Sirsi is 68 km (about 1 hour 20 minutes by car) from Hotel Pumerai in Honnavar, and the Yana rocks lie in the forest between the coast and Sirsi.
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Behind the beaches of Uttara Kannada, the Western Ghats rise in a wall of forest. Two of the district's most memorable places are up there: the black rock pinnacles of Yana, standing out of the jungle like the ruins of a giant fort, and Sirsi, a temple and spice town known for its Marikamba Temple and the arecanut, pepper and cardamom gardens around it.
Both make one long, rewarding day from Hotel Pumerai. Sirsi is 68 km from the hotel, about 1 hour 20 minutes by car, and Yana is in the forest between the coast and Sirsi, so you can see the rocks in the cool of the morning and reach Sirsi for the afternoon, then drive back to the coast for dinner.
Drive north on NH-66 to Kumta, then take the ghat road inland towards Sirsi. Yana is signposted off this road; the last section to the rocks is a narrow forest road. Sirsi town is 68 km from the hotel in all, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
KSRTC buses link Kumta and Sirsi through the ghats, but reaching Yana by bus is difficult. For Yana, a car or a taxi booked through the front desk is far easier.
A taxi for the day lets you start early at Yana and still see Sirsi, Sahasralinga and Unchalli Falls without rushing the ghat road.
October to February is the most comfortable time for walking at Yana and around Sirsi. The monsoon (June to September) turns the forest a deep green and fills the waterfalls, but paths get slippery and leeches are common. Sirsi's Marikamba Jatre, held every two years, draws enormous crowds to the town.
Two huge pinnacles of black karst rock, Bhairaveshwara Shikhara (about 120 metres) and Mohini Shikhara (about 90 metres), rise out of the forest. A path leads from the car park to the base of the rocks and a cave shrine under Bhairaveshwara; wear shoes with grip and carry water.
Sirsi's best-known temple is dedicated to the goddess Marikamba, and its painted facade is one of the most photographed in the district. The town's Marikamba Jatre, a fair held every two years, is one of the biggest in Karnataka.
Near Sirsi, hundreds of Shiva lingas are carved into the rocks of the Shalmala river bed. They are easiest to see when the water is low, after the monsoon and in the dry months.
Also called Lushington Falls, Unchalli is a tall waterfall on the Aghanashini river in the forest near Sirsi, reached by a walk down to a viewpoint. It is at its best in and just after the monsoon.
An ancient town near Sirsi, once the capital of the Kadamba kings, with the Madhukeshwara Temple at its centre. Add it if you have a second day in the ghats.
Sirsi is 68 km from Hotel Pumerai in Honnavar, about 1 hour 20 minutes by car via Kumta and the ghat road.
Yes, with an early start. Yana is in the forest between the coast and Sirsi, so see the rocks in the morning, Sirsi and Sahasralinga in the afternoon, and drive back down to the coast in daylight.
Yana is inland from Kumta, in the forest of Kumta taluk, on the way to Sirsi. Use the route link on this page for today's distance and driving time.
The path from the car park to the rocks is short but uneven, with steps and loose stones. Wear shoes with grip, carry water, and take extra care in the monsoon, when it is slippery and leeches are common.
The Marikamba Jatre is held every two years and fills Sirsi with visitors for several days. Check the dates for the coming year before you plan a quiet visit.
40 air-conditioned rooms, a rooftop pool, Matsya and Madhura restaurants and free covered parking with EV charging, on NH-66. Direct bookings include breakfast and free cancellation up to 24 hours before check-in.