By Kavita Mistry 
Crispy hot dosas on your plate are always a delight. Pair it with a breath taking view of the sunrise and that would be bliss. That plateful after an early morning trek is reward in itself and if that is your idea of a fun activity, Bettadmele Breakfast is a half-day trek experience that unfolds at Hulukudibetta, Doddaballapur.
Organised by Suyana, a travel group in the city, trekkers are served hot, crispy dosas with chutney, fruit, jaggery rasayana, and millet malt after the one-hour climb. Suyana was founded in 2019 by Sushma BV, an HR professional, and her husband Sunil S, an UPSC aspirant. In 2022, Sushma quit her job and now curates travel experiences with Sunil.
The couple organises a trek every weekend throughout the year in two batches — an early morning batch at 5.30, followed by a morning group at 6.30. Those who opt for the early morning trek are instructed to reach the base at Doddaballapur by 5am using their own transport, while those who opt for the morning trek are provided with transport facilities from various points in the city such as JP Nagar, Koramangala, Richmond Circle, Majestic, Mekhri Bus stop, Hebbal and Yelahanka to reach the base by 6.30am.
View from the hill
| Photo Credit:
Srihari Raman
After a quick briefing session at the base, trek leaders guide the group to the top. Sushma says, “Our trek leaders not only ensure that participants follow the designated trail, but also keep the group engaged with fun activities.”
Sushma and Sunil do not sleep the night before a trek. “We make all the food at home using fresh organic ingredients. We begin making the chutney, palya and rasayana around eleven, and complete it around two in the morning. Batter is made in the morning after the rice is soaked the previous night.”
Sushma elaborates on their operations. “Our team departs at around three in the morning with these items with traditional cast iron tawas, portable stoves and cans. We do not use non-stick pans and these tawas are quite heavy, so we have a team of about 15 people who work every weekend, carry this up the hill. They include a research scientist from IIST, lawyers, doctors and IT professionals with a common interest in travelling and curating experiences with us.”
The team dishes out as many as 200-250 dosas atop the hill for breakfast.
Families, friends and marathon runners as well as fitness and yoga groups are regular participants of this trek experience. “The trek is both age and pet friendly,” adds Sushma. “Anyone from 7 to 70 can join in as it is an easy trek of about 1,000 steps.”
Dosa being made
| Photo Credit:
Srihari Raman
The initiative is also sustainable. “We ask our participants to carry their own steel or reusable plates and glasses for the trek. A trash bag is also be placed on site to discard waste. We then carry this bag back to Bengaluru and dispose it at the nearest BBMP disposal unit,” says Sushma.
“As of now, we organise Bettadmele Breakfast only at Hulukudibetta in Doddaballapur, and we chose this specific peak as it’s a lesser-known hill, that is not crowded with tourists. Moreover, the historic Veerabhadra Swamy and Bhadrakali temples are located at the top of the hill, which is an added incentive,” she says.
Meghana Suresh from Hennur, who went on the Bettadmele Breakfast experience in March 2025 with her family that includes her eight-and 12-year-old children, says, “We used our own transport and reached the base at five in the morning after which there was a warmup session. Though we missed the sunrise view since it was cloudy, there were other points to explore once we reached the peak. The highlight of the experience was definitely the breakfast. The ragi malt shake and dosa were excellent.”
Sushma says, “My husband Sunil and I started Suyana in 2019 because we wanted to curate unique travel experiences outside the routine of work. After the pandemic, we initiated more interactive experiences such as the Bettadmele Breakfast to connect people with nature and others.”
The Suyana group also organises trips to Agumbe, Hampi Kallu and Kumpa Vistara as well as ones to experience the Siddhi tribe culture. While the Agumbe Vismaya package includes both exploring the rainforest, waterfalls, mud caves and local culture as well as learning about the staple food, vegetation, biodiversity, conservation of endangered flora and fauna, a trip to Hampi focuses on a historical view of the place, its architecture, culture, innovation and literature.
The cost for the Bettadmele Breakfast Experience starts at ₹1,101. For more details, contact 7406648322
OPTIONAL: Tips for first-time trekkers
– Smoking and alcohol are not allowed.
– Inform the organising team about any pre-existing medical conditions.
– Bring your personal medications if needed.
– Please carry light snacks if required like nuts or dry fruits.
– Carry water bottles as the team will not be providing water and hydration is necessary.
– Opt for comfortable attire and avoid cotton.
– Pet feces should be disposed in the trash bag the team provides.
– If the trek is called off due to insufficient participants, the trekking fees shall be refunded.
Published – May 13, 2025 10:53 am IST