BR Hills and K Gudi

Date: 2-Jul-16

This weekend was reserved for a day trip to Biligiri Rangana Hills, popularly known as BR Hills. Located in the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka, this hill range is known for its rich biodiversity and diverse flora and fauna. Since Shivanasamudra Falls (Gaganachukki and Bharachukki Falls) could be covered along the way, we decided to revisit these waterfalls during the trip.

Gaganachukki Falls

My brother accompanied us on this trip. Since we had a long day ahead, we started from home at 6:15 AM. Our first destination was Gaganachukki Falls, located around 120 km from Bangalore. We traveled via the Kanakapura–Malavalli route and reached the falls at around 8:45 AM.

It was a huge disappointment to find almost no water in the falls. The locals informed us that water would be released from the dam only after August, after which the falls would regain their full glory. We had expected to see the falls flowing abundantly, just as they were during our previous visit, but that was not the case.

After taking a few photographs of the dry falls, we had breakfast at the Mayura Hotel near the parking area. Unfortunately, the food was disappointing. We often wonder why such tourist locations, which receive a steady flow of visitors, fail to provide good-quality food. Since there was very little water in Gaganachukki Falls, we decided to skip Bharachukki Falls, which is located about 10 km away.

See our previous post for details about our earlier visit to these falls.

BR Hills

We then proceeded towards BR Hills, which is around 50 km from the Gaganachukki viewpoint. About 10-15 minutes after leaving the falls, we came across a beautiful stretch of narrow road with a lake-like water body on one side. Since it was filled with water and looked picturesque, we stopped for a brief photo and selfie-video session before continuing our journey.

We traveled via Kollegala. The roads were in fairly good condition, and there was almost no traffic, making the drive extremely pleasant. BR Hills is home to the Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, commonly known as the BRT Wildlife Sanctuary. The Karnataka Government declared it a tiger reserve in 2011. The hill range is unique because it serves as a link between the Eastern and Western Ghats.

As soon as we entered the sanctuary, the landscape transformed into dense forest. The narrow road wound through lush greenery on both sides. The season was ideal for visiting, and the forest looked vibrant and refreshing. We kept expecting wildlife to appear at any moment. Surprisingly, we did not spot even a single deer. Although we were slightly disappointed, the drive through the forest itself was a memorable experience. It is advisable not to stop your vehicle inside the forest.

As we approached the temple, we passed a small village with a few houses, a school, and a hospital. At a junction, we took the right turn towards the Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple. The road from here became narrower and steeper. Some sections near the temple were under construction during our visit. The parking area near the temple offers mesmerizing views of the surrounding hills and forests. We reached the temple at around noon.

Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple

This temple has been an important pilgrimage center for over 500 years. Dedicated to Lord Ranganatha, it stands at the edge of a white rock cliff, which is believed to have given the hills their name, Biligiri, meaning “white hills” in Kannada.

The deity here is depicted in a unique standing posture and is accompanied by Ranganayaki. The temple attracts a large number of devotees during festivals. Fortunately, there was very little crowd on the day of our visit, and we completed our darshan in about 15 minutes.

The viewpoints located on both the front and rear sides of the temple offer breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. The area around the temple is also home to many monkeys. Be careful and avoid carrying food items openly unless you intend to feed them.

BR Hills is also home to the Soliga tribe, whose name means “Children of the Bamboo.” They are the first tribal community in India to secure rights over their ancestral lands within a tiger reserve. Their primary source of livelihood comes from harvesting and selling non-timber forest products such as honey, gooseberries (nellikai), and bamboo. During our visit, we could see people dressed in traditional tribal attire celebrating their rituals near the temple.

Beyond BR Hills

After spending some time at the temple, we started towards our next destination, K Gudi, at around 12:30 PM.

Kyathadevara Gudi, popularly known as K Gudi, is located about 20 km from the Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple. At the junction where we took the right turn towards the temple, take the left road that leads to K Gudi. Jungle Lodges operates a wilderness camp in K Gudi, and apart from this, there is not much to see here. However, we highly recommend taking this additional 20 km drive if you are visiting BR Hills, as the journey itself is a wonderful experience.

K Gudi

The road leading to K Gudi passes through dense forest and, in many places, is wide enough for only one vehicle. There was virtually no traffic throughout this stretch.

Knowing that the forest is home to numerous wild animals, combined with the lonely roads and dense vegetation, made the drive feel adventurous. It is best to avoid stopping anywhere along this route. Unfortunately, wildlife sightings were limited. We managed to spot only a few deer along the way. Near the Jungle Lodges wilderness camp, we also saw two or three wild boars. Beyond the camp, the wildlife sanctuary continued for another 3 km.

Note: Since there are very few vehicles on the road to K Gudi and wildlife crossings are possible, travellers driving alone should exercise extra caution.

Return journey

After exiting the wildlife sanctuary, we headed towards Chamarajanagar, located around 20 km away. Unfortunately, the road condition was extremely poor, and it took us nearly 45 minutes to cover this short distance.

We had lunch at a small restaurant called Shingar Sagar near Pachappa Circle in Chamarajanagar and began our return journey at around 3:30 PM. We followed the Kollegala–Malavalli–Kanakapura route and reached home at around 7 PM.

Travel snapshot

Not every trip goes exactly as planned, and this journey was a perfect example. While the dry Gaganachukki Falls left us disappointed, the lush forests of BR Hills, the scenic drive through the wildlife sanctuary, and the peaceful atmosphere around K Gudi more than made up for it. By the time we returned home, it was the serenity of the forests and the joy of the road that stayed with us the most.

• Route travelled: BTM Layout > Kanakapura > Gaganachukki Falls > Kollegala > B R Hills > K Gudi > Chamaraja Nagar > Kollegala > Malavalli > Kanakpura > BTM Layout.
• Total Distance (To & Fro): 404 km
• Mileage (Car): 19 km/l
• Fuel expense: 1488 Rs
• Total expense: 2073 Rs 

Route Map