Most forest-department trails are now bookable only on the Aranya Vihaara portal. These are the ones that are not: temple hills, fort hills and tourist viewpoints you can walk up without an advance permit. You may still pay a small entry or parking fee at the gate, and rules can change, so check on the day.
12 hikes · reviewed 2026-11-01
A vulture sanctuary hill — the Sholay shooting spot
50 kmEasyNo permitBest: Oct–FebDIY ~Rs 300
A sacred hill with steep rock sections and the Pathalaganga spring
55 kmEasy–ModerateNo permitBest: Oct–FebFrom Rs 899 (Universal Adventures)
Bangalore's easiest sunrise — and a brutal Sunday traffic lesson
60 kmEasyNo permitBest: Oct–FebFrom Rs 1,090 (Muddie Trails)
Boulder caves and a perennial spring on a volcanic hill
70 kmEasyNo permitBest: Oct–FebFrom Rs 1,150 (Adventure Nation)
Forest hill with two ancient temples and Namada Chilume spring
72 kmEasy–ModerateNo permitBest: Oct–Feb; green in Aug–SepDIY ~Rs 450
Asia's second-largest monolith — a fort carved onto granite
100 kmModerateNo permitBest: Oct–FebDIY ~Rs 600
A former hill-station of the Wodeyars — gardens, falls and sunset viewpoints
240 kmEasyNo permitBest: Oct–FebDIY ~Rs 1,300
The highest peak in Karnataka — a stepped climb anyone can do
250 kmEasyNo permitBest: Sep–FebFrom Rs 3,500 (Adventure Nation)
Coffee's birthplace — a mild ridge walk with a shared shrine
250 kmEasyNo permitBest: Sep–FebFrom Rs 2,999 (Trodly)
Boulder-strewn sunrise over a UNESCO ruin city
340 kmEasyNo permitBest: Oct–FebDIY ~Rs 2,000
A Keladi-era hill fort with a lake and a single big rock
380 kmEasy–ModerateNo permitBest: Sep–JanDIY ~Rs 3,000
A coastal cliff-and-beach chain with rocky headlands and swimming stops
480 kmEasy–ModerateNo permitBest: Oct–MarDIY ~Rs 5,000
No trek permit is needed. There is a parking or entry fee and traffic restrictions on busy weekends.