Muninagara Dam – An offbeat picnic spot near Bangalore within 50 kms

When we were looking for some offbeat places to visit for one day trip from Bangalore within 50 km, we came across a serene lake on the foothills of a small hill tucked inside a lush green forest. We took no time to decide on our next picnic trip from Bangalore to Muninagara Dam & Reservoir.

Due to its convenient location in the western ghats region of India, you can visit many amazing locations from Bangalore or Bengaluru for a one-day gateway. Muninagara Dam is a perfect gateway from Bangalore for a day or even for a few hours. It is definitely one of the best unexplored day trips from Bengaluru.

If you are searching for more options for one-day trips from Bangalore, you can visit Mandaragiri Hills.

Where is the Muninagara Dam

Muninagara Dam and Reservoir are in a small village inside the Ragihalli forest. It is part of the Banneghatta National Park region. The lake is almost 30-40 acres and is the main source of water for the nearby villages. The backdrop of hills, lush green, and the absence of a maddening crowd makes Muninagara one of the best day trips from Bangalore.

Muninagara Dam Location

Muninagara Dam is located at an average distance of 30-50 KM from Bangalore depending on which part of the city you stay and takes 2-3 hours to reach. The dam was around 40 KM from my house. It took us more than 1.5 hours to reach the outskirts of Bangalore. Once we crossed Bangalore, it took us another 1 hour to reach Muninagara village through the scenic Kanakpura Road.

Location: here

How to reach Muninagara Dam?

There are a few public buses to the nearby villages. But the frequency and availability are questionable. The best way to reach Muninagara Dam is either to drive your own car or to rent a car/taxi.

You can use Savaari, Ola, etc. for taxi rentals.

Driving to Muninagara Dam is easy. Except for 200-300 meters of the village road during the end stretch, the road condition, even the rest of the village road, is in very good condition. You can easily find the driving directions to Muninagara Dam on Google Maps.

There are a lot of empty fields near the dam where you can park your car. We did the same. It is absolutely safe.

Two-wheelers can reach the lake.

Things to do in Muninagara

After parking our car, we had to walk through a very narrow dusty road for 100 meters to reach the dam. The dam is not in use for now. You can cross it easily. Hike up along the dam for another 50 meters and you will reach the lake. The view is breathtaking.

We took the stairs down to the grasslands beside the lake. There is no big tree. So, it is difficult to find shade on a sunny afternoon. We stalled ourselves just beside the water. The cool breeze instantly took the heat away. We leisurely finished our picnic lunch and talked for hours while sipping the tea that we carried in a flask.

After some time, we went to the other side of the lake. There are two half bridges. You can get stunning views from the bridges. We spent some time enjoying views from the bridge before heading back.

Best Time to visit Muninagara Dam

You can visit Muninagara Dam any time of the year. We visited in February when there was no rain in the recent past. But the lake was full.

There is no big tree to provide shade beside the lake. So, the best time to visit Muninagara Dam is during sunrise or sunset.

Time required for visiting Muninagara Dam

2-3 hours is enough if you are planning a picnic like us. Otherwise, 1 hour is sufficient to explore the area near Muninagara dam.

Is visiting Muninagara Dam safe?

Muninagara Dam is not a popular destination. In fact, there were only 6-7 other tourists when we were visiting. But we did not see or feel anything that we felt unsafe. Villagers will not disturb anyone. Please be mindful and do not indulge in any activities that you will not appreciate outsiders indulging in your area. To answer the question in short, yes. Muninagara Dam is a safe place to visit for a day trip from Bangalore.

What to eat near Muninagara Dam

There is no option to eat or drink near the area. Please carry enough water. We carried lunch and tea. You can also make it a short picnic trip. Please make sure to carry a dustbin bag to bring back picnic leftovers. Just leave the place as it was before your visit.

Places to visit near Muninagara Dam

If you have more time than a few hours, you can consider visiting nearby places after visiting Muninagara Dam. We visited just the dam.

• Mariapura Lake
• Muninagara Waterfall – a small stream that surfaces during and after the monsoon.
• Gundananjanjeya Temple
• Prani – The Pet Sanctuary

Watch Video

Have some more time in hand? Watch the video.

Is Muninagara Dam worth visiting?

YESSS!! The calm lake with a backdrop of hills tucked hidden inside lush greeneries will create lasting memories for you. It is one of the best one-day trips from Bangalore within 50 km.

Have more queries? Shoot it in the comment. I will be happy to chat!

If you like offbeat places like this, read my Ipoh blog.