Trek to Kunti betta

Kunti Betta, a hillock in the Mandya district of Karnataka near Pandavapura, is a popular destination for rock climbers and trekking enthusiasts. This location had been on my bucket list for a long time, but the poor state of the Bengaluru-Mysuru road prevented me from exploring it. The thought of a day trek with over 6 hours of driving on a busy highway was demotivating.

However, with the opening of the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway, my interest in Kunti Betta was rekindled. I had a day off on a weekday and decided to hike to this place with Chaya.

The drive was smooth and took us only 2 hours and 15 minutes to reach Kunti Betta base from our home in Bengaluru, with a breakfast stop on the way.

Trekking

There are various routes to climb Kunti Betta, and we chose the easier path that skirts around the hill. We took the mud road from the parking location and reached an open ground with two hills in front of us. The hill on the right side, with a pillar on top, was our destination.

Here the path was confusing. Thankfully, some person had painted arrow marks on the rocks. These were not always prominent, but it was possible to follow them easily. Still, we got lost once. I climbed a huge rock and scanned the area. Luckily, we found the arrow mark!!

The climb was easy, but it required a level of flexibility as the walk was mainly on rocks. After walking for about 70 minutes, we reached the top, which offered a breathtaking view of the prominent rock hill opposite the lake and Pandavapura town in the background. We spent some time on the top, resting under the shade of the rock, and started our return when the cloud cover disappeared and the sun came out.

At the base

On the way down, we spent some time visiting Kalyani and the nearby temples, including a Ganesha statue carved on a rock, a Nandi statue, and a cave next to it. The place was serene and beautiful, and we did not encounter many people during our visit, thanks to travelling on a weekday.

Overall, Kunti Betta was a fantastic experience that I would recommend to anyone looking for a day trip from Bengaluru or nearby areas.

Information and tips

• There are two places where you can park your vehicle. First, you see a school with a large playground where you can park. You need to climb the steps and reach the Kalyani area to start the trek. Alternatively, you can continue further and reach Kalyani to park your vehicle.
• It is better to hike early in the morning. Else, it will be tiring due to the rocky area.
• Please keep the place clean. It is sad to see people littering even on the temple premises.