tripunder
DestinationsTreksSacred placesItinerariesBlogMapRoutesCompare placesAbout
Sri Manjunatha Temple at Dharmasthala with pilgrims in the forecourt

Home › Sacred places › Dharmasthala & Kukke Subramanya

Pilgrimage & heritage route · from Bengaluru

Dharmasthala & Kukke Subramanya route, cost & what to book

The easiest two-temple weekend in Karnataka, and the one that doubles as a trek.

Photo: Vedamurthy J · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Duration2 days · 1 night
Starts fromBengaluru
Cost from₹1,800 each
Stops5
Best timeOctober to February
Good forFamilies, Solo, Couples, Groups

The easiest two-temple weekend in Karnataka, and the one that doubles as a trek. Both shrines are on the same bus route through the Ghats, both run their own pilgrim accommodation at a token rate, and both serve free meals. You leave Bengaluru on Friday night and are back at your desk on Monday morning having spent under ₹2,000.

Step 2 of 6Next: Route
Your trip plan · PDF

Dharmasthala, planned for you

Day-by-day timings, the route, what each part costs, where to sleep and eat, and a checklist. One PDF that works offline: print it, or send it to everyone going.

  1. Day 1 Bengaluru to Dharmasthala to Kukke Subramanya
    • TravelBengaluru₹700
    • TravelDharmasthalaFree
    • TravelKukke Subramanya₹90
  2. Day 2 Subrahmanya Road to Bengaluru

₹49 once, 5 pages. Secure payment by Razorpay, instant download. Already bought? Get your download

Share this guide on WhatsApp

The route, stop by stop

The whole route first. Tap any stop and the map zooms to just that place.

Route

Stops

Bengaluru → Dharmasthala → Kukke Subramanya → Subrahmanya Road → Bengaluru · Directions in Google Maps ↗

  1. 1
    Overnight KSRTC bus, 7 h, departs around 10 pm Map ↗
  2. 2
    Manjunatha temple at dawn, free annadana breakfast, Bahubali statue at Ratnagiri Map ↗
  3. 3
    Bus from Dharmasthala, 1 h 30 m, runs through the morning Map ↗
  4. 4
    Auto to the station, 10 min, then the overnight train Map ↗
  5. 5
    Overnight train, arrives early morning Map ↗

Travel legs add up to about ₹1,200 per person.

Step 3 of 6Next: Cost

What it costs

Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Prices last updated 6 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book. Spot a wrong price? Tell us and we fix it.

Your group₹3,600
Couple · from Bengaluru
Per person₹1,800

A do-it-yourself budget: trains and buses, simple lodges and temple meals. Paid darshan and donations are extra.

Step 4 of 6Next: What to book

What to book ahead

Step 5 of 6Next: Stay & food

Where to stay and eat

Stay

Dharmasthala runs large pilgrim guesthouses at a nominal rate and serves free annadana meals three times a day to everyone. Kukke has temple rooms and a row of cheap lodges outside the east gate. Neither needs a hotel booking site.

Food

Free annadana at both temples — a full, simple, vegetarian meal, and you queue with everyone else. Outside the gates, ₹80 gets a Mangalorean veg meal with a coastal accent.

Local tip: Kumara Parvatha, one of the hardest one-day climbs in South India, starts directly behind the Kukke temple. Devotees and trekkers take the same bus from Bengaluru. Add one day and do both — almost nobody does, and it is the best-value weekend in the state.
Step 6 of 6Next: FAQ

Photos

Questions people ask

How many days do you need for Dharmasthala?

2 days · 1 night, starting from Bengaluru.

What is the best time for Dharmasthala?

October to February. The monsoon is not impossible but the Western Ghats roads are slow and wet.

How much does Dharmasthala cost?

From about ₹1,800 per person doing it yourself, with the travel legs adding up to roughly ₹1,200.

What needs to be booked in advance?

Dharmasthala accommodation (must book): Free and paid rooms through the temple's own booking portal, which opens roughly a month ahead. Weekend slots go quickly. Return train from Subrahmanya Road (must book): Book 30 days out. This is the leg people get wrong and end up on a 4 am bus. Kukke sevas: Sarva Darshan needs no booking. Paid sevas — Sarpa Samskara in particular — need to be booked well in advance. Kumara Parvatha forest permit: Only if you are adding the trek. Limited daily numbers, ID required, counter behind the temple.

Where do pilgrims stay?

Dharmasthala runs large pilgrim guesthouses at a nominal rate and serves free annadana meals three times a day to everyone. Kukke has temple rooms and a row of cheap lodges outside the east gate. Neither needs a hotel booking site.

What about food?

Free annadana at both temples — a full, simple, vegetarian meal, and you queue with everyone else. Outside the gates, ₹80 gets a Mangalorean veg meal with a coastal accent.

Guides for Dharmasthala & Kukke Subramanya

Longer reads from our blog that cover this trip.

Places to Visit Near Bangalore: 20 Underrated Trips by Distance, with Real CostsPlaces to visit near Bangalore grouped by distance: under 100 km, 100–200, 200–300 and 300+ km, with road distance,…Read the guide →

More sacred places and routes

Carved granite Vidyashankara Temple at Sringeri under a blue skySringeri, Horanadu & Kollur2–3 days · from Chikmagalur or UdupiFrom ₹3,500Twin shrines of the 12th-century Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu under a blue skyHoysala temple trail — Belur, Halebidu & Somanathapura1–2 days · from Mysuru or HassanFrom ₹2,500Bird's-eye view of Bhagamandala town and temples among green Coorg hillsBhagamandala, Talakaveri & Irupu Falls1–2 days · from Madikeri (Coorg)From ₹2,000

Underrated places near by

Rolling green grassland hills on the Kudremukh trek, Western GhatsKudremukhKudremukh means 'horse face', for the shape of its peak, and the national park around it is one…From ₹1,200/dayGreen hills and forest around SakleshpurSakleshpurCoffee and cardamom estates on the Western Ghats edge, a star-shaped fort in the fog, and a…From ₹1,600/dayGrassy ridge and trail along the Baba Budangiri range, ChikmagalurChikmagalurKarnataka's highest peak, the estate that grew India's first coffee, and homestay rates a third…From ₹1,000/day

Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we don't sell packages or bookings, we take no commission, and we link to maps and official sites, never to booking sites. Every guide is free; our only paid products are optional downloadable trip plans and itineraries. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.

By Gokul · Updated 6 October 2026 · Photo: Vedamurthy J · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · Photo: Rakshitha AG · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · Photo: Abdulla Al Muhairi from Abu Dhabi, UAE · CC BY 2.0 · source · Photo: Prashanth bhat · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

2 days · 1 night · —
Route