India: Best of Karnataka

8 Days from $2,090 USD / person

This tour showcases the best of India’s southern state of Karnataka – its rich history and culture, its glorious past, and its rapidly evolving present. Begin your journey at the state capital of Bangalore and learn about its unique position as the Silicon Valley of India. Travel on to Mysore, a land of maharajahs and sultans, and discover its fascinating past. The intoxicating aroma of coffee pulls you towards Chikmagalur, a small town known for its lush plantations and rolling hills. Take in the spiritual vibe and the beautiful environs at Shravanabelagola and admire the extraordinary architecture of the Hoysala dynasty at Belur and Halebid.

Delve deep into Karnataka’s glorious heritage on this journey through its modern cities and ancient towns. Contact our travel experts for a customized itinerary through incredible India and watch the magic unfold.

Your Vacation. Your Way.

This itinerary can be customized for you. Get in touch with our experts for your personalized vacation plan.

Sample Itinerary

Day

Place

Hotel Opts

1 – 3

Bangalore
Highlights: The Bull Temple, Bangalore Palace, Vishwesharaiya Museum

Vivanta Bengaluru, Residency Road

3 – 5

Mysore
Highlights: Maharajahas Palace, Chamundi Hills, Vrindavan gardens, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

Royal Orchid Metropole

5 – 7

Chikmagalur
Highlights: Coffee Plantations, Nature Walks, Landscape, Hills

The Gateway Hotel KM Road Chikmagalur

7 – 8

Bangalore
Highlights: The Bull Temple, Bangalore Palace, Vishwesharaiya Museum

Taj Airport Hotel, Bangalore

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Sample Itinerary

Day 1 – 3

2 Nights

Bangalore

Bengaluru, India’s answer to Silicon Valley, was ranked third in 2012 amongst the list of world’s top ten cities to visit by Lonely Planet! Formerly a ‘pensioners paradise’, the bustling city sits high above sea-level, and is blessed with pleasant weather all year round. A center for British resistance in the 18th century, Bangalore has remained a permanent home of the Indian Army, retaining the campgrounds scattered all over the city and a distinct Cantonment atmosphere. The multicultural and multilingual city boasts charming gardens, tree-lined avenues and cozy bungalows, apart from several of the largest software and IT parks in india.

Included activities

Highlights of Bangalore

Experience historic landmarks amidst the cosmopolitan chic. Venture to 16th century blackened Dodda Ganeshana Gudi (Bull Temple) dedicated to the sacred bull Nandi. Venture to the imposing Vidhana Soudha, a Neo-Dravidian building that houses the seat of state legislature. Tour Bangalore Palace, still owned and inhabited by the erstwhile royal family of Mysore. Visit Bangalore’s British colonial gardens – Lal Bagh, which includes a Victorian glasshouse replica of London’s original Crystal Palace, and Cubbon Park. Explore Tipu Sultan’s Fort and Palace, and the Government Museum, one of the oldest museums in India and home to many artifacts from the Neolithic period.

Hotel options

Vivanta Bengaluru, Residency Road – Opt 1

Room Standard Room

Meals Breakfast

Style International

Day 3 – 5

2 Nights

Mysore

Mysore provides you with an opportunity to step back in time into a world of regal opulence, and is often described as the City of Palaces. All roads in Mysore lead to the beautiful Mysore Palace built for the Maharajahs of Mysore, the Wodeyar Dynasty, who contributed to much of the city’s cultural development. Before them, Mysore was the stomping ground for rulers Hyder Ali and his son Tippu Sultan. Steeped in Hindu legend, the city’s name comes from a Sanksrit word for a mythical part-human, part-buffalo demon. The city comes alive during September/October when the state Hindu festival of Darasa takes place.

Included activities

Day Trip to Tippu Sultan’s Srirangapatna

Discover Tipu Sultan’s historic city! En route to Mysore, embark on a tour of Srirangapatna, which was once the historic capital of a powerful empire and dates back to around 9th century The island fortress town offers plenty of attractions for history buffs, from temples and mosques, to palaces and cenotaphs (tombs). Explore the exquisite three-layered stone wall of the fort with its bastions and gates, which protected the rulers from many an invasion and is still an emblem of a glorious bygone era. Stop by the banks of Cauvery River and witness stunning views of the natural landscape.

Highlights of Mysore

Return to the regal era at Mysore! Visit the Maharajah’s Palace which artistically blends Indo-Saracenic style with foreign elements such as Scottish steel and Victorian-Edwardian era furniture. Every Sunday, visitors gather to to see the palace brightly lit up. Drive up to the Chamundi Hills to be blessed alongside hundreds of jubilant pilgrims at the Chamundeshwari Temple. On your way back, visit Sri Nandi Temple to be blessed by Hindu God Lord Shiva’s faithful gatekeeper Nandi, the decorated bull. (Full Day, Private Activity & Transfer; Fitness Level: Easy; Mysore Palace is only light up at night on Sundays; Please bring socks as footwear is not permitted inside temples)

Hotel options

Royal Orchid Metropole – Opt 1

Room Royal Room

Meals Breakfast

Style International

Day 5 – 7

2 Nights

Chikmagalur

Chikmagalur is a captivating natural canvas nestled in the Baba Budan Hills within the Western Ghats, best known as the life-giving spine of India. This calm and serene town is spread across lush green hills and valleys and is brimming with scenic surprises, from the occasional stream to the snow white blossoms of its sprawling coffee and spice plantations. Chikmagalur is one of the largest coffee producers in India. Enjoy a welcome respite from the stuffy Indian heat in this cool yet deliciously tropical climate.

Included activities

Day Trip to Shravanabelagola

An interesting excursion takes you to Shravanabelagola, a Temple City and important Jain pilgrim center lying between Indragiri and Chandragiri hills. ‘Bel’, meaning white and ‘kola’, pond, are an allusion to the beautiful pond in the towns midst. Marvel at Indragiri’s 1000 year old statue of Bhagavan Gomateshwara Bahubali. Standing at 57ft, it is considered the world’s largest monolithic stone statue. Shravanabelagola has over 500 inscriptions and sculptures that highlight history back to the Indus Valley Civilization.

Excursion to Belur and Halebid

Visit Belur and Halebid, famous for their beautifully carved, ancient temples dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries.

Hotel options

The Gateway Hotel KM Road Chikmagalur – Opt 1

Room Standard Garden View

Meals Breakfast

Style Lodge

Day 7 – 8

1 Night

Bangalore

Bengaluru, India’s answer to Silicon Valley, was ranked third in 2012 amongst the list of world’s top ten cities to visit by Lonely Planet! Formerly a ‘pensioners paradise’, the bustling city sits high above sea-level, and is blessed with pleasant weather all year round. A center for British resistance in the 18th century, Bangalore has remained a permanent home of the Indian Army, retaining the campgrounds scattered all over the city and a distinct Cantonment atmosphere. The multicultural and multilingual city boasts charming gardens, tree-lined avenues and cozy bungalows, apart from several of the largest software and IT parks in india.

Hotel options

Taj Airport Hotel, Bangalore – Opt 1