Karnataka Heritage Tour

Arrival at Bangalore

The first day begins with your arrival in Bangalore that evening. After collecting your luggage, our representative will meet and guide you to your accommodation.

Known as a prominent IT hub in Karnataka, the state’s capital is ideal for every kind of tourist, despite being called the silicon valley of the world. It is also a popular vacation spot for those who enjoy its cool weather and several lakes and parks. It also has some great restaurants and shopping destinations and is known for its exciting nightlife. For those who like to visit museums and spend time studying the place, the Aerospace Museum is a must-see on the list.

After exploring this wonderful city, the day ends with a good day of rest and overnight stay in Bangalore.

Bangalore to Mysore

The second day starts with a drive to Mysore, the road trip consisting of two important spiritual stops en-route including Somanathaoura and Srirangapatna.

The first stop, Somanathapura is famous for the Chennakeshava Temple built-in 1268 A.D. by Somnath, a Hoysala commander as a homage to the heritage and culture of his empire. The historical building made entirely of soapstone is known for its architectural design and is declared a heritage site by the Archaeological Survey of India.

The second stop Srirangapatna is yet another spiritual site, located on an island surrounded by the Cauvery river. It has a rich history and is said to have been ruled by Hyder Ali and later his son Tipu Sultan, having been the fortress capital of the region.

After visiting these locations we arrive at Mysore, a city known for its rich history and culture, not to mention the variety of historical monuments found here. There are several sites to see here and also several locations to shop for Mysore’s famous sandal products and sweets.

Upon arrival after visiting the holy sites, we will check into the hotel arranged for accommodation and the overnight stay will be at Mysore.

Mysore

The third day of this tour begins with an exploration of the former royal capital with a Royal walk of Mysore with a local expert. This will consist of touring all the historic monuments, colonials links, and the significant royal connections that used to exist along with the more recent history of a famous star who originated here and went on to make it big in Hollywood. The walk will explore one of Mysore's oldest markets, around 125 years old and you will also get to taste Mysore Pak, a famous royal sweet.

After the walk, the afternoon will consist of other famous tourist destinations like the Maharaja’s Palace and the Rajendra’s Art Gallery, both famous for the wonderful selection of art they carry, consisting of works by famous artisans like Raja Ravi Verma and Nicholas Roerich.

After a day filled with exciting places explored, it is time for rest and hence another night spent in Mysore.

Mysore - Shravanabelagola - Belur - Halebid to Hassan

The new day begins with a holy start and visit to Shravanabelagola, with the temple housing the monolithic statue of Bahubali i.e. Gomateshwara, known to be over 17 meters and one of the tallest statues in the world. The Gomateshwara temple is also a famous religious site for Jains who visit the temple every 12 years for the Mahamastakabhisheka event.

Shravanabelagola translates to the white pond of Shravana, named after a pond that continues to exist here. Other than the Gomateshwara temple, Shravanabelagola is also known for the Chandragiri hill where a temple is dedicated to lord Chandragupta Maurya, as it is said that he meditated there with his mentor.

After the religious exploration at Shravanabelagola, we proceeded to Hassan to visit the Belur and Halebid temples there.

While Belur is famous for the Chennakeshava temple, in Halebidu the popular Hoysaleshwara temple will be explored. Belur is often called the ‘Varanasi’ of the south because of the beautiful South Indian architecture found in its religious sites. The Chennakeshava temple is no exception and it is said that it took King Vishnuvardhana over 103 years to build this architectural marvel. The Hoysaleshwara temple, which houses Lord Shiva as it’s the deity, was built by the same architect as Chennakeshava temple- Jakkana Acharya and there are said to be similarities in their structures.

After visiting these two spots, the day concludes with much-needed rest and overnight stay in Hassan.

Hassan to Chitradurga

Day five begins with an early morning drive to Chitradurga. Upon reaching the place we will be checking into the hotel for accommodation.

Also called Chitrkaldurga, this scenic location was named after the umbrella-like hill found here. It is said to be the famous location where the demon king Hidimba, from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, lived with his sister. A place filled with historic tales and myths, there are several key locations to explore here including:

Chitradurga Fort: Said to be the fortress of Tipu Sultan and his predecessor, this fort was built sometime between the 17th and 18th centuries. The location also has a masjid which was said to have been added later on.

Chandravalli cave temples: A cave formed by the amalgamation of three surrounding hills, the Charavalli cave is a famous archeological site consisting of artifacts from the Satavahanas and Hoysala clans.

Hidimbeshwar Temple: One of the oldest temples located within the fort, this temple is said to have a drum that once belonged to Bheem, one of the Pandava brothers from Mahabharata.

Chitradurga - Hospet

The sixth day consists of a full day drive to Hampi.

Hampi is renowned for its rich architectural heritage including temples and royal structures built on its soil by the famous king Krishnadevaraya, during the peak of his rule of the Vijayanagara empire, between the 14th and 16th century. Some of the popular tourist destinations here include the Achyutaraya temple, Sasvekalu Ganesha temple, the Vittala temple, the famous Hampi stone chariot, and much more.

Since it is difficult to get a place to stay within the limited accommodation available in Hampi, people usually prefer to stay in Hospet or Anegundi which is close to the river. The overnight accommodation is hence in Hospet after the 6th day.

Hospet - Hampi - Hospet

The seventh day will consist of a tour of the city of Hampi and return to Hospet. This pattern will continue for the eighth day as well.

The two days spent in Hampi are worth the beautiful experience the location provides with its vast area of scenic architecture marvels left behind by a rich and vast royal empire. Though the town is now a sleepy vacation spot, during yesteryears it was the capital of a huge region of Southern India. The historical ruins attract tourists globally and consist of structures like rock-cut temples, palaces, walls, bazaars, and also a set of elephant stables, visiting which is a popular activity.

Since it is a relatively large area to cover, we recommend that while you hire a guide to get a better understanding during the first day of the stay, it is best to rent a bicycle or travel by foot the second day to make it a more personally enjoyable experience.

The first day of the tour will consist of visiting places like the Hampi stone chariot, which is one of the most famous structures in the city followed by the royal enclosure which was the home of the kings and queens who ruled the Vijayanagara empire. Then temple visits of the Lotus temple, Achyutaraya temples and more will follow.

Hospet - Hampi - Hospet

The eighth day, as mentioned previously will follow a similar pattern as the seventh, though you can either choose to hire a guide or explore the city yourself.

The monuments covered as part of the eighth day will consist of the Dasara Dibba, Virupaksha temple, Gejjala Mantapa, and the Yeduru Basvanna or the famous bull statue.

The two-day Hampi tour will thus encompass a three-night stay in Hospet.

Hospet - Aihole - Pattadakal - Badami

The ninth day will begin with a drive to Badami while visiting Pattadakal and Aihole on the way. Both towns are known for the temples. While Aihole is filled with over 100 temples of both Hindu and Jain significance, Pattadakal is more compact.

The first stop, Aihole is said to have been named after the reaction of a woman (Ayyo Hole, which translates to ‘Oh no! Blood’ who saw the blood Lord Parashuram was washing off his hands after killing his father. Some of the famous temples here include the Durga temple, Megumi, and the Ladh Khan temple.

The second stop, Pattadakal was formerly called ‘Pattadakal Kisuvolal’ which translates to ‘the city of crown rubies’. With over ten temples located here, all dedicated to Lord Shiva, Pattadakal is famous for the blend of north and south Indian architecture found in its temples. Some of the famous temples here include the Virupaksha, Kashi Vishwanatha, and the Jain temples.

The final destination, Badami was a capital of the kingdom that existed in North Karnataka. It is famous for its four cave temples, three of which are of Hindu significance, and the fourth is dedicated to a Jain deity. After a wonderful day filled with religious visits and sightseeing the night will be spent in Badami.

Badami

The last day of the tour will be spent touring the temple and other sightseeing locations in Badami.

The ancient cave temple, the first on the list, is made up of four rock-cut ancient caves connected with stairs. The first three are Hindu temples and the fourth is Jain. The most significant of the four is the third, which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, known for its sculptural elegance and size.

Other than the four temples Badami also has several sightseeing locations like the Badami Museum, Bhoothnath Temple, Malegitti temple, Agastya Teertha Lake, and the Badami fort.

After touring the wonderful town of Badami, the tour concludes with an overnight stay in the city.

Badami - Hubli - Depart

The tour concludes with a drive to Hubli, from which you can either arrange for a flight to Mumbai, Chennai or Bangalore or international departure. Other modes of travel are also available for local travellers.