Karnataka is a heaven for nature and adventure seekers. With so many places for short & medium to strenuous level hikes, there is no dearth of trekking enthusiasts looking for an adventurous weekend away from the monotonous life. One such location is The Anthargange Hill.
Location
Anthargange ( also known as Anthargange) is a mountain situated in the Shathashrunga mountain range at Kolar district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is about 2 miles from Kolar town and around 67 Kilometers from Bangalore city.
Anthargange Highlights
In Kannada, Antar means “deep” and Gange refers to holy “Ganges”. Antargange Hill is popular for its:
1) Lord Kashi Vishweshwara Temple &
2) Cave Exploration & Trekking.
The Anthargange hill has become a very popular weekend getaway. People from many different places flock to the hill to visit the temple & explore the caves.
Booking
One needs to pre-book this hike from ”myecotrips” website.
How to Get to Anthargange Hill
The only way to reach Anthargange is by rail and road.
Via Rail: The nearest railway station is Kolar which is 3 km away from Anthargange.
Via Road: You can hire a cab or drive your own two-wheeler or four -wheeler to reach Anthargange hill from the nearby cities like Bangalore, Tirupati, Chennai etc.
From Bangalore: Take the NH75 route and search for “Antharagange Trekking Starting Point” on Google Maps for directions. This will take you straight to the parking lot.
Lord Kashi Vishweshwara Temple
A fleet of concrete stairs welcome you to the Anthargange Hills. One needs to climb the stairs to reach the first attraction on the hill which is the Kashi Vishweshwara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
The temple is surrounded by a pond which gets a continuous flow of underground water from the mouth of a Nandi (stone bull) . The source of water is still unknown and this is how Antargange gets its name. Antar means from within and Ganga is the stream. The water is said to have healing properties. You can stop by the temple and offer your prayers.
Temple Timings:9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Time Required: around 15 minutes
Cave Exploration & Trekking
Other than the Shiva temple, Antargange is famous for cave exploration & trekking. The entire hill consists of granite rocks and many caves around. A steep and narrow trail runs behind the temple all the way up to the Anthargange caves. The caves are around 3 kms from the temple.
One needs to present their booking confirmation to a Forest Department Guide following which he will take you to the caves. The trail is filled with small boulders, loose gravel and rock cut steps with streams flowing by. Be very cautious as the path can be quite slippery at some places. Make sure to wear a good pair of hiking boots and also carry trekking poles for additional support. You will find many shaded spots along the trail to stop by and take some rest.
The First Cave:
The entire mountain consists of granite rocks that have receded to form many caves on the mountain. There are only 2 caves that are accessible. The first one is the biggest of all and requires a guide to help you navigate through the extremely dark, tricky and narrow passages. Wiggling through these narrow passages is a thrilling experience and adds to the overall adventure.
Once you enter the cave, you will be surprised to find out how huge it is. There is a lot of space inside to relax and admire the beauty of the cave. The sunlight filters in through the rocks illuminating the cave with a heavenly glow making it feel out of this world!
The exit is from the opposite side and without a guide one can easily lose their way.
The Water Cave:
Just 200 meters away from this cave is the second one also known as the water cave of Anthargange hill. A stream flows through this cave and requires extensive crawling to reach to the bottom. This cave is not for everyone. It’s pitch dark and very narrow right from the entrance all the way to the stream inside. Make sure you carry a flashlight or else, you won’t be able to make it through.
After exploring both the caves, take some rest over the huge boulders and enjoy the stunning views of the entire town of Kolar town that can be seen from the hilltop.
Things to Keep in Mind:
1) Exploring these caves requires extensive crawling, squeezing , jumping and climbing and might not be suitable for all.
2) If you are scared of darkness, close and tight spaces or if you have other problems such as back pain or weak joints, plz avoid entering the caves.
3) A guide is a must.
4) Wear comfortable weather appropriate clothing, good hiking shoes.
5) Start the hike early in the morning to avoid the heat of the Sun.
6) Carry enough water and snacks.
Time Required:
This hike can be completed within 3 hours.
Best Time to Visit Anthargange Hill
09:30AM Reach base of Antargange & Start trekking.
10:30AM – Reach the peak and Explore caves.
10:30AM – Start descend.
2:30PM -Start from Anthargange to your next location
Other Attraction Around Anthargange Hills:
-Someshwara Temple – Kolar
-Kolaramma Temple – Kolar
-The Kolar Gold Mines
-The Ramalingeshwara group of temples – Avani, Kolar
-Avani Betta – Avani, Kolar
-Kotilingeshwara Temple – Kolar