Dharwad district
Dharwad is a district of Karnataka. Browse its towns, famous tourist places, treks, beaches, temples, backwaters and local businesses. Hotels and homestays can list for free, and travellers contact them directly.
Dharwad at a glance
Dharwad is a district of Karnataka — The Hubballi–Dharwad twin-city district on the Deccan plateau, a cultural and commercial hub of north Karnataka, at the edge of the Malnad Ghats, with its headquarters at Dharwad. It is best known for The Chandramouleshwara temple of Unkal, the Banashankari temple of Amargol, the Siddharoodha math, Unkal Lake, the Sadhankeri of the poet Bendre, the Amruteshwara temple of Annigeri and the durrie craft of Navalgund. Signature sights include Chandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal, Unkal Lake, Amruteshwara Temple, Annigeri. The nearest airport is Hubballi (HBX) ~20 km; Belagavi (IXG) ~90 km and the main rail gateway is Hubballi (UBL) Junction — a major South Western Railway hub — and Dharwad (DWR), with trains from Bengaluru, Belagavi, Hospet, Vasco and Mumbai. October to February is the coolest, most comfortable season; March to May is hot on the plains, and the June–September southwest monsoon brings the main rains, heaviest along the coast and Western Ghats. Most travellers spend 1–2 days here, and while Kannada is the local language, English is widely understood.
Best time, weather & festivals in Dharwad
October to February is the coolest, most comfortable season across Dharwad; March to May is hot, and the June–September southwest monsoon brings the main rains. Live conditions below are for Dharwad.
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Karnataka festivals worth timing your trip around
Celebrated across Karnataka, including Dharwad. Dates shift with the Kannada calendar — confirm the year's exact dates before booking.
- Mysuru Dasara Sep – Oct — Karnataka's grand 10-day state festival — the lit Mysuru Palace and the Jumboo Savari elephant procession on Vijayadashami.
- Karaga Mar – Apr — Bengaluru’s centuries-old Thigala community festival, with a night procession from the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple.
- Kadalekai Parishe Nov – Dec — The groundnut fair around the Bull Temple in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru.
- Ugadi Mar – Apr — Kannada New Year, marked with bevu-bella and home celebrations across the state.
- Hampi Utsav (Vijaya Utsava) Nov — Hampi’s grand cultural festival among the Vijayanagara ruins, with music, dance and light-and-sound shows.
- Hasanamba Temple Utsava Oct – Nov — The Hasanamba temple in Hassan opens to devotees for only about a week each year around Deepavali, drawing enormous queues.
- Vairamudi Brahmotsava, Melukote Mar – Apr — Melukote’s grand festival when the deity of the Cheluvanarayana temple is adorned with the Vairamudi (diamond crown), brought under armed guard; huge crowds throng the hill town.
- Sharada Navaratri, Sringeri Sep – Oct — The nine-night Navaratri festival at the Sringeri Sharada Peetham, with processions, music and rituals for the goddess Sharadamba on the Tunga river.
- Mangaluru Dasara (Kudroli) Sep – Oct — Mangaluru’s grand Dasara centred on the Kudroli Gokarnath temple, with illuminated Navaratri tableaux and night processions through the city.
- Dharmasthala Laksha Deepotsava Nov – Dec — The festival of a hundred thousand lamps at the Dharmasthala Manjunatha temple, with cultural programmes and huge pilgrim crowds.
- Udupi Paryaya Jan (every 2 years) — The grand biennial handover of the management of the Udupi Sri Krishna Matha between the eight mathas, with processions filling Car Street.
- Udupi Krishna Janmashtami Aug – Sep — Krishna’s birthday at the Udupi Sri Krishna Matha, marked by the lively Vitla Pindi and Mosaru Kudike celebrations.
- Gokarna Maha Shivaratri Feb – Mar — Gokarna’s grand car festival at the Mahabaleshwara temple, when a huge temple chariot is drawn through the streets and pilgrims throng the town.
- Sirsi Marikamba Jatra Mar (every 2 years) — The biennial fair of the goddess Marikamba at Sirsi — one of the largest festivals in Karnataka, drawing lakhs of devotees.
- Basava Jayanti Apr – May — The birth anniversary of the 12th-century reformer Basavanna, marked across Karnataka and especially at his birthplace of Basavana Bagewadi in Vijayapura district.
- Banashankari Jatre Jan – Feb — The great fair of the goddess Banashankari at Cholachagudda near Badami, running for days around the Pushya full moon with a temple-car procession and a float on the Haridra Tirtha tank.
- Khwaja Bande Nawaz Urs Nov — The annual urs of the Sufi saint Gesu Daraz at the Khwaja Bande Nawaz dargah in Kalaburagi, with several days of qawwali, prayer and vast pilgrim crowds.
- Saundatti Yellamma Jatre Jan – Feb (full moon) — The great full-moon fairs of the Renuka-Yellamma temple on Yellammana Gudda hill near Saundatti in Belagavi district, when hundreds of thousands of pilgrims climb the hill, especially at the Bharata Hunnime.
- Gavisiddeshwara Jatre, Koppal Jan — The huge annual fair of the Gavisiddeshwara matha in Koppal — days of rituals, a cattle fair and mass free meals that fill the town, sometimes called a "Kumbha Mela of South India".
- Itagi Bhimambika Jatra Nov – Dec — The annual jatra of the goddess Bhimambika at Itagi in Ron taluk, Gadag district — days of rituals, a fair and a free kitchen that draw crowds of Shakta pilgrims.
Where to go in Dharwad
Featured: Chandramouleshwara Temple, UnkalHubballi
The commercial half of the twin city — the black-granite Chandramouleshwara temple of Unkal and the Chalukya Banashankari temple of Amargol, the boating lake of Unkal, the Indira Gandhi glass-house garden, the great Siddharoodha math and the Navagraha Jain shrine near Varur.
Featured: Someshwara Temple, DharwadDharwad
The cultural, university half of the twin city — the Someshwara temple and old fort town of Dharwad, the Nuggikeri Hanuman temple by its lake, the poet Bendre’s Sadhankeri, and the Karnatak University campus with its research museum.
Kundgol
The town of Kundgol south-east of Hubballi — the star-plan Shambhulingeshwara Chalukya temple, in a town also known for the Hindustani musician Sawai Gandharva.
Featured: Amruteshwara Temple, AnnigeriAnnigeri
The old town of Annigeri on the Gadag border — the seminal Amruteshwara Chalukya temple, prototype of the Itagi Mahadeva, and the birthplace of the poet Adikavi Pampa.
Navalgund
The town of Navalgund north-east of Dharwad — famous for its GI-tagged jamkhana durrie carpets woven on vertical looms.
Map of Dharwad
Every place on this guide with a verified location. Tap a pin for its name and guide link.
Places in Dharwad
Every verified place across Dharwad district — filter by what you’re after.
The marquee monument of the district — an 11th–12th-century Western Chalukya temple in black granite at Unkal on the bank of Unkal Lake, a sandhara square-cross-plan temple and an ASI Monument of National Importance. This temple guide belongs to the Hubballi planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
An ASI-protected Chalukya Shakti temple at Amargol near Hubballi — a dvikuta (twin-shrine) temple of the goddess Banashankari, with the adjacent Chalukya Sankaralinga temple nearby. (Distinct from the Banashankari temple of Badami in Bagalkot.) This temple guide belongs to the Hubballi planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
A large modern Jain temple complex (Navagraha Teerth) near Varur south of Hubballi, known for its tall monolithic Bhagwan Parshwanath and Bahubali statues — a major Jain pilgrimage and a striking landmark on the highway. This temple guide belongs to the Hubballi planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
A large urban lake of about 200 acres at Unkal in Hubballi, with a Vivekananda statue on an islet, boating, a lakeside walkway and gardens — a favourite evening spot of the twin city. This lake guide belongs to the Hubballi planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
A landmark public garden in central Hubballi built around a glass-house pavilion that hosts flower shows and civic events — a green heart of the city amid the market streets. This heritage guide belongs to the Hubballi planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
A major Advaita monastery in Hubballi around the samadhi of Sri Siddharoodha Swami (1929) — a large pilgrimage math historically visited by figures such as Tilak and Gandhi, busiest at its annual jatra. This heritage guide belongs to the Hubballi planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
A Chalukya-era Shiva temple in Dharwad town, with fine Mahishamardini and Chaturbhuja Ganapati sculptures — an in-town heritage shrine under-listed by the national aggregators. This temple guide belongs to the Dharwad planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
A popular Hanuman (Anjaneya) temple on the bank of Nuggikeri Lake on the Dharwad–Kalghatgi road — a busy local pilgrimage that pairs with the lakeside setting. This temple guide belongs to the Dharwad planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
The lake-and-garden locality of Sadhankeri in Dharwad, immortalised by the Jnanpith poet Da Ra Bendre — a lakeside walkway and boating spot beside the Bendre memorial, an anchor of Dharwad’s literary culture. This heritage guide belongs to the Dharwad planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
The green campus of Karnatak University at Pavate Nagar, Dharwad, home to the Kannada Research Institute museum with its regional sculptures, inscriptions and coins — a heritage-and-academic stop. This museum guide belongs to the Dharwad planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
A seminal 1050 CE Kalyani Chalukya temple at Annigeri — the first built in soapstone and, with its seventy-six pillars, the prototype for the great Itagi Mahadeva temple; Annigeri is also the birthplace of the Kannada poet Adikavi Pampa. This temple guide belongs to the Annigeri planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
A fine 11th-century Western Chalukya temple at Kundgol on a star-shaped plan with sixty-four lathe-turned polished pillars — in a town also known as the home of the Hindustani musician Sawai Gandharva. This temple guide belongs to the Kundgol planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
The town of Navalgund, famous for its GI-tagged jamkhana durries — flat-woven cotton carpets made on vertical looms, a living craft tradition of the district. This heritage guide belongs to the Navalgund planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved. (see option in Kochi)
Famous tourist places and treks in Dharwad
A practical tourist-guide list for the district. Full place pages, hotels, homestays, restaurants and local operators are added progressively under each town or attraction.
templeChandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal
The marquee monument of the district — an 11th–12th-century Western Chalukya temple in black granite at Unkal on the bank of Unkal Lake, a sandhara square-cross-plan temple and an ASI Monument of National Importance. This temple guide belongs to the Hubballi planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
templeBanashankari Temple, Amargol
An ASI-protected Chalukya Shakti temple at Amargol near Hubballi — a dvikuta (twin-shrine) temple of the goddess Banashankari, with the adjacent Chalukya Sankaralinga temple nearby. (Distinct from the Banashankari temple of Badami in Bagalkot.) This temple guide belongs to the Hubballi planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
templeNavagraha Jain Temple
A large modern Jain temple complex (Navagraha Teerth) near Varur south of Hubballi, known for its tall monolithic Bhagwan Parshwanath and Bahubali statues — a major Jain pilgrimage and a striking landmark on the highway. This temple guide belongs to the Hubballi planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
lakeUnkal Lake
A large urban lake of about 200 acres at Unkal in Hubballi, with a Vivekananda statue on an islet, boating, a lakeside walkway and gardens — a favourite evening spot of the twin city. This lake guide belongs to the Hubballi planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
heritageIndira Gandhi Glass House Garden
A landmark public garden in central Hubballi built around a glass-house pavilion that hosts flower shows and civic events — a green heart of the city amid the market streets. This heritage guide belongs to the Hubballi planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
heritageSiddharoodha Math
A major Advaita monastery in Hubballi around the samadhi of Sri Siddharoodha Swami (1929) — a large pilgrimage math historically visited by figures such as Tilak and Gandhi, busiest at its annual jatra. This heritage guide belongs to the Hubballi planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
templeSomeshwara Temple, Dharwad
A Chalukya-era Shiva temple in Dharwad town, with fine Mahishamardini and Chaturbhuja Ganapati sculptures — an in-town heritage shrine under-listed by the national aggregators. This temple guide belongs to the Dharwad planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
templeNuggikeri Hanuman Temple
A popular Hanuman (Anjaneya) temple on the bank of Nuggikeri Lake on the Dharwad–Kalghatgi road — a busy local pilgrimage that pairs with the lakeside setting. This temple guide belongs to the Dharwad planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
heritageSadhanakeri
The lake-and-garden locality of Sadhankeri in Dharwad, immortalised by the Jnanpith poet Da Ra Bendre — a lakeside walkway and boating spot beside the Bendre memorial, an anchor of Dharwad’s literary culture. This heritage guide belongs to the Dharwad planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
museumKarnatak University & KRI Museum
The green campus of Karnatak University at Pavate Nagar, Dharwad, home to the Kannada Research Institute museum with its regional sculptures, inscriptions and coins — a heritage-and-academic stop. This museum guide belongs to the Dharwad planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
Shambhulingeshwara Temple, Kundgol
A fine 11th-century Western Chalukya temple at Kundgol on a star-shaped plan with sixty-four lathe-turned polished pillars — in a town also known as the home of the Hindustani musician Sawai Gandharva. This temple guide belongs to the Kundgol planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
templeAmruteshwara Temple, Annigeri
A seminal 1050 CE Kalyani Chalukya temple at Annigeri — the first built in soapstone and, with its seventy-six pillars, the prototype for the great Itagi Mahadeva temple; Annigeri is also the birthplace of the Kannada poet Adikavi Pampa. This temple guide belongs to the Annigeri planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
Navalgund
The town of Navalgund, famous for its GI-tagged jamkhana durries — flat-woven cotton carpets made on vertical looms, a living craft tradition of the district. This heritage guide belongs to the Navalgund planning base in Dharwad, Karnataka, with route context, best-time notes and verified inventory categories for stays, food, operators, shops, wellness and transport as they are approved.
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Top things to do in Dharwad
Our editors' pick of the standout experiences, ordered by what we'd prioritise on a first visit — an honest judgement call, not a rated ranking.
Chandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal
The black-granite Chalukya marquee by Unkal Lake in Hubballi — go in morning light; remove footwear and do not touch the carvings.
2Unkal Lake
A 200-acre boating lake with a Vivekananda islet in Hubballi — best in the late afternoon; do not litter or swim.
3Amruteshwara Temple, Annigeri
The seminal 1050 CE soapstone Chalukya temple ~40 km from Dharwad on the Gadag road — pair it with Lakkundi in Gadag; remove footwear.
4Sadhanakeri
The lake and Bendre literary garden in Dharwad — a sunset walk by the water; do not litter or swim.
5Siddharoodha Math
The great Advaita math in Hubballi — remove footwear, dress modestly and mind the crowds on festival days.
Entry fees & timings in Dharwad
Indicative entry fees and opening hours for the ticketed and timed places in Dharwad. These change — always confirm with the official operator before you go.
How to reach Dharwad
Dharwad is known for The Chandramouleshwara temple of Unkal, the Banashankari temple of Amargol, the Siddharoodha math, Unkal Lake, the Sadhankeri of the poet Bendre, the Amruteshwara temple of Annigeri and the durrie craft of Navalgund.
By road from major cities
Approximate driving distance to Dharwad. Ghat roads and traffic make real journey times vary a lot — allow extra, and confirm your route before travel.
Emergency numbers
Save these before you travel in Dharwad. The national and Karnataka-wide lines work everywhere in the district.
Daily budget for Dharwad
A quick estimate using typical Karnataka daily costs. Off-season (monsoon) can cut accommodation 30–60%. Excludes flights and big-ticket experiences.
Mid-range: comfortable hotels, some private transport, mix of dining.
Rough estimate for stays, food, local transport & sightseeing — excludes international flights. Off-season (monsoon) can cut accommodation 30–60%.
Dharwad — frequently asked questions
How do I reach Dharwad?
For Dharwad, the nearest airport is Hubballi (HBX) ~20 km; Belagavi (IXG) ~90 km, and the rail gateway is Hubballi (UBL) Junction — a major South Western Railway hub — and Dharwad (DWR), with trains from Bengaluru, Belagavi, Hospet, Vasco and Mumbai. NH-48 (the Bengaluru–Pune highway) and NH-67; KSRTC hubs at Hubballi and Dharwad with buses across Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra; the twin city is walkable-plus-auto, a car is best for Kundgol, Annigeri and Navalgund. The district headquarters is Dharwad.
What is Dharwad known for?
Dharwad is known for The Chandramouleshwara temple of Unkal, the Banashankari temple of Amargol, the Siddharoodha math, Unkal Lake, the Sadhankeri of the poet Bendre, the Amruteshwara temple of Annigeri and the durrie craft of Navalgund. Highlights include Chandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal, Unkal Lake, Amruteshwara Temple, Annigeri.
What are the top places to visit in Dharwad?
Popular places in Dharwad include Chandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal, Banashankari Temple, Amargol, Navagraha Jain Temple, Unkal Lake, Indira Gandhi Glass House Garden, and more — see the full guidebook list on this page.
When is the best time to visit Dharwad?
October to February is the coolest, most comfortable season across Karnataka, including Dharwad. March to May is hot on the plains, and the June–September southwest monsoon brings the main rains, heaviest along the coast and Western Ghats.
Karnataka guides
Districts, destination bases, famous places and verified listing categories.
Hotels, homestays, food, guides, operators and rentals are added after verification.
Image credits
- Chandramouleshwara Temple, Unkal:Manjunath Doddamani Gajendragad at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsPublic domain
- Someshwara Temple, Dharwad:Lpp3535, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsCC0
- Amruteshwara Temple, Annigeri:Sudeep m, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 3.0
- Banashankari Temple, Amargol:Siddharth Pujari, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 3.0
- Navagraha Jain Temple:Solariseknight, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 4.0
- Unkal Lake:Mohammed aquib, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 4.0
- Indira Gandhi Glass House Garden:Deepak Patil, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 3.0
- Siddharoodha Math:RAJU WIKI-30, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 4.0
- Nuggikeri Hanuman Temple:MatrixInDWD, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 4.0
- Sadhanakeri:Gunvante, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsCC BY-SA 4.0
- Karnatak University & KRI Museum:Vijaya narasimha from Pixabay, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsCC0