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Nandi Hills Timings,Weekend Restrictions,Online Booking & more..

Nandi Hills timings are 6am to 6pm, its clearly printed on the ticket.

Note: Solo travelers may not be allowed.

A quick way for Online un-reserved train ticket booking to/from Bangalore

Nandi Hills Opening Time	6AM	People line up even earlier but not allowed to enter.
Nandi Hills Closing Time	6PM	You can stay beyond 6pm if you have booked your stay.
Nandi Hills Open On Weekends?	Yes	Only 300 cars and 1000 bikes are allowed*
Nandi Hills Online booking	Nandi Hills Online booking	Not very streamlined, better reach early The helpdesk is even not aware of restrictions 🙂
What If I am not able to make it within vehicle limitations?	You can wait for some vehicles to return	Vehicles allowed based on parking slot availability

Nandi Hills Timings,Weekend Restrictions,Online Booking & more..

Where is Nandi Hills?

Nandi Hills is a hill station around 40km from Bangalore, Karnataka, India. It is well connected by road and you can reach there using your own vehicle (4 or 2 wheeler) or take a Government bus.

Nandi Hills is open on Weekends as well but with a prior appointment !!

On 25th March 2022, the administration of Chikkaballapur decided to open Nandi Hills on weekends with some restrictions.

Only limited vehicles will be allowed with prior appointments. The tickets will be available both online at KSDTC (read online ticket booking nandi hills ) and at the foothills. At the time of writing this post, Online booking was not very streamlined.

Ond Day Mysore Trip, Rs.60/- only

Nandi Hills pass: How to do Online booking for Nandi Hills?

Nandi hills get very crowded during weekends. Considering the environmental impact and limited parking, the Government has decided to allow only 300 cars and 1000 two-wheelers at any given point in time.

Though online pass booking has been announced on KSDTC site, its not operational at the time of writing this post. TeamHBTravel contacted KSDTC help desk and they informed that tickets are issued at Nandi hills foot hill only.

So better make there early so that you are within the allowed vehicle limit. In case you are late, just wait for some tourists to return back and then you will be allowed.

Read the full detail on Nandi Online Booking

What are Nandi Hills Timings?

Most of the visitors start early around 3am from Bangalore and reach there by 430/5am. During Corona, the timings are changed. Due to the night curfew between 10pm to 6am, the entry has been restricted otherwise you could reach there around 5am and start the trek to see the awesome view of the sunrise.

Nandi hills gates open around 6am, Do check the latest covid guidelines before planning to avoid disappointment. At the time of writing this post, tourists were allowed between 6am to 6pm. With the restrictions on the number of vehicles allowed and online booking not very convenient/nonexistent, it’s better to reach early.

Note: In case you are going by bike or car, better return back before dark as the route is full of twists and turns.

During the weekend, only 1000 two-wheelers and 300 light motor vehicles (this includes minibus) will be allowed.

*The tickets will be issued as per the parking availability, hence if any vehicles are returning extra tickets will be provided.

Nandi HIlls by Government Bus

Another way to beat this limit is to take the Karnataka Government bus to Nandi hills. You will get this bus from Majestic bust stand, platform no.10. The bus starts at 830am and the ticket cost is around Rs.40/-

You will have to buy an entry ticket of Rs.20/- per person

Note: If you are visiting Nandi hills alone, you will not be allowed. There have been bad incidents, hence this restriction.

Bangalore Nandi Hills Taxi Fare

In case you are planning to hire a cab or taxi to Nandi Hills, I will suggest instead of booking it via Ola/Uber, book it from a travel agent. The reason is, that booking a cab from the hill may not be very easy. So better book a cab for half a day or club your Bangalore sightseeing and book the cab for the whole day.

The taxi may charge you anywhere between Rs.1500/- to Rs.3000/-. If you insist on Ola/Uber, you will have to book an outstation cab. but wait, keep on reading to find out how you can actually stay overnight at the cost of a taxi return trip!!

Nandi Hills KSDTC Canteen

You will find Maurya Canteen near parking lot. This canteen came up as many visitors complained about the high price of food at Nandi Hills.

It ill provide Tea for Rs.10/- and other snacks, lunch items at reasonable price.

Best Itinerary to Nandi Hills from Bangalore

Nandi Hills Sunrise

If you are planning to take a cab/taxi to Nandi hills, A better way could be better travel to Nandi Hills by Government bus, stay at night in one of the budget hotels near the hill and return by bus the next day by bus.

This way you will be able to cover both sunset and sunrise by spending almost a similar amount that you will spend on taking a cab, to and fro to the hills with more fun!

	By CAB	By Bus
Travel to Nandi Hills (Return trip)	Rs.3000-Rs5000/-	Rs.80-100
Budget Hotel Cost	NA	Rs.2000-3000/- (Book Budget Hotel)
Total Cost	Rs.3000-Rs5000/-	Approx Rs.3500 + food cost

Budget Hotels Near Nandi Hills

Nandi Hills Day Trip

Nandi hills have an awesome sunrise and sunset view. It can be easily covered in one day, but if you want to indulge in many more attractions at Nandi Betta (hills), there are options for an overnight stay as well. Keep on reading if you are planning a day trip to Nandi Hills

Bangalore to Nandi Hills

Nandi hills from Bangalore are around 40km. You can reach there by either bike or car or a rental vehicle or Government bus.

How to reach Nandi Hills from Bangalore?

You can also book KSTDC Tour To Nandi HIlls in case you do not have your own vehicle. Taking this tour will be cheap if you are not traveling in a group.
Most people drive to this place by Car or Bike or Scooty/Activa.

Nearest Railway station to Nandi Hills

Nandi Halt railway station is the nearest railway station. Nandi hills is around 15km from here. Since it’s a halt, very few trains stop here.

Nearest Airport to Nandi Hills

Bangalore International airport known as Kempegowda airport is the nearest airport, it\’s around 35km from Nandi hills.

Nandi Hills by Bus

You can take a bus from Majestic to Chikkaballapur. From Chikbalapur you will get another bus for Nandi Hills.

The first bus is at 830am, so you will miss the sunrise. The first return bus from Nandi hills is at 230pm. Bus fare is around Rs.50-60/-

You can also plan to stay there at Nandi hills resorts and plan for trekking and sunset as well.

Nandi Hills Ticket Price

Tourists have to pay an entrance fee of Rs.150 per car and Rs.70 for two-wheelers, (this includes parking and entrance fee for 2).
If you decide to take a bus to the sunrise point instead of trekking, it will cost you another Rs25/- per person, one way.

Do carry small notes/change. Don’t be tech savvy while in the wild. Do carry lots of Rs10 and Rs.5 with you.

Nandi Hills Ticket — Car + 2 person entry ticket

Nandi Hills Trek Starting Point

You can park your vehicle and trek to the top. You will have to buy entry tickets and take around 1200 steps, will take around 2hrs to reach the top.

Why Nandi Hills Are Famous?

Apart from the beautiful sunrise and sunset, Nandi hills is famous for following spots:

1.Tipu Drop Nandi Hills

Do not miss the Tipu drop as it has historical value. Feel the chill as you look down to see the 600m steep fall Tipu\’s traitors had to take.
The place is now barricaded for visitors’ safety.

2. Amrita Sarovar

This is a natural beauty with a perennial spring, bound on the four sides by man-made steps.

3. Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple

This is an ancient temple of Lord Shiva & Parvathi. The stone carvings show the fine craftsmanship used while constructing the temple.

4. Brahmashram Caves

You can relax and enjoy the beauty of nature from these ancient caves.

5. Tashk-e-Jannat

This was Tipu Sultan\’s summer resort which means \”Envy of the Heavens\”.
The architectural beauty is sure to impress you along with giving you a glimpse of the Sultan\’s life.

Things to do at Nandi Hills

You can enjoy the following activities while at Nandi Hills\”

1. Paragliding at Nandi Hills

One of the very few places in India where you can enjoy the aerial view of the beautiful Nandi hills while involved in the adventure activity.

2. Cycling at Nandi Hills

Test your stamina while visiting nooks and corners that cannot be visited by car. This is an attraction for the cycling enthusiasts.

3. Trekking at Nandi Hills

A trek to Horagina Betta and Channagiri is a real treat for the lovers of trekking.

4. Camping at Nandi Hills

You can camp at the foothills of Nandi Hills. There are some groups that organize camping at the higher summits as well.

Nandi Hills Rules: Things to be aware of before visiting

To make your visit to this natural beauty more fun, make sure you keep the following in mind:
1. Carry some food and ample water with you. There are not too many options of food there.
2. Beware of the monkeys, they will jump for any food in sight.
3. You can book a hotel and enjoy both sunrise and sunset.
4. There are a few other places you can visit like the vineary, temple and grapes farms.

How to book tickets online for Nandi hills?

At the time of writing this post, clear instructions were not available on how-to book on the KSTDC website. There is a good chance that the website may need some time to update for this change but the nearest I found is this link that allows sightseeing at Nandi hills.

Note: This is just my guess, I have not tried this method yet

You will have to pay Rs.10/- on this and actual parking and entry charges will have to be paid at Nandi hills.
Either Click This Link or follow these steps

1. Navigate to https://booking.kstdc.co/
2. Click on sightseeing
3. Enter Nandihills sightseeing
4. Select dates
5. Hit the search button

Find the dates where the slot is available and make the payment. In case you are not able to figure out how to book tickets online, just reach Nandi hills early morning and if you are among the 300 car or 1000 bikes, you will be let in else wait for some guys to return back and then you will be allowed.

Traveling alone to Nandi Hills? First, read this…

You may be asked a lot of questions in case you are visiting Nandi Hills alone and there is a good chance that entry may be denied as well.
The logic is lonely people may attempt suicide!

Hotels and Resorts Near Nandi Hills

Budget Hotels Near Nandi Hills

So you decided to enjoy Nandi Hills during the weekend, wise decision. Nandi hills look even better without so much crowd!

How to book rooms in nandi hills?

All the online booking platforms provide the option to book your stay at Nandi Hills, including KSTDC hotel.

Here is a list of Hotels you can plan to stay at Nandi hills

1. Hotel Mayura Pine Top

Mayura Pine Top is a Karnataka tourism-managed hotel and is the only hotel that is actually on the hill. In fact, the sunrise & sunset point view area is just a 5-8min walk from Mayura Pine Top restaurant. All other hotels are around 20km from the hilltop.

Check-In Time	1PM
Check Out Time	11AM
Breakfast	Complementary
Lunch & Dinner	Paid, close at 830p
Alcohol	Served till 8.30pm, you can buy it from here and take it to your room but you are not allowed to carry your own booze.
Stay cost	Rs.2500 Onwards (Book Your Stay Now)

2. Discovery Village:

In case you want to enjoy the village life, check out. Depending on the demand, the room price may vary.

3. Nandi Hills Camping:

You can enjoy comping at Nandi hills WeFlock@GroundZero. This is around 10km from Nandi hills.

4. Air BnB, Nandi Hills

5. La Serene Resort Nandi Hills

This resort is located at the foothill of Nandi Hills. It offers a two-bedroom cottage along with a tree house and tents. If you are looking for a wonderful evening away from city hustle, go for it.

Do read Guide to Best Budget Resorts and Hotels Near Nandi Hills and you may get some great discounts!

Nandi Hills Contact Number

You can call the Discovery village contact number and check out about the Nandi hills as well as enquire about availability.

080-471-66164

Watch this video, a weekend stay at Nandi Hills, it\’s like you own the whole place as hardly anyone is there!

Nandi Hills to Bangalore

Nandi hills is an early morning spot, if you are planning for just sunrise, it will be better to return back immediately else you will experience the infamous Bangalore traffic 😀
If you are staying at a hotel around there and planning for a sunset view as well… then do a trek around to appreciate the natural beauty.

Is Nandi Hill Only for sunrise?

Sunrise is really awesome at Nandi hills but it has many more places to visit. it could be your full-day outing.

Is Nandi Hills worth visiting?

If that does not make it worth visiting, what will!!

How is Nandi Hills Now?

Nandi Hills Current status:

The picture below shows the damage done by the landslide to the Nandi hills road and after the repair work. Now Nandi hills is fully operational.

Nandi Hills Bangalore Guide:How to reach, best time & Tips for 1 and 2 day trip — Nandi Hills Land slide and the new road

Nandi Hills Ropeway project

The state government approved the Nandi Hills Ropeway project. It was pending for 40years!! It will be 2.90km long and the travel time will be around 30min, each way.

This is keeping in mind the long-term plan to develop Nandi Hills as an International tourist spot.
Fun Fact: On the one hand Government is trying to control tourist inflow to Nandi hills, on another hand it\’s developing it as a world-class tourist spot…looks a bit conflicting decisions to me.

PPP model proposed for Nandi Hills

Karnataka Government is planning to develop Nandi Hills using the Public-Private Partnership model. This should result in more facilities for tourists and a better disaster recovery model.

A bus service have also started from the foothills to the summit point to the ferry. Authorities are also planning to start battery-operated vehicles.

A parking lot is planned at the foothills where all the vehicles will have to be parked and to reach the summit, you will have to take the public bus or battery-operated vehicle or just trek.

Museum Of Plastic Waste Sculptures

Karnataka Government is planning to set up a Museum of Plastic waste near Nandi hills to spread awareness among people about the ill effects of plastics.
The sculpture entries will be invited from the general public and the best 25 will be selected to be displayed in the museum.

Why Nandi Hills was closed for tourists?

Landslide in Nandi Hills (Aug 2021)

It rained heavily on 23-24th August. Also, there were heavy rains on the 25th morning.
A landslide was reported by the authorities on the morning of 25th around 6am.
Seems a landslide happened at night that blocked the path to the hilltop.

Karnataka Government lifts Night curfew from 6th Nov 2021

Karnataka Government officially lifted night curfew i.e 10pm to 5am but covid protocol continues i.e face mask, physical distance etc

Government bans entry to Nandi Hills during Covid peak

Nandi hills is a favorite tourist spot, hence during the covid peak, the Karnataka government banned entry to Nandi hills along with other tourist spots.
The restrictions were eased in a phased manner and this tourist spot was opened all seven days till the landslide on 25th august 2021 caused its closure.

Nandi Hills FAQ:

Is Nandi Hills Open today?

Nandi hills were closed during the Covid peak but re-opened in July with some timing restrictions.
Again it got closed due to a landslide on 25th Aug 2021. Now the road is constructed and it’s open for visitors today, tomorrow and every day including weekends i.e Saturday’s and Sunday’s. On weekends you will have to make a prior booking on kstdc site or reach early to make the first lot.

Is Nandi Hills open on weekends?

Visitors are now allowed on weekends on Nandi hills, for now, starting March 2022 only with prior online/offline booking.

What is the Best time to go Nandi Hills?

You can visit Nandhi hills any time of the year except the rainy season/rainy day as the hill drive is not very safe.
Nandi hills is basically a sunrise and sunset point. So early morning (around 4am) is the best time to be there and in the evening around sunset time.

Why Nandi Hills was closed?

Nandi hills were closed due to covid restrictions however the restrictions were eased as the cases dropped.
Later it was closed due to a landslide in August 2021 that caused damage to the road.

Is it allowed to go to Nandi Hills now?

Yes, it is allowed to go to Nandi hills. The road to the hilltop was repaired and visitors were allowed after almost 3 months.
Now it’s open on weekends as well, limited tourists allowed.

Is Nandi Hills open on Saturday?

Yes, you can visit on Saturday as well but will have to do advance booking on kstdc website.

How to get Nandi Hills Online ticket?

Though the government has announced online tickets will be available on KSTDC but this is not operational yet. You will get tickets at the foothill of Nandi hills. In case you are not able to make it before the 300 cars and 1000 bikes limit, you can wait. As the tourists start returning, you will be allowed to go ahead.

What is the entry fee for Nandi Hill?

Yes, you will have to pay Rs.70/- for the bike, and Rs.150/- for the car. It includes parking and entry fee. If you take public transport till there, you will be charged Rs.15/- per person as entry fee.

Is it safe to go Nandi Hills today?

Yes, Nandi hills a safe place for visitors both male and female. For trekkers taking alternative route, ensure you are in group.

Do we need shoes for Nandi hills?

While visiting Nandi hills (either own vehicle or otherwise), you still have to walk on mountain terrain. Its highely recommended to wear shoes and absolutely avoid heels. Do not wear very loose cloths and carry protection for cold wind.

Conclusion:

Nandi Hills Bangalore Day trip is an excellent outing. You can either view the awesome sunrise or club it with other sightseeing activities around Nandi and return after watching an equally awesome sunset!

Though Nandi Hills opening time is 6AM, better reach there early else you may have to wait till the parking becomes available.

Want to take it easy? Book a resort or hotel and you will definitely get the worth of your money!
Do read more informative and money-saving hacks on

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