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Treks Near Bangalore, Ranked by Cost (and the New Booking Rules)
Most Bangalore trek lists are out of date. Since 2025 the popular hills are booked online, with morning slots and daily caps, and some old favourites are not open at all. Here are eight, cheapest first, with what each costs and how to book it.
Photo: Aranyaparva, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Text added by Trip Under.
The short answer
Cheapest: Makalidurga (from about ₹300 at the base, and you can arrive by train) · Best first trek: Savandurga or Skandagiri, both booked online for a morning slot · Best day hike: Tadiandamol · Hardest: Kudremukh. Book every one online in advance; walk-ins are mostly gone.
If you last trekked near Bangalore before 2025, the rules have changed. The Karnataka Forest Department now sells most of these treks online through its Aranya Vihaara portal, as morning slots with a daily cap. The night treks that made Skandagiri famous are gone. A few big treks were not open for booking at all when we checked on 10 October 2026.
The cost for each trek is Trip Under's "from base" estimate on its trek page: entry, local transport from the nearest town and food. Getting to that town from Bengaluru is on top. Booking details come from the Aranya Vihaara portal and Karnataka Tourism; anything from the news or a blog is labelled.
Infographic · cost from base
What each trek costs once you reach the base
Trip Under estimates per person from the nearest base: entry, local transport and food. Bus or train from Bengaluru not included.
The 2026 booking rules, in one place
- Book online on the Aranya Vihaara portal (Karnataka Forest Department), from 1 to 30 days ahead. Same-day booking closes at noon the day before.
- Up to 3 people per booking, each with the original photo ID you booked with. Report at least 10 minutes before your slot.
- Refunds: 50% if you cancel 8 or more days ahead; nothing within 7 days.
- Morning slots only for most hills, which ends the old night-trek scene. Groups that still sell night treks on these hills are not running official treks.
- Some routes through wildlife areas were suspended in May 2026, according to news reports. If a trek is missing from the portal, assume it is closed until you hear otherwise.
Many guides still say Makalidurga, Savandurga and Skandagiri need no permit, and so did ours until October 2026. That is now wrong: book online first, or you may be turned back at the gate.
The eight treks, cheapest first
Photo: Adityamadhav83, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
1. Makalidurga
A gentle rocky climb to a hilltop shrine, with the bonus of a train ride to the base: trains from Bengaluru stop at Makalidurga station. Makalidurga is now booked online through Aranya Vihaara, the Karnataka Forest Department portal, for a 6 to 10 am slot, capped at 300 people a day.
Getting there: Train from Bengaluru City to Makalidurga station (a scenic, popular weekend rail trip), then a short walk to the base.
Pick this if it is your first trek, or you want to arrive by train.
Makalidurga trek pageFull place page →
Photo: Wise Droid, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2. Nandi Hills & Skandagiri
Nandi Hills is a drive-up hill with a gate ticket, so it is more a viewpoint than a trek. The real climb is Skandagiri next door. Karnataka Tourism lists the Skandagiri fee at ₹250, and the forest portal now offers it only as a day trek, 6 to 11 am, capped at 150. The famous night trek is no longer offered, so ignore any group still advertising it.
Getting there: KSRTC bus from Majestic to Nandi Cross, then a shared jeep up the ghat road. Skandagiri is a separate climb from Papagni Mutt, now a morning slot only.
Pick this if you want the sunrise-above-the-clouds view, and are happy to book a day slot.
Nandi Hills & Skandagiri trek pageFull place page →
Photo: Pravega, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
3. Savandurga
One of the largest single-rock hills in Asia, climbed over bare, steep granite rather than a trail. Grip shoes matter more than anything. Like Makalidurga, it is now booked online for a 6 to 10 am slot, capped at 300 a day, which also means you finish before the rock heats up.
Getting there: Bus or taxi from Bengaluru towards Magadi, then Savandurga village; the trailhead starts near the base temple.
Pick this if you want a real scramble, close to the city.
Savandurga trek pageFull place page →4. Mullayanagiri
Karnataka's highest peak, reached mostly by a paved staircase: the easiest 1,900-metre summit around. It is not a forest-portal trek; instead, since 1 September 2025 the road is controlled by online vehicle slots (about 600 vehicles a slot, per news reports). It pairs with a Chikmagalur weekend. See our Coorg vs Chikmagalur comparison.
Getting there: Taxi or shared jeep from Chikmagalur town to the base of the steps; the last stretch is a paved staircase to the summit.
Pick this if you want a high summit with almost no effort, and are going to Chikmagalur anyway.
Mullayanagiri trek pageFull place page →.jpg/960px-Tadiandamol%2C_Tadiyantamol_landscape_during_GRV2019_(138).jpg)
Photo: Vinayaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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5. Tadiandamol
Kodagu's highest peak, a five-hour round trip through shola forest and grassland from Nalknad Palace. Booking is online, with entry between 7:30 and 11 am and 150 people a day. Camping on the hill was withdrawn in December 2016, so this is a day hike only.
Getting there: Bus to Kakkabe, then an auto to Nalknad Palace where the trail starts.
Pick this if you want a proper Western Ghats day hike on a Coorg weekend.
Tadiandamol trek pageFull place page →
Photo: Magentic Manifestations, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
6. Kodachadri
A Western Ghats peak with a small temple on top and a sunset over the Arabian Sea on a clear evening, reached by jeep or a long walk from Nagodi. On 10 October 2026 it was not open for booking on the forest portal, and we could not confirm its status, so check with the forest office before you plan around it.
Getting there: Overnight bus Bengaluru to Kollur, then a jeep or a three-hour walk in from Nagodi.
Pick this if you are already near Kollur, and have confirmed it is open.
Kodachadri trek pageFull place page →
Photo: Dhruvaraj S, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
7. Kudremukh Peak
The hardest day on this list: about 6 to 7 hours through rolling shola and grassland inside Kudremukh National Park. Karnataka Tourism lists a fee of about ₹600, and numbers are capped. It closes in the monsoon and at other times for conservation, so check the portal before you book transport.
Getting there: From Chikmagalur or Kalasa, taxi to the Kudremukh forest department checkpoint where the trek begins.
Pick this if you are fit, and want the best grassland trek in Karnataka.
Kudremukh Peak trek pageFull place page →
Photo: Vivekvaibhavroy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
8. Kumara Parvatha
One of the toughest two-day treks in South India, starting behind the Kukke Subramanya temple. On 10 October 2026 it was not open for booking on the forest portal. Do not trust older blogs that promise a permit at the gate; check the current position first.
Getting there: Overnight bus from Bengaluru to Kukke. The trail starts behind the temple.
Pick this if you are an experienced trekker and the portal shows it open.
Kumara Parvatha trek pageFull place page →Two more you can book that few people know
The forest portal lists smaller hills close to the city that almost no trek list mentions:
| Trek | Length | Slot | Daily cap | From Bengaluru |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hulukudi Betta | 2 km, easy | 6–11 am | 250 | about 55 km |
| Kaiwara Betta | 5 km | 6–10 am | 150 | about 65 km |
Compare all eight
| Trek | From base | Difficulty | Time | Height | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makalidurga | ₹300 | Easy | Half day (morning slot) | 930 m | Online slot, 6–10 am, 300 a day |
| Nandi Hills & Skandagiri | ₹400 | Easy | Half day | 1,478 m | Gate ticket (Nandi Hills); Skandagiri online, 6–11 am, 150 a day |
| Savandurga | ₹400 | Moderate | Half day | 1,226 m | Online slot, 6–10 am, 300 a day |
| Mullayanagiri | ₹600 | Easy | Half day | 1,930 m | Vehicle slot booking (since Sep 2025) |
| Tadiandamol | ₹700 | Easy | 1 day | 1,748 m | Online slot, 7:30–11 am, 150 a day |
| Kodachadri | ₹900 | Easy | 2 days | 1,343 m | Not bookable online (10 Oct 2026) |
| Kudremukh Peak | ₹1,200 | Hard | 1 day (6–7 h) | 1,894 m | Online slot; fee about ₹600 (Karnataka Tourism) |
| Kumara Parvatha | ₹1,200 | Medium | 2 days | 1,712 m | Not bookable online (10 Oct 2026) |
Which one should you do?
What to carry
- Shoes with real grip. Savandurga and Makalidurga are bare granite, slippery after rain.
- Two litres of water per person, more for Tadiandamol and Kudremukh. Most hills have no water on the way.
- The original ID you booked with, and the booking on your phone.
- Leech socks from June to September for the Western Ghats treks.
- Carry back every wrapper. Most hills ban plastic at the gate.
Go in October to February. It is cooler and the grass is green after the monsoon. From March, the rock hills near the city are too hot to climb after about 9 am, which is another reason the early slots exist.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the cheapest trek near Bangalore?
Makalidurga, from about ₹300 at the base on Trip Under's estimate, and you can reach it by train to Makalidurga station. It is now booked online, for a 6 to 10 am slot.
Is the Skandagiri night trek still allowed?
No. As of October 2026 the Karnataka Forest Department's portal offers Skandagiri only as a day trek, with entry from 6 to 11 am and a cap of 150 people a day. Karnataka Tourism lists the fee at ₹250.
Do I need to book Savandurga and Makalidurga in advance?
Yes. Both are now booked online on the Aranya Vihaara portal, 1 to 30 days ahead, with a 6 to 10 am slot and up to 300 people a day.
Is Kumara Parvatha open in 2026?
When we checked on 10 October 2026, Kumara Parvatha was not open for booking on the forest portal. Check the portal or the forest office before you plan a trip.
How many people can book a trek together?
Up to three per booking, each needing the original photo ID used at booking. Larger groups need several bookings.
What is the refund policy for Karnataka forest treks?
On the Aranya Vihaara portal, cancellations 8 or more days ahead get 50% back; cancellations within 7 days get nothing.
Sources and how we priced this
- Booking rules, slots, caps and open treks: Karnataka Forest Department's Aranya Vihaara portal, checked 10 October 2026.
- Skandagiri and Kudremukh fees: Karnataka Tourism trek pages.
- Mullayanagiri vehicle slots (from 1 September 2025) and May 2026 route suspensions: news reports.
- Tadiandamol camping withdrawn (December 2016): Kodagu forest notice, as reported.
- Cost from base, difficulty, height and access: Trip Under trek pages and cost model.
Keep reading
See every trek on Trip Under
Difficulty, altitude profile, season and cost for treks across India and the world.
Browse all treks →Costs come from Trip Under's place data and our cost model (see methodology). They are indicative ballparks for budget travel and move with season and demand. Check live bus, train and room prices before you book. Trip Under is reader-planned, not an agency, and takes no commission on any booking.