Makalidurga Trek

Makalidurga Trek - Short Itinerary

Day 01: Makalidurga railway station – Makalidurga Fort

Reach the station by boarding a train from Bangalore or Yeshwantpur or you can take a private vehicle to the base of the hill. You will start the climb after crossing a Krishna temple. It will take 2 to 3 hours to reach the top and a maximum of 1 hour to arrive at the base.

Makalidurga Trek – Detailed Itinerary

You will begin your trek when you reach the Makalidurga railway station. Walk for 3 kms to reach the base of the hill. If you are following on the rail track, look for the signboard 54/400 and before the signboard, there is a railway crossing where you need to turn left and walk towards the Krishna temple. From here you will come across a hump of the hill that is made of big granite rocks. You can spot monkeys playing here. The climb begins from this point and you will be crossing through thorny bushes and small rocks. So, it is advisable not to wear shorts as the thorns can create problems for your thighs and knees. 

From the base of the hump, move towards the right and continue. Please note that that there are no marked trails as any path you choose will take you to the top. This is quite an adventurous experience! As you move up you can find lots of large granite boulders and continue climbing over the left side portion of the boulder. You must wear shoes that have a good grip as there are some tricky sections ahead and the ascent will become a little bit steep. You can witness a few streams that are running down the rocks that are covered in moss. Please do not step on these areas as they are very slippery. 

You are bound to get refreshed with the smell from the lemongrass that is found on the whole route. While moving ahead, there are viewpoints that are peeping through the trees. After climbing for more than half an hour, you will not find any tree cover and in front of you, the rocks become larger. These huge granite rocks make Makalidurga hill a good spot for indulging in rock climbing and rappelling. 

After a short climb, you will arrive at the fort. The hilltop region is divided into three parts – central, eastern and western parts. The central region of the hilltop has a cemented room where you will find Nandi and Shiva temple. The local people perform Pooja occasionally at the Shiva temple. A broken Shiva Linga, Basava idol, and Garuda Gamba are found in front of the temple establishment. When you move to the west side, you will be stunned by the picturesque view of the Gunjar Lake which is like the shape of South America encircled with grasslands and farms. A small route follows between large plantations from the temple to reach the east side of the hill. You can find the Nandi hills from the right side of the temple. Take some rest here and you can see the crumbled outer walls of the fort. 

When you look down you will notice the railway lines that cut through the grasslands. Please take photos of this amazing landscape from various angles and share it on social media so that more and more people get to know about this beautiful place. There is a small door on the right side of the temple where you need to move out and begin your descend. Put your foot with caution while descending and you will be at the base in about an hour. If you have time and interested to explore more then start descending from another end of the hill. This will also connect the railhead and the base of other hills. 

Makalidurga Trek Temperature & Weather

The weather remains pleasant from September to March. On average, during the day the temperature ranges from 20 to 270C and night time it is 5 to 200C. Please do not trek during summers as it will be quite hot. It is also better to skip the monsoon as the granite rocks will become very dangerous and slippery.

ATM & Mobile Connectivity

There is an ATM till Dodaballapur which is15 km away from Makalidurga railway station. The station does not have an ATM. 

Moreover, you need not worry about the network as all carriers have a steady network and you can also chat with your loved ones while sitting at the hillock. 

Inclusions

• Transportation non-AC bus to and fro from Bangalore.

• Food Veg food, they will provide you with lunch and snacks.

Exclusions

• Any insurance.
• All-day meals.
• Any personal stuff like snacks, protein bars, water etc.
• Any personal porter to carry your stuff.
• Anything else apart from inclusion.