Bandaje Arbi

 

 

The South Kanara district lodges many waterfalls in the lush green mountains of the Western Ghats. One of them is the Bandaje Arbi falls in the Charmadi Ghat. Falling from a height of around 200 feet. Arbi is waterfall in Kannada.

Western ghats provide ample oppotunity to the trekkers for admiring awesome nature and each place in the ghats is different in its feature. So Bandaje too is quite different and a 365 days flowing falls. Eventhough a famous falls, this spot is clean and tidy, and nature is left unharmed, mainly because piknic freaks dont dare to come over here. As the onward journey to the upper part to the falls is pretty tiresome, this expects tremendous energy.

‘The journey is more significant than the destination itself’, Bandaje Arbi waterfall is a best example of this saying, reaching this scenic spot has no particular set path. So those who love nature are the usual goers to Bandaje falls.

Ballalarayana Durga is visible from the topmost point of the hill about an hour's walk up from arbi. This waterfall can also be reached by sunkasaale and Ballalarayana Durga.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit is after the rains around end September, early October. At this time the forest has been washed clean and shines bright for your arrival, while the waterfall gushes at full strength roaring you to its embrace. The weather is neither too hot and sticky, nor too wet and cold. You could also trek in this place during March and April just before peak summer. However, be prepared sweat soaked walk as the humidity is relatively high.

If you love chasing the rains and would like to volunteer for a monsoon trek, you may visit the waterfalls in the months of June and July. Only meant for adventurous souls, it is during this season the rains wash down trails and stir up the leeches.

Major Attractions

Besides the waterfall, one of the other major attractions is the Ballala Rayana Durga fort. Should you stop to smell the flowers or enjoy the scenic view the grasslands offer, you will reach the fort in 2 hours. The fort was built by the Hoysala Kings. But all that remains is a dilapidated 100 square metre space of trees and fortifications. However, do not miss the splendid scene from the fort towers. It presents a 360 degree view of the Shola forest, the Oorikan Estate to the east and the valley leading to Sunkasale below.

Another major attraction is the amazing drive through the ghats. The pleating mountains that form a never ending horizon are breathtaking. The golden sunset, paints a peaceful hue on the rippling mountain range making this trip worth every effort.

 
 

Pilgrim & Tourist Places

Place of Worship

How to get there

You have to get down at Somantadka 4 kmts from Ujire. You can hire a jeep at Somantadka and go to Valambra, which is the starting point of trek. In valambra you will find A Gowda house, the owner is Venkatraman Gowda, who usually provides all necessary information and bottlefull of water too. From there you have to a couple of kilometres in hot sun and this journey is tiresome. But once you enter the thick forest area, you dont have the problem from scorching sun. But its the height, which poses all kinds of difficulty for not only to the beginner, but to the experienced trekker too. Usually after tiresome trek of around 5 hours exhausted, you reach grassland which is stark except a few palm trees. In another one hour, you will have a glimpse of the falls, and another half an hour, you will be right near the falls. You can swim in a pond just a few metres above the falls, and can refresh all your tiredness.

Site desinged by Department of CSE/ISE, SDMIT, Ujire 2009-2015. All rights reserved