Devaranya Durga | DD Hills – A Perfect Weekend Escape Near Bangalore

Are you planning for a short weekend ride around Bangalore? Devarayana Durga, also known as DD Hills is the perfect destination you must explore. Whether you love to watch a beautiful sunrise over a cliff or the sunset into the lake, DD Hills has it all. In this article, we are going to cover all the tourist spots around Devarayana Durga you should not miss. Read to learn more!

Having visited this place at least 10 times in the last 3 years, I never get bored of the curvy forest roads that lead to an amazing view from the summit. Everytime I visit this place I have explored new places and the list just keeps growing. I will be updating this blog regularly as I come across new destinations.

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How to Reach Devarayana Durga?

Located in the Tumkur District, this place is about 60 km from Bangalore and it must take you hardly 90 minutes to reach. The easiest way to reach Devarayana Durga is to travel on the Tumkur highway and take the deviation under the Dabaspete Flyover on-to Madhugiri Road. Please refer to the Google Maps Link for the detailed route.

If you are traveling from Tumkauru, DD Hills is hardly 16 km from the city. There are multiple routes you can take to reach DD Hills and you can access the same location as mentioned above.

When is The Right Time to Visit DD Hills?

The natural beauty of this place in itself makes Devarayana Durga an all-year location. But, If I were to be specific, the perfect time to visit this place would be from June to October. During this season, the forest surrounding the hill turns lush green and lively thus, offering a perfect view from the top. But by visit this place during any other time of the year, you will still manage to see some pretty amazing sunrise and sunset views.

If you are planning to visit DD Hills in the morning, I recommend you leave Bangalore by 5 AM so that you can enjoy the serene and calm mornings. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself surrounded by clouds on the peak. You might possibly get to witness that, if lucky.

Are you a sunset person who loves cozy evenings and golden skies? Don’t worry, because you will be able to witness some of the most beautiful sunsets across the cliff from the Devarayana Durga viewpoint. In this case, you might have to leave Bangalore at 4 PM.

We highly recommend you keep a check on the estimated travel time based on traffic level and your location in Bangalore.

Places to See in Devarayana Durga

In this blog, I am going to be sharing a list of 4 places around Devarayana Durga, which can be covered in a single visit in the same order, as mentioned below.

The entire itinerary would take about 7-8 hours to cover, including the travel time to and from Bangalore. I also recommend you to save the Google Map in offline mode just in case you run out of network coverage on your mobile phone.

1. Irakasandra Tank

Irakasandra Tank is a beautiful lake located in a tiny village which is about 15 km from DD Hills. This is a totally offbeat destination and has beautiful hills located in the backdrop. Early Mornings here are very calm and peaceful. However, if you plan to visit this place in the evening, you can feast yourself with a beautiful sunset across the lake and behind the hills.

There are no shops or hotels near the lake and the nearest village Irakasandra is located about 5 km from the lake where you can find the essential stores, if necessary. You can follow the location to Irakasandra Tank as per Google Maps.

2. Devarayana Durga – View Point 1

Yes, this is the same cliff you could find in the cover picture! The way this rock suspends over the edge surprises anyone who looks at the image. And, it just gets better when you visit this place is real. The view from here is just splendid with dense forests and rocky mountains. Undoubtedly, This is the best spot to view the sunset from DD Hills.

There is a path to take your vehicle to the top (and if you do, I highly recommend you to be cautious) but sometimes, the guards might not allow. Either way, you may choose to park your vehicle and walk for about 500 meters to witness this one hell of a beauty. There is also an abandoned Bungalow on the top and I swear, you should not miss the view through its window for an unique perspective!

Reaching this place might be a little bit of a task and if you find the location on Google Maps confusing, don’t shy away from asking the locals for directions.

3. Devarayana Durga – View Point 2

If you travel to DD Hills in the morning, then this is the first place you must check out. On a cloudy day, you will end up finding yourself floating in the fog and as it clears out, you will be able to witness the beautiful panoramic view across the horizon.

You can spend some time and click pictures on the rocky hill across the hairpin curve. Don’t be sad if the skies are clear because you can definitely watch the beautiful sunrise on the horizon. You can find the location to ViewPoint 2 here.

4. Stone Quarry

This is the last place you must be visiting before you leave to Bangalore from Devarayana Durga. It is an abandoned quarry with a hill in the background and surrounded by paddy fields. The clear water and sharp cuts on the rock is what makes this place unique and will make for a perfect photo-shoot location on any day.

As this stone quarry is quite unfamiliar among the popular crowd, you can have your share of privacy along with the nature and fill yourself up with serenity. You can follow the location to this quarry as per Google Maps.

The best way to return to Bangalore from here is through Tumkur bypass; from where you can ride back on the Tumkur-Bangalore highway.

Other Places You Can Visit:

While you are travelling from Irakasandra to Devarayana Durga, you will find a Lake View Point on your left. Located on foot of the hill and surrounded by uniquely beautiful trees, this lake is a great place to spend some quality time.

Yes! DD Hills also has a View Point 3, which you can find on your right while you are travelling back to the Stone Quarry. This view point is situated on a single huge monolithic rock and offers a panoramic view of the Devarayana Durga Reserve Forest.

Namada Chilume, A place of historical influence from Ramayana is Natural Spring flowing through a crack in the rock. It is believed that this stream of water has been flowing continuously ever since Thretha Yuga. If you are an animal lover, this place also houses a deer park which you would love to visit.

Check out our other travel stories over here.

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