Nandi Hills – A lovely hill station near Bangalore

Nandi Hills or Nandidurg is a hill station, situated 1,478 mt. above sea level and 65 km from Bangalore, in Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka. It gets its name from the ancient Nandi or bull which is meant to be the mount of Lord Shiva. Later developed as Tipu Sultan’s summer retreat this hill-station was patronized by the British too. These hills are the source of the rivers Palar, Arkavati and Pennar and rolling green slopes surround the Amrit Sarovar Lake, making it a popular weekend destination.

Beautiful, cool and serene, Nandi Hills have a lot more in store than just perfect scenic landscape. There are 1,175 steps to reach the top of the hill but the view of the whole city below is wonderful from up there. Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace and Tipu’s Drop, a 600 ft. cliff face from where Tipu Sultan used to throw his prisoners, offers a spectacular view of the valley and are popular tourist places. A ramble through the ruins of Tipu Sultan’s fort is exciting and not to be missed. Bhoga Nandishwara Temple, a fine example of Dravidian architecture, is situated at the foot.

A hill top, the ride is worth coz of the hairpin turns. Nearest place to enjoy a sunset/sunrise.

A temple on top of the hill. Nandi temple, which get lost coz of the odd way and no markings for the directions. The food is available on the hill restricted to 'Hygiene', but conscious people could manage with the fruits and drinks available. There is a famous bar there. And for stay, two hotels. Nothing to do here, except take a breath taking view from the top during mornings and evenings

New airport road, straight route towards Hyderabad. Cross Airport Bridge and another 15 kms, you could find a left turn marked as 'Nandi Hills' 22 kms. Over all distance around 60 - 70 kms from Bangalore centre. Very nice roads. Go in big groups of around ten. Lot of incidents can turn the happy mood into a sour one. Certainly not a place to go as a decent couple. It’s a drink till you crawl type of place and a group of guys do certainly sound like fun, as the alcohol takes the steering wheel. But watch out, don’t drink and drive, not in Nandi hills at least...