Skandagiri Sunrise Trek

Skandagiri Sunrise Trek
Skandagiri Sunrise Trek
Skandagiri Sunrise Trek
Skandagiri Sunrise Trek

About The Trip

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

For New Year 2024: The mind-blowing sunrise trek to Skandagiri awaits your arrival for New Year 2024. Notice that this New Year, seats are limited and will be filled out on a First Come, First Serve basis. Also, be informed that this New Year is preceded by a weekend, so kindly check out the itinerary and book your seats at the earliest.

Brief Itinerary

 Day 1

  • Start from Bangalore at 10:30 PM
  • Reach the base by 1:30 AM (approx)
  • Start the trek at 4 AM and witness the sunrise.
  • Descend, and reach back to the base by 10:00 AM
  • Have Breakfast En-route (Self-sponsored) 
  • Depart and reach Bangalore by 1:00 PM (approx)


Please note the following important updates for the Skandagiri Sunrise Trek, as mandated by the Karnataka Eco-Tourism Board:

1. Accurate Registration Information:

  • All participants registering for the trek must provide exact details that match their Aadhar ID proof. This includes name, email address, and contact number.
  • Discrepancies between registration information and Aadhar ID proof will result in registration cancellation and trekking permission denial.
  • No refunds will be issued for cancellations due to inaccurate information or personal choice.

2. Early Registration:

  • To ensure timely permit acquisition, we strongly recommend registering for the trek at least one week before the desired date.

We appreciate your cooperation in adhering to these updated guidelines. Please register accurately and well in advance for a smooth and enjoyable trekking experience.

 

Inclusions & Exclusions

Inclusions

  • To and fro Transport from Bangalore ( Non A/c Tempo traveller/ mini bus)

  • Forest Department Permits

  • Trek leader from Plan The Unplanned

  • Experience that you gain

Exclusions

  • Meals

  • Any kind of personal expenses

  • Any kind of insurance (health, medical, life accidental,etc )

  • Anything not included above

Pickup Points

Udupi Grand, HSR Layout

Show Directions

Arrival time: 10:25 p.m.

Departure time: 10:30 p.m.

KLM Fashion Mall

Show Directions

Arrival time: 10:55 p.m.

Departure time: 11 p.m.

Yamaha Showroom Domlur

Show Directions

Arrival time: 11:15 p.m.

Departure time: 11:20 p.m.

Cubbon Park Signal

Show Directions

Arrival time: 11:35 p.m.

Departure time: 11:40 p.m.

KTM Mekhri Circle

Show Directions

Arrival time: 11:55 p.m.

Departure time: midnight

Esteem Mall Bus Stop, Hebbal

Show Directions

Arrival time: 12:15 a.m.

Departure time: 12:20 a.m.

Without Travel - Skandagiri Parking Lot

Show Directions

Arrival time: 2:45 a.m.

Detail Itinerary


Meals Not Included

Private Vehicle | (Non-AC Tempo Traveller/ Mini Bus (Push Back seats))

Stay Not Applicable


Details

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.


Things To Carry

  • Small backpack to carry your essentials during the trek
  • Soft Copy of Adhar Id
  • Water bottles – 2 (1 litre each)
  • Raincoat/Bag covers in case of rains
  • Torch/Headlamp to be used at night
  • Warm Layer ( down/fleece jacket ) 
  • Woolen Cap
  • Suncap and Sunscreen

Policy and Terms

Refund/Cancellation Policy – Weekend Trips from Bangalore

In the event that YOU cancel your trek, this is the cancellation policy we follow:

Intimation Period*

Cancellation Fee**

7 days or more

10% of the total invoice value

Between 3-6 days

50% of the total invoice value

Between 0-2 days

100% of the total invoice value

  • *Intimation Period means the number of days before the tour is scheduled to start
  • **Cancellation Fee is the amount of money that will be deducted from the total billing amount before offering the refund.
  • Refund/Cancellation requests are accepted only by email at [email protected] and not via call or Whatsapp.

NOTE:

  • Cancellations on the day of departure or a day prior due to work/family emergencies, health issues, etc. would not be entertained, and no refund or transfer to further dates shall be allowed for the same. 

  • If you are wanting to cancel out on the day of departure and move the trek to a future date an additional charge of RS 1500 would have to be incurred to make the movement to a future date. This can be availed only within 3 months from the date of the actual trip departure.

  • Additional charges would be deducted (based on from where you booked) if you cancel the trek at any given date (along with the scenario described above), as payment gateway/event listing charges.

Transfer of Dates Policy

  • If you wish to shift your date of booking due to any unforeseen circumstances, the same should be intimated to us not less than 72 hours before the date of the event. (Not valid for group or corporate bookings)

  • Only one transfer per booking shall be permitted. Your booking shall stand canceled if you fail to join the event on the transferred dates.

  • Once the option of data transfer is made, the booking amount shall be held as credits with us, and in no case will a refund be made further on.

  • For Skandagiri Trek, Makalidurga Trek, Chinaga Betta Trek - Permit Fees will be dedcuted. The charges per person being Rs 600 for Skandagiri, 500 for Makalidurga and Rs 310 for Chinaga Betta Trek. The balance amount will be deducted as per the cancellation policy stated above.

  • Transfer of dates on the day of departure shall be possible at an additional charge of 1500/- per person  (applicable for few events).

 

 

 

FAQ's

Well, most of our treks are usually confirmed by Thursday and you would receive a EVENTS HEADSUP 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.

Yes, the EVENTS HEADSUP mail would contain a link for Whatsapp Group through which one can join and interact with fellow travelers and outdoor leaders.

The interesting thing about travelling alone is that you get to meet new people from diverse backgrounds, and towards the end, you are no longer strangers. Hence solo travellers 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 are our priority at all times. Hence it is 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 accommodation. We also have female trek leaders who accompany us on most of our treks.

Not at all. You could keep all the extra luggage back at the campsite/homestay and carry only the necessary stuff for the trek (Raincoats, Torchlight, Waterbottle, lunchbox, and your valuable)

Well, you are in the mountains and none of our trails have a washroom facility during the trek.

Yes, we do have options for picking a traveller on board with a few locations provided they are on the route to our destination. The following are the same: -Croma Store, Sony World Signal -Trinity Circle Metro Station -Yeshwanthpur Metro Station -Goraguntepalya Metro Station -Nayanadahalli Metro Station

Details for availing discounts are mentioned in the following link, https://www.plantheunplanned.com/membership/

Well, if you select this option, all the travel arrangements for your entire itinerary must be managed by yourself, and Plan the Unplanned crew will not be managing anything related to your travel. We recommend you come via car for a smooth travel experience to, from and within the destination.

We are extremely sorry, you cannot postpone to any future date in case you fail to attend the trek on the mentioned date for any reasons whatsoever ( family/health/work emergencies ). You can write to us at [email protected] as regards and our team will get in touch with you on the same

The Skandagiri trek is a easy-moderate trek and one can easily do this trek with a moderate fitness

A one day trek wouldn’t have the facility of a homestay and hence you’ll have to leave your luggage in the bus and carry the necessary to the trek.

Only until the Base of the peak will you have access to a mobile network for practically all major providers like as Airtel, Vodafone, Jio, and others. From the base to the peak of Skandagiri, you will be outside of the network service area.

The ideal season to hike to Skandagiri is from September to February, as the path turns muddy and slippery during heavy monsoons, making the descent difficult, while summers are too humid.

No, it is not filled with leeches.

No, you cannot camp anywhere along the trail.

No, it is not possible to trek Skandagiri during the monsoon season.

During the winter and summer months, a night walk to Skandagiri from Bangalore is accessible. For novices, night trek is an easy level with medium endurance.

There will be no food or drink available on the walk; you must carry your own. On this hike, bring two to three litres of water with you. To avoid hot and salty foods, bring some packed food such as whole fruits, dry snacks, energy bars, and cakes.

Additional Information

 

  • Consumption of alcohol, intoxicants and smoking would not be tolerated during the entire course of the journey and the trek. Kindly co-operate with us to make the experience more fun.
  • Do not expect any luxuries on the trip. The locations that we host are at remote places and we do our best to arrange the basic facilities. The goal is to be outdoors.
  • The Food that shall be provided will be Basic Veg Food. We do not serve Non-Veg Food.
  • Put Litter in its place, do not trash your travel.
  • Plan The Unplanned shall not be responsible for any of your belongings, valuables, jewellery etc.  Kindly do take care.
  • In the case of traffic delays or breakdowns, expect a little delay in reaching the destination.
cover pic

From : INR 1599/-

INR 1399/-

per person


April
5

Next Upcoming On

Friday - April 5, 2024

Show +6 Date(s)


*Prices will vary for Long Weekend
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