Our new temporary home at Devanahalli, is merely 20 km from the Chikballapur district of Rural Karnataka. But, what comes as a breath of fresh air, is how well it is snuggled amongst a hill range. Skandagiri, Brahmagiri, Dibbagiri, Channagiri and lastly the more popular Nandi giri [Nandi hills] are 5 hills that lie within this range. So, if your idea of a weekend workout is climbing a hill, then put on your trekking shoes, apply some suntan and head to the hills of Chikballapur.
Previous blog~ Makalidurga trek : mystic night under the stars ✨
Channagiri hills trek highlights
Base village~ Nandi / Sultanpet 3 kms
Trek distance~ 3 km/ 3 hrs
Level~ Easy to Moderate
Altitude~ 1350 m
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| Sunlight filtered through the clouds, treks from Bangalore |
Getting here :
By bus~ From Bangalore's Majestic bus stand, take any bus going to Chikballapur.
By train~ Chikballapur passenger train leaves from Bangalore City (stn). Check train timings at the station. Alight at Nandi (stn). Thereafter hire an auto to Nandi village.
Channagiri, also known as Chandragiri hills is about 60 km / 1 hr from Bangalore. A normal trek to the peak and back takes roughly 3 hours for those in reasonably good health and some trekking experience.
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| a breakfast of utthapan and strawberry smoothie |
After a quick stopover for breakfast and brief introductions, we began the trek at 7 am early in the morning. This time our group was a mix of youngsters, a local guide and two women with some health concerns~ one of them being me, and another overweight lady with bad knees. Don't you find it admirable how patient and supportive trek guides can be. Well, I certainly do!!
Ascent to the summit of Channagiri
The terrain made up of rocks and boulders, interspersed with greenery is a steady climb uphill but enjoyable, ie. if one keeps it at a nice comfortable pace. As we climbed higher, the views of the countryside and village below just kept getting better, so we stopped oft and on to click pics. Unlike my Billikal Betta trek, Channagiri has few levelled patches along the trail which makes it slightly better.
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| Shrubs and thorns, Channagiri trail |
Tip~ Due to less tree cover, it can get hot during the day. Hence, an early morning trek will save you from the midday heat during ascent.
At one point we came across a steady steep slope at an angle of 70° gradient, which triggered both my thyroid and acrophobia at the same time. I broke into a cold sweat, and it was only with a great deal of support from the team that I moved on. The lady with bad knees was in agony too. The one good thing about this section is the rough surface that gives you excellent grip for the climb. We had a short break at a levelled area on this slope to catch our breath, enjoy the cool breeze and take in the views.
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| A steep 70° gradient slope, treks from Bangalore |
Note~ If you are in normal good health climbing this steep section is reasonable. All it takes is the knack of balance.
As we approached the summit the trail had a variety of trees. Our local kannada-speaking guide was excited to show us some, like a tamarind tree, eucalyptus and a few more. The sound of nature and birds chirping calmed me down. It was indeed a refreshing change of scenery. We took a lunch break here before heading to the summit.
Tip~ do carry sufficient water and some snacks/ fruits. The packed lunch provided by trek organisers is usually not that high quality.
What awaits you at the summit
The vast Nandi hills range look so lofty and mesmerising from the peak. "Skandagiri, Brahmagiri", said our guide pointing out in the distance. The top of the hill is quite vast with a great opportunity to explore around. On the other side was a cave and again an incredible view of the countryside below. There is also a waterfall we were told, but I was unable to spot any.
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| The Nandi hills range as seen from Channagiri hills |
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| Channagiri hills summit, treks from Bangalore |
The descent
The descent trail was a different one, and incredibly adventurous to say the least. A là Indiana Jones our guide brought out his sickle axe...
Chop! chop! chop! he went on... chopping off the overgrown branches, as we walked through a labyrinth of untrod dense paths. After walking a long way, we finally got out in the open descent.
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| The descent at Channagiri hills trek, treks from Bangalore |
The sound of birds chirping was much louder than before. Just 1/ 2 slightly tricky patches and we were almost to the bottom. A 5' jump down from the trail straight onto the road leading to Shree Kanive Basaveshwara Swamy Temple a few metres ahead... And where our van was parked.
WoW!! We had done Channagiri!!
Hope you enjoyed reading this blog, as I did trekking. Do Subscribe for more blogs like this. Your comments will be appreciated. Bye for now!
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