Driving Holidays From Bangalore: April 2014

This is a one day trip to Hesaraghatta Grasslands and Hesaraghatta Lake, Karnataka

What to see?

If you love being in acres of grasslands – all drivable J, this is a place you should not miss. This is not a forest, these are mainly grasslands - Masaimara types :) Huge tracts of land and there is a drive-able mud road to take you in.
If you like water rides , forest drives, this is not the place for you
Drive around inside the grasslands. Amazing place to laze around. But stick to the mid roads. Prefer not to take the straight road that comes up once you enter the area. This road is full of loose gravel/sharp stones. Also do not venture outside the mud road. The area is full of broken glasses (Liquor bottles)!
It can be good trip for entire family but take guard of these broken glasses thrown all over the place. I wonder why this amazing place is being polluted with broken glasses!

Route:

Bangalore to Hesaraghatta Grasslands

There are multiple ways to reach Hesaraghatta.

1. Via Yeshwantpura Neelamangala Highway – Drive till Hesaraghatta cross and take the Hesaraghatta main road. It will go till Hesaraghatta. Just before Hesaraghatta take a right to Nrityagram road. Just 1 km before Nrityagram road take a mud road on the right that shows Our Native Village. 5 kms before this there will be junction with the left road going towards this place. Please take that!

2. Via Vidrayanapura. This road is deserted but not in good shape all the places. The other road, though is full of traffic, is in better condition.

3. On either roads, you will hit Hesaraghatta Lake first. Continue further to reach the fork I mentioned above. From the form take left. There is not much to see in Hesaraghatta lake (see pictures below). It can be just a stop over while coming back.

Driving directions

If you are coming from Marthahalli on the outer ring road, take the Nelamangala road (do not take the flyover highway) and take right at Hesaraghatta cross. Continue on this road till you reach Chikkabanavara station. Go under the railway bridge and continue on this same road. The road widens is significantly devoid of any traffic from here. After sometime you will see Hesaraghatta town approaching. There will be a right cut just before the town bus stand. Take that and follow it till you hit a fork with the left road going towards Nrityagram/Our Native Village and the straight road going towards Cattle development board. On this road continue for few more kilometers till you see a small board showing Our Native Village towards right and Nrityagram/Taj Kuteeram another 1 km. Take the right mud road and you are there!
Hesaraghatta Lake: You will hit Hesaraghatta lake tank bund before the fork I mentioned in the post above. You will have to walk up some 15 odd steps to get a view of the lake. The lake is huge. Alternatively you can watch out for this bund on the left while coming back from Hesaraghatta grasslands.

Summary: Use google maps or ask locals wherever possible. The roads are bad with no signage. Better use your mobile or gps device.

Where to Eat?

There are plenty of eating options at Hesaraghatta and some at Chikkabanavara. Also if you have something special in mind you can head upto Taj Kuteeram. They offer buffet breakfast and lunch.

Other points:

Driving / Photography is allowed inside the grasslands. There are no security persons
Carry water, snacks. The place is hot.
Go there only if you love grasslands, birds and enjoy the feel of being inside a sanctuary – like I did. This place is not for usual weekend fun.
Do not venture onto the grasslands with vehicle. Lots of broken glasses!

Photos: