28 of 28 hikes
- Easy
Muthyala Maduvu (Pearl Valley)
Bengaluru Urban / Anekal
A short forest walk to a waterfall and pool near the Tamil Nadu border
40 km · ~1.25 h~4 km trailAltitude n/a1–2 hrsJul–OctPermit neededDo-it-yourself
₹250 /person
- Moderate
Savandurga
Ramanagara
A massive monolith near the city — bare rock, steep slabs, big views
50 km · ~1.5 h~6 km trail1,226 m3–4 hrsOct–FebPermit neededFrom (Namma Trip)
₹1,249 /person
4 vendors compared
- Easy
Ramadevara Betta
Ramanagara
A vulture sanctuary hill — the Sholay shooting spot
50 km · ~1.25 h~3 km trailAltitude n/a1.5–2 hrsOct–FebNo permitDo-it-yourself
₹300 /person
- Easy–Moderate
Shivagange
Bengaluru Rural / Tumakuru
A sacred hill with steep rock sections and the Pathalaganga spring
55 km · ~1.5 h~6 km trail1,368 m2.5–3.5 hrsOct–FebNo permitFrom (Universal Adventures)
₹899 /person
3 vendors compared
- Easy
Nandi Hills (walk up)
Chikkaballapur
Bangalore's easiest sunrise — and a brutal Sunday traffic lesson
60 km · ~1.5 h~7 km trail1,478 m2–3 hrsOct–FebNo permitFrom (Muddie Trails)
₹1,090 /person
2 vendors compared
- Easy–Moderate
Skandagiri
Chikkaballapur
Bangalore's famous sunrise-above-the-clouds trek
62 km · ~1.5 h~8 km trail1,450 m3–4 hrs round tripNov–FebPermit neededFrom (Namma Trip)
₹699 /person
5 vendors compared
- Easy
Makalidurga
Doddaballapur / Tumakuru border
A friendly fort-hill with a lake view — good for beginners and families
65 km · ~1.75 h~5 km trailAltitude n/a2–3 hrsOct–FebPermit neededFrom (Namma Trip)
₹699 /person
5 vendors compared
- Easy
Antaragange
Kolar
Boulder caves and a perennial spring on a volcanic hill
70 km · ~1.75 h~5 km trailAltitude n/a2 hrs including cave sectionOct–FebNo permitFrom (Adventure Nation)
₹1,150 /person
4 vendors compared
- Easy–Moderate
Devarayanadurga
Tumakuru
Forest hill with two ancient temples and Namada Chilume spring
72 km · ~2 h~6 km trail1,204 m2–3 hrs, temples at the base and topOct–Feb; green in Aug–SepNo permitDo-it-yourself
₹450 /person
1 vendor compared
- Moderate
Madhugiri
Tumakuru
Asia's second-largest monolith — a fort carved onto granite
100 km · ~2.5 h~4 km trail1,117 m2–3 hrsOct–FebNo permitDo-it-yourself
₹600 /person
2 vendors compared
- Easy–Moderate
Channarayana Durga
Tumakuru
A dense-forest hill fort with caves, ruins and hardly any crowd
100 km · ~2.5 h~8 km trailAltitude n/a3–4 hrsOct–FebPermit neededDo-it-yourself
₹650 /person
- Easy
Kemmangundi & Z-Point
Chikmagalur (Baba Budan Giri range)
A former hill-station of the Wodeyars — gardens, falls and sunset viewpoints
240 km · ~5.5 h~4 km trailAltitude n/a1–2 hrs between viewpointsOct–FebNo permitDo-it-yourself
₹1,300 /person
- Easy
Mullayanagiri
Chikmagalur
The highest peak in Karnataka — a stepped climb anyone can do
250 km · ~5.5 h~5 km trail1,930 m1–2 hrs on stone stepsSep–FebNo permitFrom (Adventure Nation)
₹3,500 /person
2 vendors compared
- Easy
Baba Budan Giri
Chikmagalur
Coffee's birthplace — a mild ridge walk with a shared shrine
250 km · ~5.5 h~6 km trail1,895 m2–3 hrsSep–FebNo permitFrom (Trodly)
₹2,999 /person
1 vendor compared
- Moderate
Tadiandamol
Kodagu (Coorg)
Coorg's highest peak — shola-forest climb to a wide grassy summit
270 km · ~6 h~13 km trail1,748 m1 dayOct–Feb; also Jul–Sep for lush greenPermit neededFrom (Bikat Adventures)
₹3,885 /person
7 vendors compared
- Hard
Kumara Parvatha
Dakshina Kannada / Kodagu
Karnataka's toughest classic — rainforest, grassland and a rocky summit scramble
280 km · ~7.5 h~26 km trail1,712 m2 daysOct–FebPermit neededFrom (Tripbae)
₹1,884 /person
5 vendors compared
- Moderate
Ettina Bhuja
Chikmagalur (Byrapura)
A shoulder-shaped ridge with views of the Ghats — and a compulsory permit
280 km · ~6.5 h~8 km trailAltitude n/a3–4 hrsOct–FebPermit neededDo-it-yourself
₹2,500 /person
- Moderate–Hard
Brahmagiri
Kodagu (Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary)
A Kodagu–Kerala border peak inside a wildlife sanctuary
280 km · ~6.5 h~14 km trail1,608 m1 long dayOct–FebPermit neededFrom (Thrillophilia)
₹3,700 /person
5 vendors compared
- Easy–Moderate
Bandaje Falls
Dakshina Kannada (via Volambra)
A forest walk to a tiered waterfall near the Chikmagalur–Dakshina Kannada border
300 km · ~7 h~8 km trailAltitude n/a3–5 hrsJul–OctPermit neededDo-it-yourself
₹3,000 /person
1 vendor compared
- Moderate
Netravati Peak
Chikmagalur (Kudremukh range)
Where the Netravati river is born — rolling Ghats with Kodige-style falls nearby
330 km · ~7.5 h~18 km trail1,570 m1 dayOct–FebPermit neededFrom (Backpackers United)
₹3,999 /person
5 vendors compared
- Moderate
Kurinjal Peak
Chikmagalur
A Ghat peak that feels like Kudremukh without the queue
330 km · ~7.5 h~14 km trailAltitude n/a5–7 hrsOct–FebPermit neededDo-it-yourself
₹3,000 /person
1 vendor compared
- Moderate
Gangadikal
Chikmagalur (Kudremukh National Park)
The source-of-three-rivers peak with exposed Ghats views
335 km · ~7.5 h~14 km trailAltitude n/a5–6 hrsOct–FebPermit neededDo-it-yourself
₹3,000 /person
- Easy–Moderate
Kudremukh Peak
Chikmagalur
Rolling Western Ghats grassland that looks like a horse-face ridge
340 km · ~7.5 h~20 km trail1,894 m1 dayOct–FebPermit neededFrom (Backpackers United)
₹3,999 /person
8 vendors compared
- Easy
Matanga Hill & Anjanadri (Hampi)
Vijayanagara (Hampi)
Boulder-strewn sunrise over a UNESCO ruin city
340 km · ~6.5 h~5 km trailAltitude n/a1–2 hrs each on stone stepsOct–FebNo permitDo-it-yourself
₹2,000 /person
- Moderate
Narasimha Parvata
Chikmagalur (Sringeri/Agumbe belt)
A lesser-known Malnad ridge on the Aranya Vihaara list
360 km · ~8 h~10 km trailAltitude n/a4–6 hrsOct–FebPermit neededDo-it-yourself
₹3,200 /person
1 vendor compared
- Easy–Moderate
Kavaledurga
Shivamogga (Thirthahalli)
A Keladi-era hill fort with a lake and a single big rock
380 km · ~8 h~5 km trailAltitude n/a2–3 hrsSep–JanNo permitDo-it-yourself
₹3,000 /person
- Moderate
Kodachadri
Shivamogga
Sacred peak above the Mookambika forests — jeep, forest trail and cliff-edge views
400 km · ~8.5 h~14 km trail1,343 m1 dayOct–Feb; monsoon for waterfallsPermit neededFrom (BMC Adventures)
₹4,100 /person
3 vendors compared
- Easy–Moderate
Gokarna Beach Trek
Uttara Kannada (Gokarna)
A coastal cliff-and-beach chain with rocky headlands and swimming stops
480 km · ~9 h~10 km trailAltitude n/a4–6 hrsOct–MarNo permitDo-it-yourself
₹5,000 /person
Permits
Forest-department trails are bookable only on the Aranya Vihaara portal. Carry the printout and the same govt ID you booked with.
Season
Oct–Feb is prime. Jun–Sep closes many forest routes; Mar–May is hot with fire-closure risk.
Pricing
Operator prices here are listed starting prices per person from Bangalore and change by batch. GST and entry fees are sometimes extra.
Karnataka trekking — quick answers
Do I need a permit to trek in Karnataka?+
Most forest-department trails (Kudremukh, Kumara Parvatha, Tadiandamol, Skandagiri, Makalidurga and others) now require an advance online permit on the Aranya Vihaara portal (https://aranyavihaara.karnataka.gov.in). Walk-in permits are mostly not available. Tourist hills like Mullayanagiri or Nandi Hills do not need a trek permit.
What is the best time to trek in Karnataka?+
October to February is the best window for most treks: clear skies, cool mornings and no leeches. June to September is monsoon, when several forest trails are officially closed. March to May is hot and has fire-closure risk.
Which Karnataka trek is best for beginners?+
Mullayanagiri (stone steps), Ramadevara Betta, Makalidurga and Nandi Hills are easy. Skandagiri and Kudremukh are good first "real" treks. Kumara Parvatha is the hardest popular weekend trek.
Is it cheaper to book a trek operator or go yourself?+
For the near-Bangalore day hikes, doing it yourself is far cheaper (₹300–₹700). For far Ghats treks (Kumara Parvatha, Kudremukh, Tadiandamol) operator packages around ₹3,700–₹4,200 per person are competitive once you add fuel, a mandatory guide, permit and a homestay night.