Around Bangalore.. Ideas for the long weekend

http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Kabini backwaters
The next weekend is a Long weekend (Good Friday) and the best thing about Bangalore is that there are so many places nearby that it is worth to get out and get moving for the long weekends. 
I thought of compiling a list of all places that I have been to for a 2 day or a 1 day outing.

I have also linked each of the list to the detailed posts on my blog - in case you need more details to plan your trip

http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Kabini
1. Kabini : This place has a charm of its own - Kabini Backwaters are known for its diverse wildlife and quiet atmosphere away from the hustle of the city.  This is around 210 Kms from Bangalore and only ~60 kms from Mysore.
We went there by our own car and stayed at Jungle Lodges. They have a 1 night and 2 day package which includes food, Nagarhole forest safari and a River safari. 
It was an amazing experience and I would recommend everyone to go there. This trip can be planned over a weekend, but bookings for stay have to be done in advance.

http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Nagarhole Jungle Safari
2. Nagarhole Forest : Relating to the above post, the Nagarhole forest is an adventure in itself. 

Nagarhole forest is at the edge of karnataka and kerala border, and many of the fellow travellers have encountered this place on the way to ooty or wyanad or southern coorg. But what we see while passing through it is just tip of the iceberg, the wildlife and density of this forest is immense. Animals live in their natural habitat and can be visited during the Nagarhole safari.
There is a huge difference between the jungle safari at Nagarhole or Bandipur forest v/s the one in Bannerghatta national park. Here we are in an open jeep, in the midst of a jungle and we have to literally search for animals. The surroundings are more genuine and a bit scary too.

The distance from Bangalore to Nagarhole national park is 224 kms. The best way is to drive your own vehicle or take a hired cab. Public transport is not that great.

My Trip to Nagarhole National Park - Detailed post

http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Butter falls @ Chikmagalur
http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
The iconic restaurant in Chikmagalur
3. Chikmagalur : This is a hill station with major attractions being the home-stays with coffee plantations, driving on the hills, and waterfalls.
Total distance from Whitefield Bangalore to Chikmagalur ~250 Kms
We drove our Honda Amaze from Bangalore and reached there in 5 hours.
Key places to see in Chikmagalur are Mulyanagiri (highest hill top), Baba budnagiri (another hill top) and Buttermilk falls

More Details about my trip to Chikmagalur
http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Belur Temple
http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Vishnu Varaha avtar @ Belur Temple

4. Belur Historical temples : In connection with Chikmagalur, there is another place Belur which is known for its famous Hoysala architecture temple. This can be visited on the way to Chikmagalur or a full day Trip can be planned to visit here. You can do a morning-evening run for Belur - overnight stay is not required. 
This is around 220 Kms from Bangalore and 30Kms from Chikmagalur. Many people plan day-trips to this temple and believe me, it is totally worth it.
It was built in 1117AD by King Vishnuvardhana and it seems this place was build to celebrate their military victory. You could find a lot of art-work covering their National emblem, Horses, Lions and war symbols. There is a main temple of Lord Vishnu and other small side temples of other deities. The main temple has 48 pillars and each pillar is unique in design and art. Outside the temple, each wall has a story to tell.. going around looking at those stone sculptures and figuring out the story which fascinated the artists of that era is indeed a magical experience.

Detailed post about Belur on my blog
http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Periyar Lake in Ooty
5. Ooty : This place needs no introduction, it is by far one of the most popular hill stations in Tamil Nadu. Ooty is around 280 Kms from Bangalore. Known for its Tea gardens, Lakes and botonical gardens, Periyar Lake, it never stops attracting tourists.
Avoid during Peak season as it gets too crowded. 

Here is the detailed article on Ooty Trip
http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Shivasamudram Falls

6. Shivasamudra Waterfalls are one of the most beautiful attractions around Bangalore. It is ~140 kms from the city and is the second biggest waterfall in the country. River Kaveri divides into two branches and each branch cascades down rocky cliffs as the Gaganachukki and the Bharachukki, both are one km away from each other. These spectacular waterfalls are surrounded by hill forests of the Kaveri Wildlife Sanctuary.

My Trip to Shivasamudra Waterfalls

http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Rananathittu Bird Park

http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Baby Crocodile @ Ranganathittu bird watching

7. Ranganathittu Bird sancturary : This Bird Sanctuary is located 140Kms from Bangalore, we visited here on our return journey from Shivasamudram falls - so this could be clubbed together. The best time to go to Ranganathittu is Feb-March because there are umpteem birds and even migratory species could be seen in this season.
We went in August - just after rains, so birds were less and the pool was full of water.
Nonetheless we enjoyed a lot, some pics here...

Here is the detailed article on Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

8. Nandi Hills : Guess every Bangalorean has been here, so how could I miss such a beautiful place my list of Weekend ideas. Nandi hills is a beautiful hillstation in Bangalore. It is around 60-70 kms from the city and is an awesome picnic spot in any weather.. We drove to Nandi hills by our own car Honda Amaze, the drive is superb, easy (a bangalore road driver can manage the turns/ghats) but need to be careful in monsoons as the roads get slippery and visibility is limited.
There is a Karnataka tourism bus also which had a 1 day tour to Nandi hills.

My trip to Nandi Hills - detailed post
http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Nandi Hills
9. Bannerghatta national park is not very far from Bangalore, just 20 to 30 kms range, depending on where you stay in the city. It lies towards the south of the city, in the hills of Anekal range. A small portion of this park is part of the zoo and safari, which can be visited by everyone on a ticket.
I found safari was a bit expensive but they take you to the inside of the jungle and closer to tigers, lions, bears, deer and more animals. The zoo is also nice with all animals under enclosures. I particularly found the butterfly park very beautiful.

Here is the detailed article on Bannerghatta National Park
http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Bannerghatta National Park
10. Lalbagh Gardens : This is located within Bangalore - If you do not want to go anywhere outside Bangalore as it is a challenge to find quiet places and good hotels on long weekends - head to the Lalbagh gardens to spend your day. Leave early morning and reach by 8 or 9AM to avoid crowd and also to avail parking. You can also try Namma Metro - the Lalbagh metro station is very near to the west gate

Detailed article on Lalbagh Gardens on my blog
http://www.bootsandbutter.com/
Rose Garden @ Lalbagh


11. Vythiri Village, Wayanad  Located roughly 300kms from Bangalore, this place is so mesmerizing, there are tea gardens, waterfalls, lakes, hills and bridges. We stayed in Vythiri Village resort which had a lot to do within the resort itself. 

12. Chitradurga  Amazing Forts, Mysterious Caves and Lovely Zoo, this place is very under-rated and is an offbeat location near Bangalore. The road is good, its a simple location, not too touristy, but you must you if you are a history buff. 
Link to the detailed post about my Chitradurga weekend trip from Bangalore

P.S:  All Pictures in this blog are original and clicked from my phone and camera

13 comments

  1. Awesome photos, Very informative post.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I lived in Bangalore for 18 months and explored some of these places; missed out on Kabini, Nagarhole and Chikmanglur. I added Somnathpur, Bheemeshwari, coorg, Nisarddama, bylakuppe, Mysore, etc to my itienary. Rangathittu is a delight for a birder like me and I have been there a number of times. I used to love hanging out at the Butterfly park in Bannergatta too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hope to explore few of these places during my next Bangalore visit, Sneh! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful destination to visit thanks for sharing these all wonderful memories of this tour, i glad to read this tour experience, Same Day Taj Mahal Tour By Car

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nice list... I was. A bit disappointed with Ranganathittu. Thought it would be wild, but it’s more like a park...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for visiting my blog.. yes Ranganathittu is only worth going in the right season when migratory birds arrive!! rest of the year it is quite bland and not worth to go

      Delete
  6. Hey! Great blog.Very insightful.It was a pleasure reading it. I went on a Valley of Flowers Trek. It was so great. For all the nature lovers,it would be heaven for you all. I strongly recommend it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Another Bangalorean- I'm home now Sneh through this post of yours. Thank you! I have been to Bannerghatta on the same trip and stayed in their jungle resorts with my family recently. Ofcourse the trip was a hit with my kids,but what lingered for most part was the early morning walking safari in the jungle and the food. Kabini is next.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great reading this article. It was very nice.
    I would just like to add one more thing about trekking. Nepal is a center of trekking with many great mountains ranges at its feet. The world's highest Everest Base Camp Trek , located in Nepal, is a must-try trek.

    ReplyDelete