Rambling around Nature

Backdoor Climb to Nandi Hills

Location: Nandi Hills

To get there: From Bangalore towards Hyderabad past the airport

Distance: Apprx 50km.

Date: 2nd July 2022

Trail type: Mostly (90%) manually created stone steps.

Facilities: Some roadside eateries at the trailhead where you can park also.

Map: Start point

I had never really trekked up Nandi Hills in the numerous times I have gone there since my early childhood. We always drove up and if it was for birding we would just stop along the way at suitable birding points and do most of the wonderful Nandi birding at the top like we did on this trip in 2009. However, this time when a friend invited me to come along on a trek to reach the top via a backside trail, it was quite intriguing and I tagged along eagerly.

We reached the start point around 6.30am. The trailhead has some parking along the road leading up to it. A lot of vendors selling the usual roadside snacks, if you are up for it, are set up here. We had our packed breakfast and chose to start out without any delay. However, kids had their own schedule and we stopped within 15mins for our first round of treats! There are plenty of spots along the way to stop, take in the views, and have a picnic. We did that around 45 mins into the trek. The trail itself is not very long and we reached the top near the Nursery or Temple pond area in just over an hour. We then spent an hour there taking the bus to the Tipu Drop Point and then back. Climbing down was uneventful and quick and we were back in our cars by 9.30 heading back to Bangalore.

Overall an easy climb that you can do as an alternative to going by the busy main road to Nandi Hills and you get some great views and a workout as a bonus! Briding was very poor as the weather was cloudy and rainy some of the time.

As always, take only pictures and leave only footprints. Do not leave behind any trash on the trails.

Challenging climb for the views

Structure at the top

Location: Skandagiri Peak, Chikkaballapura
To get there: From Bangalore towards Hyderabad past the airport
Distance: Apprx 60km.
Trail type: Easy hard mud, Rocky with some boulders.
Facilities: Toilets, Forest guards
Map: Skandagiri Peak Start point

Date: Sep 19th, 2022

We planned this trek as preparation for our Sandakphu trek in the Himalayas. It fitted the requirement as it was moderate, close by, and required some climbing and effort testing our fitness levels. The trek can be done only by booking with the Karnataka Eco Tourism who will give permission to take the trail as well as provide a guide to the top.

Facilities at the start point

On the trail

Our group of 12 across 4 families, met at the parking place, Papagni Mutt where there is ample organized parking place. However, it was quite full on the day we went, so better to get there early. From there, it's about 200 or so meters to the trek starting point where there are toilets and the guide will meet you.

Bouldering for fun!

The trek itself was fairly easy if you are reasonably fit and do not have any physical issues. Otherwise, you may find the ascent and the rocky trail in some parts a bit tough. With suitable rests and proper pacing, its still doable. We did stop at couple of places for refreshments and let the kids do some bouldering which they enjoyed. The views are speactacular as always and we can see Nandi Hills from the top. There is an old abandoned temple on a a large granite boulder with remnants of a fort like compound all around. We rested and picniced there. Our birding was quite limited on the trek and the only highlight is we spotted Blue Rock Thrush at the top.

Descent was quick and we all enoyed a well deserved and rejuvenating tender coconut at the bottom.

As always when on this trail, leave only your footmarks and take only photographs,

Some images that were taken on the trek (and the ones inserted into this blog (c) Prasanna)

Ebird checklist of the trek.

Sandakphu: Trekking for amazing views

Sleeping Buddha (Kumbakarna, Kanchenjunga)
Location: Sandakphu, West Bengal
Date: Oct 31st to Nov 6th 2021
To get there: [Click here for Google Map].
From Bangalore, flight to Bhagdogra. Then on a Jeep arranged by IndiaHikes(IH) Vehicle to Srikhola where our Base camp (teahouse) and the trailhead were located.
Trail type: Mixed trails. Kutcha roads, paved/pebbled/rocky trails, soft narrow muddy trails, and steep climbs through pine forests on narrow trails. We did not encounter snow at all. I trekked the whole time with camera and binoculars around my neck. So, it's a moderate trek and can be done by anyone who is reasonably fit.

Facilities: Once we left Srikhola, I do not remember any populated places with general stores and such. Samanden was a small village but we did not visit any shops there. Sandakphu on Day 6 is when we started seeing more houses and people but again did not really check out any stores. We had prepared for all our needs during the trek and our food requirements were entirely taken care of by IH. Also, our trek leader explained in detail how IH was prepared to take care of any medical emergency including evacuation if necessary. That was quite comforting.

Everest range (Lhotse, Everest, Makalu)

Himalayas always calls you back, I guess. As with the Kheerganga Trek we did in 2018, this was also initiated by a friend of ours and as then, we did not need to be asked again to return to Himalayas for what looked to be an amazing trek organized by India Hikes or IH. Updated details on this particular trek on their website can be found here.

So, it was that on 31st Oct 2021, 17 of us which included 6 kids, were at Bangalore Airport taking the flight to Baghdogra, then met up with 3 more trekkers there and the 20 us of traveled together in 3 jeeps to reach Srikhola for what turned out to be a trek that gave us all that was promised on paper and much much more.

As a change from my usual trek writeups, this time I created a photo/video blog with text in it to describe how this trek went. It gives better context and flows with the visual aids to relive our experience. You need to click on the 3 dots on the phone or (i) icon on the laptop to show the text always as you swipe through the images/videos.

Photo/Video Blog of the Sandakphu Trek

My other photo albums:

Ebird checklists from the trek: