10 Do-It-Yourself Treks Near Bangalore

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Duration: 6-7 hours

Base Camp: Kopatty (290km from Bangalore)

The trek to Kopatty Hill Top is a quick but fulfilling trek that you and your friends can easily go on by yourself, as it won't require you to camp. The summit can easily be reached within 3 hours and the descent through the lush forest and grasslands will take you less time than that. The trek starts from the Maha Vishnu Temple, which is a short walk away from the Kopatty Bus Stop.

To know more about how to reach Kopatty Basecamp from Bangalore, the nature of the trail and details about getting back, read Arjun Majumdar's complete guide to the trek here.

Difficulty: Easy - Moderate

Duration: 4-6 hrs from Gowdara Mane to Bandajje Falls. Approximately 2-3 hrs from Bandajje Falls to Ballalarayana Durga Fort

Base Camp: Ujire (308km from Bangalore)

The trek to Bandajje Arbi Falls and Ballalarayana Durga Trek rewards you with two spectacles, first a beautiful waterfall then the historic Ballalarayana Durga Fort. You can attempt both of these stops in one day, but trekkers prefer camping at the Bandajje Falls overnight and heading to the Ballalarayana Durga Fort the next day. The trek starts from Ujire, from where you head to Gowdara Mane.

To know more about how to reach Ujire or Gowdara Mane from Bangalore, the nature of the trail and details about getting back, read Sandhya's complete guide to the trek here.

Difficulty: Moderate

Duration: 4-5 hours

Base Camp: Karekatte (458km from Bangalore)

The trek to Kodachari Hill's peak offers several trails to interested climbers; such as the one from Karekatte, which is a simpler and more scenic ascent, another from Sampekatte, which is slightly tougher to climb and then from Marakuttaka, which goes through the Hidlumane Falls. The trek starts from Karekatte, which conveniently falls on the Nittur-Kollur road.

To know more about how to reach Karekatte from Bangalore, nature of the trail and details about getting back, read Usha Hariprasad's complete guide to the trek here.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Duration: 3-4 hours

Base Camp: Holegundi (290km from Bangalore)

The trek to Ettina Bhuja is a mildly-challenging route to an ox-hump shaped hill, which in Kannada is described as "yettu", meaning ox, and "bhuja", meaning shoulder. Perched on the Charmadi Ghats, the trek is a great route for beginners who can head here over a long weekend from Bangalore. The trek starts from Shishila, which you can reach by taking a bus from Dharamasthala to Kokkadaand, then a jeep to Holegundi.

To know more about how to reach Shishila from Bangalore, the nature of the trail and details about getting back, read Sandhya's complete guide to the trek here.

Difficulty: Easy

Duration: 4 to 6 hours

Base Camp: Dodaballapur (60km from Bangalore)

A trek to Makalidurga is possibly the best weekend trek from Bangalore that you can attempt by yourself. The trek begins just 60km from the city and is frequented by aspiring and professional rock climbers alike. At the end of the trek is a temple of Shiva and Nandi, as well as the Gunjar Lake. The trek starts from Dodaballapur, which is very close to the Makalidurga Railway Station.

To know more about how to reach Dodaballapur from Bangalore, nature of the trail and details about getting back, read Akanksha Raju's complete guide to the trek here.

Difficulty: Moderate

Duration: 6-8 hours

Base Camp: Shishala (370km from Bangalore)

If you want a bit of adventure not too far from the city, then check out this trek near Bangalore. The trek to Amedikallu is one the more challenging treks in the region because of the few steep rocky inclines that turn slippery during the monsoon. The trek starts from Shishila, which you can reach by taking a bus from Bangalore and then a jeep to Kombaru.

To know more about how to reach Shishala from Bangalore, nature of the trail and details about getting back, read Usha Hariprasad's complete guide to the trek here.

Difficulty: Easy

Duration: 2-3 hours

Base Camp: Koonala Doddi (60km from Bangalore)

Bilikal Ranganathaswamy Betta is a great option for trekking near Bangalore over the weekend. Situated just 60km away from the city, the summit point of this hill is the ancient Ranganathaswamy Temple, which trekkers can reach after traversing the well-paved trail. The trek starts from Maruti Temple at Koonala Doddi, which is a jeep-ride away from Kanakapura.

To know more about how to reach Koonala Doddi from Bangalore, nature of the trail and details about getting back, read Usha Hariprasad's complete guide to the trek here.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Duration: 3-4 hours

Base Camp: Sarpadhari (267km from Bangalore)

For adventure seekers, the search for ideal trekking places near Bangalore ends at Mullayanagiri, the highest peak in Karnataka. The route, despite a few rough patches, is only mildly challenging and add to that the awe-inspiring scenery of Chikmagalur, and you have possibly the best of all treks near Bangalore. The trek starts from Sarpadhari, which a short-jeep ride away from Chikmagalur.

To know more about how to reach Sarpadhari from Bangalore, nature of the trail and details about getting back, read Usha Hariprasad's complete guide to the trek here.

Difficulty: Moderate

Duration: 6-8 hours

Base Camp: Kakkabe (266km from Bangalore)

At 5,740 ft, Tadiandamol is the tallest peak in Coorg District, which trekkers love to scale in a day or on a long weekend trip from Bangalore. Though you can easily ascend and descend the peak in a single day, but camping on the Tadiandamol Peak is often recommended by trekkers who have visited the place. The trek starts from Kakkabe, which you can easily reach via Madikeri.

To know more about how to reach Kakkabe from Bangalore, nature of the trail and details about getting back, read Ayush Gupta's complete guide to the trek here.