Accommodation: Inspection banglow on the way to the dam. But, we carried our own tent.

Essentials: Food Packs, drinking water, stove, life-jackets.

Transportation: Own vehicle.

Costing: Rs. 550/- per head (for 3/4 persons) including food & transportation.

Suggestion: Carry back all the glass/plastic wastes and dispose the same in a proper bin. Every time we visited any place, we picked up the garbage left by others too. Do not enter water with out right sized life-jacket accompanied by an experianced instructor.

Synopsis:

At a distance of 100 Kms from Bangalore this is a large water body. Markonahalli Dam is built across the river Shimsha & Hemavathy in the Kunigal taluk of Tumkur district in 1930's. It was built by Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, the king of Mysore under the guidance of his diwan, M Visweswaraiah. The dam had an automatic siphon system that enabled water to be flushed out of the reservoir automatically when it touched the optimum level. In 2000, a part of the dam had to be demolished to prevent floods and save 25 villages. Now there are 4 mechanically controlled gates.

How to Reach:

Take the NH4 on Bangalore-Pune highway and drive till Nelamangala which is about 28 Kms from Bangalore. At Nelamangala signal turn left on NH48 which is also called Bangalore-Mangalore highway. From Nelamagala one needs to reach Kunigal which is around 44 kms. Continue on the NH48 till you find a signboard indicating a left turn towards "Markonahalli Dam".

Markonahalli Reservoir Video: