
Owing to its rugged landscape Karnataka has become a favorable spot for adventure sports like rock climbing. There are several places here that will enable the interested travelers with an opportunity to try out this sport. One of these is Turahalli. This place is full of boulders of various sizes. For beginners it would be difficult to climb the rock here. The hill is located at a distance of 10 kilometers from Bangalore and lies on the way to Kanakapura. On the fringes of the Banneraghatta Sanctuary lies this place.
Secondly there is Sawan Durga. This place too is to be accessed from Bangalore. Durga means fort and here the travelers will find nine fort near Magadi. It is also said to be the biggest monolith in Asia. The second biggest monolith is located near Tumruk. The rock here stands tall at a height of 1000 feet. Rock climbing in places such as these can be very challenging and exciting. Another fort is located at a short distance. These sites for rock climbing are well connected by road from Bangalore. There is a Black buck sanctuary and few temples in and around these forts.
New Rocks is located enroute Bannerghatta National Park via Bangalore. New Rocks is a small bouldering area. It is a good place for honing one`s rock climbing skills.
The next destination in this list is that of RaogoDlu. This again is a boulder field situatedat a distance of 25 kilometers from Bangalore. It is located on the road that will lead one to Kanakapura. Thought it is difficult to climb on boulders because of undulating surface but it is more challenging. Beginners and practicing professional must be careful on these.
Badami is a well-known place with rock climbers. People from across the world come here to indulge in this adventure sport. The red sandstone rock has a long track to offer the climbers. Adjacent to Badami lies Hampi. The nature of the sandstone is such that it is fun to try pit rock climbing here. As a result it is considered the mecca of rock climbing.
Ram Nagar is one of the favorite sites for the rock climbers. The place is suitable for both professionals and beginners. It was shot to fame as the Hindi film Sholay was picturised here. The entire clusters of rocks are spread over a large area. There are temples at the hilltops. These temples are visited by devotees and remain crowded. However, the climbing areas are not at all crowded.
Antara Gange is located in the Kolar district and is scattered with hillocks and boulders. There are temples around that are worth checking out. Other rock climbing sites include places such as Chamundi Betta and Kunti Betta.
The sport is so popular in Karnataka that several rock-climbing institutes have mushroomed throughout Bangalore.
(Last Updated on : 19/01/2010)