The twin peaks of Chikaballapur

Trekking and Weekend Getaways

If there is one hill or rather twin hills that is so near Bangalore and yet so virgin and so isolated this has to be it. It is just 75 kilometres away from Bangalore and yet it has largely remained away from public eye.

The name of the two hills too are rather unusual. There is not much wildlife here but there are plenty of birds to be seen. The climb to the hills too is rather not that steep and the trek up to the top can be a pleasant experience.

However, once you reach the top, you will be buffeted by strong winds and when you look around, you see the outlines of several other hills.

The hills are named after the Pandavas and the Kauravas and they are near Chikaballpur in Chikaballapur district. Both the hills are easily approachable from a village called Hariharapura (There is another Hariharapura near Sringeri which is a pilgrim centre on the banks of Tungabhadra ).

Hariharapura is a small hamlet in Chikaballapur village and it is known for these two twin peaks. The peaks are about 75 kms from Bangalore and about four kms from Chikaballapur.

The grassy hilltop of Kaurava Hill or Kaurava Kunda rises to nearly 250 meters and a flight of steps lead to the top. There is a Shiva temple here.

Nearby the hills are the Jarmagadu water falls. There is no water here during summer but you can have a good time exploring the rocks.

The hills are a little more than two hours drive by road from Bangalore. Kaurava Kunda is well-known for night trekking. Since the trek is moderately difficult, many people, including amateur trekkers, prefer this peak.

If you are lucky, you can make out several species of birds and butterflies. During monsoon, the trek can get tricky as the boulders become slippery and the trail soggy.       
Chikabalapur is 56 km north of  Bangalore and it is located in the center of the Nandi Hills region. It is often called Panchagiri as the town is surrounded by five picturesque hills, including Nandi.

The other hills are  Chandra Giri, Skandagiri, Brahma Giri, and Hema Giri. Chikabalapur is well-connected by road.