Rock Climbing Series – 2 : Kabbaldurga

Kabbaldurga, Pyramid Valley and Quad Biking

Overview:
Kabbaldurga is one of the little known trekking destinations just outside Bangalore and could be a great challenge for trekking and rock climbing enthusiasts. Kabbal durga derives its name from the temple of Goddess Kabbalamma which is frequented by people from the nearby villages. There is a very old temple on the top and because its difficult to climb the hill, a temple is built at the base of the hill so that people can take the blessing of the Goddess.
The road to Kabbaldurga is very scenic with many small hillocks and clean lakes on the way. The condition of the road is also very good. Vehicles have to be parked at the Kabbalamma temple premises and the temple is usually crowded with devotees. We asked the route to climb the hills by the locals and had to walk for 1 km before starting the ascent. A narrow path with lot of trees and bushes welcomed us and the trek was very light initially with some old stone structures on the way probably built by the rulers of some ancient dynasty. As we proceeded, we came across a huge monolith with no trees nearby. It looked scary to climb but we gathered enough courage and started climbing the steps carved out of the rock. A gentle breeze at regular intervals was very soothing. At a few places the rock became too steep that it is very difficult to climb if we don't have a good grip on our shoes. The local villagers were climbing bare-footed though effortlessly overtaking us. After a few encounters with huge boulders and giving extra load on our leg muscles, we managed to reach the summit of the hill. It took a total of 90 mins to reach the top of the hill. We have a small temple on the top, which according to the priest, was built by the Cholas. Just opposite to the temple we saw the ruins of some old structure. Couldn't make out what the structure was but somewhat looked like a stable where they used to keep horses. The view from the top of the hill is terrific with a panoramic view of all the villages nearby. The agricultural fields looked like paintings and would have inspired any poet. After admiring the beauty of nature we decided to start our descent as it had become cloudy and could be risky to climb down in the rains. We reached the base of the hill in around 45 mins and the descent was not tiring. We had our lunch at a small eatery near the Kabbalamma temple and left the place with loads of pictures and memories.
                         

How to reach: Head towards Kanakapura Road, Cross Kanakapura town to reach Sathanur. At Sathaur, turn right towards Kabbaldurga. It is around 8 kms from Sathanur and around 80kms from Bangalore City.
By public transport: Plenty of buses to ply from Bangalore to Kanakapura and Kanakapura to Kabbaldurga.
Best time to visit: Better to avoid rains and mid-summer for trekking and rock climbing. Ideal would be around June before monsoons and after August to December.
Around Kabbaldurga:
Pyramid Valley: Nearby we can visit Pyramid Valley which is an excellent place for meditation and has been voted as one of the seven wonders of Bangalore. Its known to be the largest Pyramid in India for meditation and is an ideal getaway from the daily routine and meditate in peace. It also features a museum where we can purchase all kinds of material on meditation and spirituality.
Reference: http://pyramidvalley.org/home.htm
How to reach: From Bangalore, head towards Kanakapura road, there are frequent sign boards indicating directions to Pyramid Valley. Look out for one board indicating left turn to the valley.

Dirt Mania Quad Biking: For all speed lovers we have a Quad biking track on the way back to Bangalore near Kaggalipura. ATVs are available in 200CC and 300CC and have a 700CC machine for professionals. It has ATVs with 5 gears and even the gearless ones are available. Its a nice experience and has to be tried once. 

Reference: http://dirtmania.in/index.php
How to reach: From Bangalore, head towards Kanakapura road, after APS college of Engineering we come across a dry lake bed, take the immediate right turn after crossing the dry lake. Dirt Mania is around 1 km from there. 

    
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