Makalidurga and Amedikallu: Best places to go trekking in and around Bangalore
Want to go trekking with your friend or partner? Bangalore is surrounded by several majestic peaks and they provide ample opportunities for trekking. Makalidurga is one such peak.
Makalidurga
Makalidurga is a majestic peak near Bangalore. You don’t have to be an expert to trek to its top. Moderate skills should suffice.
Makalidurga is about 60 kms from Bangalore. The Vijayanagara Kings had built a fort on this hill. After the collapse of the Vijayanagara Empire, it was seized by the Maratha General Shahji. There are still ruins of the fort on the hill. There is a big granite rock on this trail. It is perfect for activities like rock climbing and rappelling. Once you make it to the top, you will be able to get a good view of the surroundings. There is a huge lake to the west of the hill. The Nandi Hills is to the east. The fort has an old Shiva temple. Legend has it that sage Markandeya performed penance here. The hill is at a height of about 4400 ft. It is quite popular with trekking enthusiasts in and around Bangalore.
How to reach there
Ruins of the fort on top of Makalidurga
You can reach Makalidurga by train from Bangalore. Board the Bangalore-Hindupur passenger train which leaves Bangalore City Junction at 5.45 pm. You will be at Makalidurga by 7 pm. A lot of people visit this place for night trekking. There is a train to Bangalore from Makalidurga at 7.30 am.
The trek starts about 3 kms from the Makalidurga railway station. After getting off the train, walk northwards until you see the sign board 54/400. Take a left turn and then keep walking ahead. You will find a temple with a pool. Keep walking and you will find two big rocks to your right. The trek to Makalidurga begins from there. It takes about 2 hours to trek to Makalidurga Fort. You don’t have to be an expert trekker to conquer Makalidurga. The difficulty level is moderate.
Other tourist attractions in the vicinity
The popular pilgrimage center Ghati Subramanya is near Makalidurga.
Amedikallu
Amedikallu: This hill has a turtle shaped peak. It is on the right. Yes, you have to use a bit of imagination to be able to see the turtle. The three stones on the left resemble an oven. The name Amedikallu means turtle and oven in the local languages.
Amedikallu is one of the most difficult treks in South India. At the top of this hill, there is a huge monolith that looks like a turtle. Amedikallu is a peak in the Charmadi Ghats. Trekkers face many challenges while climbing this hill. At some points there is an overgrowth of vegetation and at other points there is hardly any vegetation. While trekking Amedikallu, you need to carry a lot of water because there are hardly any water sources on the trail. Steep inclines are another problem that trekkers face. In spite of these difficulties, this hill is a huge favourite with adventure seekers because of the mesmerizing view from its top.
The name Amedikallu comes from two words. ‘Ame’ and ‘dikallu’. In Kannada, ame means turtle and in Tulu dikallu means oven. The peak of this hill looks like a turtle and the three huge stones near it look like an old fashioned oven.
Amedikallu is at a height of about 1,299 meters. The trek begins from the village of Shishila in Dharmasthala. Depending upon your skills and stamina it can take up to 8 hours to reach the top. It is a good idea to stretch the trek over two days. Pitch tents atop the hill and camp there overnight.
How to reach there
Dharmasthala is about 350 kms from Bangalore. There are bus services between these two places. Board a bus to Dharmasthala and then get off at Kokkada cross. From there you can hire a jeep or take a local bus to Shishila. From Shishila bus stand, hire a Jeep to Kombaru. The trek begins from there. Kombaru is about 3km from Shishila.