Savanadurga Trek

My First Trek: The Spark of Adventure at Savandurga

This trip marked my very first trek, organized by my college with friends from engineering. I know I discovered the joy of trekking and mountaineering later than some, but as they say, "late is better than never!"

Naturally, I was incredibly eager for this trip. Luckily, the bus to Savandurga, though starting from college, passed near my house, and I planned to board it near Prasanna Theater. My dad even came to drop me off – a first! While waiting, I struck up a conversation with another person, who turned out to be the Lead Instructor. Learning he had 10 years of mountaineering experience, including multiple visits to the Himalayan Base Camp, instantly put me at ease; I knew I'd be safe in his hands. Our official college sports coordinator, Ms. Suma, was also with us as an instructor.

I boarded the bus around 8:00 AM. I'd already eaten breakfast at home, unsure of what arrangements the college had made. We set off for Savandurga with a group of about 25 classmates, including Akshay, Abhinav, Bharath V, PPT, Prasad T.V., Abhishek Arora (can you believe it!), and Nandeesh, among many others.

We reached Savandurga by 10:00 AM, where breakfast was served. Since I'd already eaten, I didn't have much, but I made sure to fill my water bottles, having already emptied half of one on the way.

After breakfast, we began our trek to the peak. We took the first route, which is considered the easiest of Savandurga's three paths. The ascent was incredibly enjoyable, filled with the calm and peaceful embrace of nature. We, of course, clicked a multitude of photographs. We reached the summit around 11:45 AM. After a well-deserved rest and soaking in the awesome views, we started our descent between 12:45 PM and 1:00 PM.

Back at the base, we finished lunch around 2:30 PM and then headed to the rappelling area, just past a small lake. It was a fantastic spot to learn the basics of rappelling. The cliff was about 30 feet high, roughly equivalent to a two or three-story building. We learned the fundamental techniques, and each of us got one thrilling go! Since there were 25 of us, the rappelling session extended until 6:00 PM. Afterward, we all headed back to the bus and departed for Bangalore.

We reached Bangalore between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM. It was truly an awesome and superb experience. This trek was the pivotal moment that kindled my joy and enthusiasm for trekking and rock climbing, sparking a desire for many more such adventures!