Nandi Hills is a popular tourist destinations in Bangalore for anyone who loves nature, trekking and wants to spend a day away from the hustle bustle of the city. It is approximately 60kms from Bangalore.
How to get there: The easiest and comfortable way to get there is with a 2 or 4 wheeler. You can easily rent vehicles through private travel agencies. I did see some buses and read on internet that there are KSRTC/BMCTC buses from Majestic bus stand to Nandi Hills but you have to check on their sites for timings. But I would recommend using your own vehicle or hiring one for your own convenience.
Nandi hills is approximately 31km from the toll near the International Airport Road. The toll costs Rs.85/- for a single journey and Rs.125/- for a return journey. Take the road going towards Hyderabad. The road all the way till Nandi Hills is very good. There are direction boards all the way but we used google maps just to be safe. As you make your way to the top there are a lot of hair pin curves. Drive slowly especially if you are going early in the morning.
My experience in Nandi Hills:- Nandi hills is known for its spectacular sunrise view. People go there early in the morning by 6:30-7AM to see that.Thanks to the continuous rains in Bangalore we knew we were not going to see any sunrise. We reached Nandi hills around 10:30 and surprisingly the crowd was minimum. Weekends are usually a rush but I think because of the long weekend or misty atmosphere the crowd was a bit less. It was very misty all the way. 4-wheelers are allowed all the way to the top. 2-wheelers need to be parked at the checkpost point. Parking costs Rs.100/- from 6AM-6PM. If you can walk park your vehicle at the first point and walk up. There are a few attractions like Tipu’s Residence, Amrita Sarovar, Nadi temple, Tree houses, etc. The walk up could take a minimum of 15-20min. If you take your vehicle all the way to the top you get to see a lot of view points like Tipus drop, Nehru nilaya, etc. We could not see the view properly because of the heavy fog. The view near Tipus drop is very scenic. The clouds were actually moving around us. The surrounding of Nandi hills was clean when we went. There are lots dustbins around. Thanks to the rains the plants were overgrown but we saw some men cutting the extra bushes. There are lots of benches, benches with shelters, tree houses with view points and a small play park for the kids. You can rest and sit for a while when you are tired from all the walking. The road to the view points are laid with concrete stones so its not very difficult to walk around.
The sulabh toilets were thankfully clean and looked to be well maintained. You have to pay R.5/- to use it.
Food at Nandi Hills:- At the hill top there are a about 3 small hotels which serve south indian snacks and some north indian dishes. We had some veg pulao for Rs.120/- at the Mayura Pine Top hotel which is run by the KSTDC. For the price we paid the taste and quantity of the food was just okay. They have both veg and non-veg food and it was only north indian and self-service. The other 2 hotels serve just south indian snacks, tea and coffee. Most people bring their own food. There are benches with shelter and lots of families were having food there. If you reach there during lunch time it is better to bring your own food and make a picnic out of it. If you are done site seeing by lunch time it is better to go back and have lunch in some of the highway hotels. There are a lot of hotels on the highway.
Safety/Precautions:- While driving drive slowly on the hairpin curves. There are lots of monkeys in Nandi Hills. Keep all your valuables and mainly food items inside a bag. If you carry any food item in your hand near them they will snatch it. If you have a kid please catch their hands as it tends to get slippery sometimes. It is cold at the top so take warm clothing with you.
Best time to visit:- Nandi hills is supposed to be an all weather visiting place. Personally I would say avoid the months it rains heavily. Reach Nandi hills by 7AM to view the sunrise.
Overall rating: 4/5
It is a good place to go for a day trip for a Bangalorean. Come with friends and family. The more people the more you will enjoy.