October through February is objectively the best window for trekking near Bengaluru — post-monsoon trails have dried out, skies are clear for the views the treks are built around, and daytime heat that makes summer climbs miserable is gone.
For the sea-of-clouds view
Skandagiri's famous cloud-layer view is genuinely season-dependent — it's most reliable in this exact window, so a winter Skandagiri trek is a meaningfully different (better) bet than one attempted outside these months.
For a real day climb
Savandurga's exposed granite face is at its safest and most comfortable in winter — no monsoon slipperiness, no summer heat radiating off the bare rock.
For a peak with a proper sunrise
Chikmagalur's Mullayanagiri trek rewards a winter visit with clear, fog-free summit views — monsoon fog can block the exact payoff you're climbing for.
A note on what to pack
Don't underestimate how cold Karnataka's hills get before sunrise in December-January — carry a proper warm layer even though Bengaluru itself rarely feels that cold at ground level.