Lakes in Bengaluru
Lakes and tanks in the metropolitan area of Greater Bangalore and the district of Bangalore Urban are reservoirs of varying sizes constructed over a number of centuries by various empires and dynasties for rainwater harvesting. Historically, these reservoirs were primarily eit…
Bengaluru’s lake‑scape is a patchwork of colonial‑era reservoirs and newer concrete basins that betray a city that once harvested rainwater because no river ran nearby; today they are mostly decorative, polluted, or half‑forgotten, so tread carefully. Ulsoor Lake, tucked behind MG Road’s jogger’s park, still offers a decent early‑morning paddle in winter—just avoid the weekend crowds and the mosquito‑laden evenings when the water turns a sickly turquoise. Sankey Tank in J.P. Nagar is the only spot where you can actually sit on a bench and watch locals feed the occasional kingfisher, provided you arrive before 9 am; the surrounding jogging track is well‑maintained, and a small tea stall on the north side serves strong filter‑coffee and idli‑sambhar for a realistic Bangalore breakfast. Hebbal Lake, with its sunset‑lit migratory bird‑watching, is worth a brief stop only if you’re already in the north; the park’s new lighting scheme masks the murky smell that still lingers after monsoon runoff. Bellandur, despite its Instagram‑friendly algae‑green surface, is a toxic swamp—skip it unless you enjoy the stench of raw sewage wafting across the road. For a more serene outing, head to Hennur Lake on a weekday; the surrounding residential colony keeps it relatively clean and the small fishing pier offers a quiet place to sip milky chai. Stay in Indiranagar or Koramangala for easy access to most of these tanks, and plan your visits between October and February when the humidity eases and the city’s infamous smog subsides; any summer trek will leave you drenched in sweat and disappointment.
Source · Wikipedia · Lakes in Bengaluru · CC-BY-SA
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