Udedurgam Fort Trek in Tamil Nadu: Gaur face off | Chap 236 (11 Apr, 2026)

 

Welcome to Udedurgam Fort Trek

• Place: Udedurgam Fort Trek (Tamil Nadu)
• Difficulty: Easy trek.
• Distance: 75 x 2 = 150 km.
• Directions: Bangalore > Attibele > Udedurgam Fort.
• Krew: Anwar (Bhai), Karthik (Sp).
• Bikes: Pulsar.
• Previous Visit: Ratnagiri, Malaikottai trek.
• Budget: Rs 162/head (Petrol = 300/2; Breakfast = 0/2; Tea = 24/2) - Packed breakfast prepared by Bhai :)

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IN LESS THAN 50 WORDS:

Alright, Udedurgam Fort might be the last of the treks on the west wing of the TN expedition. The trek was absolutely fascinating. The highlights of this trek were coming face to face with a wild Gaur (Indian Bison) and belting some Bhai-made soy biryani. The trek, per se, was a very pleasant one with clear trails and amazing views.  And this marked 28 weeks, 28 treks, 6 months, non-stop, since Oct 12th, 2025. This was our 16th trek in 16 weeks for 2026, with 14 first ascents.  Going well, I must say \m/

INTRO & PLAN:

With the fire burning bright and well-structured, we had launched the grand TN expedition. With Rayakottai Fort Trek, Anchetty Durgam and Ratnagiri, Malaikottai trek under our belt. There was one last one in the west wing. Actually to be frank, last week we had planned Udedurgam, but Malaikottai seemed too tempting, hence we took a deviation and ended up there. Now for this week, Udedurgam, it was :)

TIME: 16:00 (10 Apr, 2026)

Sippy sipping in all the good energy :)

ASSEMBLE & LEAVE:

Yes, I was up by 02:30am. Bangalore had turned into a burning pot. Got ready, had a sip of coffee and just got out of home. The movement is what brings my temperature down, I realised. With Bangalore still in darkness, it was only appropriate to listen to and sing goth metal and cruise. Reached Attibele at Bhai's place at 05:15, and just as I was searching for the Food truck for breakfast, Bhai mentioned that he had prepared Soy Biryani and packed it for the summit, haha. (Remember Huliyurdurga Trek?) We had some tea and left Attibele. (40km already in the bag btw :P)

TIME: 05:45

The only luxury we need :)

RIDE 1: (Bangalore > Attibele > Udedurgam Fort)

Well, the ride was more surgical this time. Having done Anchetty Durgam and Ratnagiri, Malaikottai trek, it was mere formality. The roads post Attibele felt cooler this time as the traffic was less. But with darkness still prevailing, potholes and road bumps were a nightmare. 

We spoke so much on the way that we kept the speed very low, allowing all vehicles to cruise past us; we were never in a hurry. We had the entire day to each Udedurgam. With the NO GMAPS rule, we conversed with locals for the final pinpoint directions. One of them was kind enough to ask us to follow him, and he led us directly to the base of the hill. Parking our bikes, locking our helmets, we awoke the "lizard king's spirit" within us and were all set for the trek :)

TIME: 07:00

The trek finally begins at Udedurgam Fort :)

UDEDURGAM FORT TREK

ASCENT:

The ascent took us about 45 minutes. With about 15-20 minutes going behind a Gaur with a stick in hand, haha. Ok, ok, I'll shut up. Let's go through it as it happened in order. The trek can be divided into the following phases: Initial trails, Open Lands, and Spooky final push.

Initial trails

Phase 1: Initial Trails.

These are very easy, straightforward parts. We started feeling the gradient pick up, and it felt good. The muscles of our legs finally got the food they deserved, and they thanked us. Out of nowhere, a mighty and majestic peacock flew right past us and towards the rising sun with its silhouette, leaving us awestruck. After gliding through the first phase then we came to the outlands, which connects into the forest.  We could spot a lot of dried elephant dung and droppings of some other animal which was fresh. 

Wild Gaur spotted in our trails

Phase 2: The Open Lands

As we reached the open lands, we were fooling around, climbing rocks, picking up dried elephant dung and playing Bomberman. Then Bhai choked on words. He saw afar, and words were not coming out of his mouth; what he witnessed behind the rocks afar had left him in shock. It was a wild Gaur (Indian Bison). Once the bison spotted us, it started quietly retreating back into the forest zone. And Bhai? He was running behind me. And me? I was holding a stick and running behind the bison. Haha :) Finally, Bhai talked some sense into me and put me back on the trail. 

Bhai, the animals would come here as well, right? :)

Phase 3: The Spooky Summit Push

Ok, after chasing behind the gaur and it disappearing into the thick forest. We resumed the push to the summit. Even here, the trails are clear, the Gaur was what I would call a happy diversion.  Any gym buff would feel J of its hamstrings and quads. 

The last push is both eerie and beautiful at the same time :)

As we pushed to the summit. The ambience shifted, and the semi-dried red leaves scattered all along the bouldery path felt like a red carpet welcoming us. The air was already crystal clear at the bottom, here it became more (verified by our nostrils). And finally were were at the top :) 

TIME: 07:45

Pahadi Biryani hits you different :)

TOP:

The top has two establishments - one temple for Ganesha and one temple for Shiva. We first visited the Ganesha temple, paid our respects and then found a nice spot to crash and have the biryani. With mountains in the horizon, the sun trying to sneak at us through the clouds, winds blowing gently the aroma of the spiced biryani felt like bliss. 

Bhai had packed Soy biryani for Summit breakfast :)

With my head standing up now, then like a gazelle, trying to look up, down and into the jungles below, hoping to atleast to catch the Gaur with my eyesight if not for real.  Then after a few morsels of Biryani in my tummy, it was a "no-holds-barred" match. Finished the entire box, hydrated and then decided to crash, hoping the aroma would make the Gaur come to us. 

After about 20-30minutes of peaceful sleeping at the summit, we got up and made a push to the Shiva temple. Paying our respects to the place, we left from the top. And oh yeah, we could spot Ratnagiri-Malaikottai and Anchetty Durgam from the top :)

TIME: 08:45

Bhai, navigating and trying to get an outpost :)

DESCENT:

The descent took us about 30 minutes. It was a surgical descent; we made it through the spooky stretch into the open lands where we had spotted the Gaur. We thanked the Gaur for showing up for us and making this a special one. As we descended, we could feel the sweat dripping like a non-stop stream of our faces. The summer had set in brutally in South India. But, yeah, it is what it is. We returned the bikes, looked back at the hillock, thanked her for the superb experience and more importantly, "LETTING US GO BACK". And specially thanked the Gaur that showed itself to us :)

TIME: 09:15

Bhai, admiring the fortification at Udedurgam.

RIDE 2: (Ratnagiri > Attibele > Bangalore)

We mounted back on the bikes, consumed the rest of the water and resumed the ride back. The ride back was pleasant; we rode slowly through the country roads, taking in as much as possible. Interacted with the locals and enquired about which animals come here in broken Tamil. Even though they understood we weren't from the area, they laughed at our encounter and explained that even elephants turn up quite often. Then I quipped, "We will return and try to catch one" They laughed and tried explaining they are big creatures. Such pure souls and very pure playful conversations :)

Rode back non-stop to drop Bhai back at Attibele, and from then rode back listening to Goth metal to reach back home

TIME: 11:30

Bhai, practising some climbing.

CONCLUSION:

Well, the grand TN expedition roars on with some crazy signals from the universe. From a wild Gaur spotting to having Pahadi Biryani, this trek was nothing short of pure but high energy. Loved every second of it. The blissful conversation with locals to belting a biryani staring into the horizon, flooded with mountains, sparked a question within me: What is luxury? - is having a pahadi biryani, cooked by your buddy, alone atop a mountain with zero people (maybe a gaur and elephants) alongside, with the freshest air quality and peace considered as the ultimate luxury?

Past 28 weeks, we have pulled off 28 treks, ~5500km in total, 6-7 months, non-stop. The fire is pure and burning all weeds within \m/

KREW:

Bhai: Getting up, preparing biryani, packing it and going for a trek is something I don't even know how to describe. Thanks for the awesome Pahadi Biryani. Carved out a different niche in our club. And oh yeah, thanks for talking sense into me while chasing the Gaur :)

Sippy: Crazy happy with the pureness and wildness of this chapter. Such an unexpected wonder find. Belted biryani like Karthi in Kaidi. And I must admit, as I ran behind the Gaur, the muscles of its butt were so well toned, the only song that was ringing was Eminem "A** like that" 28 weeks, 28 treks, 14 first ascents in 2026 \m/

Until next time, Ta-da Cia \m/

Wish us luck in the TN expeditions :)