Thrippagondanahalli Reservoir / Chamarajsagar

Thippagondanahalli Reservoir / T G Halli Dam / Chamarajsagar is located at the confluence of the Arkavathy River and Kumudavathi River, 35 km west of Bangalore. Thippagondanahalli Reservoir is used by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) as a major source of drinking water for western Bangalore. The lake is a man-made reservoir, created by the building of a dam which was inaugurated in 1933. Bharath Rathna Sir M Visvesvarayya supervised the construction work.

Thippagondanahalli is also popular recreation location, especially during summer months. This is a heaven for bird watchers and nature lovers. It is pleasant to watch spotted eagle, black kites, common kestrel, oriental honey buzzard, shikra, brahminy kite, and lots of other aquatic birds. Best time to visit this place is September to Febrauary.

Manchinabele Dam
Manchanabele dam is nearby downstream. Manchanabele is a famous trekking spot. It provides water to Magadi town, Kayaking also conducted here. Species of Water Snakes are also visible However, the reservoir bed is a death trap with sudden fault-lines, large boulders as well as deep slush. More than 200 people have lost their lives between 2006 and 2011. It is very dangerous to get into the waters in this reservoir even if one is a good swimmer.

Dodda Alada Mara
Dodda Alada Mara / Doda Alada Mara is 11.4 km away from Thippagondanahalli Reservoir. Dodda Alada Mara literally translated to Big Banyan Tree, is a giant 400 year old Banyan tree (Ficus bengalensis), located in the village of Kettohalli in the Bangalore Urban district of Karnataka, India. This single plant covers 3 acres and is one of the largest of its kind. It has a crown circumference of more than 250 meters and has more than a thousand aerial roots. In the 2000s, the main root of the tree succumbed to natural disease, and thus the tree now looks like many different trees.

Big Banyan Wines, a wine brand launched in 2007 by John Distilleries, is named after the Big Banyan Tree. The corporate headquarters of Paul John Enterprises, the parent company, is also located near the tree.

Arkavathy River
The Arkavati (Arkavathi, Arkavathy) is a large mountain river in Karnataka, originating at Nandi Hills of Chikkaballapura district. Arkavati is a tributary of the Kaveri, which it joins at 34 KM south of Kanakapura, called Sangama in Kannada, after flowing through ramanagara and Kanakapura. The river drains into the Chikkarayappanahalli Lake near Kanivenarayanapura. Kumudavathi and Vrishabhavathi rivers are tributaries to this river.