Avalabetta

My friend Mir and I were originally planning on doing two small treks in Tumkur district but the previous day, Kabir called me and suggested that we go to Avalabetta. So, all of a sudden the plan was changed and at 3:30AM on a Saturday morning, we set off towards Hebbal. We picked up Kabir and his friend Raghav there and headed towards Avalabetta. 

Avalabetta has gained popularity among Bangaloreans due to social media. The cool images of people on the Beak Rock has drawn a lot of attention. It is located in Chikabbalapura district, 92km from Bangalore (At a distance of 2 hour drive). 

We followed the google maps till the base of the Avalabetta hill. Many vehicles were parked there. When enquired, we learnt that they were waiting for the gates to be opened to drive up the hill. However, Kabir, who had been here a few weeks ago, told me that the gate shall never open. There is a small path for two-wheelers and pedestrians. We took that and climbed the hill.

Avalabetta trail is about 2km long and is not very difficult. There are shortcuts for pedestrians that can be a little tedious if you are not used to hiking. On top of the hill is Shri Lakshmi Narasimha temple. Turn right at the temple and follow the trail that eventually leads to the Beak rock. 

Apart from us, there were 4 locals who had recently heard about this location. They left soon after we arrived. So, we had the place for ourselves for almost 30 minutes before the rest of the tourists arrived. Avalabetta gets really crowded on weekends, specially after 8AM. The guard who arrives there at that time, may choose to prohibit you from entering the viewpoint, depending on the crowd. 

The Beak rock at Avalabetta hill is a bit scary and there is a drop of almost 25-30ft. Be careful and do not try anything stupid here. 

I had carried some hot tea and chakli (local snack) from home. So we had some morning tea by the Beak rock. 

We then followed the same trail to other viewpoints in the hill. Raghav had his online test which he decided to take from there. While he did that, we relaxed for a bit and then headed up. There is  another small temple at the peak.

We headed back at around 10:30 AM and stopped for breakfast on the way. The trek to Avalabetta was great and we got enough time at the Beak rock before the crowd slowly gathered. For more updates on how to get there, contact me personally. 

Checkout my video on this trekking experience -