Rockclimbing in Bangalore

The popular destinations around Bangalore for Rock Climbing are Turahalli, Sawandurga, New Rocks, Raogodlu, Kabbal Durga, Hampi, Badami, Ram Nagar, Antara Gange, Chamundi Betta & Kunti Betta.


Photo by Dominika Roseclay from Pexels

Turahalli
A place which is situated off Kanakapura Road near Bangalore where you will find nice cluster of hills full of boulders. The Shani Mahatma Temple situated atop Turahalli hillock, dedicated to Lord Shaneeswara, makes it a famous pilgrimage destination among the people of Bangalore. Turahalli is also famous for its hard granite rocks of various shapes and structures, which offer great opportunities for both the beginners as well the professionals.

Turahalli is a famous rock climbing destination among the rock climbers of Bangalore. This place offers excellent opportunities in bouldering  a form of rock climbing in which the climbers have to climb on short, low routes without the use of the safety rope. Hard boulders of various sizes and shapes can be seen here, which have made this place a frequent training spot for all rock climbing enthusiasts of Bangalore.

Turahalli is a popular training spot in climbing. Many rock climbing institutes and clubs have made this place their favorite location. Outdoor enthusiasts also visit Turahalli once in a while and enjoy lazing around the place and learning a lesson or two from the local guides. Beginners visiting Turahalli can take help from the local rock climbers, who will guide through the bouldering routes.

Sawandurga
Sawandurga is around 50 kms away from Bangalore on Magadi road. This place, which lies on the Deccan plateau, is located at an average elevation of 1226 m above sea level.

Savandurga is famous for the Savandurga Hill, which is regarded as the largest monolith hill in the world. The Savandurga Hill, which has a towering height of about 1226 m, comprises of nothing but a large single rock. This rock is of prehistoric origin and made of basic dykes, granites, gneiss, and laterites. Savandurga Hills also consist of two minor hills  Karigudda and Biligudda. Karigudda can be literally translated as 'the black hill' and Biligudda as 'the white hill' in Kannada language. Rock climbing is one the popular options here, given the challenge involved in this activity.

New Rocks
A place on the way to Bannerghatta National Park from Bangalore.

Raogodlu
Raogodlu on Kanakapura Road at about 22 kms from Bangalore. Raogodlu is a small boulder field and is about 25+kms from Bangalore. After few kilometers from the power grid on the Kanakapura road a deviation to the left and a about 3+kms of mud road travel will take you to the RaogoDlu village and the place of boulders.

Though this particular place has quite a unlimited number of boulders, part of it is being quarried.

Though there is small village near by for the hotels and other things one has to come to the Kanakapura road itself.

Kabbal Durga
Kabbal Durga is a hill on the way to Channapatna from Kanakapura. The Kabbal Durga gets its name from the Goddess KabbaLamma and fort (Durga is Kannada for fort) present at the top of the hill. A rocky hill with a temple of Goddess KabbaLamma at the top in Bangalore (Rural) district just a few kilometers away from the Kanakapura Bheemeshwari road.

Climbers can look forward to few climbing routes (two bolted routes) and plenty of opportunity for explorations. The hill also sees tourists (or devotees) who come to visit the temple. The fort is built over a 250m high monolithic rock, with rather steep surfaces on 3 sides and less steep surface on the fourth side.

Hampi
Hampi near Hospet was the key place of the Vijaya Nagar Empire.

Hampi is regarded amongst the topmost rock climbing destinations in India. This place is visited by the rock climbers from India as well as abroad and offers excellent opportunities in bouldering. It is often termed as the bouldering capital of India as the entire landscape is covered with granite boulders or crags. Rock climbers can easily set out for an exploration of the boulders, on a rented bicycle, towards the site of ancient temples and can engage in bouldering.

Some of the most famous bouldering sites in Hampi are the Hemakuta Hill, Matanga Hill, and the premises of Tiruvengalantha Temple and Malyavanta Raghunatha Temple. Rock climbers can find the largest free standing boulders at Hemakuta Hill. Hampi offers only a few bolt protected routes, which can be found scattered around the pilgrimage site.

Badami
Badami is a favourite among the climbers both in india and abroad. The type of rock here is red sandstone. The crag has miles of sandstone to offer for any climber, be it a beginner or a professional.

There are various bolted routes as well. Badami is around 70 kilometers from Hampi, the mecca of the climbers Because of the nature of the sandstone the climbing here is a enjoyable expereince unlike the hard granite stuff. All through the year climbing is possible here but summer is not really preferred (too hot rather) owing to the geography of the area.

Gethnaa has a rock climbing training center here which is used when there is a camp organised.Otherwise the involvement of locals seem to be quite low.

Be careful while climbing in here, as this crag and surrounding areas are home of the poisonous vipers.

Staying and food should not be a problem. However there are a couple of lodgings, one can comfortably pitch their tent near the rocks and stay. Food available here is pretty good and very native.

The other places of interest are the cave temples, the archeological museum, the banashankari temple (5kms from busstand) and Aihole and Pattada kallu (30+kms). The chalukya's built these cave temples.

Hubli is 100+kms and Bangalore is 500+kms from Badami and there are good number of state transport service buses running.

Ram Nagar
Ram Nagar is called Mecca of Rock climbers and is 40kms away from Bangalore on the way to Mysore.

Antara Gange
A cluster of rocky hillrocks in Kolar.

Chamundi Betta
This place in Mysore is famous for its temple of Goddess Chamundi.

Kunti Betta
One more place near Pandavapura, Mysore.