For those who take the trekking route to unwind, there are many good trekking spots around Bangalore. Read on.

1. Ramdevara Betta, RevanaSiddesh Betta

Details

Ramanagaram is a popular place for trekking and rock climbing. Ramadevara Betta on the outskirts of the town lends the name to the place. The hill is about 3066 feet above sea level and has steps on the western side. The Sri Rama temple is located at the top beside a small pond. The place is rich in history right from the Gangas to Kempegowda and Tipu Sultan. The view from the top makes the climb worth the effort. Revanasiddeshwara Betta is a part of the seven hills that dot this landscape and the entire range is a mecca for rock climbers and trekkers.

Location

60km from Bangalore, on Mysore Road, near Ramanagara town

Food

Unless you plan to eat at Ramanagara town or in eateries on Mysore road, packed lunch is a safe option. Small shops in the village at the foothill sell biscuits & bananas.

Transport

Buses ply from City to Ramanagara. Autos can be taken to the betta

References

Bangalore Rural

2. Savana Durga

Details

Savandurga is a hilly terrain near Magadi. Rising 4050 feet above sea level, it is the biggest monolith in Asia. It is actually made up of two giant hills - Karigudda and Biligudda, separated by a deep valley. Karigudda (Black hill) is full of vegetation whereas Biligudda (White hill) is completely barren. This place is as popular as Ramanagar in trekking and rock climbing circles. The place had once a impregnable fortress built by Kempegowda II and one can see the remains of the fort entrance while climbing up the steep Biligudda. A small Nandi shrine greets you at the top of the peak. Temples dedicated to Veerabhadraswamy and Narasimha swamy temples and a lone mosque dot the foot of the hills.

Location

60 km from Bangalore, 11 km from Magadi town

Food

Packed lunch is the only option. Tender coconut water is available at the village at foothills of Bilibetta. Magadi town has a few shops that sell biscuits & fruits.

Transport

Buses ply from City to Magadi.

References

Oktatabyebye

3. Mekedatu, Karighatta

Details

Karighatta is a hill a few kilometers from Srirangapatna. Its named after a avatar of Vishnu, Karigirivasa. The hill is at 2697 feet above sea level and there are paved steps leading to the top. The beautiful landscape of Srirangapatana and the Sangama from atop Karighatta is quite breathtaking.

If you walk beside the river Kaveri at the Sangama for a few kilometers you reach a place where the river gets narrow. There's a story which says at one point a goat can jump across to the other bank and place literally gets the name Mekedatu. There are buses to Mekedatu but a trek of 3 km is quite satisfying. 5 kilometers from Sangama is a water fall - Chunchi.

Location

98 km from Bangalore, on Mysore Road, in Srirangapatna

Food

Packed lunch is a safe option as there are no good places nearby. Resorts by the banks of Kaveri are also a good option.

Transport

Buses ply from Bangalore to Srirangapatna. From here one can take local transport. Best option is using a private vehicle.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karighatta

4. Antara Gange

Details

Antara Gange is a mountain situated in Kolar district. The hill range is 2 miles from Kolar. There's a lot of underground water among the rocks. Antara Gange or 'Ganges from deep' is so named because of continous flow of underground water to a pond by the temple atop the hill.

Location

65km from bangalore, near Kolar

Food

Food is available at Kolar town.

Transport

Buses ply from Majestic and City Market to Kolar. One can hire an auto rickshaw from here to the hills.

5. Kaivara

Details

Kaivara dates back to Pandavas! It is the place where Bheema is said to have killed the demon Bakasura, disguised as a brahmin . And he did this at the caves of Bhima Bakana Betta. Atop the hill is a temple for Bheema. There are many temples in Kaivara. The more famous of them are Amara Narayana temple, Yoga Narasimha Swamy temple, Bhimeshwara temple and the Ambaji Durga cave temples, 7 km from Kaivara

Location

80 km from Bangalore, on NH 7, Kolar

Food

The Narayanappa Ashram serves free lunch for pilgrims in the afternoon.

References :

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaivara

6. Huliyur Durga, Hemagiri Betta, Kumbhi Betta

Details

Huliyur gets its name as it was once rampant with the tigers that lived here. Though the place is in Kunigal taluk, an easier route is via Magadi. Durga means fort in Kannada. Huliyur has a massive rocky cliff amidst thick forests on which a fort has been built during Kempegowda's time and hence its name - Huliyur Durga. At the base of the hill is the small village of Huliyur. Hemagiri betta is one of the highest hills here - around 3800 feet above sea level. Kumbhi Betta is a small hill on which lies a fort of Kempegowda's times.

Location

80 km from Bangalore, Kunigal taluk

Food

Packed lunch is a safe option as there are no good places nearby. Huliyur village is a good place for some biscuits or fruits.

References

http://www.dreamroutes.org/southern/sawandurga.html

7. Skandagiri

Details

It is located next to Nandi Hills. Also called Kalwar betta or Kalavarahalli betta, it is 75 km from the city. There is a small fort built during Tipu Sultan's times. One can start the trek from the Papagni temple in Kalwara village set at the foot hills. It takes around 3 hours to scale this hill. It is also a popular place for moonlight treks. The view from the top of the hill as the sun rises is breath taking - a photographer's delight. The best time to visit is during November and January. The forest department charges an entry fee of Rs 15/-

Location

75 km from bangalore, near Chikkaballapur

Food

Packed lunch, unless you want to test the roadside dhabas

Transport

Buses ply from Bangalore to Chikkaballapur. Skandagiri is another 5 km from here.

References :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandagiri

8. Ranganatha Swamy Betta

Details

It is located 45 kms from Bangalore near Konavaradoddi village, Kanakapura taluk. It derives its name from the temple dedicated to Lord Ranganathaswamy atop the hill. The temple is open only on saturdays. Also called as Bilikal Hill, it is about 1500 ft above ground and a good 3 - 4 kilometre trek to the hill top from the base. Standing on the top you can enjoy a magnificent view of the surrounding villages, farmland and forest.

Location

45 km from Bangalore, off kanakapura road, near Kondavarahalli, Kanakapura

Food :

Packed Lunch is the only option.

Transport

Private vehicles are the best option

References

Mathukathe

Poornima Dasharathi is a freelance writer and travel enthusiast.

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