Bangalore to Goa Cycling Tour

Take a transfer to surroundings and get on the bikes for a ride towards Shravanbelagola, en-route Hassan. Shravanbelagola is a Jain pilgrimage with a mammoth statue of Gommateshvara Bahubali atop a hill, overlooking the town. The statue was constructed in 993 AD and is the subject of intrigue and reverence for many travelers. We make a short stop here and later head towards Hassan. The ride today is going to be nothing short of a roller coaster.

We start riding from Hassan through the sparsely populated roads, through thick foliage, vast coffee plantations, and green paddy fields into Belur and then Halebidu, the two essential temple towns on this route. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the Belur temple is also known as the Chennakesava Temple. 103 years of hard work resulted in 4000 exquisite carvings in slate stone. You can see the Hoysala emblems, statues of dancing ladies and portions of the Indian epics unfold in the black stone. In Halebidu, the Shiva temple is similar in aesthetics but also has some distinct intricate features. The depiction of the mythological ‘seven in one animal’, Makara, and tales from Ramayana and Mahabharata are more explicit here. All this is better understood with a guide.

Time-dependent, we take a ride up or take the shuttle to Chikamagalur. Once you are past the town, the sprawling coffee estates start emerging, with a promise of copious cups of coffee and great weather.

We depart from the coffee-scaped hills of Chikamagalur and pedal along to Shimoga. The route to Shimoga is one the most scenic on this trip – the roads are largely devoid of heavy traffic and the richly green Western Ghats keep you company for the most part of the trip.

The ride to Nittur the next day keeps you close to the Kodachadri Mountains! We cycle past more coffee plantations and with slushy paddy fields along the road. The route skirts the Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary and is breathtaking – you are likely to spot an Indian gaur or elephants here.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Distance cycled: ~ 60km/36mi

Today is an awesome ride skirting the Sharavati Wildlife Sanctuary to Matthuga, which serves as a base to visit nearby astounding Jog Falls.

It’s a long day ahead of us as we are headed towards Dandeli today, passing through Hubbali, one of the largest cities in Karnataka. We plan to start early today with a transfer in the van, followed by cycling to Dandeli.

Here, we arrive at Dandeli and settle into our simple accommodation, surrounded by views and sounds of nature.

With a few uphills and a constantly green-forested region for the company, we enter Goa. The countryside area is brilliant to cycle around with rich green thickets and nothing but birdsong filling the air around. Our next stop is Mollem, where you can get a feel of rural Goa.

Post-lunch, we make our way to Goan beaches. Ride past a road flanked by beautiful forests with a robust wildlife population. Continue riding to Cabo de Rama Fort for stunning views of the Ocean. It’s a classic coastal route today with gradual climbs along the way.

Our trip ends the late evening. Extend here or take a flight from Goa back to Bangalore.