Located at a distance of approximately 70 KM from Bangalore, Skandagiri is the perfect sunrise trek for a weekend getaway from Bangalore for several reasons- its close proximity to the city, the scenic views and of course, the picture-perfect sunrise from the peak.
Historically known as Kalwarbetta or Kalavara Durga, the mountain fortress of Skandagiri holds immense importance – it is said that this fortress was built by Tipu Sultan which has been left deserted since 1791 after he lost the Anglo-Mysore War. Since then, the fortress has been weathered away, and now, nothing but the ruins remain. However, the beauty of the ancient Skandagiri Hills has increased over time. And with more and more restrictions being placed on night treks across the State, the Skandagiri trek is one of the very few sunrise treks remaining that one can do legally
Day 0
Day 1
We’ll be departing at 11:30 PM from Bangalore to reach the base camp at around 2 AM. But rest assured we shall make the best of this 70 km bus journey as this would be the best opportunity for all of us to get to know each other. And our trek-leads have some fun ice-breaking sessions planned designed to do just that.
Once at the base camp, you can either take a quick power nap and catch up on your sleep or take a short walk under the moonlit sky along with a whiff of the midnight breeze as we while away some time before the exhilarating Skandagiri trek.
The trek starts at 4:00 AM from the Papagni Temple near the village of Kalwara towards the forest checkpoint where we’ll have our permits checked and forest guides allocated. From this point, you’ll be making your way through pitch darkness over rocky terrains with just the silence of the forests for company. Make sure to carry headlamps or torches as you’ll be navigating over slippery boulders and loose stones all along this tricky trail.
The trek starts off along a semi-dry trail from the checkpoint for a few minutes before making its way through thick forest cover. You soon make your way up through the dense foliage into more rocky terrains as the hike becomes more challenging and the inclines steeper. But the views of Chikkaballapura town glistening in the distance amidst the darkness makes it well worth the effort. Don’t worry about the missed photographic opportunities as you’ll have plenty of time to grasp it all on your way down.
All through this narrow trail, one will find several rocky platforms in between where you can take a quick break to catch your breath or simply take in the midnight views down below. But don’t take too long as the sunrise will be anywhere around 5:45 AM and you need to make sure you reach the peak before that. Keep a steady pace as you climb closer to the peak with the sky now giving out various hues of blue and orange letting you know it’s almost show time! The chilly early morning breeze also adds to the electricity in the air.
Once at the peak, find your perfect spot and make yourself comfortable for the spectacle about to follow. Watch as the Sun plays hide and seek with the clouds as the first rays of light hits your cold and tired bodies and all the panoramic views of the surrounding hills and fields down below comes into view. Don’t forget to catch a sight of the beautiful Nandi hills located close by as well. One of the best things about the Skandagiri trek is that it rewards you with a different sunrise every time, making it a unique experience each time you visit these ancient hills. Spend some good time exploring the peak that houses the dilapidated ruins of Tipu Sultan’s fort along with an ancient Temple or simply enjoying the 360 degree view it offers.
In total there are six such ruined fortresses along the trail which lead to the ancient temple at the top. In case you’ve missed them in the dark, do try spotting them on your way down from the peak. The descend offers a completely different experience as you can now enjoy the glorious views all throughout the trail. There are also small samadhi caves in between where you can give your tired legs a break.
We’ll be making our way back to the base camp around 9 AM from where we’ll hop back into our buses and stop for some well-deserved breakfast on our way back to Bangalore. Expect to be back at Bangalore by around 2 PM.
The interesting thing about traveling alone is that you get to meet new people from diverse backgrounds, and towards the end you are no longer strangers. Hence solo travelers are always welcome to join us on our trips. Read more about solo travelling here and get inspired! https://www.plantheunplanned.com/solo-yet-accompanied/
Safety and security is our priority at all times. Hence it is absolutely safe for women/girls to join us on our treks and travels. Our trek leaders accompany the team at all times, and our campsites are secured and safe for accomodation. We also have female trek leaders who accompany on most of our treks.
Yes, we do have options for picking a traveler on board with a few locations provided they are on the route to our destination. Following are the same:
Croma Store, Sony World Signal
Trinity Circle Metro Station
Yeshwanthpur Metro Station
Goraguntepalya Metro Station
Nayanadahalli Metro Station
Well, most of our treks are usually confirmed by Thursday and you would receive a BON VOYAGE mail that would contain details as regards Pickup Points ( Location and Timings ), Outdoor Leader ( Point of Contact ), Do’s and Don’ts. You’ll be added to Whatsapp Group for all the further updates.
Details for availing discounts are mentioned in the following link, https://www.plantheunplanned.com/membership/
For Departures from Bangalore: In the event that YOU cancel your trek, this is the cancellation policy we follow
Note: For All The Above Refund Cases Transaction Fees/Internet Handling Charges will be dedcuted from the overall amount and balance amount shall be refunded. You can transfer your ticket to anyone so that you could save your hard earned money
“Transfer to a future date is only possible only if you cancel between 3-6 days before the trek date and not on the day of departure or a day before”
For other trips and travels with us, and detailed terms and conditions check the following link : https://www.plantheunplanned.com/refund-cancellation-policy
Second trek. Perfectly organized and all the trek leads were energetic and chill. Anyone who loves to do weekend treks, I would recommend you to go with @plantheunplanned.
This was my second trek with PTU. First was skandagiri and the second was gokarna. I have had a great journey and experience both the times. Kudos to the trek leads for having patience and making sure that all are safe during the trek. Well organized. Cheers to you guys!!! Keep traveling and exploring!!!
Hi. This was my first trekking trip with strangers and in a group. The trip was too Skandagiri. The location was awesome and secenary was bindblowing. The organisers were really awesome. They made all strangers to feel as friends. The team leads we’re really so active and cheerful. Wow love u go with guys again. The recommend to travel with this guy’s.. cheers
I am 4 trek old with PTU now!! Savandurga ,KP, Skandagiri and lastly kodachadri.Its like a family now..ptu always takes good care of all the arrangements..you just need to be fit and carry yourself to the trek..
Ptu always gives life changing memories. i get to meet new people and get inspired by their life experiences and stories..
All the trek leads in every trek from Moutushi,sashi, girish, Debasmita, Gowtham,Subham kudos to them..everyone of them have been super supportive and motivating ..see you soon guys in the next treks
Went to Skandgiri trecking with ptu team. Akshay, Rahul and Daman managed things pretty well. They made sure that we all are safe and enjoying the trip.