What to expect
Highlights
- The large hydro dam.
- The scenic reservoir.
- The Kali Tiger Reserve forest setting.
Supa Dam
Supa Dam is a large hydro dam on the Kali river at Joida.
Practical guide
Plan Supa Dam
Who's going?Tailor Supa Dam to your trip
Typedam
Nearest baseDandeli
DistrictUttara Kannada
Best timeOctober to February
Time needed1 to 1.5 hours
EntryFree
Places to visit4→It backs up a scenic reservoir in the Kali Tiger Reserve forests.
Getting there
How to visit
- On the Kali river at Joida; by road, and check whether the dam viewpoint is open to visitors.
- A working dam in a tiger reserve — follow security and forest rules and any photography restrictions.
Distance by road
- Panaji (Goa)100 km
- Hubballi165 km
- Udupi175 km
- Mangaluru270 km
- Bengaluru500 km
Road km to Uttara Kannada; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
October to February; a full reservoir after the monsoon.
Weather in Supa DamSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Supa Dam
Sunrise6:24 am
Sunset6:09 pm
Golden hour best light5:09 pm–6:09 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:09 pm–6:34 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 260°
Moon tonight🌔 Waxing gibbous · 59%
Sunset is in about 1 hour.
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
- A restricted dam in a forest reserve — access can be limited, so confirm before going.
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Top experiences around Dandeli
3 more places around Dandeli. Open a guide to plan the visit and onward journey.
wildlifeDandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
10.6 km · ~18 min by cab
A large forest sanctuary on the Kali river in the northern Ghats, part of the Kali Tiger Reserve — known for white-water rafting, hornbill birding and wildlife including elephants, gaur and the elusive black panther.
U
Ulavi Channabasaveshwara Temple
Place
templeUlavi Channabasaveshwara Temple
30.2 km · ~50 min by cab
The forest shrine at Ulavi (Joida taluk) around the samadhi of Channabasavanna — one of the largest Lingayat pilgrimage centres in Karnataka, with the Akka Nagalambike cave nearby.
viewpointSyntheri Rocks
21.3 km · ~36 min by cab
A towering monolithic granite cliff on the Kaneri river inside the Kali Tiger Reserve near Dandeli, home to rock bees and pigeons.
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Supa Dam — at a glance
TimingsDaylight; subject to security clearance
Best timeOctober to February; full reservoir after the monsoon
Entry: Free; access may be restricted
Getting here
How to reach Supa Dam
On the Kali river at Joida; by road, and confirm whether the viewpoint is open
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 Supa Dam
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 Supa 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 Supa Dam
wildlifeDandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
A large forest sanctuary on the Kali river in the northern Ghats, part of the Kali Tiger Reserve — known for white-water rafting, hornbill birding and wildlife including elephants, gaur and the elusive black panther.
10.6 km · ~18 min by cab · straight lineviewpointSyntheri Rocks
A towering monolithic granite cliff on the Kaneri river inside the Kali Tiger Reserve near Dandeli, home to rock bees and pigeons.
21.3 km · ~36 min by cab · straight lineL
Lalguli Falls
Place
waterfallLalguli Falls
A remote forest waterfall on the Kali river ~13 km from Yellapur, in elephant country reached past a forest check-post.
27.7 km · ~46 min by cab · straight lineU
Ulavi Channabasaveshwara Temple
Place
templeUlavi Channabasaveshwara Temple
The forest shrine at Ulavi (Joida taluk) around the samadhi of Channabasavanna — one of the largest Lingayat pilgrimage centres in Karnataka, with the Akka Nagalambike cave nearby.
30.2 km · ~50 min by cab · straight line
waterfallSathodi Falls
A wide waterfall where a tributary of the Kali drops into a pool amid forest near Yellapur, backed by the Kodasalli reservoir.
37.0 km · ~62 min by cab · straight lineJ
Jenukallu Gudda
Place
viewpointJenukallu Gudda
A Western-Ghats sunset viewpoint ~17 km from Yellapur overlooking the Bedti (Gangavali) river valley.
52.1 km · ~87 min by cab · straight line
waterfallMagod Falls
A waterfall near Yellapur where the Bedti (Gangavali) river drops in two leaps of around 200 m into a wooded gorge, seen from a viewpoint.
53.3 km · ~89 min by cab · straight lineS
Shivaganga Falls
Place
waterfallShivaganga Falls
A ~74 m waterfall on the Sonda river near Siddapur, plunging into a deep evergreen valley, with a Shiva temple at its head.
58.7 km · ~98 min by cab · straight line
fortSadashivgad Fort
A Sonda-era hill fort of 1715 above the mouth of the Kali river, about 5 km from Karwar, with the Shantadurga temple and a 17th-century dargah on the way up and the Arabian Sea and its islands below.
63.9 km · ~106 min by cab · straight line
heritageDoeguling Tibetan Settlement
India’s second-largest Tibetan settlement, ~15,000 people across camps near Mundgod, centred on the great Gelugpa monasteries of Drepung Loseling and Ganden.
64.4 km · ~107 min by cab · straight lineK
Kurmagad Island
Place
islandKurmagad Island
A tortoise-shaped island ~4 km off Karwar with a hilltop Narasimha temple, snorkelling and an annual jatra; reached by boat.
66.5 km · ~111 min by cab · straight line
beachKarwar Beach
The long shallow town strand of Karwar under its headland, running south from the mouth of the Kali river — the evening promenade of the district headquarters, with fishing boats drawn up on the sand and the Western Ghats behind.
66.9 km · ~111 min by cab · straight lineOn the map
Where Supa Dam is
Good to know
Supa Dam — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Supa Dam?
October to February; a full reservoir after the monsoon.
What are the entry fee and timings at Supa Dam?
Entry: Free; access may be restricted. Timings: Daylight; subject to security clearance.
How do I reach Supa Dam?
On the Kali river at Joida; by road, and check whether the dam viewpoint is open to visitors. A working dam in a tiger reserve — follow security and forest rules and any photography restrictions.
How much time do I need for Supa Dam?
1 to 1.5 hours.
What else is near Supa Dam?
Nearby you can pair Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary (10.6 km), Syntheri Rocks (21.3 km), Lalguli Falls (27.7 km), Ulavi Channabasaveshwara Temple (30.2 km).
Read before you go
Supa Dam guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Supa Dam itself yet. These cover Dandeli and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
Heritage guide
Mirjan Fort: Laterite Walls, Pepper Routes and a Monsoon Visit
6 min read · Read →
Regional guide
Banavasi: How to Read Karnataka’s First Historical Capital
6 min read · Read →
Day-trip guide
Magod Falls and Jenukallu Gudda: One Careful Yellapur Day
5 min read · Read →
Day-trip guide
Day Trips from Karwar: The Whole of Uttara Kannada from One Base
6 min read · Read →
Story
Tagore in Karwar: Four Months That Gave a Beach Its Name
5 min read · Read →
Story
The Last Ward: How Karwar Got Its Name, and Its Language
6 min read · Read →
Image credits
Photographs: Chinmayisk, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Wikimedia Commons.