7 Best Places Near Bangalore for a 1 Day Trip on a Bike Rental

Bangalore traffic can eat a whole weekend if you let it. The smarter move? Leave the city at sunrise, ride out 40 to 140 km, and come back with stories instead of screen time.

You don’t need to own a motorcycle for this either. A bike rental from ONN Bikes gets you a well-kept scooter or motorcycle by the hour or the day, with pickup hubs spread across the city. Here are seven day trips worth the ride, plus which ONN Bikes hub makes the most sense for each one.

1. Catch a sunrise above the clouds at Nandi Hills

Distance: about 60 km north, in Chikkaballapur district
Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM, as per Karnataka Tourism
Entry: around ₹10 to ₹20 per person, plus two-wheeler parking (carry cash)
Best time: September to February

Nandi Hills is the classic sunrise ride, and it earns the hype on mornings when the clouds sit below the summit. Half the city has the same plan on a Saturday, though, so reach the base gate by 5:30 AM. Grab your bike the night before from the ONN Bikes Yelahanka hub, which puts you on the right side of town.

Rider tip: the last stretch has tight hairpins. Take them slow, especially on the damp, misty way down.

2. Trek to the fort ruins at Skandagiri before dawn breaks

Distance: about 65 to 70 km, near Kalavara village, Chikkaballapur
Permit: mandatory, ₹250 per person, booked only on the Karnataka Forest Department’s Aranya Vihaara portal
Reporting time: around 3:30 to 4 AM for the sunrise slot
Trek: about 8 km round trip, moderate

Skandagiri is a night trek that ends at the Kalavara Durga fort ruins and an old Shiva temple, with fog rolling over the top at first light. Walk-ins aren’t allowed, alcohol and smoking are banned, and you carry all your waste back down. Book the permit first, then lock your ONN Bikes booking for that night.

Rider tip: highways at 2 AM are dark and full of trucks. Ride in pairs and don’t ride sleepy.

3. Climb one of Asia’s largest monoliths at Savandurga

Distance: about 60 km west via Magadi Road
Height: roughly 1,226 m (4,022 ft)
Permit: register on Aranya Vihaara before you go
Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM

Savandurga is a short but steep climb with big views over Manchanabele reservoir. The Magadi Road ride turns rural fast, so it’s a great first highway run on a bike rental. On the way home, detour to Dodda Alada Mara, the roughly 400-year-old banyan tree at Kethohalli. ONN Bikes’ Nagarbhavi hub in West Bangalore is the easiest start.

Rider tip: the rock gets slippery when wet, so skip this one in the June to September monsoon.

4. Hear the Kaveri roar at the Shivanasamudra waterfalls

Distance: roughly 130 to 139 km via Kanakapura and Malavalli
Timings: Bharachukki viewpoint 8 AM to 5 PM
Entry: no fee for viewpoints, small enclosure and parking charges
Best time: September to January

Here the Kaveri splits into two falls, Gaganachukki and Bharachukki, about 15 to 20 minutes apart by road. This is also where Asia’s first major commercial hydroelectric plant started running in 1902. Taking the Maddur side? Two-wheelers have been banned from the main carriageway of the Bengaluru Mysuru Expressway since 1 August 2023, so use the service road. For this bike rental Bangalore route, start from the ONN Bikes Kanakapura Road hub and leave by 6 AM.

Rider tip: swimming is strictly prohibited at both falls. Never cross a safety fence for a photo.

5. Ride to Sangama and the goat’s leap gorge at Mekedatu

Distance: about 90 to 110 km via Kanakapura
Sangama: where the Arkavathi meets the Kaveri
Mekedatu: about 3.5 km downstream, reached by forest bus from Sangama
Heads-up: it’s inside the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary and can close at short notice

Mekedatu means “goat’s leap” in Kannada, and it’s where the Kaveri squeezes through a narrow rocky gorge. Private vehicles stop at Sangama, so park and take the bus. Go early, carry cash (network is weak), and check access before you leave, since the forest department shut the area for several days in April 2026 after elephant incidents. Chunchi Falls on the same road has been reported closed, so confirm before planning a detour. ONN Bikes’ JP Nagar hub works well for this route.

Rider tip: the river looks calm. It isn’t. Enjoy it from dry land.

6. Take a quick half-day escape to Muthyala Maduvu falls

Distance: about 40 km, 5 km past Anekal
Waterfall: about 92 m high, with a small Shiva temple nearby
Best time: during and right after the monsoon

Also called Pearl Valley, this is the shortest ride on the list. It’s perfect for a half-day bike rental Bangalore plan or your first ride on a rented scooter, and a 110cc handles it fine. Pick up from the ONN Bikes Electronic City hub and you’re there in no time.

Rider tip: head back before dark, since the approach road has no streetlights.

7. Find the hanging pillar at Lepakshi’s Veerabhadra temple

Distance: about 120 to 140 km via NH44
Location: Sri Sathya Sai district, Andhra Pradesh
Entry: no ticket needed
Status: ASI-protected and on UNESCO’s tentative World Heritage list

Lepakshi is famous for its hanging pillar and a monolithic Nandi about 20 feet tall, carved from a single stone. NH44 is fast, and so are the trucks, so keep left and take a chai break halfway. Since this one crosses into another state, check interstate rules with ONN Bikes support before you confirm your bike rental.

Which ONN Bikes ride works best for each of these routes

For rides under 100 km each way, a 110 to 125cc scooter like the Activa or Access 125 does the job. For Savandurga or Sangama, a Pulsar 150 or Yamaha FZ feels more relaxed. For Shivanasamudra and Lepakshi, go for a Royal Enfield Classic 350, Avenger 220 or Dominar 400. A bigger engine just means less strain overtaking trucks and a calmer ride home.

ONN Bikes runs hourly, daily, weekly and monthly plans, and the minimum rental is usually 4 hours. Before you ride off from any ONN Bikes hub:

Carry your original driving licence plus a local address proof, like a company ID or hotel receipt.
Fill up early. Fuel isn’t included, and ONN Bikes hands over each bike with enough to reach the nearest pump.
Grab your helmet. One comes free with every ONN Bikes rental, and a second depends on availability.
Check brakes, tyres, lights and horn, and photograph any existing scratches.
Save the ONN Bikes support number: +91 8432780780.

Plan your next day trip from Bangalore the easy way

The best day trips start before sunrise and end before dark. Pick one of these seven, check the permit or closure status the night before, and keep the ride unhurried.

Whether it’s a sunrise at Nandi Hills or a long highway run to Lepakshi, booking a bike on rent in bangalore with ONN Bikes keeps the whole thing simple. Choose your bike on the ONN Bikes app or website, pick it up from the hub nearest your route, and get out of the city before the traffic wakes up.