Things to do in

Mysore

Enjoy a memorable day trip from crowded Bengaluru to the city of royalty. Start early from your hotel and relax on a 3.5-hour drive to Mysore. Your friendly local guide will walk you through the splendid buildings of the Mysore Palace and the Gothic-inspired St. Philomena's Cathedral. You will also have a chance to visit the Chamundeshwari Temple, located atop the Chamundi Hills, for a fascinating history of the people of Mysore. Start your day trip with an early morning pickup from your hotel. Sit back and relax on your drive to Mysore, which will take approximately 3-4 hours (depending on your pick up location and road conditions). Mysuru, formerly known as Mysore, is famous for its World Heritage buildings. Your first stop is the magnificent Mysuru Palace. Home of the Wodeyar dynasty, this grand palace is embellished with stained glass, majestic wooden doors, and intricate mosaic tiles. A fine collection of armors, sculptures, and paintings add to the glamour. Spend up to 1.5 hours exploring the Palace with your guide, building up an appetite for a traditional vegetarian lunch at a local's favorite spot. Next, head to the Chamundeswari Temple, located atop a hill. Dedicated to a form of Shakti, the goddess is revered by Hindus across the region. The location offers stunning views of the Karnataka countryside. Lastly, visit the St. Philomena's Cathedral which was built in 1941. Constructed in a Neo-Gothic style, its architecture is said to be inspired by the Cologne Cathedral in Germany and is one of the tallest churches in Asia. At the end of the tour, drive back towards Bengaluru where you will be dropped off at your hotel around 6:30-7 PM.

Your driver and guide will pick you from your Bangalore hotel after breakfast at around 8:00AM. You will venture towards Mysore, stopping to see the sights of the Srirangapatnam City known as an old capital city at the ruling time of Tipu Sultan. Your visit to Mysore will begin with the Dariya Daulat royal residence known as the "Summer Palace of Tipu Sultan", embellished with Mysore paintings, floral wall designs and ceiling art. The next spot you will visit is Gumbaz Srirangapatnam, before moving on to the oldest Ranganathaswamy Temple and the Tipu Sultan Mosque. After this visit, you will have a delicious lunch at a neighborhood restaurant (lunch is at your own expense). Following lunch, you will drive to Mysore, where upon arriving you will check-in to your hotel and enjoy a small refreshment. In the evening you will be taken for a trip to the Vrindavan Gardens, where you can appreciate the music and bright fountain show which will leave you feeling entranced. At the conclusion of your evening, you will dropped back to your hotel where you can enjoy dinner before retiring for the evening. The following morning after breakfast and hotel check-out, your transport and guide will take you on a drive towards the Chamundeshwari sanctuary, situated on Chamundi hill. Here you will be able to witness a seven-story Gopura designed with sculptures and advanced works of art. The sanctuary is committed to the goddess Chamundeshwari, and you can see the whole Mysore city from here, a view found by all to be enormously delightful. Following this, you will head towards the royal palace of Wodeyer Maharaja known as the Mysore Palace or Amba Vilas. This royal residence has been changed into a historical museum, which is filled with illustrious, important things such as paintings, adornments, outfits, souvenirs and other depictive things. After that, you will go to Saint Philomena's Church, where you will be able to appreciate this building's Neo-Gothic design. At the conclusion of your tour, you will be transported back to your Bangalore accommodation.

The first stop is at the Summer Palace of Tipu Sultan, often called the Tiger of Mysore for his valiant fight with the British. Dariya Daulat Bagh, the Summer Palace of Tipu Sultan, is built in Indo-Sarcenic style and has a few magnificent murals depicting the war of Tipu with the British. The next destination is the notorious Bailey's Dungeon. Colonel Bailey's Dungeon is the famous dungeon where Tipu imprisoned several British Officers during the war. Tales about this notorious location will also be told throughout the tour. The magnificent Mysore Palace beckons you next. The Palace is a 3-storied stone structure, with marble domes and a 145-foot, five-storied tower. Your guided tour of the palace will take you through the Public Hall, Private Hall, Dolls Pavilion, and the Royal Wedding Hall. India’s first sand sculpture museum is the final destination on your tour. Conceived and built by Gowri, a leading sand sculptor, the sand museum took 4 months and 115 loads of construction sand to build. It is a unique museum where one finds the heritage of Mysore crafted into sand, and it is incredible to note that these marvelous pieces of art were made using just sand and water. After you have finished discovering this unique spectacle, you will be returned safely to your point of origin.

In the early morning at around 6:15AM, your chauffeur will pick you up from your Bangalore hotel and drive you to meet and greet with your local guide. Shortly afterwards you will embark on your day trip to Mysore. Mysore known as city of palaces, and upon arrival in Mysore you will visit the Mysore Royal Palace, located in the heart of the city. It is also known as Amba Vilas palace and was once the residence of Wodeyer Maharaja of Mysore. A fine example of Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, the palace has been converted into a museum that exhibits souvenirs, paintings, jewellery, royal costumes and other items which were once possessed by the Wodeyars. After this extensive palace visit, you will sit down to enjoy lunch in a local restaurant (fixed menu). After lunch, you will drive to the Chamundeshwari Temple, which is located on top of the Chamundi Hills about 13 kilometers from the palace city of Mysore. The temple has a seven-story tall Gopura decorated with intricate carvings, and the deity of the goddess is said to be made of gold, whereas the temple doors are made of silver. The temple was named after Chamundeshwari or Durga, the fierce form of Shakti, who was a tutelary deity held in reverence for centuries by Mysore Maharajas. After the temple, you will venture back to Mysore to view the city from Chamundi Hill. At the conclusion of the tour, you will venture back to Bangalore, visiting Saint Philomena's Church on the way. Saint Philomena’s Cathedral is located on the Ashoka road to Mysore and is an impressive looking Roman Catholic church. You will be returned to your Bangalore accommodation at the conclusion of your tour.

In the early morning at around 6:15AM, your chauffeur will pick you up from your Bangalore hotel and drive you to meet with your local guide. Mysore palace is situated in the heart of the city based on the Indo-Saracenic architectural style and concoction of Hindu, Muslim, Rajput and Gothic styles. The palace is well-heeled with artwork, carved ceilings, and the walls of the palace are simply mind blowing. The palace is now converted into a museum that exhibits antiques made of marble, gold, silver and alabaster from around the globe. You will witness remarkable souvenirs, alluring paintings, precious jewelry, royal costumes and other items which were once possessed by the Wodeyars. After your palace visit, you can enjoy lunch in a local restaurant (fixed menu). Following lunch, you will drive to the Chamundeshwari Temple situated on the hilltop of the Chamundi Hills, named after the goddess Chamundeshwari or Durga. The Chamundi Hills are surrounded by natural beauty, enriched with various birds, animals, and trees. While going back to Bangalore, you will take a visit to Philomena's church. St. Philomena’s Church is one of the oldest churches in India, and was built in a neo-gothic style. This Church is a religious place as well as the most imposing and attractive monument in the area. After this church visit, you will be driven back to Bangalore where you will be dropped off back at your accommodation.