Sri Manjunatha Temple
The great Shaiva kshetra administered by the Heggade family, famous for its free annapoorna meals, its Bahubali statue at Ratnagiri…
Lord ManjunathaRead more
Manipal to Dharmasthala by Car or Tempo Traveller
Sri Manjunatha Temple, Dharmasthala · 100 km · about 2 hours 30 minutes one way · chauffeur-driven
How far is Dharmasthala from Manipal?
Manipal to Dharmasthala is 100 km, roughly two and a half hours inland via Karkala and Belthangady. It pairs naturally with Kukke Subrahmanya on the same day.
- Distance
- 100 km one way
- Drive time
- 2 hours 30 minutes
- Destination
- Sri Manjunatha Temple, Dharmasthala
- Suggested vehicle
- Toyota Innova Crysta
- Driver
- Included — we do not offer self-drive
Why people make this trip
Dharmasthala is the kshetra people travel furthest for, and the temple feeds every pilgrim free of charge, so lunch takes care of itself. From Manipal the inland road is direct — you are on the Karkala road within twenty minutes of leaving the campus.
What the road is like
Inland through Hiriyadka, Karkala and Belthangady. Good surface throughout with a few slow villages, and the Ghats in view for most of the second half.
Worth stopping for on the way
- Karkala Gomateshwara
- Chaturmukha Basadi, Karkala
- Southadka Mahaganapathi Temple
One thing worth knowing
Queues build sharply after 9 AM at weekends and right through the Laksha Deepotsava in November and December. A 5 AM departure gets you in and out with time left for Kukke.
Which vehicle suits this route
For most groups on this route we suggest the Toyota Innova Crysta — the car every coastal driver trusts on a long day. Every vehicle in the fleet is available for this trip, though: 4 cars from the Glanza up to the Innova Crysta, and the 11+1 and Force Urbania 16+1 tempo travellers for a group. Tell us your headcount and we will tell you honestly what travels best.
What a quote includes
Vehicle, driver, driver bata and fuel. Toll, parking and any permit charges are billed at actuals. We do not publish rates because they depend on the vehicle, the number of days and whether the trip is one way or return — call +91 94492 30083 or send the form and you will have a firm all-inclusive figure the same day.
Vehicles for Manipal to Dharmasthala
| Vehicle | Capacity | Suits this route for |
|---|---|---|
| Manipal to Dharmasthala by Force Urbania 16+1 | 16+1 seater | Joint-family temple circuits, sangha yatras and corporate outstation trips |
| Manipal to Dharmasthala by Tempo Traveller 11+1 | 11+1 seater | Groups of eight to eleven on temple circuits and picnic trips |
| Manipal to Dharmasthala by Toyota Innova Crysta | 6+1 seater | Family temple tours, Kollur and Dharmasthala day trips, airport runs |
| Manipal to Dharmasthala by Maruti Suzuki Ertiga | 6+1 seater | Day trips around Udupi, Karkala and Malpe with a small family |
| Manipal to Dharmasthala by Toyota Etios | 4+1 seater | Mangaluru airport transfers and two-to-four passenger temple visits |
| Manipal to Dharmasthala by Toyota Glanza | 4+1 seater | Couples, local Udupi sightseeing and short station or airport hops |
Every vehicle is chauffeur-driven and quoted per trip — we do not publish rates.
Manipal to Dharmasthala — common questions
100 km, about two and a half hours via Karkala and Belthangady. There is no materially faster route.
Yes — roughly a 260 km round trip, and we run it regularly. Start at 5 AM. With elderly parents or small children an overnight is far more comfortable.
Book Manipal to Dharmasthala
Tell us the dates and the route. We reply with an all-inclusive figure — driver, fuel and taxes included.
On this route
Temples you can add
Bahubali Gomateshwara Statue
A 42-foot monolithic Bahubali carved in 1432, standing on a rocky hill above Karkala town with sweeping views of the Western Ghats.
Bhagawan BahubaliRead more
Southadka Sri Mahaganapathi Temple
A remarkable open-air temple with no roof and no walls — just the idol in a field, where devotees offer bells and tender coconut. U…
Lord GaneshaRead more
Also from Manipal
Other popular routes
| Route | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Manipal to Mangalore Airport | 65 km | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Manipal to Mangalore | 65 km | 1 hour 40 minutes |
| Manipal to Udupi | 6 km | 15 minutes |
| Manipal to Kollur | 82 km | 2 hours 10 minutes |
| Manipal to Kukke Subrahmanya | 146 km | 3 hours 35 minutes |
| Manipal to Murudeshwar | 100 km | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Manipal to Gokarna | 184 km | 4 hours 20 minutes |
| Manipal to Sringeri | 95 km | 2 hours 40 minutes |
| Manipal to Agumbe | 58 km | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Manipal to Kateel | 55 km | 1 hour 20 minutes |
Manipal to Dharmasthala — shall we quote it?
Send us the date and how many are travelling. All-inclusive figure the same day, with a driver who has done this road hundreds of times.