Savandurga Sunrise Trek

• Trek
• Temple visit
• Sunrise

An early run out along Mysore Road to be at the gate when trekking opens, first light on the lower granite slabs, fort walls and the summit Nandi shrine, then breakfast at the base and home by early afternoon.

1. 04:15Pickups begin at RMZ Ecospace. First pickup at RMZ Ecospace, Bellandur, then Banashankari, RR Nagar and Kengeri; exact spots and live location go on the trip WhatsApp group. Wear trek shoes with good grip, carry 2 litres of water, a snack and a government photo ID for the forest permit check.

2. 04:30Depart Bengaluru. Through the empty pre-dawn roads past Dodda Alada Mara and Manchanabele to the Savandurga forest. Most people doze on this stretch.

3. 05:45Arrive at the base temples. The trail starts by the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple; the Savandi Veerabhadra Swamy temple stands close by. Use the facilities and warm up while the trek lead handles the permit.

4. 06:00Permit check and start the climb. Trekking opens at 6:00 and the group enters on its pre-booked forest department slot. The first stretch runs through scrub before the bare rock begins.

5. 06:30Sunrise from the lower slabs. The sun comes up over the plains while you are on the open granite, so this is the moment to pause and turn around. Follow the lead's line on the steep sections.

6. 08:00Summit, Nandi shrine and the views. Past two lines of old fort wall to the small Nandi shrine on top, with the Arkavathi valley, Manchanabele reservoir and rolling scrub forest laid out below. Time for photos and a snack.

7. 09:00Begin the descent. The way down is the trickiest part on smooth rock, so take it slowly and keep your weight over your feet. The sweep guide stays at the back of the group.

8. 10:30Breakfast at the base. A well-earned hot breakfast once everyone is down, with a few minutes to look in at the old temples before boarding.

9. 11:15Depart for Bengaluru, trip ends ~12:45. Dropped back along the same Mysore Road pickup points, usually by early afternoon depending on traffic.