Nandi Hills cycling tour: Villages, temples & pottery

Cycle through villages and shape clay at a potter's workshop on the same morning

A small-group guided cycling tour from Bangalore that starts with breakfast, then takes you by bike through villages, past an 800-year-old temple, sericulture farms and a colonial railway station at the base of Nandi Hills, with a hands-on pottery session and lunch included. The tour runs 9 hours and caps at 12 people per group, with an English-speaking guide leading throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cycling tour around Nandi Hills

• Meet tour leader at Hard Rock Café
• Drive to eco-resort near Nandi Hills
• Enjoy traditional South Indian breakfast
• Visit historic temple in Bangalore
• Cycle through marigold farms and villages
• Explore 100-year-old British railway station
• Try pottery at local workshop
• Drive back to Hard Rock Café

The experience

You meet at Hard Rock Café in central Bangalore and drive out to an eco-resort near Nandi Hills for a traditional South Indian breakfast before the ride begins. From there, the cycling route follows the base of the hills through charming villages and farmland, passing marigold fields and vineyards with the Nandi Hills as a backdrop. Your guide walks you through one of Bangalore's oldest temples (an 800-year-old structure that reflects five dynasties of rule), and shares stories at a quaint 100-year-old British railway station that still stands from the colonial era.

The pottery workshop is where the tour shifts from watching to doing: you meet a fourth-generation potter and try shaping clay on the wheel yourself, taking home whatever you make. The route also passes sericulture units and local beekeeping operations, giving a real sense of how the villages sustain themselves. A buffet lunch rounds out the day before the drive back to the city centre.

Small groups mean no more than 12 riders, so the pace stays manageable and the guide can answer questions along the way. The bike, helmet, breakfast and lunch are all included. Bring water and a sense of what village life looks like outside the city.

What’s included

• Good-quality mountain bike and helmet.
• English-speaking professional local guide.
• comfortable car transport from Bangalore city centre to Nandi Hills and back.
• traditional South Indian breakfast at the eco-resort.
• buffet lunch.
• pottery workshop session where you make and take home your own piece.
• entry to the 800-year-old temple and access to the colonial railway station.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:30

Book up to18h before

AgesAdult (15 to 70 years) · Under 15: can't be booked

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Unventured Expeditions Pvt Ltd

Is this one for you?The small-group format keeps the pace relaxed and lets your guide share stories at each stop without rushing, so you actually absorb the history and village life rather than just passing through. Minimum age is 15, and the route is suitable for all fitness levels. The cycling follows flat village paths at the base of the hills, not steep climbs.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the 800-year-old temple like, and what will the guide tell us about it?

The temple is one of Bangalore's oldest and historically significant structures, an architectural masterpiece built during the rule of five great dynasties that governed the region. Your guide will share stories about its history and design as you walk through it.

Do I need to know how to cycle, or is this suitable for beginners?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, and the route follows the base of Nandi Hills through villages rather than steep terrain. You'll be on a good-quality mountain bike with a helmet, and your guide sets the pace for the group.

Can I actually keep the pottery I make at the workshop?

Yes, you make your own clay piece on the potter's wheel at a fourth-generation family workshop and take home your handmade souvenir.

What time does the tour start, and how long does it run?

The tour meets at Hard Rock Café in the city centre in the morning and runs for 9 hours total, including the drive to Nandi Hills, breakfast, the cycling route, lunch and the return to Bangalore.

Is this a private tour or will I be cycling with other people?

It's a small-group tour with a maximum of 12 people per booking, so you'll ride with other travelers but in an intimate setting rather than a large group.

What's included in the breakfast and lunch?

Breakfast is a traditional South Indian meal served at the eco-resort before you start cycling. Lunch is a buffet served later in the day and includes non-alcoholic beverages throughout the tour.