Day trip from Bangalore to Mysore, Somnathapura & Srirangapatna
Description
Mysore is the Cultural capital of Karnataka and is a must-visit if you can take a day off from Bangalore. The magnificent Mysore Palace, the 13th CE Keshava temple of Somanathapur, the 15th CE Srirangapatna Fort, the 18th CE Tipu Palace 'Daria Daulat Bagh', etc. can all hold you spellbound. While driving you can watch lush rice fields, sugarcane fields, palm trees, mulberry, banana plantations, birds, rivers, mountains, villages, etc. whizz by. Also, enjoy a typical South Indian Vegetarian lunch. Mysore is famous for Silk, Sandalwood, Rosewood etc. You may visit reputed shops which sell these souvenirs, if you wish. And please note: there are always surprise visits in store when you are with us! (1) It is suggested that you finish breakfast before starting. (2) The driver will pick you from your hotel and will be with you until the end. (3) The guide will join you at the first visit and will be with you until the last visit. (4) Please carry socks to wear while walking barefoot.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Keshava temple at Somanthapur has been recently classified as a World Heritage monument by UNESCO. It is an extraordinary temple built in the 13th CE during the reign of the Hoysala dynasty. It is one of the top 3 temples among the 92 built by Hoysalas during their reign. The temple is built on a star-shaped platform with high-quality sculptures all around. The most prominent features of this temple are the highly symmetric & geometric lathe-turned pillars; 16 ceilings inside the temple with each one different but with a motif of banana flower; exquisite statues of Venugopala & Janardhana in 2 of the 3 sanctum sanctora; the highly intricate vimanas; 480 elephants carved on the bottom level with each one different from the other; a galaxy of gods & goddesses; etc. It took 500 artists about 40 years to build this temple which was later vandalized by the marauding Mughals in the 14th CE. It stands abandoned from a ritualistic perspective but stands tall as an artistic achievement.
The Mysore Palace is the most extravagant and luxurious palace in South India. It is called the "Palace of Versailles" of India. It was built in 1912 in Indo-Saracenic style with the Chief Architect being Henry Irwin, an Englishman. The grandeur of Mysore Palace is such that it is embellished with - tiles from England, marble from Italy, Chandeliers from Czechoslovakia, cast iron pillars & stained glasses from Scotland, teak wood from Burma, jaguar bronze statues from England, etc. The Mysore palace stands in the middle of a sprawling 45 acres of land which houses many temples as well. It is divided into two halves - one (better) half managed by the State Govt while the other belongs to the royal Wodeyar family. The fame of Mysore Palace is such that it attracts more visitors annually than the Taj Mahal!
Srirangapatna is a historic town that was the former capital of the Wodeyar dynasty and later of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Srirangapatna is actually an island formed by two arms of the river Kaveri which is considered as the Ganges of the South. It is a town enclosed in a double-walled fortress which was first built in the 16th CE and later fortified in the 18th CE. This fort is surrounded by water on 3 sides and a moat dug around on one side. Srirangapatna has a string of attractions both for Indian as well as International visitors such as - the fort itself; Sriranganatha temple; Col. Bailey's dungeon; ruins of Tipu palace inside the fort; the impressive summer palace 'Daria Daulat Bagh' outside the fort; mausoleum of Tipu 'Gumbaz'; river ghats for bathing and rituals; the place where Tipu's dead body was found; Jami Masjid & its minarets; etc. A drive around the fort area and a visit to Tipu Palace is suggested.
Daria Daulat bagh, literally meaning "Wealthy Garden" is a charming palace built in late 18th CE. The palace & garden was created by Tipu Sultan to house his harem outside the Fort area. This palace has much more to offer than what it's somber facade suggests - the largest battle-scene murals in the country; vibrant floral motifs drawn with vegetable colors; 200-year-old block-printed silk adorning the ceilings; pencil sketches of Tipu Sultan's final moments before dying on the battlefield; medallion minted by the British to honor its soldiers; a painting that captures the fall of Srirangapatna; beautiful paintings of Forts held by Tipu; ornate teak wood carvings all around; period furniture from 18th CE; swords & other weapons from Tipu's armory; a 3-D painting of Tipu by John Zoffany whose eyes & shoes follow you 180 degrees; cannons & cannon balls in the vicinity of the palace; beautiful mango trees, araucarias, mahoganies, etc in the garden; pigeon holes at the entrance; and so on!
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Clients should send address and location from where they want to be picked up from, through TA/Viator communication
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not advisable for children below 5 Years
- Total Duration: 13 hours includes the travel time
- We can accommodate dietary needs such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, etc. If you have any dietary requirements, please indicate it to the special requirements at the time of booking
Reviews(8)
I had a wonderful trip with a fantastic driver and local guide, they went out of their way to make the day enjoyable and informative. I'm so grateful they could accommodate me on just a day's notice
This whole day trip to Mysore Palace was truly memorable. The time with our guides Vanaja and Raghu was very enjoyable and filled with pleasant conversations. Along the way we have visited some sights and learned the meaning and the most important information. Alltogether a great day with great guides. If you are searching for guided but also personal activities around Bangalore I highly recommend Bangalore & Beyond. Thank you for the experience!
I hate writing a bad review, but we were truly disappointed with our experience. Our driver and guide originally stated we should leave by 7:30am, changed it to 8am the day of (he later said he had had a late night from another tour), and then was still late picking us up due to traffic. The drive up to the Mysore area was pleasant, and I want to emphasize that our guide was definitely a knowledgable and friendly man. But he spent the tour mostly talking about the religious history of India. We learned very little about the sites we were seeing in terms of historical events, figures, or even the nuances of the art for most things. Throughout the palace, he kept saying that what we were seeing was boring and nothing compared to the temple stop later. Even if this was true (and I found them to be too different to compare), it was disheartening to be told that a looked forward to (and likely very interesting if we had gotten to learn more about the art and architecture within!) stop was apparently pointless. Our guide also didn't realize that we had already prepaid for the palace visit, and did not bring the necessary cash for our tickets. We had to pay, and he later made it right by stopping at an atm on the way to our hotel to repay us. At several points in the trip, he would pull the car over to lecture on Hindu religious beliefs or show us pictures from his phone of other temples he had visited. We ended up running quite behind and felt rushed through the temple as it was nearly closing time when we arrived. He also had us read directions from his phone and stressed out while joking about driving at night or through Bangalore's traffic, leaving us feeling less than taken care of. Overall, the tour felt haphazard and like we didn't really get to learn more about the sites than we would have by just visiting on our own. I hate to say it when the guide truly was nice and clearly very passionate about temples, but I cannot recommend a haphazard tour such as this to others.
We are very surprised by this review too! The guide in question, Varun, has had stellar outings on different tours, and has always scored a 5-star rating! Having said this, we take this review seriously and will assure you that we shall strive not to repeat the same mistakes again. We wish to compensate in some way for the bad day you have had. We can recommend a full refund, or, extend a complimentary tour (a different one or the same) when you are here in Bangalore next. Please let us know your preference. Looking forward to your reply!
The tour guide Varun was fantastic. He was friendly, very knowledgeable and a great conversationalist, perfect for a private tour. We got off to an early start to avoid the Bengaluru traffic. This was a great move. We were the first visitors to the Summer Palace and had the whole place to ourselves, allowing plenty of time for the guide to point out details and share information on each element of the palace. The Mysuru Palace was next on the agenda. It was quite busy but not overwhelming. It is a stunning palace, and I got some great photos as well as hearing some great history and stories from Varun. The final stop was the Somnathpur temple. The attention to detail involved in the building of this temple is magnificent. I highly recommend this tour, it’s well worth the long day.
They treated us so well. Our guide answered all of our questions. The driver made the trip very comfortable.
The driver was right on time and ready to go! We had our own car for the 2 of us. The car was clean and had extra water for us. The drive was a long one there, but we got to see a lot of the landscape and countryside after getting out of Bangalore (which took quite a bit). Out tour guide was amazing! She was very knowledgeable about the places and overall area we visited. We got a treat as well to get personal experience with how jaggery is made. Also, the restaurant chosen for lunch was really good and offered a variety of dishes. The car ride back was another long ride back, but overall the trip was worth it and we got to see, experience and learn a lot!
Fantastic guide - very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Loved seeing the sights. Be prepared for heavy crowds at the palace - at least when we were there! I loved the temple the most!
This was a great trip! Mr. Nizamuddin was my driver and he was cheerful and friendly, making the long trip more pleasant =) and Mr. Devaraj guided me through the several sites making me relive the greatness of the maharajas as well as the sacredness of Hindu temples. A packed trip but absolutely worth it!
