Weekend Getaway: 21. Thattekere: Offbeat place near Bengaluru

Date: 29th March 2015

Visitors: Arun, Shilpi and Harsh

Route: Bangalore - Bannerghatta - Ragihalli gate - Ragi halli - Shivanahalli - Thattakere

Distance: 40Km one way

Been long since we went out somewhere so we have decided to go somehere near Bangalore.

Had seen pics of Thattakere in other blogs so decided to go here.

Google maps gives the route via Bannerghatta road and kanakapura road.

Google maps doesn't show this ragihalli road and when i reached there i understood why.

Bannerghatta forest.

Cross the bannerghatta zoo junction and drive  for 3 or 4 Km towards anekal. You will see the Inn hotel on the left side.

Take a right turn just before the Inn hotel for Ragihalli and Shivanahalli.

The hills broken down to make concrete blocks.

The route passes along the bannerghatta forest and one can see lot of birds.


Its  a wonderful place for bird photographers.

Bee eater having its brunch.

Few Km after crossing Shivanhalli  there will be a T junction. Take right here if your vehicle has good ground clearance.

Take the route suggested by google maps if your vehicle has less clearance.

Entering Bannerghatta forest.

The route is used only by the villagers near by.

We could see few mopeds and bikes going through it.

These 2 pictures explains why google did not suggest this route.

After this the road joins back to main road.

Keep driving towards Thatakere (5 Kms) and you will reach thattakere village.

You  can see an arch on the left side and take that road. Drive for couple of Kms and you will reach the lake.

This too is part of the Bannerghatta forest.

There is a small temple and  a marriage hall.

A function was going on in the hall.

There is ample parking place.

Park the vehicle and walk to the lake.

The lake was surrounded by the forest and looks very beautiful.  A nice place to visit but there is a catch.

A forest guard is stationed here, he came after we took few pics and said go back as it is restricted area.

We asked him the reason and he said elephants come to this lake to quench their thirst and few bad incidents have happened before.

He said people see it on net and come here but no one is allowed inside and the gate will be closed.

Only because of the marriage they had opened the forest gate.

So when someone go there no guarantee that they will be allowed inside.

Nice half day time pass.

Om lake ;)

Mini forest in the middle of the lake.