The Nandi Hills Excursion

Where is it?

Around 60 KM from Bengaluru.

Scenic landscape from one of the viewpoints

What is it?

A hilly retreat with a rich history and fantastic vistas all around.

View from the top of the rock face

How do I get there?

I reached the parking which is at the base of the summit by car. The hairpin bends are a bit challenging but as long as you stick to your lane you should be fine. There are cabs which will take you there and there's also public transport available from Majestic I believe.

Parking Lot at Nandi Hills

What should I take?

All plastic water bottles are confiscated at the base of the summit so do carry water in a non-plastic container. There's a bus which will take you from the base to the top of the hill but if you want to explore the surroundings by yourself you will need plenty of water to refuel yourself
Take a windcheater (I suggest using a heavier jacket if you are visiting in winter or rainy seasons) along just in case it gets chilly up there as the sun begins to set
Comfortable footwear which will allow you to trek up and down the hill and to get to all of the viewpoints (Note: The bus will only take you to the top of the hill but there will be a fair bit of walking that will be required to get to each of the viewpoints)

The rock face at Nandi Hills

What should I be wary of?

1. There are plenty of monkeys on the hill, so be wary of eating anything while they are around as they might try to snatch the food item away from you. Do not try to feed them too

2. Do not cross the designated barricades for taking pictures. The elevation of the hill doesn't allow for even the smallest of mistakes. Therefore stay safe and ensure it's a fun trip for everyone around you

How much time should I allocate?

It takes at least an hour each way to go and come back from the hills. You should plan to spend at least 2-3 hours for visiting all of the viewpoints. Hence Nandi Hills is at least a half-day excursion.

Info banner at Nandi Hills

My Final Verdict

I have had the good fortune of visiting some breathtaking landscapes both in India as well as abroad. If there is one thing I have learnt from all of these trips is to never compare one scenic view with another as nature is incomparable. Next time you are in Bengaluru make some time for Nandi Hills. If you can make it to the top by sunrise then great, else you can go there by sunset too (I was there during the evening time). Collect boatload of memories and leave a comment here about your experience.

Nandi Hills at sunset

Rated: Must Visit

Until Next Time,

Your World Traveller,

Chaitanya J.J.

Comments

Zamarrud Theatre Hyderabad

More than two decades ago a 5 year old boy (yours truly) found himself in Abids which was certainly then the microcosm of Hyderabad. Abids in the 80s <Courtesy: OkaTeluguAbbayi > The occasion was a family outing to Zamarrud Cinema. And we are stepping out for not just any movie my friends, my parents decided that nothing less than the Raj Kapoor blockbuster Chori Chori was good enough for us. To be honest I wasn't exactly enthused about watching a black and white film of a bygone era even though the movie had all the credentials of a classic. But that was before I saw Zamarrud, the theatre where the movie was being played. Nested in the heart of Abids, Zamarrud was the perfect amalgamation of Hyderabad's old world charm and new fangled ways. Zamarrud was not just any theatre, it was one of the first air conditioned halls in Hyderabad, a premiere cinema hall which used to host the best of what the film industry had to offer and the place to go for Hyderabad...

10 Random Things about the First IPL

It's IPL time, the time of the year where cricket turns from a gentleman's game into a three ringed circus for the stars, the people and the players. It's hard to believe that it's been 10 long years since the IPL started but I just seem to remember it like yesterday. As soon I thought about the first IPL I remembered some tight finishes, some great performances, raw emotion, glamour that was on display and some utterly forgettable moments. So here are 10 random things I remember about the first IPL: Teams of the first IPL <Courtesy: Reddit > Akshay Kumar , the brand ambassador (Oh! the brand ambassadors was one way franchises burnt their hard earned money during the first IPL) for Delhi Daredevils (DD) zip-lined his way into the ground for an IPL match. DD followed his example of daredevilry all throughout the league phase before their stunt went all wrong crashing them into the ground in the semis . Ricky Ponting (yes he p...

The Punisher (2004)

There are very few movies which make for a fun repeat watch. The 2004 version of ' The Punisher ' belongs to this rarefied category. I watched the movie almost 10 years ago and then caught up with it again last month. The plot twists were familiar the second time around but the fun was still the same. That's what probably got me started off on this movie review. Tom Jane as 'The Punisher' The Plot: When the younger son of mafia boss Howard Saint ( John Travolta ) gets killed in an FBI operation headed by Frank Castle ( Tom Jane ), Saint swears revenge and wipes out Castle's entire family. Castle himself barely survives before emerging from his injuries as the crusading 'Punisher'. 'The Punisher' resolves to extract payback from Saint and proceeds to punish everyone on the wrong side of law with his brand of justice. Will 'The Punisher' succeed (Of course he does)? Watch this lesser talked about installment from the Marvel Cinematic Un...

A walk along the Ocean - Stanley Park Seawall

On a bright May afternoon I found myself on the Stanley Park Seawall in Vancouver facing the Pacific Ocean . This was the ocean hike that I was most looking forward to. Now before I go any further you might ask me. What is the Seawall? There you go, the picture below should answer your question very well 👇 Stanley Park Seawall (Courtesy: Tourism Vancouver) How did I get there? Simple via public transport ( TransLink ). In front of me was a 10 KM hike right next to the Pacific Ocean and I was grossly unprepared (didn't even have a bottle of water with me). But water or no water I wasn't about to back out from exploring this beautiful waterfront trail . My first pit stop allowed me to take in the sights of Vancouver downtown along with the docks . Vancouver Downtown Vancouver docks and the Pan Pacific Hotel Pan Pacific Hotel from the top (Courtesy: BC Ferries Vacations) The next sight to behold my attention was the 100 year old Brockton P...

Mahabharata by C.Rajagopalachari

There are books which you read and then there are books which make you read them and change your life. Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari's (Rajaji's) Mahabharata belongs to the latter category. Mahabharata introduced me to the joy of reading books as a kid and today I couldn't have picked a better topic for my 25th post. I cannot describe what a pleasure and honor it is to extol the virtues of this classic book during this holy festive season of Makar Sankranti . Mahabharata by C.Rajagopalachari The story of Mahabharata is as old as the mountains and has been retold several times. Mahabharata by Rajaji however stands out in my mind because here is a story which is spiritual yet not religious, is thought provoking yet not preachy, is compelling yet not tedious. The story left an indelible impression upon me for several reasons which are: Rajaji uses extremely simple language to convey some of the finer aspects of the saga. I was 10 years old when I read Mahabharata ...

Life Etc Etc

Search This Blog