The Jog falls in Karnataka are magnificent falls, set in the wild and unspoilt surroundings. Nature here has not been disturbed for the tourist tappings i.e unneussary constructions and falling of trees. The Sharavati river crashes nearly nine hundred feet down forming four main channels named king, queen rocket and roarer. Just after the monsoon season or rainy season the falls are a magnificient and awesome sight to see. At this time the falls are surrounded by mists. The 50 km long hirebhasgar reservior now controls the flow of the Sharavati river in order to generate hydro-electricity but inspite of this there is an vast difference between the wet and dry season flow of the waterfalls. The Mysore power corporation releases water to the falls every village has a modest population of about 13, 300
Jog falls village is 16 km from the nearest railway station at
Talguppa. Trains from Bangalore involve a change in Shimaga
town.
Shimoga to Jog falls
From Bangalore there are two road routes to Shimaga and Jog falls. The first is National highway 48 which is a better and guider route, the second is National Nighway 4 which is a slower route with poor road surface.
Jog falls is nestled in the Western ghats. The drive up the hill is glories giving a birds eye view of the festile and magical western ghats.
Altitude
Climate: Jog falls are situated up the cool climes of the Western-Ghats.
Clothings: Light cool dresses for summer. During the monsoon season the nights are cool. Warm clothings will be required for the winter months i.e. December to February.
Language: Kannada is the principal language of this region. Few people also understand English and Hindi.
The main place of interest as the name itself suggests is the "Jog falls". The sharavati river crashes nine-hundred feet down in four main falls. The highest is the Raja (King) fall which falls 250 m below forming a 40 m deep pool. Next to it is the Roarer, while a short distance to the south is the Rocket it is called so aptly because it spurts great shafts of water out in the air, In contrast the Rani (Queen) over the rocks gracefully.. The walk to the bottom of the falls for the hale and hearty is recommonded and one can take a dip in the pool created below by the falls, during the dry season. This venture would be impossible during the monsoons as the flow in the falls increase and the mist shrouds these falls. There is dampness everywhere and the vegetation becomes bright green with water drops dripping from the trees.It is best to visit these falls at the start of the cool season just after the monsoon rains have finished to see the falls in its magnificient and sepectacular form. Though now the 50 km long hirebhasgar reservior regulates the flow of the sharsvati river in order to generate hydro-power yet there is a vaste difference between the flow of the waterfalls in the dry and wet season.
(a) The government owned (Karnataka Tourism) "Sharavati Tourist Home" is comfortable clean and reasonble priced. It offers good view of the falls.
(b) Tunga Tourist Home : This is also a cheap and comfortable place to say.
(c) Inspection Bunglow at Jog falls : This is often heavily booked and its booking can be done at the District Commissioners at Shimaga.
(d) Guest-House near the falls : Reservations has to be done if one plans to stay here, through the Supt. Engineer (Elec.) Mahatma-Gandhi Mydro-electric works Jog Falls.
(e) Jog-falls Guest house : Maintained by the Tourist department. Reservation can be done through its resident manager.
(f) Woodlands : This is another place where one can stay at Jog Falls but is not upto the mark.
Rivers : The Sharavati river and the Hirebhasgar built over it.
One can enjoy the beauty of the Jog-falls high-up in the western Ghats of Karanataka state. It is at its spectacular best just offer the rainy season and the beginning of the cool season i.e. Nov. to January
