Savandurga Trek (Non-Bike Trip)

Route: Bangalore - Savandurga - Bangalore

Round Trip: 150 KM

Time: Jan 1st 2016; 6 AM - 7 PM

Vehicle: Zen

Friends: Sai & Me

HAPPY NEW YEAR FOLKS!

Tips from my Experience:

1. Trek level is Medium. Not for children and old.
2. Carry food & 2 Liter water per person on Trek.(hawkers selling only fruit juice packets at 3x price on top)
3. Trekking grade footwear is must or go on barefoot at steep places.
4. Try to Descend hill by 2 PM(in winter), after that very difficult with scorching heat.
5. Time required: 3 Hrs for Ascending, 2 Hrs for Descending, 1 Hr rest on Top.

The Beginning:

After 4 months of gap, finally I made a Heroic memory at Savandurga. After the GOA trip, I am into new project in office and got busy, even my friends also not ready for any trips. December mid on-words less work in office due to Xmas holidays in the US. I have decided to go for simple solo bike ride to Krishnagiri dam on Jan-1st, but after many WhatsApp chats, finally we all friends decided to go for Savandurga Trek. Finally, Me and Sai only turned up and decided to go by car for Jan-1st.

I reached Sai's home (near Meenakshi mall) by 6 AM and then both of us ready for the chilling experience. Petrol/Aircheck done and then moved on to NICE road with Magadi exit toll. Mysore Road is not good between Manchanabele dam to Savandurga, advised to go on Magadi road.

Route map: (Follow Green marks)

Finished breakfast just before entering into off-road from Magadi road. Had tasty Hot Hot Tatte idli and Rice bath. We took off-road (X marked route) as per G-MAPS, but not good for cars and bikes too. Complete up-downs dirt road goes through a small village and very narrow roads. Advised to go to Magadi and come back as drawn in green color.

Real winter @Magadi road at 7:30 AM:

After the Off-road, magadi-ramnagar road is in good condition, again the last 4 KM is off-road and currently under construction (you can see in below pic).

First glimpse of Savandurga hill on the way:

Zoom-in above pic to see a small white color structure (Nandi) on the middle hill, that's the target, but we go have to go around the hill to reach there. Reached base of the hill where a Narasimhaswamy temple is located. parking space is good for Cars also and looks safe as many stalls and temple are adjacent.

Temple: (Evening it will be rush with tourists)

Few shops available for water and lite snacks but around 3/- extra cost on each item. Took some chips and biscuits and geared up for the trek. There are no sign boards to reach the base of hill also, you can ask anyone, it's just 1 min walk to base. Now the real drama begins. There are no signs of what is the destination or where to start. Hint is only the Electric poles; where ever you go follow the poles. Where ever the 1st electric pole is, that's the start point for easy go(green arrow in below pic). If you are looking for real challenge then go ahead straight (not recommended for ladies).

Base of the Hill: (Left side is very hard trek & not allowed, people are just going till easy steep)

History:

Savandurga is said to be the largest monolith in Asia (single rock mountain) which rises to 1.2 KM from sea level. Savandurga comprises of two trails, one is Karigudda or The Black Hill and other is Biligudda or The White Hill. Biligudda has been a fort prison during the Hoysala Empire. On the top of the hill, we can see ruins of the fort built by Kempegowda. There was no escape from prison, hence, it was called ‘Savina Durga’ which means ‘the fort of death’.

Karigudda is very difficult path for trek and it requires prior permission. Biligudda trail is medium difficult path and no permission required. Biligudda trail is used by all tourists and consists of few shelters/resting places in middle.

We have started trek at 9:10 AM and after many halts reached Top at 11:50 AM where Nandi is located. Only the beginning of trek is clueless, after 20 mins of trek, we can find arrow mark directions till the top. Total path consists of 4 major halts for photography. From the top, Arkavathi river view is magnificent and the joy of ascending the hill is countless. We spent nearly 2 hrs on top. There is no place to take rest on top, luckily weather was nice, but wind blow is too high and kind of irritating sometimes. We finished our lunch with chips and biscuits.

Me and Sai Selfie With Nandi:

Descending started at 1:40 PM and reached base by 3:40 PM. Descending is real scary than Ascending. My Nike sports shoes also slipped many times; we have climbed down on barefoot at 3 places, which tells how scary it was. Weather became so hot from 3 PM and horrible to stay under the sun. Morning at 9 AM, we are only going up and by the time many people finished and coming down. After 1 PM on words, many people started coming up and by evening, all are enjoying at the base of the hill. We saw some crazy people, who are going up on black hill halfway.

At 4 PM, decided to leave after having the tender coconut(30/-) and some snacks at nearby temple. We have decided to go through Manchanabele dam route to see if they are allowing to Dam. Road is worst till the Dam, better avoid this route if no plan of visiting the big banyan tree. (Nothing great at the Dam if we are going with Savandurga feat). Best route is to go by magadi only, same as how we came in the morning.

Random pics from the Trip.

Side view from road: