BR Hills from Bangalore: Travel Guide & Places to See Around

BR Hills also known as Biligiriranga Hills are situated at a distance of around 175 Km from Bangalore. it is one of the famous road trips from Bangalore. Here is a complete road trip guide to BR Hills from Bangalore. The hills are named after the Biligirirangan Temple, which is located at the top of the hills. The hills are a part of the eastern Ghats and are known for their rich biodiversity and scenic beauty. The area is home to a number of endangered species of plants and animals, and is also a popular destination for trekking and wildlife viewing.

BR hills road trip from Bangalore:

A road trip from Bangalore to B.R. Hills can be a great way to explore the natural beauty and rich biodiversity of this region. Here is a suggested itinerary for a road trip from Bangalore to B.R. Hills:

  1. Start your journey early in the morning from Bangalore.
  2. Take the National Highway 44 and drive towards Mysore.
  3. After reaching Mysore, take the Mysore-Ooty Road and drive towards Nanjangud.
  4. From Nanjangud, take the road that leads to B.R. Hills. The journey from Nanjangud to B.R. Hills takes about 1 hour.
  5. Once you reach B.R. Hills, you can visit the Biligirirangan Temple, go trekking in the hills, or go on a wildlife safari in the nearby Bandipur National Park.
  6. You can also visit the Gopalaswamy Betta, a hilltop located in the western part of the B.R. Hills range.
  7. Spend the night at a homestay or resort in B.R. Hills.
  8. The next day, you can visit the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, located about 50 kilometers from B.R. Hills.
  9. After exploring Ranganathittu, you can drive back to Bangalore.

Note: It is advisable to plan your trip in advance and book accommodations and activities beforehand, as the availability of these may be limited. Also, make sure to follow all necessary precautions and guidelines related to COVID-19 while on the trip.

Here is the route that you will take to drive to BR hills from Bangalore: Bangalore -> Kanakpura -> Malavalli -> Kollegal -> BR hills.
Driving to BR hills in a car would take around 4 hours. If you want to avoid the traffic, I would advise you to start from Bangalore around 3 or 4 in the morning. If you are going to take the NICE road, then you will have to pay around 90 rupees as the toll charges. Otherwise, there are not any toll charges on the way.

Road condition from Bangalore to BR hills:

The entire stretch from Bangalore to BR hills is double lane road. During day time while going or coming, expect more traffic from Bangalore to Kanakpura stretch and the least traffic from Kollegal to BR hills.

inside-br-hills-reserve-forest

The last stretch of the drive of 20 Kms up the hill to the peak of the BR hills is really scenic and calm. There will hardly be any traffic driving up the hill in the morning around 6 or 7ó clock. At the base of the hill, there is a forest department check post. It opens at 6 in the morning till 5 in the evening. There is also an entry charge of rupees 20 for the cars.

The drive up the hill is really scenic. Unlike other hill stations or road trips from Bangalore, this road drive is really peaceful with rare traffic for even bikers. Maybe, this place is still not so famous among Bangaloreans.

I have also been to other nearby road trips from Bangalore like Yercaud from Bangalore, Bandipur national park, Yelagiri, Hogenakkal waterfalls, Ooty etc. But BR hills is the only place where I was surprised to see no crowd at all or maybe I was lucky.

There is not much to see at the BR hills like a proper viewpoint, boating or doing any other fun activities. The main purpose of the drive should be reaching the peak. There are two to three viewpoints en route where you can stop and enjoy the sunrise.

BR hills weather:

Unlike Yelagiri or Yercaud, I did not find BR hills so hot. BR hills are the part of the easternmost Western Ghats and weather is cool there. Just look out for the rainy weather if you are going there in the rainy season.

sunrise-at-br-hills

Facilities at the BR hills:

BR hills are still not so developed in terms of commercialization of a tourist place. There are some local shops where you can breakfast and lunch. Besides, there are no other basic facilities like toilets, public bathrooms, ATMs etc.

Biligiriranga Temple, BR hills:

BR hills are also famous for Biligiriranga temple which is situated at the peak of the BR hills. This temple opens around 7.30 to 8 in the morning and is very famous among the locals. Beware of the monkeys there. The view from the temple and places nearby is breathtaking.

Shivanasamudram from BR hills:

Shivanasamudra is around 50 Kms from BR hills en route Bangalore from BR hills. Falling on the way back to Bangalore makes Shivanasamudra another favorite location for the travelers to stop at the Shivanasamudra and see both of the falls, Barachukki falls and Gaganachukki falls. Know more here about the Shivanasamudra falls here.

barachukki-falls-shivanasamudra

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One Reply to “BR Hills from Bangalore: Travel Guide & Places to See Around”

  1. Samiullah

    BR hills is fit for a higher cc bike not less than 125, min. for a 65 kg person. And a SUV, or 1.6 litre vehicle, lesser depends on driver skills to climb the hairpin bends, which are to say the least very very dodgy. Nothing much to do once you climb up, few vendors selling corn and seasonal mango fruits.

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