Skandagiri Trek... Totally Rejuvenating

If you have been bored of your daily routine, feeling lifeless, want to try something adventurous that should be quite rejuvenating too, then trekking is an activity that makes you stress free in every possible way. After reaching at the Top, heart and mind both get filled with relaxing and soothing sensation that helps in getting away from daily hustle-bustle of life. Skandagiri is one of the best places around Bangalore to give an amazing respite and re-energize us for stressful daily lives and traffic jams.

Skandagiri having an altitude of approx 4430 ft (or 1350 mtr) is located near Nandi Hills (about 23 kms) and 3 kms from Chikballapur in Karnataka. It is also famous with other name Kalavara Durga among locals. Remains of Tipu Sultan Fort and an ancient temple still exist at the top of the Hill. Normally Skandagiri is more famous for night trek among adventurous enthusiasts as views from Skandagiri are spectacular during dawn with an indescribable view of rising Sun.

We started our Sunday by reaching Nandi Hills very early in the morning, then visited Bhoga Nandishwara Temple by chance after that we continued towards Skandagiri. On the way from Nandi to Skandagiri, there were many people selling grapes. Those grapes were looking very different than the usual ones but we didn’t stop to try them.

We took left after departing from Bhoga Nandishwara temple and ultimately through a very narrow and bad road we reached to Papagni Math. Parked our car in the side of Temple & offered prayers in the Math before trekking... let me tell u that this MATH is very famous among locals as they believe that anybody with bad intentions can’t even dare to enter in it. We saw another couple who was going to marry (First was in Bhoga Nandishwara) in the temple.

We were getting late for the trek as we had to come down before the sunset so we decided to start the trek. After taking all our water bottles and snacks we continued in the direction guided by the Locals and were looking for a sign. (Please carry all water bottles and food items with you as you won’t get anything there.) But after a while we noticed that we were going in plain with no sign from where trek could be started. With that confusion in our brains (that were we on correct route) we kept on walking and after approx 15 mins we could see that much awaited sign “Way to Hill”.

Just before the trail we encountered two young boys who offered us to guide but we refused their proposal as most of us had heard stories like they leave trekkers alone just after some distance. So we started the trek and initially we found it very simple as kind of steps have been formed and it is very easy to climb up on them.

Trek will seem easy initially but will get tougher eventually as with time trek will get steeper… We were on a very slow pace in no hurry at all, enjoying the serene beauty of the scenes spread in-between. In the initial part of trek there was no vegetation, no greenery, no plants at all. After around 40mins, trek had started going tougher, going steeper but we all were enjoying and singing but slowly started to feel more tired. So we were taking breaks after every 15-20 mins. Trek is well marked with the arrows and also there are very little chances of getting lost as all the way you will have a very narrow path to go forward. At some places two big stones were laying side by side, we had to go through them either by scrolling under the gap or by jumping over them. Overall trek was very interesting.

Stones in shape of Cave

After one hour we left with some drops of water in our bottles and thought of preserving that water for the Top. But after some time those few drops had find their destiny in one of our bellyJ.  Every time we were having a feel after seeing stonewall that we were about to reach the Top, after a while we could see another stonewall to conquer. Like this there are six sets of Stonewalls those seem to be beckoning to the trekkers one after the another.

Before reaching at Top we found a lot of plants overgrown to our heights and we had to go through them. We were following the way through that vegetation that would have been probably formed naturally as all trekkers have to pass through that to reach at Summit. It was quite thrilling. It took around 3 hrs to reach to the summit. And after reaching we found out some stones on one edge of the Hill & crashed there with no water. 

After resting for 20 mins we started to realize how beautiful the place was. Views from every angle from Peak were amazing. We started to literally hop from one part to another then another to another. Like this we explored every nook n corner of the Hill. Views there, Feel of being there after such a nice trekking filled us with energy again.

There was a small ruined temple in which most probably night trekkers spend their night as there were signs of ashes left behind inside the temple. Behind the temple was a small wall of dilapidated fort on which another group of trekkers was already resting.

We stayed there for more than an hour and like other places were in no mood to leave the place, most of us were busy in clicking pictures as much as possible others were guiding them(photographers of our group) about some new angles but after some time left with no option other than to descend. It was really tough to come down as soil was very slippery as it was having grain kind of structure making grip of feet on ground tough.  So we continued very slowly by balancing ourselves on the slope and were surprised that we trekked through this kind of tough trail just some hours back. But it was certainly relishing. That different group (who was resting on wall) was coming very fast and many of them were falling and getting injured in front of us. They were large in number so whenever they were coming we were giving them a way to pass as we were in no mood of getting any kind of injury :).

While coming down just before trek was going to be over, we all saw an amazing sight… it was a double rainbow. A bright rainbow and below that a less bright one. I don’t remember that I have seen double rainbow like that till that day in my life. It was a lifetime achievement.

In around 1:30 hours we came down… making this fact true again that while coming down we can cover same distance in less time J and continued towards our car, washed our faces and got crashed in the car full exhausted and made a very simple wish for having a nice tea… the much required thing at that point of time. But like all of our wishes don’t get fulfilled this one also added on top of that. We didn’t get it till Bhoga Nandishwara.. it had been already started dark. So without taking any halt we came to that same point where we stopped for tea in morning while going to Nandi Hills but there too we couldn’t find anything.

We decided to move towards Punjabi Dhaba (about which I read when planning the trip). Although was not sure how it would be but wanted to have something very badly… so decided to move towards the dhaba. We took left instead of right and were on NH-7 in opposite direction of Bangalore… drove for around 200 mtrs, we got it... all got down instantly. But ambience there was not good at all not like a typical Dhaba in any sense. We were suspicious initially, just ordered 1 or 2 dishes to taste. All our doubts lost in vain… it was really very tasty, we ordered full meal and all were eating like demons ordering one plate after another. Then was the time to go back and continue to normal routine from the very next day.

General Information with Day Plan:

Date of visiting: 20-Oct-2013 Sunday

Distance from Bangalore: around 70 kms from Silk Board

Entry Fee: No Fee

Plan for the Day: Bangalore->Nandi Hills->Bhoga Nandishwara- >Skandagiri->Bangalore

Some Other Points:

• Try to carry loads n loads of water or anything that’ll quench your thirst.
• Also try to have snacks with you as you will get nothing on the top or during the trek even near Skandagiri.
• Skandagiri is more famous for night trek. Start around 2AM in the night. It would be really adventurous and view in dawn would definitely be mesmerizing
• Do not try trekking in monsoon because ground there is full of gravel making it extremely slippery during rain.
• Do not trust the local guys for having a guide… try it by yourself, it will be real fun. Also chances are very less that you will get lost.

It was overall a marvelous trekking experience… completely exciting and rejuvenating. It is a trek about which any trekker can rave about and should not be missed if you live in Bangalore.