Plan A Trip Today To Channagiri, A Day Trek Destination For Beginners Near Bangalore

Channagiri is a trek destination close to Bangalore, that can be done in a day trip, and suitable for all ages and even for beginners, and perfect for the Indian winters – so when do you plan to go?

Karnataka state is one of the most promising states in India, especially for adventure enthusiasts. Karnataka has one of the best peaks for trekking of which few are identified even by Karnataka Tourism highlighting as Eco Trails. It offers from difficult to moderate easy treks within the state and in and around Bangalore City.

At a distance of about 60 km from Bangalore city lies Channagiri, one of the hills amid the famous Nandi Hills range. With the total height of approximately 1350 meters above the sea level, the trek to Channagiri is easy to moderate of about 3 km and takes about two to two and a half hours to complete. Take some more time in hand to enjoy the scenic view atop hills from where you can also see other hills in the range. The other hills in this range are Skandagiri, Brahmagiri, and few others.

The trail, especially after the monsoon, is densely covered with life-size shrubs and thorny bushes. There are rocks in between to reach the highest point. There are few places where one has to be very careful as there are lots of narrow passages but is great fun to cross. The hill is quite steep with some points at an angle of 70 degrees though difficult to climb for amateurs but when with the group one can easily do it.

Sri Kanive Basveswara Swamy Temple

Getting there

The access to the trek is easy and can be done with or without any guidance.

It takes about an hour from Bangalore city to reach the base of Nandi Hills. You can either take the Karnataka State buses from Bus Terminal to reach Chikballapur. Ideally, if you are going in a group take your own vehicle and reach the base by 8 am to avoid the sun, as it really becomes hot. The base is where Shree Kanive Basaveshwara Swamy Temple (Nandi) is situated. You can park your vehicle there and visit the temple if you wish to, and then start your trek which starts just from there.

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The Channagiri hills is an adjoined by 2 hills and the view from top seeing 2 more hills by your side is any trekkers delight. It’s an easy trek so enthusiasts of all age groups will love it. You can break in between for snacks or breakfast to be carried by yourself. You need to load yourself with carbs for instant energy, so we took Puliyogare rice, some sandwiches, dates, Chikkis and lots of own water bottles to keep ourselves hydrated. There is no facility for any food or water availability. Make sure you do not litter the area, and carry your own trash bags to take back which implies travel light.

Channagiri Hills

Channagiri trek promises an exciting and rejuvenating adventure through diverse beautiful terrains to enjoy the panoramic view. Though it becomes warm as the sun rises higher, if you plan to leave early morning you can enjoy good weather with lesser temperature along with misty and windy surrounding, making for a fond memory.

There are a couple of options available to trek in Channagiri. For those looking for an easier route, the Southern side of the hill is would suit you best, and for seasoned trekkers who are looking for a challenging trek can opt for the Western side. If you are lucky, you can spot the Peregrine Falcon, the Nilgiri Woodpigeon and the Shaheen Falcon which are believed to be nesting on the route. Even if you wish to spend some time atop the hill and enjoy the panoramic view the trek can be completed in half a day with loads of memories and stories to share.

Channagiri Trek for Beginners

Express Info

How to reach

By Air– Closest airport is Bangalore International Airport which is hardly 35 km from Nandi hills and can be directly reached by car.

By Train- Chikballapur passenger train from Bangalore City Railway station goes till Nandi station, from where you can take an auto rickshaw to reach Nandi village or Sultanpet.

By Road– Nandi village is about 60 km from Bangalore city and road is well maintained and is a nice drive to reach Nandi Village or Sultanpet.

Best time to Visit– Post monsoon from September till February is a good season to trek.

Things to Carry– like any other day trek carry your own hydration, snacks or breakfast, emergency medicines, well-worn shoes or sandals, cap, dry fit clothes and of course your camera to capture scintillating views and moments.

Images source: Meenakshi Gupta

Header image source: Flickr

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