Tourism:

Extraordinarily rich history, awesome cultural traditions, deep religious roots and of course, arresting natural endowments have together placed Shimoga district in an enviable position as a must-see for tourists.

Enhancing the overall tourist appeal of the district is the fact that unlike many other places in India, Shimoga is not over exposed or overcrowded. A tourist looking for real privacy in the company of nature alone, and tourist looking for pristine sights and rare insights into Karnataka’s cultural and historical heritage will be in their element here.

Dense tropical forest. Exclusive and wide-ranging flora and fauna. Unspoilt lakes and river valleys. Hills and hillocks that are a trekker’s delight. Places of breath-taking natural beauty such as the world-famous Jog Falls and the Sunset point at Agumbe.

Exquisite handicrafts. Varieties of folk arts and variegated festivals all through the year. Good transport connections. Top-grade board and lodging facilities. Above all, an eminently hospitable and helpful local populace. Features such as these make the district a vividly memorable and distinctly different experience to any visitor. The depth and diversity of the places render their word-picturisation difficult, but at, keeping in view that background information always helps in enhancing tourist experience, a brief profile of certain tourist spots is given here.


Regional festivals

Every little occasion from the harvesting of crops, welcoming the spring or rain, to seeing the full moon lends itself to joyous celebrations splashed with colors, music, folk dances and songs. The homes are neatly decorated, new dresses are worn for every occasion, prayers offered to Gods, and lot of sweets and goodies are cooked. Most of these festivals are common to most part of India however they may be known by different names in different parts of the country. Different cultures also mean that different rituals are followed.