Thimmappa Betta
Bengaluru → Bidadi → Ramanagara → Kutgal → Thimmappa Betta. ~63 km, ride up onto sheet rock beneath giant twin boulders.
Thimmappana Betta, also called Kootagal or Thimmappa Swamy Betta, is a granite hill near Kutgal village, about 10 km from Ramanagara. A good road runs to the Thimmappa Swamy temple at its base, and from there bikes can climb onto the bare sheet rock towards the hill's two giant standing boulders. It is a quiet alternative to Nandi Hills for a sunrise breakfast ride.
Route idea: @twoofusonwheels on Instagram
The route¶
Schematic map generated from waypoint coordinates — the shape follows the geography (compressed so long legs don't squash the loop), distances are labelled per leg. Not a navigation map. Download the graphic.
Leg by leg
| # | Leg | Dist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bengaluru → Bidadi NH275 (Bengaluru–Mysuru road) | 35 km | Fast run out of the city on the expressway or its service road. tarmac |
| 2 | Bidadi → Ramanagara NH275 | 14 km | Past Bidadi to the Ramanagara traffic signal; turn right. tarmac |
| 3 | Ramanagara → Thimmappa Betta Village roads via Kutgal | 14 km | Through one or two villages with a few potholes to the temple at the base, then a short climb onto the rock. mixed |
Highlights
- Two huge standing boulders above the parking rock
- Riding onto open sheet rock, rare this close to Bengaluru
- Thimmappa Swamy temple at the base
- Two viewpoints, one by the temple and one ~15 min walk away
Off-road & motorcycling notes
Tarmac to the base, then a short climb on bare granite that most bikes manage in the dry.
- A rider reports a Royal Enfield Himalayan climbing it easily, hopping one small water pipe
- The final stretch to the rocks is on foot
- Granite gets slippery when wet; heavy or low-powered bikes need care
Timings, permits & fuel
- Open 6 AM – 5 PM
- Entry ~₹20 per motorcycle, ~₹50 per car
- Arrive before sunrise for the best light
Cautions
- Avoid riding on the rock in the rain
- No facilities on the hill; carry water, eat on Mysuru road
- Steep rock faces around the boulders
- No alcohol allowed; go in a group rather than solo