Jog Falls in Karnataka is a symbol of the eternal beauty of nature. The mountains give the freshness to breathe freely in nature. The valleys covered with flowers give an alluring vista. But this beauty is incomplete without the charismatic and grand falling stream of water.

About Jog Falls in Karnataka:
Jog Falls in Karnataka provides a bewitching view, making it a glorious wonder of nature. Its height is about 253m (830ft). The water thunders down the slope losing contact with the rocks, which makes it the 2nd highest plunge waterfall in India. The flow of the Sharavathi River is an exquisite sight to watch.

Jog falls in Karnataka are locally known as ‘Gerusoppe falls’ and ‘Jogada Gundi’. “Joga” is a Kannada word meaning fall. The water flows down into four distinct falls, namely: Raja, Rani, Roarer, and Rocket. The Raja Fall meets the Roarer at an angle of forty-five degrees.

Witness the Roarer that precipitates itself into a vast cup meeting the Raja that flows unbroken up to 830 feet. Rocket and Rani are no less! The Rocket shoots downward in a series of jets while Rani moves quietly in a sheet of foam.

The viewpoint is in Sagar taluk, Shimoga district. A set of 1400 steps carry you from the viewpoint to the bottom of the hill. The steps are an initiative by the Tourism Department to facilitate your experience.

Things to do:
Head to the backwaters to relish the adventure. A spike in adrenaline and a touch of adventure is all we need. There are a load of activities such as archery, river rafting, trekking, angling, boating, kayaking, swimming, and camping. Lastly, do not forget to soak up warmth from the glow of the bonfire!

Traveler Tips:
If you are planning to visit Jog Falls in the monsoon season, then the weather will remain rainy, foggy, and misty during this time.
Keep your raincoats and umbrellas handy and be patient for the clouds to move away from the waterfall.

Linganamakki Dam and Jog Falls:
The Linganamakki Dam is located in the Sagara town, which is about 11 kilometers away from the Jog Falls. Special permission is required to visit the main dam. However, all visitors are allowed to see the dam from the viewpoint. The entire surrounding area of the Linganamakki dam is full of lush green plantations and incredible natural beauty.

Associated with the waterfall is the nearby Linganamakki Dam across the river Sharavathi. The power station has a capacity of 120 MW and has been functional since 1948. Interestingly, it was one of the largest hydroelectric stations in the year 1948. However, it is just a small source of electric power for Karnataka today.

This Dam was known as Krishna Rajendra hydro-electric project in the early days. It was named after the Ling of Mysore. Later, it was renamed as Mahatma Gandhi hydro-electric Project. After the end of 1960, Linganamakki Dam was being used for generating power thanks to Sir M. Visvesvarayya.

Jog Falls is a mere pair of thin streams of water that trickles down the cliff during the summers and winters. The water from the river gets used up for the generation of electricity. When the dam overflows during peak monsoon season, the gates are opened and all that water then flows down the Jog Falls in Karnataka.

“THERE ARE DIVINE THINGS, MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN WORDS CAN EXPRESS.”

Jog Falls Entrance Timings:
Jog Falls Timings are from morning 7:15 AM to evening 8:15 PM on all days except Sundays. On Sundays, you can visit this place from 7:15 AM to 9:15 PM.
However, you can go down to the base only between 9 AM and 4 PM.

Ideal Duration:
Ensure that you have got around 2 to 3hrs to completely explore the beauty of Jog Falls in Karnataka.

Laser Show:
Man’s creativity has never known bounds. That’s why the scenic beauty of nature fuses with artificial lights to provide a scintillating experience. Enjoy the dance of the lights in the flow of the water.

Make sure you arrive by 7.15 PM, for the show begins at this time. If you are visiting on Sundays, the show would be terminated by 9.15 PM. On all other days, this colossal show ends by 8.15 PM.

Musical Karanji Show:
Does a musical event amidst the symphony of nature sound enticing? The show timings are the same as the laser show timings.

What can be more perfect than the cool breeze, gushing waterfall, the play of light, and the melody of music all fused together?

Best Time to Visit:
The best time to visit Jog Falls is in the monsoon season, which is from August to January, though the peak tourist season is from September to December. The months of monsoon offer a spectacular vista of the cascading glory of Jog Falls in Karnataka.

Nearby Places to Visit:
Honnemaradu:
Honnemaradu is a place located atop a hill that overlooks the Linganamakki reservoir. It literally means ‘A Golden Lake’ and is known for the spectacular sunrises and sunsets. The island offers a variety of water adventure activities like kayaking, canoeing, and rafting and is a perfect spot for a picnic. Honnemaradu is famous amongst trekkers and bird watchers as they can spot rare species of attractive birds here, and indulge in trekking nearby peaks.

Sharavathi Valley and Suspension Bridge:
Sharavathi valley viewpoint and Suspension Bridge lie on the way from Honnavar to Jog Falls. It is situated in the Honnavar taluk, Uttara Kannada district which is 35 kilometers away from the Jog Falls Karnataka. The bridge is built over the ferociously flowing Sharavathi River and connects two nearby villages. The locals traverse using 2-wheeler vehicles on the bridge.

How to reach Jog Falls:
Jog Falls of Karnataka is situated upon the Sharavati river located in the Western Ghats in Siddapur taluk, Uttara Kannada District.

By Air:
Hubli airport is the nearest airport to Jog Falls sited 130 kilometers away from Jog Falls. From Hubli airport, you can either hire a taxi to Jog Falls or catch a state-run bus to Jog Falls from Hubli bus stand.

By Rail:
Talaguppa railway station is the nearest railway station to Jog Falls (about 14 kilometers away from Jog Falls). The Talaguppa rail line is well connected to Bengaluru (Bangalore), Mysore, Shimoga, and Sagara. The meter gauge rail track between Shimoga and Talaguppa was laid by the British in the late 1930s.

The Sagara railway station 30 kilometers away from the Jog Falls is the second closest railway station. If you are coming from the northern parts of India, you can catch a train to Hubli railway station in Karnataka. From Hubli, Shimoga can be reached via road, from where you can take a train or taxi to Talaguppa.

By Road:
Jog Falls is nicely connected by well-laid smooth roads from both the sides – Honnavar and Shimoga/ Sagara. Jog Falls is 85 kilometers away from the temple town of Murudeshwar and 111 kilometers away from the beach destination Gokarna. Gokarna, Murudeshwar, and Jog Falls make a wonderful combined road trip.

How to reach jog falls from Bangalore?
Jog Falls also makes for an amazing road trip from Bangalore. Bangalore to Jog Falls distance would be about 410 kilometers. You can easily reach from Bangalore to Jog Falls via any private vehicle or hire one. While you are at it, do not forget to visit the destinations in Bangalore before visiting Jog Falls of Karnataka.

Explore this cascading wonder in the Southern state of India. We welcome you to witness the natural marvel and revel in the beauty of this serene waterfall. The flow of a waterfall and time can never be reversed. So make sure to pack your bags, and head on this journey!

Credits:
The Jog Falls photos used in this Tour Bharat article were provided by Akshay Kaushik and Prashant Dubey. We thank them for these amazing shots! You can check out their Instagram @_akshay.kaushik_ and @ghumakkad.photographer respectively