The busy city life needs a break from time to time to rejuvenating and re-prepare us for yet another round of stressful work and complex personal lives! Trekking is no doubt one of the most adventurous activities helpful in bursting out the stress. Skandagiri is the perfect weekend gateway around Bangalore for those who are looking for an escape from a frenzied life.
The place
Skandagiri is a beautiful hill. It is about 70 km away from Bangalore city and located off the Bellary Road (NH-7, the Hyderabad-Bangalore Highway). It is very close to Chikkaballapura and Nandi Hills. The peak altitude of Skandagiri is 1400 meters. For the adventure freaks and the trekkers it is a paradise! This is an ideal place for night treks, camping and watching various species of birds.
Activities to do and places to see
Skandagiri Hills have historical importance. The top of the hill has the ruins of a fort that was built by Tipu Sultan. During the war with the British, the fort was handed over to the British by Tipu Sultan after his defeat. Back in 1902, the Indian authorities got back the fort.
Skandagiri, one of the best destinations in Bangalore trekking, has got the very less vegetation during the early part of the trek. As the person goes closer to the top of the hill, the lush green vegetation can be seen. From the top people could even look at the panoramic views of the valley. Though the fort is in dilapidated condition yet people could walk around it to enjoy the holiness of it and the temple around it.
How to reach Skandagiri
Skandagiri Hills can be reached from Bangalore via Chikkballapura Town, which is 50 km away from Bangalore. The visitors can get a bus to Chikballapura and it hardly takes about 1 hour to reach there. The bus plies over NH 7 and crosses Yelanka and Devanahalli. From Chikkaballapura, one can walk down or take auto to Pappagni matt, the foot of the Skandagiri hills. While walking, people could enjoy the natural beauty and plantations. Bangalore is well connected by road, trains and air. There are regular trains and flights from various parts of India to Bangalore.
Best time to trek
Though every time is the best time for freaky trekkers; but the winter is the most preferable season. Adventure junkies will enjoy the romanticism of the trekking as the top of the hill is often enclosed in a blanket of mist during the winter season.
A wild adventure beckons at Nagarhole National Park
There are places around Bangalore which give all sorts of different experiences. For a wild experience, Nagarhole National Park is one of the best places for one day outing. It is a well known wildlife reserve close to Bangalore. The place derive its name from the winding river which flows through the forest, and hence the name, which literally translates to Snake River.
The reserve was one the private hunting grounds of the rulers of Mysore. Today, it houses several species of animals such as elephants, Indian Bison, tigers, sloth bear, deer etc. The reserve is also rich in varied species of fauna, teak being one of the most widespread. Different local tribes inhabit the region, which includes the Betta Kuruba and the Hakki-Pikki. Interacting with the local tribes of the region is a cultural experience in itself.
Places of Interest
Nagarhole National Park
The wildlife reserve is the main attraction of the place. There are wildlife safaris available here, where tourists can come across varied species of animals such as wild boar, sloth bear, Indian bison, bonnet macaque and others. The area is home to a large variety of birds as well, which makes it a haven for bird watchers.
The area has a higher density of tigers than Bandipur National Park. However, night safaris are not allowed here. Jungle safaris in Nagarhole National park can be taken between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm only.
Rameshwar Temple
Located close to Nagarhole, on the banks of River Lakshman Tirtha is Rameshwar Temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and attracts a lot of tourists every year.
Kutta
Kutta is the nearest town to his wildlife reserve. It is home to wide expanses of tea and coffee plantations, as well as those of spices, which date back to the British Era.
How to reach Nagarhole National park
By Air
The nearest airport to this wildlife reserve is that of Mysore. Mysore is connected to a few major destinations of the south. A better option for those travelling by air is Bangalore International Airport, which is located about 230 km from the place. There are regular taxis available from the airport to the National park.
By Train
Mysore is the nearest railway station to the place, about 96 km away from the destination. There are buses as well as taxis available from Mysore station to Coorg. The Bangalore railway station is located more than 200 km from the place, although it is well connected by buses as well as taxis.
By Bus
There are regular Karnataka State Transport Buses available to Nagarhole from most major cities surrounding the place. There are standard buses as well as deluxe buses available.
Local Travel
Only authorized jeeps and drivers are allowed to go inside the jungles. The outer roads of the Nagarhole National Park are open only from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm. Thus, tourists coming to the place should reach the destination well before 6:00 pm to avoid getting stranded.
Best time to visit
The National Park is closed during the monsoon season as that time of the year is the mating season of the animals. The best time to visit the place depends on the priorities and the experience you are looking for. The summer months are the best for wildlife spotting, since animals flock to River Kabini to quench their thirst. However, if birds and flora are what you are more interested in, the months immediately after monsoon are the best time to visit the place.
They say – short and sweet. We reached to God’s own country “Kerala” on Saturday morning. Plan was simple. Enjoy the best. Nature, birds, wild and whatsoever we can.
Epic view of Black Eagle when we were on the top of Chembra 3rd Peak, the highest peak of Wayanad, Kerala. The Kestrel hovering and diving at an amazing speed. Elephant family crossing the Bandipur road. Bison having his morning breakfast. Malabar barbet enjoying the fruits. 100′s of Scarlet minivet and many more.
Wayanad, Kerala is 250 km from Bangalore and one of the best enjoying weekend place.
Black Eagle at the top of Chembra Peak
Scarlet Minivet at Edekkal Caves
Brown-capped Woodpecker at Eddekal Caves
Black-lored Tit at Eddekal Caves
Female Scarlet Minivet with Prey at Chembra Peak
Loten’s Sunbird seeking the nectar – Shot in Wayanad
Golden-fronted Leafbird (Chloropsis) – Shot at Wayanad
Asian Drongo-Cuckoo at Eddekal Cave
White rumped Munia at Eddekal Caves
Just before starting, I had posted the question in Facebook where to do birding in Wayanad and then I was half able to explore. One more trip will explore the more beauty of nature and birding in Wayanad. More pictures are yet to come, stay tuned…
If you are an adventure junkie and looking for adventure in Bangalore, there are quite a few places close to the city which are ideal for an adventure break. One of these places is Ramanagram, a small village located very close to the city. It is well known for its rugged rock formations, as well as being the largest silk market in the south.
Reaching Ramanagram
Ramanagram, also called as Closepet, is located about 50 km from the city of Bangalore. You have three options when it comes to travelling to Ramanagram. You can either take a train and get down at the Ramanagram station. All the major trains from Bangalore to Mysore and vice versa halt at the Ramanagram station. It is a short journey and should cost you around Rs 110.
Another option to reach Ramanagram from Bangalore is to take a bus. Regular buses ply between Bangalore and Ramanagram, and there are air conditioned buses available as well. However, if you are the more fun sort, you could always drive down to the destination yourself. The Bangalore- Mysore highway is in pretty good condition and you should have fun driving on it. You should get there in less than 2 hours if you leave in the wee hours of the morning.
What lies in store for you at Ramanagram?
The small village is a haven for adventure lovers. The natural granite formations of the place are ideal for adventure activities such as trekking, rappelling as well as rock climbing. In fact, the place is famous for being the shooting location of the blockbuster Bollywood film, Sholay.
There are quite a few rock formations you could try climbing here. The most popular of the lot is Ramdevara Betta. You will find the trek to the top of Ramdevara Betta quite simple. The trekking route is marked and you could go either take the stairs or reach the top in a more adventurous manner.
The trekking route to the top of Ramdevara Betta takes you through scattered greenery. You are also likely to find shepherds shepherding their goats here. The top of the hill gives you some amazing views of the valley and Savandurga, which lies closeby. It also has a small pond, flanked by temples on either side.
While one of these temples is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parvati, the other one is dedicated to Lord Rama. A number of pilgrims visit the temples throughout the year, which is what the stairs to the top of the hill are there for.
If you are like a little more adventure though, the hills on the sides of Ramdevara Betta can be quite a handful. Of these, SRS Betta and Thenginkal Betta are quite popular among avid trekkers. The rock faces are quite steep on these hills and there is hardly anything to hold onto. That’s why, you need special permission from the authorities for trekking on these hills.
Ramanagram also has some quirky named hills such as Gabbar ki Pasand and Rainbow Wall, which are exciting trekking trails. But trekking is not the only thing that you can do in Ramanagram.
The granite rock formations are ideal for rappelling and chimney climbing as well. Chimney Climbing is a sport where you have to utilize the space between rocks in order to make your way to the top. The sport requires high levels of fitness and can give you a nice little workout.
The place isn’t about adventure alone though
The small village isn’t about adventure alone though. While here, you shouldn’t miss a chance to visit Janapada Loka, which is the handicraft centre of the place. The place gives you a glimpse into the lives of the locals out there, and you could always pick some beautiful pieces of handicrafts as well.
And then there is the Silk Market to visit here, which is one of the largest in Asia. You can pick up beautiful stuff here which is made out of pure silk, such as exquisite Silk Sarees.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Ramanagram would be anytime it is not raining. In the monsoon season, you are likely to find the place all swampy and full of leeches, which make trekking very difficult indeed. The granite rocks become slippery too due to rain, which can be quite dangerous to climb. While summers are too bad a time, if you can, skip the summer months as well, since it can get quite hot during that time.
Chikmagalur is a part of the Western Ghats, well known for its expansive coffee plantations. Located about 180 km from Bangalore, it is one of the most popular hill stations in Karnataka. There is a lot one can do in Chikmagalur, trekking being one of the major highlights of the destination.
Baba Budan Giri
Places of Interest in Chikmagalur
Mullayanagiri
There are plenty of peaks in Chikmagalur which are ideal for trekking, Mullayanagiri is the highest of them all, with a height of almost 2000 meters above sea level. The trek to the top of the peak starts at Sarpadhari, which is about 15 km from the town centre. The trek to the top of Mullayanagiri is a moderately difficult trek, with serpentine paths. There are some caves midway from the base of the trek which can be explored. The top of the peak has a small temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are splendid views of the valley to be had from the top of Mullayanagiri. However, during winter months, it is often covered with thick mist which hampers visibility.
Bababudanagiri
A short distance away from Mullayanagiri is the peak of Bababudanagiri. The peak is a part of the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary and can be reached on foot from Mullayanagiri. There are buses available too for Bababudanagiri. The peak is a pilgrimage centre and is dedicated to Baba Budana, who was believed to have magical healing powers.
Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
Chikmagalur is blessed with verdant greenery, which makes it ideal for wildlife. There is the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary here, which is close to the Mullayanagiri peak. The wildlife reserve boasts of a sizeable population of tiger, apart from other animals such as Asiatic elephants, sloth bear etc. There are more than 250 species of birds to spot here too.
Mullayanagiri Peak
Activities to be done in Chikmagalur
Trekking
Trekking is the highlight of Chikmagalur. There are several peaks in Chikmagalur where trekking is possible, Mullayanagiri and Bababudanagiri being two of the best options.
River rafting
The Bhadra River flows through Chikmagalur, and is ideal for river rafting and kayaking. The activity that can be done depends on the time of the year, since the water level of the river fluctuates throughout the year. The months immediately after monsoon are best for rafting in Bhadra River.
Wildlife Safari
The Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary in Chikmagalur is ideal for a wildlife safari. Safari arrangements can be made from the office of the Forest Department. There are a lot of animals to be spotted in Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary including tigers, elephants, jackal, wild boar, mouse deer etc.
How to reach Chikmagalur
By Air
Chikmagalur does not have an airport. The closest airport to the destination is that of Mangalore, which is about 180 km away. There are taxis as well as buses available from Mangalore airport to Chikmagalur. However, the Mangalore airport is connected to a few Indian cities only. The Bangalore International Airport is located about 280 km from Chikmagalur and has regular flights from most major cities of India and abroad. There are taxis as well as buses available from Bangalore International Airport to Chikmagalur.
By Train
Chikmagalur does not have a railway station either. The closest station to the place is that of Mangalore. The Mangalore railway station is well connected to most cities in India, and there are regular buses as well as taxis available from here to Chikmagalur.
By Bus
There are regular state transport buses available from Bangalore as well as Mangalore to Chikmagalur. There are standard buses as well as deluxe buses to choose from.
Best time to visit
If you are looking for adventure in Chikmagalur, you should completely avoid the monsoon months. The wildlife sanctuary is closed during the monsoon months, and trekking is dangerous too, since the place is infested with leeches.
The best time to visit Chikmagalur would be between the months of November to March, when the weather is right for trekking as well as other activities. However, if you are travelling during the winter months, make sure you carry warm clothing with you since the place experiences strong, chilly winds at that time of the year.
It’s been quite a hectic time, as I’ve been doing some amount of volunteering and some amount of for-me nature trails, too. Last Sunday, 18 (yes!) of us went to
as several people in the UGS (Usual Gang of Suspects, our group of friends who like to go for nature trails), and had a wonderful time, that included an awesome sunset.
For people who are always looking for ways to get out of the city and enjoy some of the scenic landscapes our country has to offer.This is an attempt to provide some weekend drive informationfor all those Bangaloreans, who would want to take weekend drive.
Below is an itenary, which was not planned but just happened, typical Bangalore style!! . If you find any mistakes in the description of places or surroundings, please post them in the comments section, and I will promptly correct them
Below is what I and my friend had done a couple of weeks back, and I think anyone planning for a weekend trip can use this as a guide. This is part 1 of the travelogue.
Places covered in this drive. The below trail shows the destinations and the routes taken.
Day 3 Hassan — > Manjarabad Fort (Sakleshpura) –> Hassan –> Bangalore
It just so happened that my friend was planning to visit his parents in Hassan, and I had called him hoping we could go for a photo shoot, he promptly replies, why dont you just come over to Hassan, we’ll try landscape photography this time. So i thought for a sec, and told him sure why not.
I and my friend met near Mantri mall, Malleshwaram at 3:30 PM on a Friday, and started our journey and 3:45 PM.
Drive to yeshwanthapur, make sure you take the fly over and drive towards nelamangala,the 15 Rs you pay for the toll road is worth it.
Take the exit near nelamangala, and once you take the left turn you should be greeted with the below signboard
From here on this road is fantastic till Bellur, gives you a feel of driving on Bangalore Mysore highway, minus the traffic. Driving on this road, you see several nurseries, if possible, get off the highway, and try to take some snaps if you like.
The landscape is very green and scenic, and you can definitely pull over to take some more shots if you want, but for us,we had to reach my friend’s parents house, so we couldn’t afford to capture the scenic drive. If you’re not in a hurry to reach Hassan, you can even visit Shravanabelagola on the way to Hassan.
There are several toll booth’s on the way, but currently they’re not collecting the fees, as the road work is still in progress. The road till Bellur is very good, beyond that the roads are good, but not great, and in some places it becomes narrow and potholed, and in places become a single lane 2 way traffic (or whatever it is called ) But the roads are generally good overall, with some small stretches which require you to take some extra care.
We reached Hassan at 7:15, i guess this should give you an indication of the road conditions . Here you can stay over in some hotel for the night. Hassan being a commercial area, you are not into the woods yet, so finding good food and accomodation is not a problem.
Day 2:
Next day we left Hassan at 7:00 in the morning, drove to Shettyhalli, which is about 30 KM’s from Hassan. The drive to Shettyhalli again is very scenic, and the rains made the drive surreal. Some of the very memorable things about the drive is the folk around Shettyhalli, this place can give you a glimpse of the lifestyle in places away from the city, particularly kids walking or cycling to school, people waiting for the occasional bus to arrive etc.
The place Shettyhalli is famous for an historic church which was built by the Britishers, the church carries a very European look and feel to it, and it’s a site not to miss, in the Monsoon the Church gets overrun by water, and only a part of the Church is visible and is not approachable. This is because this area serves as the catchment area for a near by dam (dont remember the Dam name , pun intended
Drive a little bit ahead and you get a bridge, from here your get a 360 degree view around the catchment area, and the view from here is out of this world, here you also get to see the cloud cover over the vast and beautiful Western Ghats!
Since our primary intention was to do landscape photography here, we couldn’t get any bird photos, but we chanced upon, sunbirds, hornbills, shikra, Oriental white ibis etc.
Next, from Shettyhalli we next drove to the historic city of Halebidu. It’s about an hours drive from Shettyhalli at about 60 KM’s. You basically have to drive back to Hassan, and from there to Halebidu. You can read more abou Halebidu here. Wiki
The guide’s here are very helpful, and they speak Kannada, English , Hindi, Tamil, Telugu , so no one would feel left out here. They charge 200 Rs, irrespective of whether your a group or an individual.
The tour is quiet informative, and shows the brilliance of the temple sculptors.
If you go off-season that is around July, it is not crowded, and you tend to enjoy and appreciate the place better.
Below are some shots from the temple.
It was around 12:30, when we were about to leave Halebidu, so we decided to have lunch and from there drive directly to Chikkamagalur. You should not have trouble finding a decent place to eat in Halbidu, or you can drive directly to Chikkamagalur, being a commercial area, you have better options for food, but then seriously what is the fun in eating in a chaotic city when you can eat some of the delicacies prepared by the Village folk, trust me it’s worth it, we did it, and it was cheap!! [Do it at your own risk though]
We drove from Halebidu — > Chikkamagalur –> Mullayanagiri (Highest point in Karnataka at 1,930 metres)
It takes about 90 minutes to reach Mullayanagiri from Halebidu, we decided to skip Belur. Once you reach Chikkamagalur, your greeted with the city chaos, try to find your way out of there, ask people for direction to Mullayanagiri, and people should start pointing you towards the foot of the Western Ghats.
Once you enter the Ghat section, take extreme care while driving, it is definitely fun, but dont drive recklessly, respect the place and the conditions and other drivers, you will enjoy the place.
The drive to Mullayanagiri, is quiet an exhillarating experience, the place goes from good visibility to zero visibility, there were instances when I couldnt see anything beyond 5ft and we had to drive watching the road which was lit by our Car’s headlights, and hoping that the road doesnt end with a cliff in another 5 feet. Since we were being extra careful, we had kept our camera gears aside, and we were making sure we were safe.
A view from inside the car, while driving.
This shot was taken when we were approaching the peak, as you can see, there are no barricades on the side, and the visibility can get very low.
Couple of points to keep in mind while driving near Mullayanagiri, keep your head lights ON. This was also my first time driving in Ghat section, and people usually are courteous (unlike what you find in City traffic), because of the nature of the drive. People are willing to give you the right of way, in case they feel it is safer to let you go.
Mullayanagiri is usually foggy, irrespective of what time you go, so dont hurry in planning to get there early in the morning. We were also planning to go there early in the morning :p , until a local suggested otherwise.
Once you reach Mullayanagiri, there’s man made stairs which will take you to the highest point, we couldn’t get there because the weather was really bad, and the low visibility wasn’t helping either.
Below is a video from the top.
As you can see, we couldnt get to the the top, as it was very windy, you can see that I had to grab my iPhone towards the end, as the wind was too strong and it was blowing it away
From Mullayanagiri, we decided to return to Chikkamagalur, as we drove back and reached the fork, where you take a left to reach Baba Budan Giri and right to Chikkamagalur, we thought what the heck let’s go to Baba Budan Giri also, it takes about 45 mins to reach Baba Budan Giri, the drive is similar to what it’s like driving to Mullayanagiri, only that the roads were a bit bumpy here.
Below is the footage of the drive to baba budan giri, and of Baba budan giri itself. The entrance to the cave was blocked due to maintenance.
To be honest, I had never visited places like Mullayanagiri and Baba budan giri in my life, what I mean to say is the low visibility and the incessant rains in these places, this is something that i had experienced for the first time in my life. And i am sure even experienced guyz would continue to be left in awe of the beauty of these places.
From here, we returned to Hassan, and decided to call it a day
Day 3
On Day 3, we decided to go to Manjarabad fort, this place is about 65 KM’s from Hassan, and is situtated in Sakleshpura.
Manjarabad fort was supposed to have been built by Tipu Sultan, as a strategic defensive point.
The road to Manjarabad fort is again good, some roads are twisty, and require you to be careful while overtaking. Ask for directions to reach Manjarabad fort, it shouldn’t be very difficult to find the place. Once you reach Manjarabad fort, park your vehicle, get some junk food if you want in the local shops around here , as you’re going to hike for about 10 to 15 mins to reach the Fort. The hike is safe and easy, if you can even call it a hike that is , there are also stairs at the base of the fort, so be ready to get tired on your way to the top, again this shouldn’t be very tough.
Below are some photos from Majarabad fort.
We spent around 2 hrs here, and decided to get back to Hassan, at Hassan we had our lunch at 5:30 PM, in a Dhaba relaxed for some time, and decided to start for Bangalore at 6:30.
On our way back our tyre rim had been damaged due to which the Tyre had lost all the air, so we had to stop in the highway, and change the tyre, we lost a good 40 mins because of this. We reached Bangalore at 10:30 PM.
Next day we got back to work
This was a very pleasant and happening trip, nothing was planned, everything was decided on the go, so it was even more fun.
On the banks of Kaveri river is a place good for Team outings – Jaladhama Resort in Talakadu. Ferried by motorboat you can reach the resort. You will find yourself land into the silent and serene environment with lots of greenery around. The place has the activities like basketball, swimming, cricket, table tennis, swimming, boating etc. But the playing area is not sufficient. If you want to have an opportunity to use the facilities, you should reach early with your team else other teams would have already occupied. You can enjoy the nice Buffet Lunch especially for non vegetarians.
The place is good only for team outings and for one day visit else you will get bored. In the evening you might get to see few birds like kingfisher, flamingo and ducks. If you enjoy DJ they also have a one hour DJ in the discotheque in the resort. But it feels little odd to have a DJ at such a silent, countryside place. The loud music played for DJ just disturbs the peaceful silence of the place. Shouldn’t we leave some places as it is without disturbing their beauty?
[Do it at your own risk though]
, there are also stairs at the base of the fort, so be ready to get tired on your way to the top, again this shouldn’t be very tough.
