Handi Gundi Hilltop
55 min away
One of the best easy hikes with great views. Easy to navigate.
🏞️ Photos & Videos
Trail Map
Season
Any season. Stay clear of black wet patches on rock in the wet months.
🎟️ Permit
🚫 Entry prohibited by the Karnata Forest Department. If you try to get a permit, you will most likely be refused.
Better to look for another hill to hike to during weekends.
Officially you're not allowed to hike up Handi Gundi, and there's a new sign near the temple parking prohibiting forest entry.
Nowadays, forest officials prevent hikers on weekends. I've completed multiple hikes without issues in the past (as recently as December 2024), but recent reports indicate increased enforcement.
This used to be a very good beginner-friendly hike not very far from Bangalore.
It is uncertain if the permit situation will change in the near future.
Parking spot
Shri Handigundi Bettadatalu Temple is the ideal spot. (I know IndiaHikes mentions a different spot. But that parking spot is now unavailable because the real estate developer has blocked the entry to the housing complex. Also the trail from the temple parking spot is very straightforward.)
Wildlife
Not ideal to go here at night. In the daytime in a group of at least 2-3 people should be safe.
Elephants are known to occasionally visit the forest surrounding the hill. It is likely that sloth bears and leopards also roam the area, similar to most wild spaces in Ramanagara. The forest officials restrict entry to the area often due to increased elephant activity.
Getting there
You can follow Google Maps' directions all the way. If you're coming by car it's likely you be coming on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway. If so, don't miss the exit shown.
Also if you're planning to have breakfast along the way, it's a good idea to get off the expressway at Bidadi.
Road conditions
Once you're on the Mysuru Highway (not the expressway), you'll take a left. A narrow road which crosses the railway track. It's very easy to miss this turn if you're driving fast.
The road leading to the trek starting point (temple) goes through Basavanapura village. So some sections are narrow. The last few hundred meters of the road is unmetalled. But it should be fine for most of the year.
The dirt road leads towards the trek further from the temple, but it's broken in several places so it's best to park at the temple and walk, especially during the wet months.
Trail description
You start walking from the temple along the mud road. In about 400 meters, you get off the road and turn right towards the hill. You walk about 100 meters through bamboo & brush to reach a rocky slope.
The ascend starts here. This rocky section might get a bit tricky during monsoons. So stay clear of wet patches.
First viewpoint
As you hike past the first rocky section and through the vegetation, you'll reach an opening. If you walk off the trail slightly to your left (southeast) you'll get a nice view of the valley below and the forest around.
Second viewpoint
As you follow the trail further through a green patch, you reach another opening. You get a 360-degree view from here.
To your right (west) is Ramanagara town. Ramadevara Betta too should be prominently visible in this side.
Behind you (northeast) in the distance is Bangalore city and it's outskirts.
My favorite view is to the left (southeast) of the valley below and the expansive Handi Gundi State Forest. The pond is also visible from here.
Hilltop
Continue on and in about 600 meters you'll reach the hilltop, marked by a flag.
You get to see several hills from here. Ramadevara Betta, Mutturayaswamy Gudi Betta, Anna Thamma, Swamy Devara Betta, Ramanagara Achalu, Karekallu are a few I can identify.
You can spend some time here if it's windy. Usually it gets quite windy up here. But there's not much shade here to hide from the sun.
Cleanliness
You'll see a bit of trash littered around, but not too bad.
Crowd
Might get crowded on Sundays, since a lot of locals (Ramanagara town folk) visit on Sundays. Any other day should be less crowded or completely empty. Saturdays mostly see little to no hikers.
Eateries on the way
Depending on which side your approaching from some of these might be on the way.
Breakfast
Guru Thatte Idli, Bidadi. You'll have to exit the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway at Bidadi to stop here. There are a few other idli spots nearby too.
After the hike
Shri Renuukamba Thatte Idli will be on the way on your left as your heading to Bangalore.
Hotel Shri Janardhana for Mysore Pak, other sweets & snacks. They have stopped serving food.
Srinidhi Military Hotel for local style non-veg food. If you go here try the Hiralekayi (Citron lime) soda at the stalls outside.