Bengaluru to Savandurga, one day, one cab
Savandurga is a single mass of rock rising out of the plain about 60 km west of Bengaluru, and the climb up its Karigudda face is one of the most direct trekking experiences near the city. There is no forest canopy and very little shade: you walk up bare granite for most of the way, which is exhilarating in December and punishing in April.
Savandurga at a glance
- Bangalore to Savandurga distance
- ~60 km
- Drive time each way
- 1.5–2 hrs
- Opening hours
- Open 5:00 AM–6:00 PM
- Entry
- A Karnataka Forest Department permit is mandatory, booked through the Karnataka Eco Tourism portal or taken at the check post at the base. Published fees disagree, ranging from about ₹250 to ₹450 per person, so check the portal for the current figure rather than trusting a blog
- Best time to go
- October to February; avoid it entirely after rain
Worth knowing. Two rock faces rise here, Karigudda and Billigudda. Only the Karigudda trail is open to trekkers. The climb is bare rock for most of its length, which is fine dry and genuinely unsafe wet.
Hours and ticket details checked September 2026. Temples and parks change these without notice, confirm before you travel if your plan depends on it.
Why Savandurga?
- One of the largest monoliths in Asia
- Roughly 5.5 km round trip on open rock
- Sri Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy temple at the trailhead
- Arkavathi river and Manchanabele backwaters nearby
A typical QuicReach day
Pickup from Bengaluru
Reach the base, permit check, begin the climb
Summit, with the plain laid out below
Back down, breakfast nearby
Drop back home in Bengaluru
Sample plan, timings are flexible and your exact fare is shown upfront in the app.
Savandurga trip questions
Do I need a permit for the Savandurga trek?
Yes. A Karnataka Forest Department permit is mandatory, booked through the Karnataka Eco Tourism portal or obtained at the check post near the base. Published fees disagree between roughly ₹250 and ₹450 per person, so check the portal rather than a blog, including this one.
What are the Savandurga timings?
Open 5:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Starting early is not about the gate but the rock: there is almost no shade on the Karigudda face and it holds heat well into the afternoon.
How hard is the Savandurga trek?
Moderate. About 5.5 km round trip taking 2 to 3 hours, with steep sections on open granite. The difficulty is the gradient and the surface rather than the distance, and shoes with real grip matter more here than fitness.
Which face do trekkers climb, Karigudda or Billigudda?
Karigudda. It is the trail open to trekkers; Billigudda is the other face of the same hill and is not the route. If a description sends you up Billigudda, it is out of date.
Is it safe in the monsoon?
Not really, and this is the one we would push back on. The route is bare rock with a real gradient, and wet granite is genuinely dangerous rather than merely unpleasant. Pick a dry month.