Skandagiri Hills — Attraction in Karnataka

Detailed Review :Spectacular Skandagiri 🫶🏾💛🫶🏾 Hiked on 21/06/25

Skandagiri, also known as Kalavara Betta, stands tall at 1,315 meters and is the second highest hill in Chikballapur after the famous Nandi Hills.

Booking & Entry The hike falls under the Karnataka Forest Department, so you’ll need to book your tickets in advance on the Aranya Vihara website. The site is user-friendly and can be easily switched to English. Tickets are ₹250 per person on weekdays and ₹500 on weekends. We chose to hike on 19th June Thursday.

Timing :What You Need to Know One thing to keep in mind—the website and even the helpline 1926 will tell you that the hike starts at 6:00 AM. However, when we arrived at the base and spoke to the forest officer, we learned that the hike actually begins at 4:00 AM, especially for those aiming to catch the sunrise. Skandagiri is all about that magical sunrise moment, so if you want to witness the hilltop bathed in the first light, plan to start your trek at 4:00 AM. The forest officials will let you in early for this reason.

The Trail: Nature’s Playground From the get-go, the trail is a steady, sometimes steep, ascent through rocky terrain and forested patches. What made our monsoon hike truly unforgettable was the abundance of Blue Tiger butterflies. June is their nesting season, and the forest was alive with hundreds of these beautiful creatures fluttering around us. It felt surreal—like stepping into a different world. If you pause for a moment, you’ll see them hanging from branches and then taking flight at the slightest movement. This was easily the highlight of the trail for me.

Hiking Tips Carry enough bottled water, sunglasses, and a cap.

Good grip hiking shoes are a must—there are sandy and slippery sections where you can easily lose your footing.

A light jacket is recommended for the summit; the winds are strong, and you might feel a chill, especially with the cloud cover and occasional raindrops.

Trekking poles are a great help, especially for beginners or those with knee issues.

Summit Experience We started our hike at 6:00 AM and reached the summit by 8:00 AM, taking our time to enjoy the butterflies and the scenery. The top was shrouded in thick clouds, with fierce winds making it feel wild and exhilarating. As the clouds cleared, the view was breathtaking—lush greenery, sparkling lakes, and the landscape stretching as far as the eye could see.

Parking & Logistics There’s proper parking available right opposite the temple at the base—₹30 for bikes, ₹50 for cars, and ₹100 for vans. The whole hike took us about 3.5 hours, including a half-hour break at the summit, but it can take up to 4 hours depending on your pace. The descent is just as steep as the climb, so take it slow and steady; it took us about 1 hour and 15 minutes to come down.

Skandagiri is a must-do for anyone looking to immerse themselves in nature, especially during the monsoon when the butterflies are out in full force. The combination of a challenging hike, magical sunrise, and the sheer beauty of the surroundings makes it an experience you...

First about planning: Was planning for Skandagiri trekking but couldn't find definite info about trekking open for public, even after going through multiple blogs and websites. I found google reviews of this place has most up to date information. Based on that I planned to take a chance and visit. On 1st July 2018, reached the google map location at 4:35 AM. Parked the car(parking fee 50 rs for car, 30 rs for bikes) and walked around 200 meters to the guarded entrance. There you need to pay the money to get entrance. The good part was that you don't have to pay cash there. The officials present there asked to book online through myecotrip website(using your phone). You need to create a profile first, so create in advance to save time. Even though there wer no availability for 1st july, we were allowed to select another date and pay online(Carry a card). The confirmation number generated was noted down with names of the number of people part of group and then we were allowed to enter. So even though some earlier posts mentioned 450/500rs entry per person, it was different experience for us.The staff was friendly and helpful. Some trekkers whom we met had started trekking as early as 3:30 AM, so you can surely plan to start from the base location at 4 AM. See the official details posted part the picture, which mentiones 4 AM as the start time.

About the trekking experience: I am not someone who goes on trekking very often but still look for such opportunities. Whether it is a good or not so good trek, I will let everyone decide for themselves, once you visit. I enjoyed it thoroughly. It requires some basic stamina if you are planning to be consistent in your walking. I took around 1.5 hours to reach the top while waiting at times for my other group members to catch up. This is a good season to trek with enough greenery around to make you feel fresh. The sunrise was not visible due to clouds obstructing the view but it didn't make it any less special. The wind was very strong with fog on the top so carry warm clothes preferably wearing multiple layers of clothes. Carey your own water and food and please don't litter. I picked 2 snacks cover on the way back, which seemed were thrown fresh today.One might not realize the impact of their actions of throwing one snacks cover , but with so many people visiting, if everyone does the same, it will not remain as clean and pristine as any natural place should be. It is definitely an amazing experience. Must try if you are...

Insta: #TheFitnessGoneWild

Had been to skandagiri early morning trek with team @thefitnessgonewild on 6th, Sunday 2022.

Beautiful and Scenic trekking trails near to bangalore.

Trekking trail is easy to moderate.

Carry your own F&B because nothing is available for miles in the forest (Food and Beverages but do not litter).

Trek is approx. about 4k uphill and 4k downhill.

Wear comfy cloths, carry a torch and wear a nice trekking shoes.

Carry energy bars and enough hydration supplies.

Book your tickets on myecotrip.com (Rs. 250/head and only 300 tickets / day) before visiting the place else no entry is allowed.

Always prefer to book early morning slot (4.00 AM) so that you witness the sunrise and be back before it gets too harsh.

Now about the team #TheFitnessGoneWild.

Very well organized and their crew members are fantastic.

Whats unique about this team?

Upon reaching the spot, we gathered for a small briefing. We had an introduction round. Everybody instroduced by their names, what they do for their living and if they have any prior trekking experience to better manage the crowd.

A formal introduction was like an icebreaker to know each other by their names and helped in better rapport and team building.

We were given instructions to not to litter the place and carry the trash back with us. (Goes without saying - Leave nothing behind except footprints).

We got to know each other before we started the trek and not just the crew members were checking on us but also we individuals were making sure that our team mates were doing fine during the entire trek and watching each others back throughout.

A local guide (forest official and our crew member) lead the team, our organizer + a crew member was in between and another crew member was in the end to ensure nobody went missing at anypoint in time.

All of us made it to the peak just in time for the sun rise to witness the glimpse of the dawnbreak.

We had few refreshing snaks, selfies, team pictures and started to desend.

All of us reached back safe and sound, No injuries.

Had delicious combo breakfast at a nearby restraunt.

All participants were given a team badge and a certificate of participation.

*If you wanna go on a trek, you can go individually or in a group but if you want a fantastic experience with like minded people then try going on a trek with team...