge.
- The churning river between the rocks.
- The wild river scenery below Sangama.
Mekedatu
Mekedatu is a deep, narrow gorge where the Cauvery squeezes between rocks so tightly that a goat could leap across — hence the name "goat’s leap".
Practical guide
Plan Mekedatu
Who's going?Tailor Mekedatu to your trip
Typeviewpoint
Nearest baseKanakapura
DistrictRamanagara
Best timeNovember to February
Time neededHalf a day paired with Sangama
EntryFree
Places to visit6→Listed businesses1→It is a dramatic river-gorge viewpoint below the Sangama confluence in Kanakapura taluk.
Getting there
How to visit
- A short way downstream of Sangama, reached by crossing at Sangama and continuing by road or on foot; via Kanakapura from Bengaluru.
- A dangerous gorge with slippery rocks and deep water — keep well back from the edge and do not climb down to the river.
Distance by road
- Bengaluru50 km
- Mysuru90 km
- Mandya55 km
- Kanakapura30 km
- Magadi40 km
Road km to Ramanagara; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
November to February; the dry post-monsoon months.
Weather in MekedatuSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Mekedatu
Sunrise6:10 am
Sunset6:00 pm
Golden hour best light5:00 pm–6:00 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:00 pm–6:25 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 260°
Moon tonight🌔 Waxing gibbous · 60%
Retreating monsoon. October and November still see spells of rain from the retreating monsoon, though it is usually lighter than mid-year. Conditions are generally good but worth checking.
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
- People have slipped and drowned here — stay behind the barriers and off the wet rocks.
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop
Stays, food & things to do near Mekedatu
Verified hotels, homestays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and rentals around Mekedatu — commission-free, with direct contact. Filter by what you need.
1 place to eat near Mekedatu
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Ranked guides
Top experiences around Kanakapura
5 more places around Kanakapura. Open a guide to plan the visit and onward journey.
viewpointSangama
7.3 km · 24 min drive
The confluence where the Arkavathi meets the Cauvery in Kanakapura taluk, reached across the water by coracle — the scenic gateway to Mekedatu a short way downstream and a popular riverside outing.
waterfallChunchi Falls
18.8 km · 40 min drive
A waterfall where the Arkavathi drops through a rocky gorge near Sangama in Kanakapura taluk, set in scrub-forest country — a scenic stop usually paired with Mekedatu.
templeRevana Siddeshwara Betta
66.9 km · 81 min drive
A hill-top cave shrine of Revana Siddeshwara (SRS Betta) between Channapatna and Kanakapura, a Veerashaiva pilgrimage climbed by steps for its cave temple and wide plateau views.
K
Kabbaladurga
Place
trekKabbaladurga
38.2 km · 54 min drive
A granite hill fort near Kanakapura, climbed for its ruined fortifications and the Kabbalamma temple — a popular day-and-night trek from Bengaluru with sweeping views from the top.
viewpointBilikal Rangaswamy Betta
54.2 km · 75 min drive
The highest peak of the district in the forests of Kanakapura taluk, crowned by a Ranganatha (Rangaswamy) shrine set in a rock cleft — a forest hill of white-granite outcrops (bili kallu) with panoramic views.
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Add a nearby businessBefore you go
Mekedatu — at a glance
TimingsDaylight hours
Best timeNovember to February; the dry post-monsoon months
Entry: Free
Getting here
How to reach Mekedatu
A short way downstream of Sangama, reached by crossing at Sangama; via Kanakapura from Bengaluru
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 Mekedatu
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 Mekedatu
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 Mekedatu
viewpointSangama
The confluence where the Arkavathi meets the Cauvery in Kanakapura taluk, reached across the water by coracle — the scenic gateway to Mekedatu a short way downstream and a popular riverside outing.
7.3 km · 24 min drivewaterfallChunchi Falls
A waterfall where the Arkavathi drops through a rocky gorge near Sangama in Kanakapura taluk, set in scrub-forest country — a scenic stop usually paired with Mekedatu.
18.8 km · 40 min driveK
Kabbaladurga
Place
trekKabbaladurga
A granite hill fort near Kanakapura, climbed for its ruined fortifications and the Kabbalamma temple — a popular day-and-night trek from Bengaluru with sweeping views from the top.
38.2 km · 54 min drive
activityPyramid Valley International
A large meditation centre at Kebbedoddi near Harohalli, south of Bengaluru, built around the Maitreya-Buddha Pyramid — one of the world’s largest meditation pyramids — where visitors sit for anapana meditation beneath the apex.
49.7 km · ~83 min by cab · straight line
heritageChannapatna
The "Toy Town" of Karnataka (Gombegala Ooru) on the Bengaluru–Mysuru highway, famous for its GI-tagged lac-turned wooden toys and lacquerware — a two-century-old craft, with workshops and showrooms where artisans lathe and colour the toys.
52.1 km · ~87 min by cab · straight lineA
Aprameya Swamy Temple, Doddamallur
Place
templeAprameya Swamy Temple, Doddamallur
A revered Chola-era Vishnu temple at Doddamallur near Channapatna, dedicated to Aprameya, best known for its Ambegalu Krishna — the crawling-baby Krishna idol linked to the devotional songs of Purandara Dasa.
52.8 km · ~88 min by cab · straight lineviewpointBilikal Rangaswamy Betta
The highest peak of the district in the forests of Kanakapura taluk, crowned by a Ranganatha (Rangaswamy) shrine set in a rock cleft — a forest hill of white-granite outcrops (bili kallu) with panoramic views.
54.2 km · 75 min drive
museumJanapada Loka
A sprawling folk-culture museum and heritage park on the Bengaluru–Mysuru road, run by the Karnataka Janapada Parishat — galleries of rural masks, puppets, tools and instruments, a leather shadow-puppet collection and an open-air theatre celebrating Karnataka’s folk traditions.
56.4 km · ~94 min by cab · straight line
wildlifeRamadevara Betta
A hill of tumbled granite boulders near Ramanagara town, made famous as the film location of Sholay and protected as the Ramadevarabetta Vulture Sanctuary — Karnataka’s only vulture sanctuary — with a hilltop Pattabhirama (Rama) temple reached by a stepped climb.
58.0 km · ~97 min by cab · straight line
damKanva Reservoir
A reservoir on the Kanva river near Channapatna, built in the 1940s — a calm waterbody ringed by low hills, a quiet picnic and coracle spot just off the highway.
59.2 km · ~99 min by cab · straight linetempleRevana Siddeshwara Betta
A hill-top cave shrine of Revana Siddeshwara (SRS Betta) between Channapatna and Kanakapura, a Veerashaiva pilgrimage climbed by steps for its cave temple and wide plateau views.
66.9 km · 81 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 Mekedatu is
Good to know
Mekedatu — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Mekedatu?
November to February; the dry post-monsoon months.
What are the entry fee and timings at Mekedatu?
Entry: Free. Timings: Daylight hours.
How do I reach Mekedatu?
A short way downstream of Sangama, reached by crossing at Sangama and continuing by road or on foot; via Kanakapura from Bengaluru. A dangerous gorge with slippery rocks and deep water — keep well back from the edge and do not climb down to the river.
How much time do I need for Mekedatu?
Half a day paired with Sangama.
What else is near Mekedatu?
Nearby you can pair Sangama (7.3 km), Chunchi Falls (18.8 km), Kabbaladurga (38.2 km), Pyramid Valley International (49.7 km).
Read before you go
Mekedatu guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Mekedatu itself yet. These cover Kanakapura and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
Image credits
Photographs: Sugan Raj S, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wikimedia Commons.