Kalwarbetta (Skandagiri) / Kalawarabetta Top Point

It’s the best sunrise near Bangalore. Do not underestimate it because it is indeed challenging but it is worth the effort. If lucky, can view the clouds above at the peak. Try to book 4: 00 AM tracking slot.

Skandagiri! Also known as Kalavara betta.
This is a moderate to difficult trek. The trek distance is 3km moving upwards and takes minimum 2 hours. The descend can take anywhere between 1hr to 1h30m.
The cloudbed view at the top is not everyday occurence.
This is one of the treks that you can start from 4am in night. The entry permit costs 250rs per person and is non-refundable and non-transferable. Partial refunds from a group booking is not possible and you have to cancel entire booking. The refund is then decided based on new booking e.g. If intial group booking was for 5ppl and 1person drops out then you have to cancel entire 5 permits followed by booking a new 4ppl permit. When this is confirmed the refund for 5th person is given. This refund is ONLY after the trek date.

This is one of the best trekking places around bangalore where you will get tired of trekking after the trekking is done One can witness a breathtakingly beautiful sunrise and a spectacular cloudscape. Best time in November.

You have to book ur ticket in advance or entry will be denied. Try to be there by 4 am, first treck starts at 4 am. We started at 4: 30 am and reached at top by 6: 30 am. Try to avoid during monsoon season, rocks will be slippery. We went of May, day were pretty good. Couldn't see any clouds due to intense fog. Try to take good trekking shoe for better grip.

Must know things if you are planning to visit: it is a government operated trek so you need to book tickets from karnataka eco tourism website. At a time only 300 person are allowed. Genrally weekend tickets are booked by trekking groups long back. So, either book through a trekking group or book it around 15-20 days before visiting.

About the trek: it's a 4km long trek which will take around 1.5 to 3 hours depending on your fitness. It's not that easy as it is all the way ascending plus there are parts of trek which are quite slippery (might get extremely slippery in rainy season).
If you start your trek at night do carry a torch and some water plus some snacks. There is just one small shop near the entrance of the trek so it's better to carry your own stuff.

View from the top: The view is worth the climb. You say a beautiful view with a lake, if you are lucky enough to witness the sunrise then it will be amazing (we didn't get to see it). There are around 5-10 good spots for taking some really nice picture. Have fun!

Strongly recommend to start climbing by 4 a.m. So that you get the wonderful view of sunrise. It takes 1 hour for a fit person to climb 2.75km. Once you summit the feeling you get is priceless. Carry torches so that it will be easy to climb in the dark. Best hike for beginners. Total distance is around 5.5 to 6 km.

Hike grade is somewhere between 2-3
4.5 km of one side around 9km in total
Will take you around 5-6 hours to complete whole Trek
I'll recommend you to start at around 4am so that you'll be able to see the sunrise
If lucky enough you'll also witness the cloud bed which is worth
Also get good shoes which have a tight grip, some parts of the Trek can be tricky but not difficult
Get around 2 liters of water with you and a little snack like protein bar
Also do not forget to get a jacket cause it gets cold at the top and strong winds

If you want to try a night trekking trail, plan a trip to Skandagiri that offers an unforgettable trekking experience at night. Once you reach the hilltop, you’re rewarded with the most scenic view that stuns you for a moment. Mostly, tourists who are planning for a weekend travel with their friends will prioritize Skandagiri among other attractive tourist places near Bangalore.

Skandagiri also called as Kalavara Durga by locals has great historical significance since the colonial period. The place has remnants of a fort which roughly dates back to the 18th century. Since it is in dilapidated form, it has lost much of its uniqueness.

It’s the best sunrise trek close to Bangalore. Do not underestimate it because it is indeed challenging but it is worth the effort. If lucky, can view the clouds above at the peak. Weekends are extremely crowded.

I Visited (20/12/22)
Whattay place it's Hard To trek in the morning but it doesn't Disappoint you at all in this season go for 4 am trek (Book prior Tickets in
ECOTOURISM KARNATAKA website) visit before January end u will see clouds under you.
Important a
Booking is important, trekking shoes, any snacks, water, torches.

Moderate hike. Good wind and cold climate. Will get the beautiful sunrise all the time. No smoking or drinking allowed. Entry only through booking. Smoother entry with agencies. 3 km up and 3km down. No shops on the way so carry your owns snacks and drinks. Happy hiking

Firstly, don't consider it as regular day outing destination; this place is not for those who are not physically fit to climb extreme rocky and slippery trail of 4km. Descending is difficult than climbing (especially during rainy days) This trekking trail is for those who have experience of other hill trekking's or at least 5 km of daily walking.

Secondly, this place is not for any ordinary crowd which consider it as typical hill station where people can enjoy with loud music and littering; this is for those crowd who respect and enjoy calmness and clean natural beauty. You cannot see a single piece of plastic, littering, open air toilet etc, This is who the nature is respected by all visitors and staff here. Avoid taking snacks and beverages.

Once we reach top of the hill, the view is SWARGA! And will forget all the pain taken to reach the destination.

Currently very well maintained by forest department. Trek starts at morning 4am and you need to take permits online on myecotrip beforehand. Checking of which will happen over there along with ID proofs and a guide will be allotted to you by the forest department itself (mandatory) and with no extra charges. Trek is 9km up and down and make sure to check the weather and go to get proper sunrise view. If cloudy or rainy weather avoid as there will be no view.

It is a beautiful hiking spot where you can catch a breathtaking sunrise view. Before going ahead, do book the tickets on the website as only prior booking is entertained.

The trek on itself is not that easy even though it's said to be moderate. It requires a minimal fitness. Start the trek by 4 am early morning so that you can reach the peak by 5/6 am, on time to catch the sunrise. Don't forget to carry a torch as you'll be starting the trek in darkness.

Loved the journey!
Tips: - 1. Book your slot or just get booked in the entrance of the trekking!
2. Carry water bottle and some energy drink where the uphill will make you exhausted!
3. Enjoy the view & Don't throw any plastics!

A sensational experience for any trekker who likes trekking through rocks and bushes.

Cost comes 250 / per person.
Book your tickets in myecotrip.com

Need to start around 4 am and
You *must have* shoes with grip to climb here.
Once we reached the shiva temple, surely you will enjoy the lovely view and sun raise
.

It is a time taking trek of approx 5km, it'll take almost 3-4 hours.better to start early at 4-5 AM in the morning for a better and beautiful view of clouds, snow, breeze and beautiful view of whole city from top of hill

Brilliant place for trekking. Go prepared for an arduous climb of 4 kms through rocks bit well worth the effort once you reach on top.

Magical experience. Go in the mornings or in the evenings to witness beautiful sunrise and sunsets with puffy clouds. You'll get tickets online. Parking fees to be paid according to hours spent. But it's cheap enough. No restrooms. There's a temple near the parking which you can visit.

If you wanted to go here plan to reach by 4 to 4.30max. And if you are beginner to trek it wil take sometime to reach the top. The scenic view on the top is something need to be felt. Sunrise during winter wil not be proper but still you can enjoy the mood with a cup of coffee and a bread omelette. Carry water bottles and necessary food if needed coz you don't get anything In between the trek

Start early. Like 4-5 AM. Carry about 2L water per adult. Top will be cloudy till 9-9.30 easily so no need to rush.

This ia a beautiful place if you want to see the sun rise. Its also a great place for trekking, if you are a beginner. I prefer the 4 am trek because it won't drain you off of your energy. It'll take around two hour to reach the top of the mountain but it worth the hardship. Carry some food and water with you if you're planning for a trek. I went there with friends and family and it was an amazing experience. The cloud beds and the morning sky is just amazing.

Very good place, but trekking is difficult, climbing 4 kilometre is too steep, do not underestimate. But on the top it's very beautiful.

4 km tall, way is rocky, should be prepared to sweat alot, would be difficult for old people, decent place to visit on a weekend with friends or family, pretty safe to visit even alone

Love this place and experience. It will be around 6km one way. Very tough trekking. You should have stamina to go up the hill. So windy. Don't go ve up while moving towards up. The view were awesome over there.

You should carry all needy things you will not get anything except tender coconut over there.

Medium to hard level of trek.
45°-60° elevation.reach in the early morning with pre-booking. Right side hill next to skandagiri hill is a go to place for camping.

Awesome for a mini trek outside from Bangalore. Amazing sunrise view point and view of landscape below. Make sure it's not raining or cloudy as view will not be seen if it's too cloudy

Easy to moderate trekking place. Buy the pass before visiting the place or you have to wait sometime to get the pass in the office. Be there around 4 AM and it takes 2 hours for you to see the breathtaking sunrise!

Very early morning trekking!
Awesome with chilled weather!
Could not witness sunrise cuz it was foggy much!

Its a tidious treck but worth it.make sure you book online and enter the area with the permission of the authorities.

Just beautiful! No words to explain! Also it's better to prefer the 4am trek rather than the one at 6.

Night trekking here is really a good experience. Those who are trekking for the first time or beginners, don't forget to carry the basic necessities like torch, water bottle etc, Reach to the top a little early to see one of the best sunrises. Camp fire on hill top In the cold and windy night is an amazing thing that comes at little cost of 100/- rs or smthn. It's better not to trek alone and follow someone who has already trekked this hill earlier, bcs few pathways here leads to somerwhere else and u might be lost in the night.

It is one of the best trek in Bangalore. Far better than any other hills nearby.
Sunrise is the main attraction here.
We should reach at 3: 30am and collect tickets from the counter.
Trek start at 3: 45am. No need to hire a guide, its pretty easy to on self.
We should carry water and snacks, as on the route there is nothing available.

View beyond words.but make sure you choose the right time to reach the peak. Don't miss the sunrise.

Beautiful place for a trek! We reached the skandagiri base point around 3 am and it takes two hours to reach the top. Some part of the trek were very steep and difficult to climb but manageable! We reached around 5.30 in the morning and saw the sunrise around 6am and started going down by 7am. Sunrise was really awesome! Carry water bottles, glucose and some light fruits! Returned to the base point by 9.30am! Lot of parking space available! Must visit!

Nice trekking spot for a weekend. Have to trek for about 2 to 3hours and find a nice place to sit and enjoy the sunrise.

Perfect trekking for beginners. If you want to enjoy the view of sunrise, reach the top of mountain before 6am and relax for sometime. It will take 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the top with a distance of 4 kilo meters. There were no clouds formation during peak summer.

Easy trek. Good for beginners. And the view from the top is heavenly. Reach by 4am if u wish to see sunrise.

We couldn't see the clouds and sunrise, it was all foggy.we waited till 6: 45am and then we got down.it was soooper chilling on the top.
When my friends went they could see clouds and sunrise both.so it depends a lot on the weather.better to go between November to Jan.

The trek is a little difficult and definitely not for the beginners.one of my friends really found it difficult but there was a group who helped alot.so only if you have stamina, try this.

Good place to see sunrise.one should start trek around 4: 00 am to reach the top before sunrise. 5kms uphill trek.best time to trek is between winter months.

It's a nice place to go for night out from Bangalore. Night trek is good enjoyment.
Sunrise is also a nice view from here

Skandagiri is an alternative trekking spot if you don’t want the easy way of going to the top of the hills on your vehicle like Nandi Hills. It’s just right beside it. You need permission to trek here. Students have to pay 135₹ and normal tickets costs around 250₹. It’s not worth to pay that much, unless you come to see the sunrise. Trekking to the top takes approx. 2 hours, it’s quite challenging due to the heat in the region as it is quite dry. Better to avoid February to July. There is a ancient temple dedicated to lord shiva atop. After climbing the top you’ll feel you are on top of the whole dist!

Night / early morning trekking is very nice experience. The weather will be cool this time and encourage to complete the trek. It would be nice windy on top. Went on April 2019. Many ppl started around 3.30am.

Worth to reach such destination after long 4km of trekking and take a breath of fresh air and beautiful sunshine with changing colors of sky. Simply awesome!

One of the best place for night trek.
Entry fees of ₹250 per head.
Almost 2hrs of uphill and 1.5hrs of downhill trek.
Worth the effort if you reach the top.
Cool, continuous wind on the top was refreshing.
And the sunrise scenes were remarkable.

It was really a wonderful experience to scale up the hill. We were not much lucky as the cloud formation was less, but still it was beautiful. This is a moderate trek. We need to start early morning.

Best place for weekend gateway.
There are two ways to reach the hill top.

1. You have to pay 250 ₹ for this route, lots of dust and stones are there hence required good shoes.
Difficulty level medium.

2. No charges, straight hill climbing, this route is full of thorny bushes, and inclined rocks.
Difficulty level intermediate (should not take kids on this route).

Don't forget to carry enough water, light and some energy food.

The place is very beautiful. Generally a sober start but an amazing end. The trek is totally amazing. This was my first trek. I went there on 19th Apr, 19. It took me around 1 hr 15min to reach top with 2 rests. And around 50 mins downhill. I am a frequent jogger. The trek begins to look a scary one at the start but as you reach the destination it becomes lovely. This, being my first trek, gave me a very good learning - You fall, you stand up and walk. So test your body, mind and most importantly yourself as a person. My recommendation- the trek is not going to be easy for first timers but try it. In the end, gehre paani me baithne se hi moti milta hai. (Pearls come out when one deep dive into water). I am not posting picture of sunrise, you go see for yourself bro!

Best sunrise view from Skandagiri is between 5: 45 am and 6: 15am. Try to reach the summit before that time. The ascent takes about 2hrs at a normal pace. There is no food/water at the top or on the trek route.

Skandagiri hills is an amazing place for trekking. Actually this is not the best time to visit as it is all dried grass and sandy track.better to visit is after August so that you can actually enjoy greenery and a Lovely sunrise.though it was all dried up grass the sunrise was still amazing to see.it a track of around 4+ kms one way and you should start around 3 to reach the point on time.do check the sunrise time in newspapers so that you can start your track accordingly.you ll be charged 250 rs per person for entering the trek area.you can pay it at that time only through online payment only.no cash accepted.parking space is also in abundance.please keep the place clean and do not litter carry your own water bottles and glucose you won't get anything on the trek.

Nice place for a weekend morning getaway. Book in online for 250/-. Trails are very clear. No actual use of a guide. However if you book the package for that 550-/ rs, they arrange an unlimited breakfast at Pranav restaurant. That's really good after you become very tired.

Good place for trekking. The gate opens at 3: 00am in the morning. If you are going with a organizer you don't need to worry about the entry fees as I have seen people waiting for long time for the tickets at the counter and they were asked to book it online. I do not have the link as I went with a organizer. The walk was a bit challenging as we had to climb up and the path was slippery. But once we reached the top the view was amazing and also the cold.). But couldn't not see the sun till 7: 45 as it was cloudy and foggy. The entire trip was great and enjoyed it.

Fantastic trek! One can start the trek as early as 4: 00 am which is preferred rather than after sunrise.if you are in it for night trek then carrying torch is a must.

Hidden gem near nandi hills. Its not listed in many websites, but great place to visit. Trekking is 4km and totally worth it. However, kindly book the trek online before going as forest authorities don't allow you to go without registration.

Trekking starts at 4: 00 am and it costs Rs. 250 per person (50% discount if you have a valid student ID). It's approximately 4kms hike and takes about 1.5 hours. Once you reach the top don't be disappointed if you don't see the clouds as in the photos. The views are still beautiful even without the clouds.

This is a Trekking place. Have to start early morning by 3.30AM so that you reach by sun rise time. But they charge little higher side around 270 Rs per head. They alot one guide.
You have to carry water or snacks what ever you need for eat and drink. And near by you won't find a single shop also. Better to carry yours.
If you reach after sunrise, you have to trek by yourself, no guide. But you have to pay 270 per head.

And carry proper shoes and trekking material.

Wonderful treking experience. It's a bit difficult trek for beginners. Do carry water with u.
The trek starts at around 4 am
Take around an hour or an hour and half to reach the top. The view is stunning. Around 75km from blore

Beginner's trekking place. Full Moon Night trekking experience is awesome. Good Place for Photography. Beautiful Sunrise view. Beautiful early morning clouds.