Kabbaladurga Trek: The Grind Is Real | Chapter 210 (Oct 18, 2025)

Place: Kabbaladurga trek

Distance: 100kms x 2 = 200kms

Directions: Bangalore > Bidadi > Channpatna > Kabbaladurga > Kanakpura > Bangalore

Krew: Madhu (Bande) > Anwar (Sharief bhai) > Karthik (Sp)

Bikes: Enfield >Pulsar                                                                                  

Previous Visit: Rayakottai fort trek

Budget: Rs 290/head

IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:

Alright, this trip was more than just a trek. Kabbaldurga tests your internal being and your will to survive. Going alone is one thing; going as a group is something else. And yeah, with all the steps being carved out, etc., for public safety, we took the old school route up and pulled off a banger!!

INTRO & PLAN:

It had been a week since the Rayakottai chapter. Hands were itchy already. And with the Diwali holidays on the horizon, I had planned to execute 1 or 2 more trips to catch up on 2025. Usually Kabblu is the place I visit alone on my birthdays for resetting my being. Kabbaladurga is also one of the prominent Navadurgas around Bangalore. But this time had the best 2 (wait 3) companions.  It was Anwar and Madhu on the confirmed list. And we were set to GO.

TIME: 22:00 (17/10/2025)

   

ASSEMBLE & LEAVE:

Yeah, I was up at 02:45am.  Called Anwar, who had to come from  Attibele and come over to my place and leave his bike. Madhu, on the previous day, had confirmed that he would be at Kanakpura and join us at the base of the hillock directly. So it was Anwar and me from Bangalore.  As I waited for Anwar sitting outside the home, I was shocked to see the flock of cars and bikes heading out of Bangalore. Insane it was. Anyway, once Anwar arrived, we said tata to Bangalore.

TIME: 06:00

RIDE 1: (Bangalore– Ramngara – Channpatna - Kabbaldurga)

This was a 100km one-way ride on Mysore Road. As we left Bangalore, it started drizzling. I had second thoughts about Kabblu being a good option on a rainy day. But kept riding. The darkness still prevailed, and with the rains, it was tough, so we moved out at a slow pace. But then again, "if you don't ride in rain, you don't ride", right?  We pulled over at our regular breakfast at Bidadi for some nice breakfast.

TIME: 06:00

After a great breakfast, the slight light had made its way. The air was still cold, we hopped onto the bike again and made our way to Ramnagar. Upon hitting Ramnagar, the old Mysore presented itself, and a different side of me awoke. The bike more or less took over the riding part, and we chatted our way to reach Channapatna. From Channapatna, we took a left turn, and the country roads were bliss. It was a complete canopy ride, with the trees welcoming us on both sides and sheltering us from the sun.  We made it to Kabblu where Madhu was already waiting for us. It was time to CLIMB.

TIME: 07:00

KABBALDURGA TREK:

Well, it took us about an hour to reach the top. I knew it would be more difficult compared to their previous treks for both Madhu and Anwar. The idea was to maintain a slow speed and keep going. As before, I have divided the trek into the following sections:

i) Initial stretch

ii) 3 point stretch

iii) Viper stretch

iv) Final Stretch

So ready? Yeah this was a calm yet crazy trek, keep up with me here!

i) Initial stretch:

Trust me, this is never straightforward as it navigates through a forest. This is the easiest stretch, but the stretch where I always goof-up. I mean it is fun, but not always. Even after visiting this hillock many times, i made a micro-mistake where i strayed off a clearly visible pathway, talking and narrating stories haha :P

ii) 3 point stretch:

This was shaking you up from within and really tests your stamina. Well, there were the steps that had been carved out. But even that kinda pulls u out of your body. But like always, we took the old school route, climbing it free style. But something special awaited us on this one. The dog that had accompanied me last year showed up and immediately recognised me. We hugged, and it was such a special moment. (Kabbaladurga 2024 chapter) Oh yea, as far as the stretch goes, cautiously but continuously we're grinding our way to the top with a break in between.

iii) Viper stretch:

After the grueling 3-point stretch, there was the viper stretch. Call this cause, it resembles a mega boa that had passed through the grass. This is not difficult, but the inclination is steep. We made it through this pass without any hassles.

iv) Final stretch:

The final stretch consists of tricky spots and a lot of steps. We consciously avoided the steps as they are more draining. Climbing free style, avoiding stepping on flowing water from the top. We ground our way to the top. 

TIME: 08:00

KABBALADURGA SUMMMIT:

As we reached the top, I told Anwar and Madhu to keep aware of the recovery rate of their breath and body. Trust me, it is surreal at this place. As soon as we reach the top, the bodies magically calm down. As though the entire stretch was a test of some sort.  First we paid respect to the Kabblu temple and then we crashed behind the Shiva temple. Where the dog, came and rest amidst us.

We slept at the top, without speaking much, imbibing the natural sounds. Whoo! it was such a refresher, trust me. As we could sense the clouds slowly hovering around and the air getting heavier, we decided to head back as we didn't want to get stranded on this hillock with the rains slashing down. 

TIME: 09:00

TREK DOWN:

Trek down was a fun one. It always tests the knees a lot. As we began the trek down, we cruised through the final stretch and viper stretch in a matter of 10 minutes. After which, during the 3-pointer, we looked for an alternative route and then descended in the steepest phase. Being calm and cautious, we pulled it off to get our feet back on solid muddy ground. What-a rush it was! But very satisfying.

TIME: 10:00

RIDE 2: (Kabbaldurga – Kanakpura -Bangalore)

This was a 100 km ride back, but took the Kanakpura road this time, completing a small good circuit. As we got down from Kabblu had a Sting to shoot up energies. And then we took off via Sathnur towards Kanakpura. It had been a while since riding on this baby, and it felt good. We pulled over at Kanakpura and thanked Madhu for making it. Post which Anwar and I zoomed towards Bangalore and more specifically Blue Wings haha. Had a light drink and finished our lunch, and made it to our respective homes.

TIME: 12:00 (reaching Bangalore)

CONCLUSION:

" this was a excellent and to be frank tough ones considering the route we took. Kabblu never dissapoints to shake us up. But Madhu and Anwar pushed beyond their boundaries, overcame their fears while getting down and pulled off this BANGER of a trip"

Until next time, Cia \m/ (oh yeah, the third being was the Kabblu dog!, here we go)

⬅️ 209) Rayakottai trek 211) Channarayana Durga Trek ➡️

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Bhairavadurga Fort Trek: Conquering the Craziest Navadurga | Chapter 201 (May 11, 2024)

Place: Bhairavadurga trek

Distance: 60kms x 2 = 120kms

Directions: Bangalore > Nelamangala > Solur > Bhairavadurga

Krew: Dilip (Koof) > Karthik (Sp)

Bikes: Pulsar                                                                                                   

Previous Visit: Huthridurga trek

Budget: Rs 250/head  

IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:

Wow, this was a fantastic trek to the craziest of Navadurgas – Bhairavadurga. The climb is steep and challenging, A few stretches are very risky but without risk, it’s not fun either, right? So yeah, this was one kickass trek which we enjoyed a lot!

INTRO & PLAN:

It had been a week since my return from Nashik. And was ready, we had narrowed down the plan to some hillock towards Madhugiri. But then Koof had a hectic week and wanted to go someplace close. Hence late night on the previous day we decided it would be the hillock that would send shivers down one’s spine – Bhairavadurga.

TIME: 22:00 (10/5/2024)

ASSEMBLE & LEAVE:

Yeah, I was awake by 3 am. Stretched out a little, sipped some coffee was all set to go. I left my place at 5:30 am and picked up Koof.  We had seen this roadside idly and dose stall near DVG petrol bunk since last two time. We decided to finish off breakfast in Bangalore itself.  The shop opens at 3:30 am and closes at 6:30 am and the food was decent but yeah it will be crowded. We spent about 20 mins at this place and left Bangalore.

TIME: 06:30

RIDE 1: (Bangalore – Nelamangala – Solur - Bhairavadurga)

This was about a 60 km easy ride. As we left from Bangalore it was easy cruising until just before Nelamangala. We ran into a massive traffic jam, which extended to a few kilometers, but thankfully it was slowly moving. The reason was a bad road patch which had given away due to rains. Post this jam, we cruised well and took a deviation after Solur, and without any assistance from Google Maps enquiring with people we reached the base of the hillock.  We requested some locals to look after the bikes and helmets as we began the trek.

TIME: 08:00

BHAIRAVADURGA TREK:

This is one of the most challenging and beautiful treks. We did not want to get stranded as monsoons had started. We took about 60 mins to climb with sufficient breaks. So here I have divided the trek into three phases, so keep up with me here!

a.      i. Initial forest

b.      ii. Steep climb

c.       iii. Final ascent

Initial Forest:

This is the tricky part considering one can get lost easily. Once we spotted the hillock, we knew which phase of the rock to climb. Keeping that as an anchor we wandered on the peripheries of the forest and then decided to enter it once we felt comfortable and watching signs of water flow from the hilltop.

As we entered the forest, there was dead silence with only insects chirping and peacocks cawing. The dried grass was strong, and it took some effort to wade through them. Locking our sights on the initial rock phase, we made it through the forest in about. 15 mins.

TIME: 08:15

Steep Ascent:

Okay, this phase requires skill and is challenging but at the same time most enjoyable. As we started, the rock phase offered good grip but was very steep. Carefully reading for cracks we played each step cautiously and proceeded inch by inch to reach what we call as the “crazy ascent”, here trust me, it gets almost vertical, and the grip also falters. Hence one has to be doubly careful. Koof went ahead, and I stayed back, and we pushed through this phase to reach the fort wall.

TIME: 09:00

Final Ascent:

The final ascent is an easy one. We rested at the fort wall for some time and then pushed step by step. This phase is also challenging but not as risky as the previous one. It took us about 15 minutes to complete this phase and reach the top.

TIME: 09:15

TOP:

We spend about 45 minutes at the top. We searched for a nice spot and laid down. It was windy and uplifting. Watching the clouds hovering in the sky, we dozed off for about 30 minutes. Then once we got up, had some water and chocolates. We stretched out a little and decided to head back down. The residual feeling of the trek up was still lingering. The more challenging the climb, the more is the feel.

TIME: 10:15

DESCENSION:

The trek back was easy and took 30-45 minutes to reach the bottom. We made it to the fort wall and this time finding the route back to the forest was not difficult as most of the grass was burnt out. Once into the forest, it was an easy descent. The pathway was clear and Koof was wondering, how he repeatedly fell here during our last visit.  Reaching down was not the problem now, finding back the route that led to the place where we had parked our bikes. We plucked a few mangos and kept them in the bag before finding the path that eventually led to the bike.

TIME: 10:45

RIDE 2: ( Kuddur – Solur – Nelamangala – Bangalore)

The ride back was simple. Off late after each trek, having a “sting” has become mandatory. Good rush it gives. Madhu said he could join in for a sitting if it was in RR Nagar. So RR Nagar it was, we crashed in at a local bar before heading home.

TIME: 12:15

⬅️ 200. Hutridurga trek 202. Ratnagiri fort trek ➡️

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Shivagange Trek: Slippery Ascent Into the Clouds & Fog | Chapter 176 (Aug 7, 2019)

Place: Shivagange (Shivaganga) Trek

Distance: 60 x 2 = 120km

Directions: Bangalore > Nelamangala > Shivagange

Krew: Chinmay (Big Show) > Datta (Daattu) > Ashok (Moms > Karthik (Sp)

Bikes: Pulsar > Enfield                                                                   

Previous Visit: Ratnagiri Fort Trek

Budget: Rs 337/head

Our latest 2025 trip: Shivagange - Foggy steps.

IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:

This had to be one of the craziest rain treks done. We had almost turned down the plan and were about to return back, but then decided to begin the climb and pulled this one off. With foggy winds all around and drizzle throughout, it made climbing up and down, quite risky and challenging. But treating every step with importance we pulled this one off. A great chapter to be cherished for some years to come!

INTRO & PLAN:

The last visit to this place was very significant with Deefu. So decided to climb this hillock during monsoon. Dattu was in China and we were awaiting his return. Once he returned asked him, once he confirmed, Momz and Chinamy as well did. So with a crew of 4 people, we were set. Plan was simple, Go > Climb up > Come down > Come back.

TIME: 22:00 (6/8/2019)

ASSEMBLE & LEAVE:

Yeah I was up at 04:30 sharp, had begun running for 4km everyday and was in good shape. As the meet up was scheduled at kamdhenu hotel, I left my home picked up Dattu and begun our ride towards Kamadhenu.

TIME: 07:00

RIDE 1: (Bangalore- Nelamangala – Dobbaspete - Shivagange)

This was a 60kms ride, on the smooth highway of Tumkur road. But this time it was quite different, it began to rain in the morning itself, it was something new. The rains were not so heavy but we had to slow down. After reaching the hotel, Chinmay and Momz joined in a few minutes and we started a light tasty breakfast.

TIME: 07:45

After the breakfast, we rode back a few meters and took a right deviation and the rain really intensified here. We could see peacocks dancing and flying around in the rain, it was a beautiful sight. But the rains were quite worrying. Shivagange has steps throughout, but it is on a rock face and rains and rock faces don’t go very well. We entered the town and parked our bikes near a bakery near the base of hillock and the rains really intensified.

The Dilemma & 2 hours wait:

Okay, as the rain intensified, the bakery people warned us not to attempt the summit that day as it would be very dangerous. Also they told the monkeys turned rogue and snatched away 10,000rupees from a tourist the day before. I asked if all were okay to cancel the plan and return back some other day or take our chance, wait for few hours and go ahead and climb. When all said lets push it and finish it, we waited for about 2 hours and once the rain had turned into drizzle, with somewhat shaky thoughts we began our trek.

TIME: 10:00

SHIVAGANGE TREK:

As far as the trek goes, this has to be one of the craziest treks done till date. The fog, the strong winds, the rains made the trek quite challenging and different. We really enjoyed the change we experienced during the trek. And guess what, it took 1hour to climb to the top inspite of all the resistances. I guess we were not slow after all, but that is not the point, we took our time and enjoyed the trek. Like always, I have divided the trek into the following sections:

i) Initial stretch

ii) Battle Monkey Stretch

iii) Final Stretch

So, what do you think. Try to keep up with me, here all!

i) Initial Stretch:

So the trek begun and as be began to gain altitude, a cloud came cruising in and made the view of the base land disappear. And the hillock as such was shrouded in misty clouds as well. So we were basically entering into a cloud and it was quite an experience. The terrain was easy to start off, there is steps throughout. None of the shops were opened owing to the weather. As we reached the Shiva & Parvathi statue the initial stretch came to an end.

ii) Battle Monkey Stretch:

Okay, this stretch was totally covered with mist and we could hardly see 5-7 steps ahead of us. And this was the place we had got attacked by the monkeys. So told everybody to pick up and stick and no matter what, not to freak out and try to run incase the monkeys start an attack. But fortunately for us on that day all monkeys were fast asleep in the cold and misty weather. But nevertheless we kept our guard up and ascended the steep steps with caution.

iii) Final stretch:

In the final stretch, the steps get real tricky and narrow. You have to climb cross-foot and its quite fun. The weather had not faded and the mist of intensifying with every step we took. Once we spotted the Nandi, I was actually surprised we had made it to the top.

TIME: 11:00

TOP:

The Nandi statue looked so mystifying this time, covered with a blanket of mist he sat peacefully. As we reached the top, the wind speed hit the roof and we were being dragged around. It was too intense, but step by step taking cover amidst the boulders we visited the Shanthala drop and sat near a boulder just admiring the beautiful weather. Never had we experienced such a trek off-late. Then moving near the stupa (pillar) proved to be real challenge amidst the harsh winds. Just the act of standing was a challenge trust me. After spending about 30mins at the top, we decided to venture down.

TIME: 11:30

TREK DOWN:

The climb down was actually smooth, but one wrong footing would have ensured a bad day. The steps were slippery and we had to doubly cautious while descending. As we began our descent, the gang of monkeys were all set to attack us. But then remembering Deefu’s trick, we went on hitting the railings and rocks with a stick and none of them dared to attack us. Momz amazed by the trick said “Deefu has told you WHAT to do, now I shall explain WHY it works?”  All ears were on momz as he took some while before the next statement came out of his mouth. Momz continued “once you start hitting the stick to the railings and rocks, the monkeys think you are blind person trying to climb the hillock and forgive you :P” All of us burst into laughter, and the monkeys kept staring at us wondering what happened. Slowly but steadily we descended, as the rain began to intensify. We made to the bakery and had some light tea, thanked the bakery people for holding onto our helmets and we took off.

We pulled over at a field near by for some stuff stop. We sat in circle amidst the grass fields, floating away in our heads, we admired the mighty Shivagange covered in mist. Simply beautiful she looked. As we felt at ease and slightly afloat, the hunger began to kick in and it was time for some dhaba lunch.

TIME: 14:00

RIDE 2: (Shivagange – Nelamangala – Bangalore)

As far as the ride back goes, it was smooth ride. As we reached Nelamangala, we were surprised that Chandu Dhaba was demolished. But we spotted another Dhaba – Whitty Dhaba next to it. And boy was it a good find!

TIME: 14:30

After spending about an hour at the dhaba afloat and lot of laughter we had traditional rasam to settle down. And we rode back smooth, Chinmay and Moms headed back towards BEL. I dropped Dattu off at this home and reached my home safe to open my pigeon canteen :)

TIME: 16:00

Guys do remember, water is an option but a stick in your hand is a must. And never let your guard down and remove your wallet, camera without looking around!

Until next time, Cheers \m/

⬅️ 175. Ratnagiri fort 177. Ganalu falls, Shivanasamudra ➡️

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Nijagal Betta Summer Trek: Easy Warm-up Climb to the Dark Caves | Chapter 168 (Mar 28, 2019)

Place: Nijagal betta trek

Distance: 60 x 2 = 120km

Directions: Bangalore > Nelamangala > Dobbaspete > Nijagal Betta

Krew: Datta (Dattu) > Ashok (Momz) > Karthik (Sp)

Bikes: Enfield > Pulsar                                                                   

Previous Visit: Rayakottai Fort Trek

Budget: Rs 250/head

IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:

Nijagal betta is small hillock situated at 60km from Bangalore and is the perfect spot to get used to trekking spots around Bangalore. The caves ontop of the hillock are both spooky and exciting! And most important lesson of this trip, you drink any liquid to quench your thirst, water is WATER!

INTRO & PLAN:

It was about a week since our trek to Rayakottai trek and as the mega Himalayan trip of Bali pass nearing we decided to get a few warm ups before it. So, we thought of Nijagal as it was only an hour ride away and trek is very easy. Momz wanted to meet few people at college hence Nijagal was the perfect choice. Dattu & Momz on the confirmed list!

TIME: 22:00 (27/3/2019)

ASSEMBLE & LEAVE:

Oh yeah woke up at 05:00, did a few push-ups & sit-ups, had a sip of coffee & was all set to go! The meet up was scheduled at Dattu’s place, so left my home at about 06:15 and reached Dattu’s place to join Momz. We left Bangalore after a formal greeting!

TIME: 07:00

RIDE 1: (Bangalore – Dobbaspete - Nijagal)

This was straightforward 60kms ride on Tumkur roads. The roads are wide and butter-smooth, so all we had to do was stay awake and watch for idiots. We pulled over at our regular hotel – Kamadhenu for some yummy Sambhar with idly & vada. Haha yeah, the order of the food is correct. You just have to taste the sambhar of this hotel!

TIME: 07:30

With our tummies at peace, we proceeded towards Dobbaspete. As you began to approach Dobbaspete, Nijagal can be seen towards the left side of the road. Below a railway track opposite to a Reliance Petrol bunk a narrow muddy trail leads you the base of the hill. I actually felt happy remembering all of this even though our last trip to this place was a couple of years back! Parking our bikes amidst the trees, we were all set for the trek.

TIME: 08:30

NIJAGAL TREK:

Alright, Nijagal a said earlier is not a big trek. It took us 30mins to reach the top, with lot of fooling around. The trek terrain is easy and can be done without breaking much of a sweat! Like always divided the trek into the following chunks:

i) Initial walk way

ii) Hike uphill

iii) Dark Caves

iv) Lost Ruins

Ok, so, these are the chunks, let’s get this alright!

  

i) Initial walk ways:

The initial walk way is through a steep muddy trail. This trail has some loose gravels, but very easy to accomplish. One might feel drained as there is no shelter. But the mighty Shivagange and Bhairavadurga seen afar always keeps our spirits high!

ii) Hike uphill:

After the initial walk way, you get good overview of Nijagal. The ancient temple fallen in ruins can be seen but do remember it is a place you have to visit while you return back. This is say as you would cover all the place. Taking the normal steps we reached the Dharga on top. There are buildings on top, most of them lay in ruins.

iii) Dark Caves:

The dark caves on top are the best places to rest. The wind gushes through the narrow stretch making you feel energised. We did fool around trying to climbing ontop of the buildings. Then we entered the caves are just sat speaking about Dattu’s and Momz  Himalayan expedition we would be taking in a month's time for about an 2.5hours.!

TIME: 11:30

iv) Lost Ruins:

Okay after spending about 2.5hours on top, we decided to take an alternate route to the bottom which would take us to the temple directly. You can spot a temple and a rock sliced into half, this should give you a sense of direction.

The descent does offer some challenge, but mostly it is fun! We made it down in no time and we proceeded towards the ancient temple. The temple trust me is kinda spooky, supported by pillars which looked like it could collapse anytime. The air around the temple is also kinda, you know right! We sat near the temple admiring the mighty Shivagange afar! With Dattu’s & Momz jokes you never run out of laughter.

TIME: 12:00

RIDE 2: (Nijagal – Nelamangala – Bangalore)

Ok, this was a 60km ride back, we decided to skip lunch and head back home directly. It was Thursday and we didn’t want to shell out extra for food. We wanted to hydrate ourselves hence we pulled over at a cane juice shop. After having a glass of cane juice, next to it was a small fruit shop. We had a plate of fruits each, next to it was coconut vendor. We had a coconut water, still we were not satisfied. Next to it was a bakery, buying a litre of water we had a sip each, ah there was the satisfaction. Riding back smooth, we reached back Bangalore.

TIME: 14:00

CONCLUSION:

“ Alright, even though this was a small chapter it was fun and set the foundation for the next chapters to come, stay tuned!

Thursday well spent huh, Until next Ta-da Cia \m/

⬅️ 167. Rayakottai trek and Bettamugililam 169. Bhasmangi trek ➡️

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