The trail goes straight up a smooth wall of granite, steps cut into the rock and railings to hold on to. Gate after gate of the old fort appears above you, and when you finally reach the top, the town and fields lie tiny far below.

The hill

Madhugiri, in Tumkur district 110 kilometres from Bengaluru, takes its name from the hill to its south, Madhu-giri, "honey hill". The hill is a single rock, described as the second-largest monolith in Asia. The fort perched on its steep slopes was built by the Vijayanagar dynasty and is the town's great attraction.

The town

At the southern entrance of town is the Dandina Maramma Temple, whose traditional boat festival was revived in January 2025 after nearly five decades.

• Start early — Begin at dawn; the rock gets very hot and slippery later.
• Shoes — Wear shoes with strong grip.
• Weather — Do not climb when the rock is wet.

Nearby

Devarayanadurga is about 30.7 km away and the Lepakshi Temple about 46.5 km.