Avani Ride and Trek

Avani is famous for the Sita temple situated on a hill. This temple is one of the few temples dedicated to Sitadevi in India. It is also known as the Gaya of the south and has ancient temples known as the Ramalingeshwara, Lakshmaneshwara, Bharateshwara and Shatrugneshwara, dating back to the period of the Nolamba Dynasty. It has been told that Sitadevi gave birth to her twin children Lava-Kusha here. Even today the room where Sita gave birth to her children exists.The war between Sri Rama and his sons Lava & Kusha was happened in this village. The place is very near (About 9 km) to Mulabaagilu  in Kolar District.

How to Reach : Bangalore-- Hosakote-- Kolar-- Avani Hill

Near by places: Anthargange, Kotilingeshwara

Permission : Not required

Steps : There are steps in the middle of trek

Climbing time : 2 hrs

Parking: At the base , Near the temple

Level: Easy

Things to Carry: Water, Food and all necessary things

Channarayanadurga Trek- A Navadurga

Channarayana Durga is a fortress close Madhugiri around 100km from Bengaluru. Fort is constructed by local king(Paalegaara) Chikkappa Gowda, who was ruling the Madhugiri and surrounding places. it later fell under the control of Marathas. Be that as it may, in consequent years control of the post changed a few times amongst Marathas and Mysore Wodeyers. The British assumed control over the stronghold amid third Mysore war and after that relinquished it.

How to Reach : Bangalore-Dabaspete-Urdigere-Koratagere-Channarayana Durga

Near by Places: Medigeshi Fort, Madhugiri Fort, Siddarbetta Trek

Permission : Not required

Steps : No

Climbing time : 2 hrs

Parking: In the village

Level: Moderate

Things to Carry: Water, Snacks available at the village shop.

Hikkal Hill alias Kurmagiri

Hikkal is a small village near dabaspete, Hikkal Betta or Kurmagiri is small hillock in Tumkur district. Kurma means Turtle or tortoise in Sanskrit and Giri means hill. Venkataramana swamy is the worshipped god in the temple, The Hill is in the form of tortoise hence the name Kurmagiri. Few curvey road would make more interesting ride to the hill. Its around 78 km from bangalore towards goravanahalli via dabaspete. We were on the way to madhugiri and found the temple on the hill and asked the villagers about the hill and the temple situated there.

How to Reach: Bangalore - Dabaspete turn towards kortagere road -- After makenahalli near the arch take right from State Highway(SH3).

Permission: Not required

At the Hill: Temple, Village view

Carry: Water, food from Dabaspete.

Google Maps: Location

Gingee Fort

Gingee Fort or Senji Fort is in Tamil Nadu, it is one of the surviving forts in Tamil Nadu. It lies in Villupuram District, 160 kilometers from Chennai, near the Union Territory of Puducherry. The fortification is fortified to the point, that Shivaji, the Maratha lord, positioned it as the "most impregnable fortress in India" and it was known as the "Troy of the East" by the British. The closest city is tiruvannamalai.

The Gingee Fort complex is on three hillocks: Krishnagiri to the north, Rajagiri to the west and Chandrayandurg to the southeast. The three hills together constitute a fort complex, yet each hill contains a separate and self-contained citadel.

History:

Initially the site of a small fort built by the by the Chola tradition in ninth century AD, it was later maintained by the Vijayanagar realm in the thirteenth century to raise it to the status of an unbreachable bastion to secure the residential area of Gingee. It was likewise the head quarters of the Gingee Nayaks, amid the Nayak mastery in Tamil Nadu. Thefort was worked as a key place of battling off any attacking armed forces. According to one record, the post was worked amid the 15– sixteenth century by the Nayaks of Gingee, the lieutenants of the Vijayanagara Empire and who later ended up plainly autonomous lords (Nayaks of Gingee ). The fortification go to the Marathas under the administration of Shivaji in 1677 AD, Bijapur sultans, the Moghuls, Carnatic Nawabs, French and the British in 1761.

Its one of the lesser heard place around Banglore and Tamilnadu.Which needs minimun 2 days to explore 3 hills and fortifications.

Route: Bengaluru--Hosur--Krishnagiri--Tiruvannamalai-Gingee Fort

Near by places: Kalrayan Hills,Pondicherry

Permission : Yes (ASI)

Ticket Counter: Base of the Hill

Timings: 9.00am to 7.00pm

Steps : Yes

Climbing time : 2 hrs

Parking: At the base  and Near the temple

Level: Easy

Things to Carry: Water, Food and all necessary things

To Stay: There is only Good lodge at Gingee where family can be accomodated, Rest 2 lodges are Bachelor Hotels ,Not preferred for family. One can stay in Tiruvannamalai which 25 km from Gingee.