Bangaloreans have amazing options for bike trips making perfect weekend getaways. (Creative Commons)
Nothing beats riding your precious motorcycle on a nice long highway surrounded by nature’s glories to melt all your worries and stress away.
Many love taking long motorcycle rides to get away from their chaotic lives in cities, as they find it a therapeutic experience to ride away and enjoy a whole new kind of freedom.
Now, Bangaloreans have a plethora of amazing options for biking enthusiasts and we have compiled some of the best destinations for you to plan your next weekend getaway or just a day trip:
This underrated and rarely explored destination promises bikers a glorious experience.
Sakleshpur is an underrated destination for bike trips. (Creative Commons)
Sakleshpur is a charming hill station peppered with nature’s gems in the form of beautiful mountains, endless coffee plantations and enchanting landscapes, assuring bikers of a view they will never forget.
“Ideally, one should leave early in the morning and the ride should take approximately 4 to 5 hours, with the amazing highway promising a smooth ride for most parts of the journey,” Anirudh Sood, a 28-year-old software engineer from Bengaluru who loves taking impromptu bike trips on his Honda CB200X, tells South First.
“We took the NH-75 connecting Hassan, however, the condition of the road suddenly became a bit bumpy after crossing Hassan and there is a patch of approximately 40 kilometres after Hassan till Sakleshpur. But mostly it’s one long stretch of road until you reach your destination, which is pretty ideal, in my opinion,” Sood informs.
If you love exploring and don’t mind detours, be prepared to stumble upon some amazing locations like the Manjarabad Fort, Hadlu waterfalls and the historically significant Pandavar Gudda, among many other sights.
Distance from Bengaluru: Approximately 225 km.
Duration of ride: Approximately 4 to 5 hours.
You should not really be surprised to see this destination on the list, since it is one of the most picturesque hill stations in South India; however, the journey to reach this location is equally spectacular.
A bike trip to Ooty is a picturesque treat. (Creative Commons)
With the sun already beating down upon us, a calm bike ride to Ooty now would be perfect for those looking to escape the heat and ride into the mountains.
Get on the NH-209, ie, that Bangalore-Mysore Highway, which is fairly smooth except for patches of track on the outskirts of Bangalore city. Riders can take their first major halt at Mysore and from there, proceed to Nanjangud which can be a rough ride. Soon, you will cross Bandipur and reach the Mudumalai National Park in Theppakadu, Tamil Nadu. Ooty is just an hour’s drive from there.
In case you are looking for a more challenging route, you can take the steeper road through Masinagudi and Kalhatty ghats which has over 30 hairpin bends.
Rest assured you don’t even need to research things to do in Ooty. Just punch the location into your GPS and enjoy the travel with a serene view of nature’s best.
Distance from Bengaluru: Approximately 285 km.
Duration of ride: Approximately 7 to 8 hours.
Pretty much every single route to Kabini on two wheels ensures a perfect weekend trip from Bangalore, and the flawless stretch of highway is the cherry on top.
Wildlife lovers are in for a treat on a road trip to Kabini. (Creative Commons)
If you love adventure and harbour a passion for wildlife, a trip to Kabini is a must, as the wildlife destination promises sightings of various animals including elephants and if you are lucky, tigers and leopards.
It’s best if you start real early in the morning by around 5:00 am from Bengaluru and get on the NH-17 ie the Bengaluru-Mysore Road. You will cross destinations like Ramanagara, Channapatna, Mandya and Srirangapatna en route to Mysore. Then take the SH-33 route from Mysore and follow the ample signboards to Kabini, which is around 70 kilometres from Mysore.
The lush greenery paired with the smooth roads will satiate your soul and create new travel memories for a lifetime.
Distance from Bengaluru: Approximately 215 km.
Duration of ride: Approximately 4 to 5 hours.
Head towards Krishnagiri on NH-7 and get onto NH46 towards Chennai as a trip to this charming hill station, situated well inside Tamil Nadu, assures you of an adrenaline-filled ride.
A trip to Yelagiri Hills with hairpin roads tests even the best of bikers. (Creative Commons)
“Be prepared for your riding skills to be tested as on the way to Yelagiri you will encounter some narrow roads and a whole lot of hairpin bends, making it a thrilling journey,” 25-year-old chef Nishant Thomas, proud owner of a Royal Enfield bike, shares his experience with South First, warning first-time bikers about Yelagiri Hills.
Take the BETL to get to Hosur and from there, get on the NH7 ie the Krishnagiri highway to be greeted by amazing roads with a scenic view of hills and mountains on both sides of the road. Next, you can turn towards Chennai by taking the NH48 at Krishnagiri and as you approach Vaniyambadi, the Yelagiri Hills start coming into view. After crossing the toll gate, turn right into the underpass road that takes you to Tirupathur and once you reach Ponneri Junction, take a left to Yelagiri Hills.
Once you reach the base of the hills, your ride uphill will put your biking skills to the test, as the 16-kilometre stretch of road with 14 hairpin bends makes it a dangerous course indeed.
Despite the challenging ride, the journey is a visual treat for every traveller.
Distance from Bengaluru: Approximately 163 km.
Duration of ride: Approximately 3 to 4 hours.
A rejuvenating ride is in store for you as you set off for the stunning Shivanasamudra twin waterfalls located along the Kaveri river, which is well connected by roads, making for a perfect ride.
A bike trip to Shivanasamudra Waterfalls is the perfect weekend getaway. (Creative Commons)
“Getting out of the city will be your only hurdle as it might take around an hour to get on the highway, if not more, but once you get on the smooth NICE road, it’s a pleasant ride,” Thomas tells South First about his experience, adding that slowly leaving the city and letting the countryside air enter your lungs is rejuvenating.
Get on the Bengaluru-Kanakapura road and this route has several lakes along the way which truly give you a scenic view as you bike along. Once you cross Kanakapura, you will be welcomed by a wide-open road which will tempt you to go full throttle straight to Shivanasamudra. Yes, it is pretty much a long, straight stretch of road without any major curves till you reach your destination.
Distance from Bengaluru: Approximately 134 km.
Duration of ride: Approximately 3 to 4 hours.
