Karnataka is a state with a rich culture. It is well known for its natural beauty. Karnataka is a grand state and a trip to this enchanting state can give you nothing but pleasure. Your tour will be perfectly chalked to help you make the most of it.
Day 1: Hyderabad:
Arrive at Hyderabad, check into your pre booked hotel. Freshen up and explore the Golconda Fort. Get back to your hotel and stay overnight at Hyderabad.
Day 2: Hyderabad – Bijapur Proceed to Bijapur early in the morning and reach there by evening. Stay overnight at Bijapur.
Day 3: Bijapur – Badami In Bijapur, visit the tourist spots like Gol Gumbad and Malik-e-Maidan. Proceed to Badami and stay there overnight.
Day 4: Badami Badami is a town in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka. Explore the tourist spots of Badami like the 6th and 7th century Jain and Hindu cave temples. Get back to your hotel late in the evening and stay overnight at Badami.
Day 5: Badami – Hospet Drive to Hospet in the morning. By late afternoon proceed for Hampi, a World Heritage Site. Visit the 15th century Virupaksha Temple. The Vitthal Temple also a World Heritage Site is worth a visit. Go back to your hotel at Hospet and stay there overnight.
Day 6: Hospet – Hussan Take your breakfast and proceed for Hussan. Spend your night at Hussan.
Day 7: Hussan Your morning shall start from visiting Belur. Visit the Chennakeshava Temple, the attraction of Belur. Then visit Halebidu Temple and Sravanbelgola, a Jain pilgrimage centre in India. Get back to your hotel at Hussan and stay there overnight.
Day 8: Hussan – Mysore Drive to Mysore in the morning. Visit the tourist spots like the Mysore Palace, Brindavan Gardens and Srirangapatnam Fort. Get back to your hotel and spend your night at Mysore.
Day 9: Mysore Proceed to Waynad for a good excursion at the Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary. Enjoy a boating, a jeep ride and some nature walk at this sanctuary and take a firsthand experience of wildlife in India.
Get back to your hotel and spend your night at Mysore.
Day 10: Mysore – Bangalore Drive to Bengaluru in the morning. Visit the Vidhan Saudha, the Bangalore Palace and the Tipu Sultan’s Palace. Get back to your hotel and stay overnight at Bengaluru.
Day 11: Bangalore – Hometown Take your breakfast, gather your memories of a wonderful tour and board a flight to your hometown.
◊ Explore the monuments and the historical ambience of Hyderabad.
◊ Visit the World Heritage Site at Hampi.
◊ Seek blessings at ancient temples of Hussan.
◊ Enjoy wildlife safari at Mysore.
◊ Experience metropolitan flavor of Bangalore.
Karnataka, a state known for its rich culture and natural beauty enchants you in glance. The historical monuments, the scenic beauty, fragrance of the incense sticks and the soothing Carnatic music define Karnataka. The aesthetic grandness of Karnataka is embroidered with different art forms like dance, drama and majestic festive celebrations. In spite of diverse ethnicity, Karnartaka is drenched in deep traditional values. Set foot in this state to be spellbound!
Day 1: Hyderabad:
As you arrive at Hyderabad, a representative of Remarkable India shall welcome you and escort you to the hotel.
After you freshen up, you can hop out of the hotel to explore the attractive city of Hyderabad. It is undoubtedly a mixture of the charming old world and the fast paced present.
Founded in the 12th century by the Kakatias is the historical fort of Golconda. It symbolizes the composite cultural heritage of this 400 year old city. As you explore this majestic structure, the granite walls and ramparts built by the Qutub Shahi Kings that extend around 5 kilometers in circumference will catch your eye. There are 8 huge gates and as many as 70 ramparts to this magnificent structure. The perimeter of this fort measures around 11 kilometers and the walls are about 15 to 18 foot high. Golconda was once a diamond market of the city, where rampant diamond trade took place. The Darya-e-Nur (sea of light) diamond that measure 185 carats and today housed in Iran was mined here. The other famed diamonds that were mined in this region include the Kohinoor Diamond, the Hope Diamond, the Regent Diamond and the Nur-ul-Ain Diamond.
You get back to the hotel late in the evening and stay overnight at Hyderabad.
Day 2: Hyderabad – Bijapur The next morning, you drive to Bijapur via Gulbarga, a beautiful city. (404 Km/12 hours).
As you reach Bijapur in the evening, you are escorted to the hotel and you have an overnight stay at Bijapur.
Day 3: Bijapur – Badami
Bijapur is a beautiful city situated in Karnataka. There are many historical marvels that dot this city. It was founded by the Chalukya dynasty and it history dates back as far as the 11th century. It was then referred as Vijayapura.
You must explore famous locations in Bijapur such as:
Gol Gumbad
The second largest dome in the world, the Gol Gumbad is situated in the Bijapur district, second only to St. Peter’s Basilica of Rome. It has a unique architecture- the four minarets are the staircases leading to the top of the dome. The diameter of the Gol Gumbad is 124 feet.
Malik-e-Maidan, the largest medieval cannon in the world.
Literally meaning ‘Lord of the battlefield’, the Malik-e-Maidan or Muluk-e-Maidan is the largest medieval cannon in the world. It is 4 meters long, 55 tons heavy and 1.5 meters in diameter. It was brought back from Ahmadnagar as a trophy of war in the 17th century. It was drawn by 400 oxen, 10 elephants and hundreds of men.
Other structures like Asar Mahal, Chand Bawdi, Gagan Mahal, Barakman and Upri Buruj are equally magnificent. Also, there are several sprawling gardens at Bijapur.
Late afternoon, you drive for Badami (202 Km/ 4 Hours) and reach there in the evening. You are then escorted to the hotel and need to stay overnight at Badami.
Day 4: Badami Once known as Vatapi, today Badami is a sleepy town in Bagalkot district of Karnataka. It was once the royal capital of the Chalukyas. It is a place full of caved temples, fortresses, dedications, entryways and carvings. It is settled in a valley at the base of red erinaceous rock that encircles the Agastya Lake.
The Chalukyas of Badami practiced some of the best customs of Dravidian architecture, a mixture of older South Indian temple construction style and the Nagara style of the North India. This blend is very unique and beautiful and has passed on the Dravidian temple building pattern.
Badami is the site of the 6th-7th century Brahmanical and Jain cave temples. The temples are cut out of solid rock with elaborate interior decorations that speak volumes of art and architecture of that period. There are 4 cave temples connected with each other with a flight of stairs.
Badami is the site of the Brahmin as well as the Jain cave temples of the 6th and the 7th century. These temples cut out of the solid rock and having elaborate interior decorations speak volumes about the full fledged art and style of architecture of that period. Connected with each other with a flight of stairs are four cave temples.
A visit to the entire city of Badami will help you get an incomparable experience of the Hindu and Jain mythologies.
You get back to your hotel late in the evening and have a good night’s sleep at Badami.
Day 5: Badami – Hospet Early, next morning you drive to Hospet (190 Km/ 4 Hours). As you reach there, you are escorted to the hotel.
Late that afternoon, you proceed for Hampi. Hampi is a famous city for the ruins it houses, belonging to the early medieval Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar. It has been declared as a World Heritage Site. The monolithic structures of Hampi, the exquisite temples attract a lot of tourists owing to their excellent workmanship. The splendor of the Vijayanagar Empire can be experienced by observing the Hindu style of architecture found at Hampi. The landscape of Hampi, rugged and aesthetic adds up to the historic ambience of this place.
The Virupaksha Temple of Hampi is a 15th century temple and is located in the Bazaar area. Regarded as one of the oldest monuments of Hampi, it is dedicated to Virupaksha, a form of Lord Shiva. The top of this temple rises about 50 m above the ground. An excellent view of the Hampi Bazaar can be had from the Hemakuta Hill. It is to the south of the Virupaksha Temple and it contains early ruins, Jain temples and a monolithic sculpture of Lord Narsimha, a form of Lord Vishnu. Just two kilometers to the east of the Hampi Bazaar is the Vitthal Temple. It is also a World Heritage Site and was built in the 16th century.
The temple bears carvings of such astounding beauty that they are living proof of the splendor achieved by the artisans of Vijayanagar in those times.
As you return back to you hotel late at night, you stay overnight at Hospet.
Day 6: Hospet – Hussan After a good breakfast at Hospet, you proceed for Hussan (355 Km/ 7 Hours) and reach there late in the afternoon. You are escorted to your hotel.
You have a leisurely day and take a good night’s sleep at Hussan.
Day 7: Hussan Your morning starts from Belur. The Chennakeshava Temple is the main attraction of Belur. It is a temple complex dedicated to Lord Chennakeshava (Handsome Vishnu). King Vishnuvardhana of the Hoysala dynasty built this temple in the Dravidian style. There are many subsidiary shrines around the main temple, which is about one hundred feet high. It also has a magnificent gateway tower. The shrines were conceived in star shaped structures and not in the usual cubical fashion. Due to this concept of satellite, the main temple is really very impressive.
Later, visit Halebidu. Ketumalla was the chief of staff of the Hoysala Kingdom and he built this temple in 1121 A.D and dedicated it to his king, King Vishnuvardhana and the queen Shantala Devi. It is learnt that it took 105 years to complete the construction of this temple. Standing on the platform of the temple, if you look around you will see the opposite hills and two big bulls facing the temple and a Ganesha figure to the south.
Late that afternoon, you visit the Sravanbelgola. It is an important Jain Pilgrim Centre in India. It has a pond and two stony hills- Chandragiri and Indragiri. Chandragiri has the Chandragupta Basadi of the Ganges and the Parashwanatha Basadi situated here is the biggest. There is a Jain Matha situated in the town below the hill. It has very old paintings on its walls. Indragiri bears a Gomata monolith which is 58’ tall and was installed by a Ganga general and scholar Chavundaraya. He also built the Siddhara Basadi, Odegal Basadi, Chennana Basadi and Chauvvisa Tirthankara Basadi and also the finely engraved pillar called the Tyagada Brahma Pillar. It bears floral designs which are breath taking. Up north the town is Jinanathapura which bears the Aregal Basadi and the Shantinatha Basadi of Hoysala times. There are over 500 inscriptions at Sravanabelagola out of which some have recorded death of Jain ascetics and laymen due to starving (sallekhana).
You get back to the hotel late in the evening with a great experience and a lots of memories of Hindu and Jain mythologies and stay overnight at Hussan.
Day 8: Hussan – Mysore Early, next morning you drive to Mysore (115 Km/ 3 Hours). As you reach there you are escorted to the hotel.
After you freshen up, you move out to explore the cultural city of Karnataka, Mysore. Mysore, the second largest city in Karnataka is situated at the base of Chamundi Hills. It is famous for the Dussehra festival celebrations, a time during which thousands of people throng the city.
According to the Hindu mythology, Mysore was ruled by Mahishasura. He was a demon who was later killed by Goddess Chamundeshwari. The area where Mysore stands today was known as Puragere until the 15th century. A fort was constructed by Chamaraja Wodeyar III in the year 1524.
Mysore Palace
The Mysore Palace is the fourth of its kind to be built on the same site. After Tipu Sultan’s death the capital was shifted from Srirangapatnam to Mysore, the Palace was built in haste in wood and mud in a Hindu fashion. In 1801, the Royal family moved into it. However, this Palace was burnt to ashes after a fire broke out during the wedding of Maharaja Chamaraja’s eldest daughter in 1897. Immediately reconstruction of this Palace was undertaken while the Royal family moved into the Jaganmohan Palace. Henry Irwin, an English architect designed the new Palace. The construction work was completed in 1912 and cost about Rs 41 lakhs.
Brindavan Gardens
The Brindavan Gardens are one of the most visited places in Mysore, both by locals and by the tourists. They are located about 19 Km from the heart of the city and are laid out below the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam which is built across the river Kaveri. The Brindavan Gardens are famous for their illuminated dancing fountains which spring to life after the sunset. A superb example of impeccable sense of engineering is the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam, also called as Kannambadi by the locals also attracts a lot of tourists. It was built in 1924 by none other than Sir M Vishveswaraiah, one of India’s finest engineers.
Srirangapatnam Fort
Another prime attraction in Mysore is the famous Srirangapatnam Fort. It was built in the year 1537 by a feudal lord. It is a magnificent structure which is considered to be the second toughest fort in India. The Fort has four main entrances which are known as Delhi, Bangalore, Mysore and Water and Elephant gates. The special feature of this Fort is that it w\has a double wall defense system which makes it invincible. The residence of the legendary Tipu Sultan is inside this Fort. Thus, it is also called as the Tipu Sultan Fort.
You return back to your hotel late at night and stay overnight at Mysore.
Day 9: Mysore Early next morning you drive to Waynad and buck up for a full day excursion to the Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary.
Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary is considered as one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in India. It houses number of endangered and rare species of animals, just like most of the other wildlife sanctuaries in India. Leopard, Sambhar, Panther, Spotted Deer, Cheetal along with over 250 species of birds are found here. Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary is a very popular tourist attraction in south India as it offers an insight of the life of animals and birds. The dam across the river near Beechanahalli is an added treat for visitors.
You enjoy a boating, a jeep ride and some nature walk at this sanctuary and take a firsthand experience of wildlife in India.
By the evening you are back to your hotel where you stay overnight.
Day 10: Mysore - Bangalore You drive to Bangalore (139 Km/ 3 Hours) early next morning. You are escorted to your hotel at Bangalore.
You freshen up yourself comfortably and move out of your hotel to explore the Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore. It is considered as one of the prettiest cities of India as it is blessed with both natural beauty and a metropolitan hustle bustle. It is fondly called the ‘Garden City’ owning to its vast expanse of lovely gardens and parks. The engaging atmosphere and greenery of Bangalore, make it a favorite tourist destination for all the age groups. Bangalore is a city which will enthrall you when you explore it further.
Vidhan Soudha
The Vidhan Saudha was built in the year 1956 and is an impressive building. In its three hundred rooms, the Vidhan Saudha houses approximately twenty two departments of the State Government. The building is about 46 meters tall and is an imposing structure.
Bangalore Palace
The Bangalore Palace is a lovable structure and a glance at this building makes you skip a heartbeat! The Tudor architecture surprises one and all, more so when you find it surrounded with Indian urban scenery. It one of the worth exploring buildings in entire Bangalore. Built in 1887 by the Maharaja of Mysore- Chamaraja Wodeyar, this Palace flaunts turreted parapets, fortified towers, battlements and beautiful arches. This land at that time was valued worth Rs 10 lakh while the whole construction cost about a lakh rupees.
Tipu Sultan's Palace
Located very close to the Fort, the Tipu Sultan Palace is a beautiful building. Today, it is converted into a museum worth exploring. The construction of this Palace was started by Hyder Ali and was completed by Tipu Sultan. It took a decade to plan and properly construct this Palace and it reached the finish line in the year 1791. This Palace was a summer retirement for Tipu Sultan. The columns, curves and balconies are laid with gardens such that both sides of the path leading to the Palace look beautiful and green. The Palace is a double storied flowery wooden structure. It is aptly defined as an “Abode of Happiness”.
After having bagged a wonderful experience of exploring a place of historical importance in a technically sound city, you get back to your hotel and have a good night’s sleep in the Garden City.
Day 11: Bangalore – Hometown After you take your breakfast, you gather your fond memories with a smile and proceed to the Airport and fly back to your hometown.
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