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Nandi Hills entry fee: Karnataka Tourism’s official Nandi Hills page lists the entry fee as about ₹10–₹20 per person (the page itself says “approx.”), with entry timings of 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Parking is charged separately, with higher rates at weekends: two-wheelers ₹30 (weekdays) / ₹50 (weekends), cars ₹60 / ₹100 and heavy vehicles such as tempo travellers ₹150 / ₹250. Tickets are sold at the counter at the entry gate; an online booking system was announced in May 2026, but we found no live public booking page as of 24 October 2026, and in November 2025 the counters were reported as cash only. The hill is open all year, but the district administration has closed it on some days, such as New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day 2026.
Last checked: 24 October 2026, on the Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka website (karnatakatourism.org) and the Chikkaballapur district website, plus English and Kannada news from the last 12 months. We have not visited Nandi Hills ourselves. Where a detail comes only from a newspaper, we say so.
Nandi Hills entry fee, timings and parking at a glance
| Item | Weekdays | Weekends |
|---|---|---|
| Entry fee (per person) | About ₹10–₹20 (“approx.” on the official page; no age bands or child rate published) | |
| Two-wheeler parking | ₹30 | ₹50 |
| Car parking | ₹60 | ₹100 |
| Heavy vehicles (tempo traveller etc.) | ₹150 | ₹250 |
| Entry timings | 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM | |
| Best time to visit | September to February | |
| Where | Chikkaballapur district, about 60 km from Bengaluru | |
What the entry fee covers, and what we could not confirm
The official page gives one range, “₹10–₹20 per person (approx.)”, and does not split it by age, so we cannot tell you a separate child, student or senior rate. It also does not say whether the parking charge is per entry or per hour. Nandi Hills is managed by Karnataka’s Horticulture Department. In December 2018 The Hindu reported that the department had decided to double the entry fee from ₹10 to ₹20 and raise parking rates, citing GST. That is old news, but it may explain why the official page still shows a range. The Horticulture Department website did not load from our server on 24 October 2026, so we could not check its page.
Travel websites quote other figures, from ₹5 to ₹35 per person and different parking rates. None of them cites an official notice, so we have not used them. If the board at the counter shows a different rate, the counter is right.
How to pay: counter, cash and online booking
- At the gate: Prajavani (10 May 2026) reported that visitors pay the entry ticket and the vehicle fee at the counter at the entrance, then go in through the main gate.
- Cash: The Times of India (12 November 2025) reported that the counters accepted cash only and that weekend queues were long and chaotic. Carry small notes in case this has not changed.
- Online booking: In May 2026 Prajavani reported that KSTDC (Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation) was building a website for Nandi Hills entry and vehicle tickets, that rates were still being fixed, and that counter tickets would stay available. As of 24 October 2026 we found no news report that it has launched and no public booking page on kstdc.co or karnatakatourism.org. One Kannada web story (Vijay Karnataka) says weekend visitors must book online and park at the foothills; we found no official notice or news report confirming either.
Nandi Hills timings and sunrise
Karnataka Tourism lists entry timings of 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM and says the hill is “best for sunrise” early in the morning, around 6:00 AM. Some travel websites give a later closing time, but the official page says 6 PM. A district order for Valentine’s Day 2026 used the same 6 AM–6 PM window (“no visitors or private vehicles will be allowed to enter Nandi Hills between 6am and 6pm”, Times of India, 10 February 2026).
Sunrise times change through the season. Calculated for Nandi Hills at sea-level horizon, sunrise is about 6:10 AM in late October, about 6:35 AM in mid-December and about 6:45 AM in mid-January; from the hilltop it can appear a few minutes earlier. That means in October and early November the sun can be up within minutes of the gates opening, so a long queue can cost you the sunrise. From December to February you have more time.
Crowds start early. On a visit reported on 12 November 2025, the Times of India found the traffic jam on the hill road starting at about 5:45 AM, more than 45 minutes needed to reach the top, and the parking full. In May 2025 the district in-charge minister told The Hindu that at 5:15 AM on a Sunday there were about 1,100 two-wheelers and more than 500 four-wheelers, and that some people arrive between 2:30 and 3 AM.
Days when Nandi Hills was closed in the last 12 months
In February 2026 the Deputy Commissioner told The New Indian Express that Nandi Hills “remains open throughout the year, barring New Year’s Day”. These were the closures we found:
| Date | What happened | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Dec 2025, 2 PM – 1 Jan 2026, 10 AM | No tourist entry for New Year, by order of the Chikkaballapur Deputy Commissioner; guests with hilltop hotel bookings were exempt | Public TV and Vishwavani (29 December 2025) |
| 14 Feb 2026, 6 AM – 6 PM | No visitors or private vehicles on Valentine’s Day (district prohibitory order) | Times of India (10 Feb 2026); New Indian Express (13 Feb 2026) |
| 8 Aug 2026, 11 PM – 9 Aug 2026, 12 noon | No vehicles towards Nandi Hills from Karahalli Cross for the Nandi Hills Monsoon Marathon, except pass holders | News Next Live (8 Aug 2026), citing the district order |
A New Year restriction has been reported for more than one year. Nothing had been announced for 31 December 2026 when we checked, so look for a district notice in late December before you plan a New Year trip.
Weekend crowds, parking and the planned vehicle limits
Weekends are much busier than weekdays, but the official figures quoted in the press differ. In February 2026 the Deputy Commissioner told The New Indian Express that regular weekends bring 16,000 to 18,000 tourists, with 3,000 to 3,500 two-wheelers and 1,500 to 1,700 four-wheelers, and that normal days see 5,000 to 6,000 tourists. In the same week the Times of India quoted officials as saying weekdays average 3,000 to 4,000 visitors and weekends often cross 10,000. Either way, there is only one approach road, and the parking at the top fills up.
Private vehicles may be limited in future. On 22 July 2026 Tourism Minister K.J. George said the government was preparing a mobility plan under which private vehicle access to the hilltop would be regulated at weekends and on holidays, with parking at the foothills and transport to the top (The Hindu; Deccan Chronicle). A similar idea was proposed in May 2025. As of 24 October 2026 we found no report that the plan has started, so private vehicles were still going up, but check the news before a weekend trip. The long-planned ropeway is not running: on 9 September 2026 Deccan Herald reported that the project had hit a hurdle after the Centre sought action over forest violations.
Tips to keep the visit cheap and calm
- Go on a weekday if you can. Parking is lower on the official list (₹30 instead of ₹50 for a bike, ₹60 instead of ₹100 for a car), and the reported crowds are much smaller.
- Share a vehicle. The entry fee is per person, but parking is per vehicle, so a full car costs less per head than several bikes.
- Carry cash in small notes for the counter.
- Arrive before 6 AM if you want the sunrise, and expect a queue at the gate at weekends.
- Avoid special days: New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day and event days have had closures. Long weekends and festival days are the busiest.
- Take your rubbish back. The Times of India (November 2025) quoted an activist as saying about 15 truckloads of garbage are collected on weekends.
How to reach Nandi Hills
Karnataka Tourism gives these details: Nandi Hills is about 60 km from Bengaluru, a drive of about 1.5 to 2 hours depending on traffic, by NH44 towards Chikkaballapur. Kempegowda International Airport is about 35 km away (the Chikkaballapur district website says 38 km). Government buses run from Bengaluru to Chikkaballapur, and Chikkaballapur railway station is about 9 km from the hill; from there you take a taxi or auto. The hill rises to 1,478 metres.
What to see on the hill
The official pages mention Tipu’s Drop (a 60-metre cliff), the old fort walls and gates from the time of Tipu Sultan and Haider Ali, the Yoga Nandeeshwara temple on the hill, the Amrita Sarovar water tank and the sunrise viewpoints. At the foot of the hill, the Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple at Nandi village is a separate stop. In July 2026 the minister inaugurated a new KSTDC restaurant on the hill, the Mayura Sunrise Restaurant (The Hindu, 22 July 2026).
More day trips from Bengaluru
Kethanahalli Falls is in the same district; see our Kethanahalli Falls guide. For a longer weekend plan, see places to visit near Bangalore for 2 days and our list of hill stations in South India. Inside the city, see the Fun World Bangalore ticket price guide, and for Mysuru, the Mysore Zoo ticket price guide.
FAQ
What is the Nandi Hills entry fee in 2026?
Karnataka Tourism lists about ₹10–₹20 per person (marked “approx.”). Parking is extra: ₹30/₹50 for two-wheelers and ₹60/₹100 for cars on weekdays/weekends.
What time does Nandi Hills open?
6:00 AM, and it closes at 6:00 PM, according to Karnataka Tourism.
Can I book Nandi Hills tickets online?
Online booking through KSTDC was announced in May 2026, but we found no live booking page or launch report as of 24 October 2026. Buy tickets at the counter at the gate and carry cash.
Is Nandi Hills open every day?
Officials say it is open all year, apart from New Year closures. It was also closed on Valentine’s Day 2026, and roads were closed for a marathon on 9 August 2026, so check the news before special dates.
Is there a separate fee for children?
The official page does not publish a child rate or age band. Ask at the counter.
Is parking cheaper on weekdays?
Yes, on the official list: two-wheelers ₹30 instead of ₹50, cars ₹60 instead of ₹100, and heavy vehicles ₹150 instead of ₹250.
Sources: karnatakatourism.org (Nandi Hills page, Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka), chikkaballapur.nic.in (Nandi Hills page), The Hindu (7 Dec 2018; 12 May 2025; 22 Jul 2026), Times of India (12 Nov 2025; 10 Feb 2026), New Indian Express (13 Feb 2026), Prajavani (10 May 2026), Public TV and Vishwavani (29 Dec 2025), News Next Live (8 Aug 2026), Deccan Chronicle (22 Jul 2026) and Deccan Herald (9 Sep 2026). All checked 24 October 2026. Sunrise times are our own calculation. Fees and rules can change, so check the board at the gate.
