Trek to Rayakottai Fort in Tamil Nadu
Let me be very honest, I had never heard of Rayakottai Fort before. I was going through the various trekking agency websites to see if there was any interesting trek that weekend. And that’s when I stumbled up Rayakottai Fort trek. It surely seemed very interesting and being a sucker for historical places, this was an ideal place for trekking over the weekend. I instantly books the hike so I go see the fort myself.
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Where is Rayakottai Fort?
Rayakottai Fort is in the town in Denkanikottai Taluk and in the district of Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu. The hike to the fort on top of the hill makes a great one day hike and an amazing weekend getaway. It is one of the best hikes I have done from Bangalore as there are less number of people and is not a very hard hike.
History of Rayakottai Fort
Rayakottai Fort is an ancient fort in the district of Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu. It was ruled by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan in the 18th century. It is one of the lesser known forts.
How to get to Rayakottai Fort?
Even though Rayakottai Hill is in Tamil Nadu, it is closer to Bangalore than Chennai. The best way to get to Rayakottai from Bangalore are:
Public transport – The nearest train station is the Rayakottai train station and the nearest bus stop is Rayakottai bus stand.
- Trains can be booked using the IRCTC website.
- Buses can be boarded from the main bus stop Majestic bus station.
Road – The base of the hill is around 70 kilometres (approx. 2 hours) from Bangalore towards Hosur. And this is the easiest way to get to the Rayakottai hill.
Trekking details of Rayakottai Fort
Itinerary
Early morning 7 AM – Start from Bangalore towards Hosur. It takes 2 hours by road to reach the base of the hill.
Ensure to have breakfast on the way. There are plenty of darshinis (restaurants) to have good breakfast.
10 AM – Reach the base of the hill and start climbing.
11 AM/11:30 AM – Reach the peak. There are two peaks and both can be climbed easily.
12:30 PM/1 PM – After exploring the peak and the fort, start descending.
Ensure to carry your lunch and have lunch at the peak. Note: DO NOT LITTER. CARRY YOUR GARBAGE WITH YOU AND DISPOSE IT IN A GARBAGE BIN.
2:00 PM – Start for Bangalore.
4:00 PM/4:30 PM – Reach Bangalore.
Trekking statistics
- Total distance: 4 to 5 kilometres return
- Grade: Easy (Steps with some rocky paths)
- Time taken: 1 to 2 hours
- Path: There is only one path that leads to the top. Just follow that path and you will reach the peak.
- Best time to visit: During winters; Summers can be very hot and it will be difficult to hike.
- And this trek is family friendly.
There are two peaks and both can be climbed. One peak has a temple. We had our lunch at the temple as there was a bit of shade there.
Important Information
- Wear comfortable and sturdy shoes.
- Always carry an extra pair of socks.
- Carry sufficient water. There is no source of water on top of the peak or even around the base of the hill.
- There are no shops around so ensure to take packed lunch and snacks.
- The path has no shade anywhere so it can get difficult when hiking during summers. Ensure to start the hike really early.
- Do not throw litter anywhere. Please respect nature and dispose your garbage only in proper garbage bins or carry them back with you if you do not find any garbage bins.
Trekking agency
- Company: Bangalore Mountaineering Club (BMC)
- Cost: INR 1100
- How to book? Online on their website
- After booking, always make sure to call them to confirm if the hike/trek is going ahead. In Bangalore, every trekking agency requires a minimum number of participants, and generally they cancel the trek if they have not received the minimum participants.
Safety for Solo female travelers
I would not recommend hiking this hill solo even for male travelers/hikers. Hence, a definite No for solo female travelers/hikers. There are very less people and it can get risky. I suggest going with a trekking agency or group of friends. The trekking agency is great because all the safety needs are taken care of.
And also as a principle, it is always advisable to have a trekking buddy just in case of unexpected situations.
Ensure to go with a reputed trekking agency. There are so many trekking agencies now in Bangalore and not all are a legalised registered trekking agency. So, please read the reviews and do your research before choosing the trekking agency.
My reviews
Trek
The peak provides breathtaking panoramic views of the towns and villages around. The fort ruins atop are very beautiful and they provide a great insight into the history. It is worth spending a day hiking this hill to see the fort. Just to remember that this is a great place for hikers and trekking enthusiasts.
Note: There are only some remnants of the fort at the peak.
Trekking agency
After researching and being on a lot of treks with different trekking agencies, I must say that I love going with BMC for sure. Some of my reasons for liking this trek are:
- The two trek leads who accompanied us on this trek were really awesome and friendly.
- Most of the group members that came along were really good. Except for one guy who behaved very badly by throwing his garbage all around and dirtying the place.
- The safety of the trekkers were taken care of and the trek leads had the first aid kit.
- Lunch served by BMC was very tasty.
- The overall experience was very nice and pleasant.
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Note: This post is not written in collaboration or in affiliation with Bangalore Mountaineering Club (BMC). The reviews are my honest and unbiased opinions and are influenced only by my own experience with them.
