Do you like forest? Are you sick and tired of breathing only automobile fumes?  Want to run away from the population?  Then head to  BR Hills, also known as Biligiri Rangana Betta.  B R Hills, is a hill range situated in south-eastern Karnataka, at its border with Tamil Nadu in South India. The area is called Biligiri ranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary or simply BRT Wildlife Sanctuary.  This sanctuary is home to eco-systems that are unique to both the mountain ranges. BR Hills is a protected forest teeming with wildlife. One can sight deer, peacocks, elephants, bison and a wide variety of birds like warblers, kingfishers etc.

How to reach B R Hills

On the way to br hills

Buses: You will get buses from Bangalore Kempegauda Bus Stand. The first bus starts at 6.45am. If you miss this one, catch a direct bus to Malai Mahadeshwara Hills( M.M Hills )  at 7.30, get down  at Kollegala. From their take a bus or auto to Yellandur. From yellandur it is just 24km.

By Road: There are two routes by road.

Bangalore –> Kanakpura — >Halagur –> Shivasamudram –> Malavalli –> BR Hills.
Bangalore –> Maddur –> Malavalli –> Kollegal –> Yellandur –> BR Hills.

Other way from mysore:

Bangalore – Mysore – Nanjangud – Chamarajanagara – BR Hills.

Major Attractions in B R Hills:

Biligirirangaswamy Temple:

This temple is situated on highest peak of the hill and Lord Venkatesha (also called asRanganatha) is worshiped in this temple.

Biligirirangaswamy Sanctuary:
This sanctuary is home to animals like Gaurs, chitals, Sambars, Elephants, Tigers, Panthers andBears. It is spread across 540sq.kms. During the time of June to October animals come out forwater, so it is best time to sight wildlife.

Flora: The flora in this hill ranges from evergreen and grassland vegetation. That is the reasonthis place is home for wide variety of wildlife.

Dodda Sampige Mara : Thousand year old tree. The name when translated into English means
the “Big Champak tree”. The temple is situated about 4 km from BR Hills. The tree reaches upto 34 m inheight and is about 20 m broad. This is a holy site. There are many lingams close to the trunk of the tree.

Hill range

The BR hills along with the Male-Mahadeshwara (MM Hills) range forms a distinctly unusual ridge running north-south amidst the plains of Bangalore (~900 m above MSL), Mysore(~800 m above MSL) and Krishnagiri(~450 m above MSL). The peaks of these lofty range rise as high as 1800 m (BR hills 1400 to 1800 m; MM Hills 1000 to 1200 m). The highest hill is Kattari Betta, at 1800 MSL. Various observations point to a possible biogeographic link between BR hills and Nilgiri ranges.

Happy traveling!

WorthvieW