What to expect
Highlights
- The Drepung Loseling and Ganden monasteries.
- The Tibetan settlement camps.
- The prayer halls and monastic life.
Doeguling Tibetan Settlement
Doeguling is India’s second-largest Tibetan settlement, about 15,000 people across camps near Mundgod.
Practical guide
Plan Doeguling Tibetan Settlement
Who's going?Tailor Doeguling Tibetan Settlement to your trip
Typeheritage
Nearest baseMundgod
DistrictUttara Kannada
Best timeOctober to February
Time neededHalf a day
EntryFree
It is centred on the great Gelugpa monasteries of Drepung Loseling and Ganden.
Getting there
How to visit
- In camps near Mundgod; by road, with autos between the camps and monasteries.
- A living monastic community — be quiet and respectful in the prayer halls and ask before photographing monks.
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; mornings for the prayer sessions.
Weather in Doeguling Tibetan SettlementSeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Doeguling Tibetan Settlement
Sunrise6:22 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🌔 Waxing gibbous · 63%
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
- An active monastery and community — dress modestly and follow the monastery’s rules.
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Doeguling Tibetan Settlement — at a glance
TimingsMonastery daytime hours
Best timeOctober to February; mornings for prayers
Entry: Free
Getting here
How to reach Doeguling Tibetan Settlement
In camps near Mundgod; by road, with autos between the camps and monasteries
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 Doeguling Tibetan Settlement
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 Doeguling Tibetan Settlement
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 Doeguling Tibetan Settlement
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.
33.7 km · ~56 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.
35.8 km · ~60 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.
36.8 km · ~61 min by cab · straight line
heritageSahasralinga
Over a thousand Shiva lingas and Nandis carved into the bed and banks of the Shalmala river ~14 km from Sirsi — exposed in the dry season and submerged in the monsoon.
37.3 km · ~62 min by cab · straight lineS
Sonda Vadiraja Matha
Place
heritageSonda Vadiraja Matha
The Vadiraja (Sode) matha at Sonda ~20 km from Sirsi — one of the Ashta Mathas of Udupi and a major Dvaita pilgrimage centre around the Vadiraja Brindavana, with a Jain basadi nearby.
37.3 km · ~62 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.
38.5 km · ~64 min by cab · straight line
templeSirsi Marikamba Temple
The largest temple to the goddess Marikamba (Durga) in Karnataka, at Sirsi, famous for its biennial Marikamba Jatra — one of the biggest fairs in the state.
45.2 km · ~75 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.
48.5 km · ~81 min by cab · straight line
templeBanavasi Madhukeshwara Temple
A 9th-century Kadamba-era Shiva temple at Banavasi — the oldest town in Karnataka and the ancient Kadamba capital — with a famous stone Nandi, lathe-turned pillars and a monolithic stone bed.
48.6 km · ~81 min by cab · straight line
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.
54.4 km · ~91 min by cab · straight line
viewpointSyntheri Rocks
A towering monolithic granite cliff on the Kaneri river inside the Kali Tiger Reserve near Dandeli, home to rock bees and pigeons.
56.5 km · ~94 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.
56.8 km · ~95 min by cab · straight lineOn the map
Where Doeguling Tibetan Settlement is
Good to know
Doeguling Tibetan Settlement — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Doeguling Tibetan Settlement?
October to February; mornings for the prayer sessions.
What are the entry fee and timings at Doeguling Tibetan Settlement?
Entry: Free. Timings: Monastery daytime hours.
How do I reach Doeguling Tibetan Settlement?
In camps near Mundgod; by road, with autos between the camps and monasteries. A living monastic community — be quiet and respectful in the prayer halls and ask before photographing monks.
How much time do I need for Doeguling Tibetan Settlement?
Half a day.
What else is near Doeguling Tibetan Settlement?
Nearby you can pair Magod Falls (33.7 km), Shivaganga Falls (35.8 km), Jenukallu Gudda (36.8 km), Sahasralinga (37.3 km).
Read before you go
Doeguling Tibetan Settlement guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Doeguling Tibetan Settlement itself yet. These cover Mundgod 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
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Regional guide
Banavasi: How to Read Karnataka’s First Historical Capital
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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
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Story
Tagore in Karwar: Four Months That Gave a Beach Its Name
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The Last Ward: How Karwar Got Its Name, and Its Language
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Image credits
Photographs: Ktoya, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Wikimedia Commons.