Nandi Hills
Karnataka · 53 km from Bangalore
- Distance
- 53 km
- Ideal duration
- 1 day
- Best season
- All year
- Avg cost
- ₹1,600
About Nandi Hills
Nandi Hills is Bengaluru's default escape: a 1,478 m hill fort an hour north of the city where, on a good winter morning, you stand above a sheet of cloud with the sun coming up over it. Tipu Sultan's summer fort, Tipu's Drop and the Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple at the base are the sights; the cycling climb up the 40 hairpins is the reason many people come. Gates open at 6 am, weekends are crowded, and a 4 am start from the city is the price of a clear view. **Getting there.** 60 km from Bengaluru on NH-44 — about 90 minutes by road. Day trips leave the city around 4 am. **Where to stay.** Almost everyone does this as a day trip; a handful of resorts sit at the base near Chikkaballapur.
Things to do
- • Sunrise viewpoint above the clouds
- • Cycle the 40-hairpin climb
- • Tipu's Drop and the fort walls
- • Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple
- • Amrita Sarovar and Nehru Nilaya
- • Breakfast stop on the Chikkaballapur highway
Best time to visit
All year, but October to February gives the cloud inversions. Gates open at 6 am — arrive before that on weekends.
How to reach
60 km from Bengaluru on NH-44 — about 90 minutes by road. Day trips leave the city around 4 am.
Where to stay
Almost everyone does this as a day trip; a handful of resorts sit at the base near Chikkaballapur.