Long Ride Destination for Bikers from Bangalore

Given the awesome climate that Bangalore and the areas surrounding it enjoy throughout the year, there is no shortage of places you can take a road trip to. However, what plays spoilsport is the poor conditions of most of the roads around the city.

1. Shivanasamudram Falls, 135 km

On the Mysore highway and situated by the River Kaveri, Shivanasamudram Falls is a scenic waterfall around 135 kms from Bangalore.
Bangalore to Shivanasamudram Road : The drive to Shivasanamudram along the NH 209, it is a road trip from Bangalore to relish!
Best Time to visit: August to February.

The island town of Shivanasamudra divides the river into twin waterfalls. This creates the fourth largest island in the rivers course. A group of ancient temples are located here.
The common misconception about these waterfalls are that the left segment is called Gaganachukki and the right segment is called Bharachukki.
Asia's First hydro-electric power station is located at the waterfall and is still functional. This station was commissioned by the Diwan of Mysore, Sir K. Seshadri Iyer. The power generated here was initially used in Kolar Gold Fields.

2. Nandi Hills, 60 km

Nandi Hills is a popular destination among not just car and bike enthusiasts, but also among cyclists. One of the most popular road trips from Bangalore, head over if you want to breathe in the beauty of this lovely spot.

Bangalore to Nandi Hills Road Condition: The 60 km long stretch boasts of roads in good condition so this is a journey to enjoy!
Best time to visit: Anytime is a good time to take this short road trip from Bangalore. However, its a good idea to avoid the rains as it may get slippery on the hills.

Nandi hill gets its name from an ancient, 1300-year-old Dravidian style Nandi temple situated on this hill. An ancient, lord Shiva and Parvati temple also adorns this hill. The hills are located about 20 km from the National Highway (NH-7) just after Devanahalli Town. Due to its location, Nandi Hills is rapidly developing and numerous commercial and residential ventures are underway in the region.

The hills are now a popular tourist spot during summer. The state horticulture department maintains a garden for the tourists. The pressure of tourists on the environment here is great with a considerable problem of litter, noise and physical disturbance.

3. Savandurga, Karnataka, 50 Km

Climb, camp, chill! Just 60 kilometers away from Bangalore, Savandurga is one of the good road trips from Bangalore to calm those jittery nerves!

Bangalore to Savandurga Road Condition: The roads are good overall, apart from a few stretches on and off. Just 50km.
Best time to visit: November to May.

Savandurga is formed by two hills known locally as Karigudda (black hill) and Biligudda (white hill). The earliest record of the name of the hill is from 1340 AD by Hoysala Ballala III from Madabalu where it is called Savandi.

There is a Temple of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, where there is an Idol of Lord Narasimha has been worshiped for many generations.
Picnickers come to spend time among the serene environs of the hill. Rock climbers, cave explorers and adventurers are among others who frequent the locale.

Savandurga provides for some top class serious platform climbing routes in the world. There are a dozen routes, bolted or on the south face of the monolith. These range anywhere from 700 to 950 feet of technical climbs, providing sport.

4. Skandagiri, 70 km

Skandagiri, also known as Kalavara Durga, is a mountain fortress located approximately 62 km from Bangalore city, and 3 km from Chikballapur in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is off Bellary Road (National Highway 7 Hyderabad-Bangalore Highway), and overlooks Nandi Hills and Muddenahalli.

Skandagiri is an ancient hill fortress located about 70 km from Bangalore and is perfect for a one-day road trip. It's particularly famous for night trekking, and one can witness the spectacular sunrise from there before proceeding downhill.

Bangalore to Skandagiri Road Condition: Most of the travelers usually follow the NH 44 to reach Chik Ballapur and from there they move to Pappagni Matt where after parking their vehicles, they start the trek. The roads are fairly decent with very few bad patches in it.
Best time to visit: It is best to visit Skandagiri during November to February. During the winter months, the top of the hill is often enclosed in a blanket of mist, making it a really romantic experience.

5. Mysuru, 150 km

Mysuru (name recently changed from Mysore) is the third largest city in Karnataka. Because of the magnificent buildings and palaces of historical and cultural significance, Mysuru has been given the tag of the Cultural Capital of South Karnataka. The Mysore Palace, a World Heritage Site, is one of the premier attractions here.

Bangalore to Mysuru Road Condition: The distance from Bangalore to Mysore is about 150 kms which can be covered in approximately 3 hours. There's a 4 lane state highway that connects the two cities. Though it is a busy route, the traffic is practically uninterrupted and fast.

Best time to visit: Mysore is a year-round destination with pleasant climate through most of the months. But the best time to visit it would be in between October and February.
The Mysore has a moderate climate. If you are visiting Mysore during the summer months then you will see that the temperature varies from 20 degree Celsius to 35 degree Celsius while the winter temperature of Mysore remains in the range of 12 degree Celsius to 30 degree Celsius. Travel to Mysore and explore the different facets of the cultural capital of Karnataka state!

6. Biligiriranga Hills, 200 km

Popularly known as just BR Hills, sharing a border with Tamil Nadu. Located at the confluence of the Eastern and Western Ghats, one can find a mingling of two different kinds of ecosystems. Most of the area is a part of a protected Tiger Reserve, i.e. the Biligiri Rangaswamy Sanctuary, making it a perfect destination for nature and wildlife lovers; and for anyone who's looking for a long road trip from Bangalore.

The bare rock-cliff looks white in colour, giving the hill its name (Biligiri in Kannada means white hill). The deity is often referred to as Biligiriranga and is depicted in a unique standing position.

Bangalore to BR Hills Road Condition: It's much better to take the Kanakapura route than the route via Mysore. The roads are very scenic, they are in awesome condition.
Best time to visit: It's a year round destination but June to November is the perfect time to visit BR Hills.

7. Lepakshi, 150 km

An important heritage and archaeological site, Lepakshi is a small village located in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. It is famous for its Hanging Pillar, the monolithic statue of Nandi and its architecture which resembles that of the Vijayanagar State. India's ancient heritage should include this amazing place in their travel list.

Bangalore to Lepakshi Road Condition: Most of the route is through the 6 lane Bangalore-Hyderabad highway (NH 207). Hence, driving is a total pleasure.
Best time to visit: October to February is the ideal time to visit Lepakshi. The weather is cool and pleasant during this period.

Lepakshi is culturally and archaeologically significant as it is the location of shrines dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Veerabhadra which were built during the Vijayanagara Kings' period (1336-1646).

8. Sakleshpur, 220 km

Sakleshpur is a small hill station located in the Hassan district of Karnataka. It's a very lush, green place, owing to the fact that it is situated in the Western Ghats and is famous for its coffee plantations. With plenty of scenic beauty, Sakleshpur is a perfect spot for trekking and adventure activities. An ideal road trip destination from Bangalore.

Bangalore to Sakleshpur Road Condition: The Highway is well maintained and one can have an enjoyable ride.

Best time to visit: Year Round Destination
Sakleshapura is a hill station town and headquarters of Sakleshapura Taluk in Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is referred to as 'poor man's Ooty'.

The town lies in the Malnad region on the magnificent hills of the biodiversity hotspot, the Western Ghats. It has a temperate climate surrounded with lofty green hills full of coffee, cardamom, pepper and areca plantations.
The town lies on National Highway 48 (NH-48) which connects port city of Mangaluru with capital city Bengaluru of Karnataka state.

Place to trek in Sakaleshapura taluk is Bisile ghat or Bisile reserve forest.
Kumar Parvat, also called KP by trekkers is a challenging hike.

9. Bandipur, 221 km

Considered to be one of the best road trips from Bangalore, Bandipur is a paradise for all the nature lovers and adventurers. As you step into the green, untamed wilderness of this place.
The Bandipur National Park is famous for housing the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger, but you'll also come across plenty of other flora and fauna species, such as elephants, and plenty of rare birds and plants.

Bangalore to Bandipur Road: The Bangalore - Mysore - Gundlupet - Bandipur route is a favourable route, mainly due to better road conditions as compared to other routes.
Best time to visit: Year Round Destination.

The National Highway (NH-67) &( NH-212 ) passes through Bandipur national park. This road has been a major concern as speeding vehicles have killed many wild animals in spite of frequent warnings to travelers from the forest department officials and restriction on movement of vehicles.