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Best Places to Visit around Bangalore

Bangalore is quite a favourable destination for tourists, owing to its pleasant weather all round the year and its accessibility. It is visited by a significant number of tourists every year. Apart from all the popular attractions in the city, it also has other popular destinations nearby which are also visited by many. This article gives a brief introduction to some of the popular places one can visit around Bangalore.

Nandi hills

Located at a distance of about 60 kms from Bangalore in the Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka, Nandi is a small town with its own historical significance. The Nandi hills have an elevation of about 1,478 metres, and have an ancient fortress atop the hill named Nandi Durga. The fortress was built by rulers of the Ganga dynasty, and later on enlarged by Tipu Sultan. One of the most famous tourist destinations in the state, the Nandi Hills are best known for their scenic beauty and the rich and diverse flora and fauna of the region. It is quite a favourable spot for trekkers and hikers, and visited by people of all age groups. It is traditionally believed that rivers like the Arkavathy, Ponnaiyar , Palar, Papagni and Penna originate from the Nandi hills. The hilltop also has an experimental garden, as numerous plant species were introduced there by horticulturalists, owing to the favourable climate. A paradise on earth for birdwatchers, the hills are also known for the rich variety of resident and migratory birds like the Nilgiri woodpigeon, peregrine falcon, flycatchers, thrushes and warblers.

Bannerghatta National Park

Situated in the hills of the Anekal range at a distance of about 22 kms from Bangalore, the Bannerghatta National Park is quite a popular place in Bangalore for trekkers and hikers. Spread over a total area of about 65,127 acres, the park lies on the wildlife corridor for elephants connecting the BR hills and the Sathyamangalam forest. The park also has numerous ancient temples inside and is a popular place to visit for pilgrims and devotees. Founded in 1970, it also includes the Bannerghatta Biological Park formed in 2002. It is known for having a zoo, a pet corner, a butterfly enclosure, an aquarium, an animal rescue centre, a snake park and a safari park. The Bannerghatta National Park has a very rich and diverse variety of flora and fauna. It is home to some rare and endangered animals like the Indian leopard, the Indian elephants, the Indian gazelle, spotted deer, barking deer, the Royal Bengal tiger, bonnet macaque, pangolin, wild boar and so on. It has also reported over a hundred different species of birds.

Savandurga Hill

Located at a distance of about 60 kms from Bangalore along the Magadi road, the Savandurga Hill is believed to be one among the largest monolithic hills in Asia. It has an elevation of about 1,226 metres, and is frequently visited by trekkers, rock climbers, cave explorers and adventure seekers in general. The Foothills also have ancient temples like the Savandi Veerabhadreshwara Swamy and Narasimha Swamy temple and are visited by pilgrims and devotees in large numbers. The Savandurga hill is actually formed of two hills, locally known as the Karigudda (black hill) and Biligudda (white hill). The region is filled with mostly scrub and dry deciduous forests, and is best known for its scenic beauty and rich diversity of flora and fauna. It has some rare and exotic animals which include the yellow throated bulbuls, the white backed vultures, the pointed ciliate blue and bright babul blue, sloth bear, leopard and many more. The Savandurga Hills have emerged as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state, owing to its accessibility.

Skandagiri

Consisting of a mountain fortress named Skandagiri (also known as Kalavara Durga) atop the hill, Skandagiri is one of the five prominent hills in the Chikkaballapur district and lies at a distance of about 62 kms from Bangalore. Set at an elevation of about 1,350 metres, the hill has its own historical and cultural significance. Major attractions of the region include the ancient fortress built by Tipu Sultan, views of the Nandi hills and Muddenahalli, and the Papagni mutt (one of the oldest mutts in the state) at the foothills. Apart from all these, the hilltop also offers breathtaking views to the surrounding forests and nearby villages, and the unique features of the terrains make it a favourable spot for trekkers and hikers. One of the most sought after tourist destinations in the state, the Skandagiri hill is a perfect weekend getaway and visited by a large number of people every year. 

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