Mekedatu

Date: 7-Dec-13

Thilak had visited Mekedatu before, and I had been only as far as Sangama. Both of us wanted to revisit Mekedatu, but I was unsure whether I could manage a bike ride of nearly 200 km to and fro. After giving it some thought, I finally decided to take the plunge and planned the trip for 7th December.

We had breakfast in Jayanagar and started our journey at 7:00 AM. Our route took us along the beautiful Kanakapura Road, one of the most scenic roads leading out of Bangalore.

Mekedatu

The road was in excellent condition, lined with lush green trees on both sides and blessed with almost no traffic. The cool morning weather made the ride even more enjoyable. Along the way, we stopped at the Thrimurthy Temple and, a little later, came across a picturesque lake. The views around the lake were absolutely stunning and made for a refreshing break during the ride.

The adventure we never expected

We reached Kanakapura town at around 8:45 AM, grabbed a quick coffee at the KSRTC bus depot, and resumed our journey at 9:00 AM. From the main circle in Kanakapura, we took the road towards Sangama. The route passed through clean and well-maintained villages, adding to the charm of the journey.

A few kilometres later, however, our adventure took an unexpected turn. After riding for about 4–5 km, Thilak realized that the bike’s tyre had been punctured. We had no idea where the nearest puncture repair shop was, so we asked a few locals for directions. They pointed us to a shop nearby, and we felt relieved that help seemed close at hand. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. The puncture shop was closed, and when Thilak called the owner, he informed us that he was travelling to Bangalore and would not be opening the shop that day. After asking around again, we learned that another puncture repair shop was located about 2 km away.

Since we did not have the necessary tools to remove the tyre ourselves, we decided to push the bike to the next shop. Poor Thilak had the difficult task of both walking and pushing the bike. Even after covering 2 km, we could not find the shop. When we checked with the locals again, they told us that it was still another 2 km away.

Surprisingly, we did not feel frustrated or exhausted. In fact, we somehow enjoyed the walk. Even today, I am not sure why! Eventually, we found the shop, and the puncture was fixed within half an hour. On our way back, we realized that we had walked nearly 4 km. Not bad at all—a well-earned pat on the back for both of us.

By then, it was already 11:30 AM. Instead of letting the incident spoil our mood, we chose to laugh about it and continue enjoying the ride. We reached Sangama (confluence of the Kaveri and Arkavathi rivers) at around 12:30 PM. By that time, both of us were quite hungry, so we stopped for lunch at the KSTDC hotel before continuing our journey.

Mekedatu

Exploring Mekedatu

After lunch, we set off for Mekedatu, which lies across the river from Sangama. Since the water level was high, we had to cross the river in a coracle (Theppa). After crossing the river, we boarded a local bus to reach Mekedatu. The road from Sangama to Mekedatu was in terrible condition, but the bumpy ride seemed to entertain everyone on board. Around ten minutes later, we arrived at our destination.

From the bus stop, we had to descend nearly 100 steps before reaching the main viewpoint. The effort was well worth it. The river Kaveri flows through a deep and narrow gorge carved into hard granite rock, creating one of the most dramatic landscapes in Karnataka. Massive boulders were scattered across the area, and the river thundered through a gorge barely 10 metres wide. Watching the powerful flow of water squeezing through the narrow passage was a breathtaking sight.

The scenery was spectacular. Although the weather was quite hot, the beauty of the place made us forget the heat completely. There were many visitors around, and we spent nearly an hour exploring the area, taking photographs, and enjoying the views.

At around 4:00 PM, we began our return journey. We took the same local bus back to Sangama, crossed the river again in a coracle, and started our ride back to Bangalore. By 6:30 PM, we had reached the city, bringing an end to a memorable day trip.

On the way

Travel snapshot

One thing that surprised me was that I did not feel tired at all throughout the day. Perhaps the unexpected 4 km walk acted as a break from continuous riding and kept us refreshed. Experiences like this remind me of a simple belief: whatever happens, happens for good. What initially seemed like an inconvenience became one of the most memorable parts of the trip.

Mekedatu is undoubtedly a must-visit destination near Bangalore. The scenic ride, peaceful countryside, river crossing, dramatic gorge, and natural beauty make the entire experience worthwhile. We had an amazing time and returned with wonderful memories of the journey.

• Route Travelled: HSR Layout > Jayanagar > Kanakpura Road > Kanakpura > Mekedatu
• Total distance (To & Fro): 209 km
• Mileage (Bike): 45 km/l
• Fuel expense: 362 Rs
• Total expense: 1010 Rs

Route map