Lalbagh Botanical Garden Early Morning Walk + Breakfast at MTR
Description
Lalbagh Botanical Gardens present an oasis of fresh air in the midst of chaotic traffic of Bangalore. It is a 240-acre garden which serves as a major lung space, promptly contributing to the pseudonym that Bangalore has earned - The Garden City of India. Lalbagh hosts more than 2100 species of tropical & sub-tropical plants. Other highlights of Lalbagh are - A 3 billion year old rock; A 16-century Watch Tower built by Kempegowda II; A 300-year old White Silk Cotton tree; A 20-million year fossil; A 270-year old Mango tree planted by Hyder Ali in 1760; A 19th century iconic Glass House built by the British; A 150-year old tallest tree of the Garden (of Bangalore too!); A 19 CE British Musical Band stand; and so on. Apart from these, there is a beautiful lake, a lotus pond, a topiary, coffee plants, amazing wood sculptures, flowering trees, etc. The tour ends with a sumptuous breakfast at Mavalli Tiffin Room (except on Monday), a renowned eatery of Bangalore. Come let's go for a Walk!
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Govt. Approved Guide will meet and greet you at the entrance of the West Gate in front of the Ticket Counter. Lalbagh has four gates - East, West, North and South. The West Gate is on the R V Road and near to the Lalbagh Metro station.
Lalbagh, literally meaning 'Red Garden', was laid down by Hyder Ali in 1760 and further expanded to 240 acres by succeeding British and Indian horticulturists. This Garden is host to more than 2000 species of tropical and sub-tropical plants and trees. The Lake itself is an artificial lake giving the morning walkers a beautiful path around it to walk.
As we move from the lake we pass by many types of trees - the Copper pod, Jacaranda, Royal palm, Rain trees, Tulip trees, bamboo, gooseberry tree, coffee plants, etc. Undoubtedly the tree that is the star attraction of Lalbagh is the Ceiba Pentendra, or the White Silk-Cotton Tree, which is about 300 years old and the biggest of 'em all. From here we move towards Glass house passing by a Topiary, Frangipanis, a 20-million year old fossil of a tree, band stand, etc before arriving at the Glass House. This structure was built during the closing years of the 19th century by the British on a style similar to the Crystal Palace in London. Every year, two extraordinary Flower Shows are organized here coinciding with the Indian Independence Day and the Republic Day.
As we move from the Glass house, we cannot but appreciate the cool effect of the Ficus Benjamina trees which forms a boulevard. Around the same area we see a number of Wooden Sculptures made by local artists from trees which had fallen in the Garden in the last 10 years. The Kempegowda tower on top of the Stone Hill was built by the grandson of Kempegowda I who founded Bangalore in the 16th Century. The Stone hill itself is of great geological importance and is estimated to be 3000 million years old. Its a type of granite and is called the Peninsular Gneiss.
From the Glass house, we move towards the Lalbagh main gate or the Northern entrance. We pass by a Japanese Bonsai Garden, beautiful Boganvilla flowers, the tallest Aurocaria tree in the garden, a 270-year old mango tree, a statue of King Chamarajendra Wodeyar the Xth, a floral clock with the theme of Snow white, before arriving at the exit. From here, MTR, is about a five minute walk
Mavalli Tiffin Room or MTR was established in 1924 is an iconic eatery and one of the most popular vegetarian food joints in Bangalore. If you are a visitor to Bangalore, you are expected to have visited MTR and tasted its food. Even if we have to wait for our breakfast due to early morning rush, the wait would be worth it! After a sumptuous breakfast, the guide would say goodbye to the visitors.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Foreign languages Guiding in French, Italian, or German is subject to availability
Reviews(6)
A great walk in this fabulous park / botanical gardens. Very pretty foliage and beautiful lake. Must visit. And follow it with authentic South Indian food at MTR ( opposite the main gate) Park car in the mtr parking and walk across.
We had the absolute pleasure of taking an early morning tour of Lalbagh Botanical Gardens in Bangalore with Varun as our guide — and he was truly outstanding. Varun’s deep knowledge of the trees, their origins, and their ecological and historical significance made the entire experience incredibly rich and engaging. He’s passionate about India’s natural heritage and it shows — every stop along the walk came with fascinating stories and insights, making this so much more than just a garden stroll. Pro tips: Wear comfortable close-toed shoes — you’ll be walking a lot, and it’s worth every step. Bring your curiosity — this is a tour packed with interesting and surprising facts. Come hungry! The breakfast after the tour is delicious, but be mindful — Varun is serious about no food waste, so order only what you can eat! This is one of the most memorable and meaningful tours we’ve done. Highly recommended! (Thank you Varun!!!!)
Varun is such a great tour guide! He was not just knowledgable but enthusiastic about the gardens, which made for a great early morning walk. MTR was absolutely delicious and a fabulous way to end the experience. Thank you, Varun, for being so flexible with two Americans figuring out their way in a new country!
What a wonderful walk!! Varun was not just a guide of the common or "garden" variety! He took us round Lalbagh and showed us so much of the place, but more than everything, he showed such great enthusiasm and spoke so well about all the trees - most of whom he called "friends". It was not just informative but truly invigorating to have such an engaging person talking about what is certainly a miraculous place that Bangalore has to offer. Even breakfast was an enriching experience. More power to Varun and all of Bangalore & Beyond! Kiran & Bhavana
As a walk through Lalbagh we needed a session on socio-cultural history and a horticultural experience for international Students from Michigan State University, visiting us at RV University. Not only did the guide take us to all important spots, he named many species pointed to common and exotic plants. The breakfast at MTR was specially arranged for our largish group of 14 people, we did not have to wait long as it was pre-booked. It was a very pleasant day and the guests were Bangalored.
