What to expect
Highlights
- The reservoir below Savandurga.
- The kayaking and coracle rides.
- The rocky-hill backdrop.
Manchanabele Dam
A reservoir on the Arkavathi river below Savandurga in Magadi taluk, ringed by rocky hills — a scenic, uncrowded waterbody popular for kayaking and coracle rides with the monolith as a backdrop. This dam guide is organized from Magadi in Ramanagara 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 verified stays, local guides, jeep or taxi operators, food stops, permits and safety-aware activity providers should be verified around Manchanabele Dam.
Practical guide
Plan Manchanabele Dam
Who's going?Tailor Manchanabele Dam to your trip
Typedam
Nearest baseMagadi
DistrictRamanagara
Best timeOctober to February
Time neededA couple of hours
EntryFree
Places to visit4→Manchanabele Dam is a reservoir on the Arkavathi river below Savandurga in Magadi taluk, ringed by rocky hills.
It is a scenic, uncrowded waterbody popular for kayaking and coracle rides with the monolith as a backdrop.
Getting there
How to visit
- Below Savandurga in Magadi taluk, about 55 km from Bengaluru; by road, best with your own vehicle.
- An open reservoir — go with a licensed operator for water sports, wear a life jacket and do not swim unsupervised.
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
October to February; after the monsoon for full water.
Weather in Manchanabele DamSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Manchanabele Dam
Sunrise6:10 am
Sunset6:30 pm
Golden hour best light5:30 pm–6:30 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:30 pm–6:55 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 278°
Moon tonight🌗 Last quarter · 49%
Sunset is in about 3 hours.
South-west monsoon. June to September brings heavy rain to Karnataka. Trails, falls and ghat roads can be slippery, swollen or closed at short notice, and forest departments sometimes suspend access. Check locally on the day before you travel.
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
- Open water with no railings — wear a life jacket for any boating and mind children near the edge.
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop
Stays, food & things to do near Manchanabele Dam
Verified hotels, homestays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and rentals around Manchanabele Dam — commission-free, with direct contact. Filter by what you need.
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Top experiences around Magadi
3 more places around Magadi, each worth a day of its own.
fortKempegowda Fort, Magadi
14.8 km · ~25 min by cab
The fort town of Magadi, a stronghold of the Kempegowda line — the chieftains who founded Bengaluru — with old fort ramparts and gateways and, nearby, the Kempegowda memorial and samadhi.
templeSomeshwara Temple, Magadi
16.8 km · ~28 min by cab
A Dravidian Shiva temple in Magadi town, part of the old Kempegowda-era temple group, with a stone Someshwara shrine, carved pillars and a temple tank.
templeRanganatha Swamy Temple, Magadi
13.8 km · ~23 min by cab
A Vijayanagara-style Vishnu temple in Magadi dedicated to Ranganatha, one of the principal temples of the old Kempegowda seat, with a reclining Ranganatha shrine and yali-carved pillars.
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Add a nearby businessBefore you go
Manchanabele Dam — at a glance
TimingsDaylight hours
Best timeOctober to February; after the monsoon for full water
Entry: Free; water sports charged
Getting here
How to reach Manchanabele Dam
Below Savandurga in Magadi taluk, ~55 km from Bengaluru; by road, best with your own vehicle
Getting back
Work out your return before you settle in for the sunset. Public transport here thins out sharply in the evening, and Manchanabele Dam 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 Manchanabele Dam
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 Manchanabele Dam
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 Manchanabele Dam
On the map
Where Manchanabele Dam is
Good to know
Manchanabele Dam — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Manchanabele Dam?
October to February; after the monsoon for full water.
What are the entry fee and timings at Manchanabele Dam?
Entry: Free; water sports charged. Timings: Daylight hours.
How do I reach Manchanabele Dam?
Below Savandurga in Magadi taluk, about 55 km from Bengaluru; by road, best with your own vehicle. An open reservoir — go with a licensed operator for water sports, wear a life jacket and do not swim unsupervised.
How much time do I need for Manchanabele Dam?
A couple of hours.
What else is near Manchanabele Dam?
Nearby you can pair Savandurga (6.9 km), Ranganatha Swamy Temple, Magadi (13.8 km), Ramadevara Betta (14.1 km), Kempegowda Fort, Magadi (14.8 km).
Read before you go
Manchanabele Dam guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Manchanabele Dam itself yet. These cover Magadi, the town it sits in, and the wider district.
Image credits
Photographs: Subhashish Panigrahi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wikimedia Commons.