Halu Chilume Gange Trek: An Easy Half-Day Hike Near Bengaluru

“Be careful, there is a leopard on this hill.”

That’s what a family living near the start of the Halu Chilume Gange trek told us when we asked them for directions. We had read quite a few articles about this trek before going, and not one of them said anything about a leopard.

This was in April 2024. Four of us friends had decided to try the less popular treks around Bengaluru, the ones where you get the whole hill to yourself. Halu Chilume Gange looked short and easy when we read about it. It was short and it was easy, but it was not the relaxed evening walk we had planned.

Here is everything you need to know to do this trek, and what happened to us on the way.

What the villagers told us

When we reached the parking area, there was a gate across the dirt path. Nobody was guarding it, so we walked around it. A little further, we asked a few families living there if we were on the right path. They said yes, and then told us there had been leopard sightings on the hill recently. They mentioned bears too.

Honestly, we got scared. We stood there for a while discussing whether to go or not. None of us had ever seen a leopard, and none of the articles had mentioned it, so in the end we decided to go ahead. Each of us picked up a stick for protection and we started walking much faster than we normally do.

We didn’t see a leopard. But if we were doing it again, we would:

• ask the locals at the start about any recent sightings
• go in a group, never alone
• start a bit earlier, so we’re off the hill before it gets dark

How to get to Halu Chilume Gange

The trek is near Doddaballapur, north of Bengaluru. Depending on where you start in the city, it’s roughly 60 to 90 km, and the road is good all the way. We’d suggest going in your own car or bike, as there is no easy bus to the starting point.

Open the starting point in Google Maps

Park your car or bike on the right side of the small open field where the dirt path starts.

How long does the trek take?

The trek is about 3 km one way from the parking. The temple is around 2.5 km from the parking, and the viewpoint is another 500 m after that.

This is how our evening went:

• 4:30 pm: started walking from the parking
• 5:30 pm: reached the viewpoint
• 7:00 pm: back at the parking

So keep about 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on your pace and how long you sit at the top.

How difficult is it?

We’d call it an easy trek. If you have a reasonably active lifestyle, you can do this as your first trek.

The only tricky part is the last bit from the temple to the viewpoint, where you walk over boulders. Please be careful here, because a slip on these rocks can mean a bad fall. We went in the dry season, so the rocks had good grip. In the monsoon they will be slippery and much harder.

Best time to go

You can do this trek in any season, and it looks different every time. After the monsoon the whole trail gets covered in thick vegetation, which makes it harder to find the way. We went in the dry season and the path was clear, with great views from the top.

If you can, time it for the sunset. Just make sure you start coming down before it gets dark.

The trail, section by section

The trail is easy to follow. We’ve split it into three parts.

1. Parking to the base of the hill (about 1.5 km)

From the parking, walk along the dirt path with fields on both sides. Keep going until you see the hill on your left. You will pass a newly installed gate. After the gate, keep walking through the farms and the path takes you to the base of the hill.

2. Base of the hill to the Halu Chilume Gange temple (about 1 km)

From here it’s a well-marked trail with a moderate climb. We saw a lot of plants and insects, some reptiles and even chameleons. Because of the leopard story, we did this 1 km in about 30 minutes.

After around half an hour, you will see a stone shelter on your right. Sadly, it was full of single-use plastic. Please carry your waste back with you.

Near the temple there are large iron blades fixed to the rocks. We think devotees may have used them for cooking a long time ago.

This is also where the monkeys are, and there were a lot of them. They were running around the rocks looking for food and making a lot of noise. With the leopard story still in our heads, this was honestly the scariest part of the trek for us. Keep your food inside your bag and walk past them calmly.

About 100 m after the iron blades is the temple. It’s a small temple with a small idol at the base of the rock and some unusual bells tied to the rocks around it.

3. Temple to the viewpoint (about 500 m)

After the temple, the clear path disappears. Look for boulders with way markers painted on them and follow them through the jungle until you reach an opening near a big rock. That’s the viewpoint.

We couldn’t find a safe way to go further, so the four of us sat on the big rock, opened our snacks and just looked. From the top you can see vast fields spread out all around, and we got a beautiful sunset over them. After all the tension on the way up, this made the whole trek worth it for us.

If you have time, sit quietly for a few minutes and listen to the sounds around you.

On the way down, go slowly over the boulders. This part is more slippery going down than going up.

What to carry

• at least 2 litres of water per person, and some snacks
• shoes with good grip for the boulders
• a torch or headlamp, in case you get late coming down
• a bag to carry your waste back

Final thoughts

We never thought we would get a leopard warning on a trek so close to home. But back in 2024 we had decided to take a few more chances and explore the less popular treks around Bengaluru, and this one gave us a story we still talk about. Luckily, we didn’t come across any leopard and we really enjoyed the trek, especially the sunset over the fields from the top.

If you are looking for a short and easy trek near Bengaluru where you can have the hill to yourselves, we’d recommend this one.

Have you done Halu Chilume Gange in another season? We would love to hear how it was. Message us on Instagram @mappingminimalists or write to us at [email protected], and send us your questions too.

We did this trek in April 2024. Trails, gates, way markers and wildlife sightings can change, so ask the locals at the starting point for the latest before you set off.