clog

Every time I come to the US, I am in for a sense of surprise at how common we are here. I found that US has 0.6% of Indians, and then I stayed in Jersey. Jersey has one of the highest concentration of Indians, the number is at ~6% and these were the numbers from my past visit. This time I get a little more parochial and I look around in my weekly meeting to see 6 out of the 9 folks being of Indian origin, a whopping 66.6%. And the last bit, I share a cube block with three other folks, 2 of them are Indians and the next cube block is all Indian. I don’t feel particularly sad or happy about it but I do feel amused.

Recently I visited Savandurga hill near Bangalore for a day of trekking. Before starting for the trip I was looking for some information to help me plan my trip. I got a few blogs but not what I was looking for. Most of the blogs are high on experience but what I wanted was a cheat sheet. So here is an attempt at creating one.

Preparation

• Buy food that can be carried like fruits, biscuits.
• You should have a supply of 4 liters of water per person for the trip
• First Aid kit (nice to have)
  
• Take a knife with you
• Sunscreen if you are the kind who cares about getting tanned
• Shoes/trainers should be well fitting and very very comfortable
  
• Abandon the trip if there is a possibility of rain.
• Start early, consider 3 hours of travel time each side.
• Afternoons, if sunny can be extremely painful while trekking.
• Cut your toe nails.
• Carry a cap.
• Carry a backpack, anything in your hand will be a hassle
• Carrying a camera may be a hassle, mobile phone with camera will be a good idea
• This is quite obvious but I will still say this, don't wear uncomfortable clothing especially ladies. Sarees or skirts are absolute No-Nos. It is quite windy and they can be dangerous for you or even your fellow climbers.
  

Journey

We tried to mark the exact landmarks on the way but couldn't do it very well so I am giving only a general idea here. For more details do more search, however few tips here won't hurt you.

• Two possible routes - Magadi Road/Mysore Road. Look at the picture for better idea.
  
• Most of the people on the way will be able to help you out. It would be a good idea to keep checking whenever in doubt.
  
• If you go through Mysore Road, there will be a very small yellow board on the other side (please note we are traveling from Bangalore to Savandurga) of the road indicating Savandurga - 27 KM. We were very lucky to have spotted it accidentally and then made a U to take it.

Ascent

• Carry at least 2 liters of water per person
  
• There are no shops at the top of the hill, so whatever you need should be with you before you start climbing
• I will highly recommend you to follow the white arrows (see picture)
  
• Pace yourself, the hill is quite high and don't be foolhardy to rush in the beginning only to come back mid way. Lots of people do that but I can't imagine myself doing it.
• Keep eating and hydrating. If well fed and drunk ;-) (water), you will reach the top in good shape and will be able to enjoy it much better.
• Keep enough time in your trip to spend on the top of the hill (we kept 1 hour)
  
• Thumb rule for the time required is, Ascent:Descent::3:1 and Ascent will vary between 1.5 to 3 hours based on your stamina and speed.
• Make sure you enjoy the scenery periodically.

Descent

• Ascent is tough, but descent is risky.
• If its slippery, it will be even more risky
• Chances of making a mistake are high, partially because you may get overconfident ;-)
  
• Its even more important in descent to follow arrows, because if not done so, you might end up on a path that you could climb down but is too steep for coming back up
  
• Toes will hurt like hell, even worse if you have long nails.
• Try moving down sideways or reverse but be careful.
• Don't run, unless you are quite sure of yourself.
• Make sure you enjoy the scenery periodically

Miscellaneous

• Many people have warned that it is very risky as will be clear if you read the scary blogs linked at the end. But if you are cautious and prepared, its a 'breeze' and literally so when you reach the top.
  
• There is a dam on the way (Manchanabele dam) which can be included in the trip if you have more time.
• Be prepared to pee in the open, there are no toilets on the way up :-)
  

Other Blogs

• Good one: http://www.bangalorebest.com/discoverbangalore/sightseeing/savandurga.asp
• Scary ones: Talk about people who lost their way or died.
  http://usandeep.com/trekking/savandurga.html http://www.naanushande.com/2006/11/savandurga-bike-trip-n-trek.html
• Blog devoted to Savan durga - not much information, good set of pictures though
  http://savandurga-siddeshwar.blogspot.com

Final piece of advice

Do go for trekking, for acts of endurance tend to bring out your character.

That's me on my way uphill