Day trip to UNESCO Belur+Shravanbelgola+Coffee & Spice Plantation
Description
If you wanted to see some of the most intricate sculptures ever made in stone, this is your tour; If you wanted to understand the basics of Jain religion & listen to the extraordinary story of Bahubali, this is your tour; If you wanted to stretch your legs & climb the 640-step Vindhyagiri hill for a stunning view of the landscape, this is your tour; If you wanted to take a day off from Bangalore & view rocks, hills, rice/sugarcane fields, lakes, rural life, local markets, etc. this is your tour; If you ever wanted to walk thro' Coffee plantation & understand its nuances, this is your tour; If you ever wanted to see & smell pepper, clove, all-spice, ginger, turmeric, curry leaves, etc. naturally, this is your tour. Join us on this day trip to visit the 12th CE Belur temple & the 10th CE Shravanabelagola temple, with vegetarian lunch included. (1) The driver will pick you up from hotel while the guides will join you at each site of visit. (2) Please carry extra pair of socks & rainwear.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The driver will meet you at the Reception/lobby at the appointed hour. He will then drive you to Belur giving a toilet break in between. You can watch wonderful countryside on the way - rice fields, coconut trees, sugarcane fields, hills, water bodies, village life, etc. You can stop by almost anywhere to take pics.
The extraordinary Channakeshava temple of Belur was built in the 12th CE by Vishnuvardhana who was the greatest king of the Hoysala dynasty. The Hoysala dynasty ruled from 10th to 14th Century AD. They were largely contemporary of Cholas of Tamil Nadu. Vishnuvardhana built the Belur temple to commemorate two things - victory over the Chola king as well as conversion from Jainism to Vaishnavism. From Belur, it takes about 2 hours of drive to arrive at Shravanabelagola.
We visit a local coffee plantation in the outskirts of Beluru and appreciate the story of Coffee in the area. We will also witness a few spices grown in the area.
Shravanabelagola, literally meaning 'the white pond of the jain monk', houses the tallest monolithic statue in the World. It was carved out by a monolithic block of stop atop the Vindhyagiri in 983 AD by Chavundaraya, a Jain follower of the region. Sharavanabelogola is the most important Jain pilgrimage centre in South India. Bangalore is about 3 hours drive from Shravanabelagola.
From Shravanabelagola, we drive to Bangalore. We can stop by for toilet or for a snack/early dinner break. There are a number of eating options on the highway to Bangalore.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
The driver or guide will meet you at the Reception of the hotel you are staying or at the exit of the property that you need to be picked up.
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
Reviews(3)
Interested in a breathtaking — literally — adventure? Then this is your trip. From a (challenging) hike to an amazing statue, to a quaint coffee and spice farm (with a delicious lunch and lovely hosts, not to mention a cute puppy), to a stunning temple - it was a great day, enhanced by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide, Varun.
Awe-inspiring sites with guides providing solid historical and cultural context. Even my driver was great: we stopped on the way for a delicious full regional breakfast where he made sure to enable me to sample everything. The coffee and spice plantation was a unique and wonderful way to round out the tour: a delight to see/smell/taste different parts of the spice plants being grown, and home-grown coffee (good!)
This trip is amazing. Unique cultural heritage temples revealing the rich Indian cultural and religious facettes. Our guide Raghu was nice, knowledgeable and fun which made the trip a very pleasant experience. This trip is a perfect escape from the busy, noisy Bangalore and to my view a hidden gem. We didn't meet many other tourists. Time spent to get to see those temples is considerable, but truly it's worth it. Safely been picked-up and brought back to the hotel we had a beautiful day full of impression visiting three remarkable and spiritual places.
