Offbeat Karnataka: Exploring Yana village and its rocky attractions

A quaint village sits in forests shared by the towns of Sirsi and Kumta in the Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka. It lies in the Western Ghats region of Karnataka, known for its greenery and the proverbial precipitation for the major part of the year. We are talking about a village called Yana.

There are three very important things you may not know about this little piece of heaven, Yana. First, it is one of the wettest villages in the world. Second, it is the second cleanest village in India, and the cleanest in the state. Third, it is popularly known for Yana rocks, two unique outcrops made of karst limestone.

The village is located about 50 km from Gokarna and if you are here for a beach holiday, you may want to take out some time to explore these two rocky formations.



This hard to miss formation in the middle of a dense forest is a huge hit with the tourists. One will have to trek a distance of about half a kilometre from the usual trekking route to get to the cave. Your main attractions are these two rocks – Bhairaveshwara Shikhara and Mohini Shikhara. During the annual celebration of Mahashivratri, devotees of the Hindu God Shiva throng this place to worship in the cave temple located at the foot of the Bhairaveshwara Shikhara. There’s a self-manifested linga, owing to which the cave is considered a place of worship.


In case you are wondering, these are not the only two rock formations in the area. In fact, in a 3 km radius, there are several (read 61) rock formations but these two stand out and, in a big way, quite literally. These two crystalline rock monoliths are drawing not just the attention of the Hindu devotees but also of adventure seekers.



Visitors to this area love to do a short trek through the forest. It’s not an arduous trek but you are in the Western Ghats nonetheless, so beware of the crawlies in the forest.


Also, solo trekking is not advised as this stretch can get a tad bit isolated. The Yana trek is about two kilometres, along a waterfall called Vibhuti Falls.

1. When is the best time to visit Yana?
   October to January is a good time to visit Yana, but if you want to see how the place transforms into a bustling tourist destination, then visit during Mahashivratri festival.
2. How to reach Yana village and Yana rocks?
   Yana is about 50 km from Gokarna, so one can easily take a cab. To reach Yana rocks, you will need to trek a distance of a kilometre and a half through dense forest.
3. Where is Yana located?
   Yana village is located in the Sahyadri mountains in Karnataka (Western Ghats), 25 km from the coastal town of Kumta, and 40 km from Sirsi.