Weekend breaks or Day trips from Bangalore

Note: Updated with multiple new places as of 16th June 2019

This being the popular post among readers, I wanted to update with more details and make the format easy to read. Share with your loved ones and have wonderful time during holidays and weekends. Enjoy the nature and be with it. Have great Weekends. 

You should be very lucky if you are in Bangalore, yes there are plenty of places which are very close to Bangalore than any other place in India, that too of all sorts. It may be very confusing to decide on some place looking at the extensive list. Hence, I decided to categorize them and add many photos and details for you to decide based on your taste and interest. With the categories and the “Quick Reference Table”, I am sure you will be able to decide.

If you are looking for the places inside Bangalore, then you may want to check my other blogpost with photos and details, planning etc. http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2015/07/places-in-bangalore-important-places-to.html

First things first, always start early before sunrise to avoid the traffic and have breakfast on the way, this will help you reach the place soon. You will get plenty of time to see the place around and spend quality time. At few of the places, you might need to stay overnight and return on the next day, so Saturday / Sunday is well spent. Carry water and healthy local fruits to munch.

Some of the major categories of the places are

1. Hill stations
2. Palace and Casual day outing
3. Historical monuments with complex and intricate carvings and sculptures
4. Rivers and waterfalls
5. Nature, Wildlife, Bird watching and photography
6. Trekking spots
7. Hill temples
8. Temples and other divine places
9. Landscapes, Nature, Dam, Reservoirs
10. Caves
11. Resorts for relaxation casual day outing

IMPORTANT: For Mobile readers, I suggest you keep your mobile in landscape mode to read the tables in a better way. I also suggest you can download this web page as a PDF and read it offline. Also you can share the PDF file with your friends. 

Click my blog post link inside the tables to visit respective blog for more photos and details. Please feel free to provide your suggestions to improve this post in comments section below. 

Hill Stations

   

Chikmagalur
Distance	240 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days)
Places to see	Mullayanagiri Peak 1925 meters high completely drivable, Baba Budangiri Cave temple and hills, Kemmangundi hill station, Hebbe falls and multiple other water falls, Temples like Sringeri, Annapoorneshwari Temple etc
Stay options	Plenty of Resorts, Homestays and Hotels at Chikmagalur town
Food	Where you stay and plenty of options in town
Best time to visit	Best time is to visit right after rains i.e. between September and March. But anytime is good. April to June is relatively hot and dry.
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2016/09/chikmagalur-and-nearby-places.html

Birth place of Cauvery river  

Coorg or Madikere
Distance	250 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days)
Places to see	Tibetan Golden Temple in Bylakuppe, Nisargadama, Abbi Falls, Talakaveri + Bhagamandala (where the river Kaveri is beginning its journey), Raja seat and Omkareshwara Temple
Stay options	Plenty of Resorts, Homestays and Hotels at Madikere town
Food	Where you stay and plenty of options in town
Best time to visit	Best time is to visit right after rains i.e. between September and March. But anytime is good. April to June is relatively hot and dry.
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/06/coorg-madikeri-kakkabe.html

Sakleshpur
Distance	240 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days)
Places to see	Lovely meadows, Hills, Views, Bisle Ghat and view point, Kukke Subramanya temple, Manjarabad fort, Waterfalls, Green route trek is on the old railway track from Sakleshpur to Kukke (But I guess it is banned now), Betta Byraeshwara temple on hill top, Kumara parvatha trekking is also famous here. Belur and Halebidu can also be covered, but I suggest a separate day for these temples.
Stay options	Plenty of Resorts, Homestays and Hotels in and around Sakleshpur town
Food	Where you stay and plenty of options in town
Best time to visit	Best time is to visit right after rains i.e. between September and March. But anytime is good. April to June is relatively hot and dry.
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/06/dharmastala-kukke-bisle-ghat-udupi.html

Yercaud
Distance	230 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days)
Places to see	Botanical garden, Sunrise from Pagoda polnt, Sunset from Gents seat, Fireflies at Rose garden(late evenings), Cave temple at Shervarayon hill and view point, Kiliyur falls
Stay options	Plenty of Resorts, Homestays and Hotels in and around Yercaud town
Food	Where you stay and plenty of options in town
Best time to visit	Best time is to visit right after rains i.e. between September and March. But anytime is good. April to June is relatively hot and dry.
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2018/03/yercaud-salem-and-nearby-places.html

Yelagiri
Distance	165 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days)
Places to see	Murugan temple, Nature park, Punganoor Lake, Jalagamparai falls, Swamimalai Hills. Vellore is close by.
Stay options	Plenty of options, check review sites and choose
Food	Where you stay and plenty of options in town
Best time to visit	Best time is to visit right after rains i.e. between September and March. But anytime is good. April to June is relatively hot and dry.
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	Not visited yet, will update in future

Historical monuments with complex and intricate carvings and sculptures

Belur, Halebidu, Belavadi, Shravanabelagola (World Famous Temples)
Distance	220 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days)
Places to see	Belur - Chennakesava temple, Halebidu - Hoysaleswara temple, Halebidu - Kedareshwara temple, Halebidu - Jain temple, Shravanabelagola - Bahupali statue, Belavadi - Veera Narayana temple, Doddagaddavalli - Lakshmi Devi temple
Local Guides	Available on request, Charges approx Rs.250/= plus (might change time to time)
Speciality	World famous and very highly complex and so intricate carvings, one of the wonders of the world and a MUST see. Photos should tell more than the words, I have gone 4 to 5 times and each time I stare at sculptures as though I have not seen them before. Wov….. superb, amazing !!
Stay options	Hassan town has few options including Hoysala Village resort, Mallige Residency, Hotel Hassan Ashok,
Food	Hassan town has options. You may not find good eateries near these monuments, hence carry enough snacks and water.
Best time to visit	Anytime, Throughout the year
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	Belur, Halebidu Photography Feature Blog: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2016/06/belur-halebidu-belavadi-photo-feature.html Belur, Halebidu Blog: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/05/belur-halebidu-and-somanathapura.html Shravanabelagola:http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/05/shravanabelagola-vindyagiri-and.html Belavadi: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/05/belavadi-veera-narayana-temple.html Doddagaddavalli:http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/05/doddagaddavalli-lakshmi-devi-temple.html

Somanathapura, Thalakkad
Distance	140 Kms
Time Needed	8 to 10 hours including driving
Places to see	Chennakesava Temple, Talakkad Panchalinga Darshan and Sand, Shivanasamudra Falls
Local Guides	Available on request, Charges approx Rs.250/= plus (might change time to time)
Speciality	Same as Belur, Halebidu. Very good carvings and sculptures, Beautiful Chennakeshava. Really cool and amazing.
Stay options	Bangalore.
Food	Kanakapura has few options, but suggest you carry food or snacks and water.
Best time to visit	Anytime, Throughout the year
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/07/somanathapura-talakkad-and.html

Lepakshi Veerabhadra Temple
Distance	135 Kms
Time Needed	6 to 8 hours including driving
Places to see	Lepakshi Veerabhadra Temple which has murals, great carvings and sculptures, Big Nandi statue at Lepakshi, Veerapuram which has painted storks on the way and Rangasthala temple
Local Guides	Available on request, Charges approx Rs.250/= plus (might change time to time)
Speciality	Hanging Pillars, Murals on Ceilings, Huge Nandi, and beautiful sculptures
Stay options	Bangalore.
Food	On the Highway you will find many options. Use Google to stop by restaurants.
Best time to visit	Anytime, Throughout the year
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/08/lepakshi-veerapuram-and-rangasthala.html

Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple
Distance	55 Kms
Time Needed	3 to 5 hours including driving
Places to see	Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple, Nandi Hills
Local Guides	Not seen any guides here.
Speciality	Beautiful old temple with a great tower with lots of sculptures and carvings, perforated decorative windows with sculptures. Really amazing to see.
Stay options	Bangalore.
Food	On the Highway you will find many options. Nandi Upachar, Use Google to stop by restaurants.
Best time to visit	Anytime, Throughout the year
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2017/06/bhoga-nandeeshwara-temple-near-bangalore.html

Melukote
Distance	150 Kms from Bangalore and 50 Kms from Mysore
Time Needed	5 to 8 hours including driving
Places to see	Cheluvanarayana temple, Yoga Narasimha temple on hill top, Huge Temple Tank
Local Guides	Not seen any guides here.
Speciality	Very ancient temple for God Narasimha on a small hill with beautiful surroundings, Beautiful carved pillars and sculptures at Cheluvarayana temple below.
Stay options	Bangalore.
Food	At Melukote you will find two to three local mess which are good to try. Don’t foget to try the “Melukote Puloyogare” (tamarind rice) which is the speciality
Best time to visit	Anytime, Throughout the year
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/07/melukote-and-kokkare-bellur.html

Chitradurga Fort
Distance	200 Kms
Time Needed	8 to 10 hours including driving, You might take around 2-3 hours to see around all the places here, a good trekking spot.
Places to see	If you happen to visit this on Sunday, you can meet India’s spiderman Jyothi Raju who climbs the fort walls with bare hands. Google for his name to see videos. Refer wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyothi_Raj
Local Guides	Available on request, Charges approx Rs.300/= plus (might change time to time)
Speciality	Beautiful 17th century fort
Stay options	Bangalore.
Food	On the Highway you will find many options. Use Google to stop by restaurants.
Best time to visit	Anytime, Throughout the year, avoid April and May as it might be very hot.
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit my blog: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/05/chitradurga-fort-or-kallina-kote-and.html

Vellore Fort and Jalakanteshwara Temple
Distance	215 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days), Combine with Thiruvannamalai as well
Places to see	Jalakanteshwarar Temple, Vellore Fort and Museum, Golden Temple at Sripuram, Ratnagiri Hill temple, Thiruvannamalai Temple
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Ancient Temple and the Fort complex is very beautiful, the Golden Temple in evening glitters
Stay options	Vellore and Thiruvannamalai towns has many options.
Food	Vellore and Thiruvannamalai towns has many options.
Best time to visit	Anytime, Throughout the year
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/10/ratnagiri-vellore-thiruvannamalai.html

Ramalingeshwara Temple, Avani
Distance	125 Kms
Time Needed	6 to 8 hours including driving
Places to see	Very old historical temples i.e. Ramalingeshwara group of temples, Seetha devi temple on the hill,
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Old historical ASI monument
Stay options	No
Food	On the way at NH
Best time to visit	Anytime
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	Not visited yet, will update in future

Kere Thonnur (or) Thondanur and Hosaholalu
Distance	140 Kms from Bangalore and 30 Kms from Mysore
Time Needed	10 to 12 hours including driving (Bangalore), 1 hour drive from Mysore
Places to see	1. Nambi Narayana Swamy Temple 2. Sri Gopalakrishna swamy Temple with Sridevi and Bhudevi 3. Yoganarasimha and Sri Ramanujacharya Temple 4. Venkataramana Temple on the small hills - you can drive up to see the beautiful view of entire Kere Thonnur lake from here. 5. Statue of Shri Ramanujacharya and the lake Thonnur 6. Lakshmi Narayana Temple at Hosaholalu - Here three shrines are there. Venugopala on left, Lakshmi narayana in middle and Prahladha on right side 7. Bhuvaraha swamy Temple Note: Check the Nearby place Melukote if you have lots of time.
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Very old Vaishnavaite temples with inscriptions and Ramanujacharya statue, Beautiful Lakshmi Narayana Temple with intricate carvings
Stay options	Bangalore.
Food	On the way to Mandya you get to see plenty of options in NH, but none in this village. So carry enough snacks and water. Try the local fresh coconut in this village. If you have plans to visit Melukote you can have lunch there. Visit my blog for more details.
Best time to visit	Anytime, Throughout the year
Nearby Places	Melukote, Visit http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/07/melukote-and-kokkare-bellur.html

Note: For the list of all the historical monuments in Karnataka, refer this ASI website(ASI - Archaeological Survey of India) http://asi.nic.in/asi_protected_monu_karnataka.asp 

Palaces and Other Casual day outing places

Mysore Palace and Nearby places
Distance	150 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days)
Places to see	Mysore Palace(MUST SEE), Chamundeshwari Temple, Big Nandi at Chamundi hill on the way to Chamundeshwari temple, 157-Acre Big Zoo, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Balmuri Falls, Brindhavan Garden or KRS Dam, Nanjangud Temple, Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapatna, Somanathapura, Talakkadu, Shivanasamudra waterfalls, Kokkare Belluru,
Stay options	Plenty of options at Mysore
Food	Where you stay and plenty of options in town
Best time to visit	Anytime of the year
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/search/label/Mysore%20and%20nearby

Shiva Vilas Palace, Sandur
Distance	316 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days), 6 to 7 hours of drive (one side)
Places to see	Palace where you stay, Kumaraswamy Temple, Hampi is close by as well
Stay options	The heritage Shiva Vilas Palace, http://shivavilaspalacehotel.com/
Food	At the Palace you stay
Best time to visit	Anytime of the year, After rains i.e. between September to February is beautiful
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2016/04/sandur-kumaraswamy-temple-and-shiva.html

Ramanagara Anjaneya Statue, Near Channapatna

Channapatna Wooden Toys
Distance	67 Kms
Time Needed	4 to 6 hours including driving
Places to see	You can buy beautiful wooden toys, from here they are exported all over the world
Stay options	Bangalore
Food	On the way at NH, plenty of options and in Bangalore
Best time to visit	Anytime of the year
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2016/04/sandur-kumaraswamy-temple-and-shiva.html

Wonderla Amusement Park
Distance	28 Kms
Time Needed	8 to 10 hours
Places to see	Famous amusement park close to Bangalore, Visit their site for details: http://www.wonderla.com/bangalore-amusement-park/  (Water rides, Dry rides, High-thrill rides, Kids rides etc)
Stay options	You can also stay at wonderla resort right next to theme park
Food	At the park and in Bangalore
Best time to visit	Anytime of the year
My blog Link for more photos and complete details

Big Banyan Tree and Manchanabele dam
Distance	28 Kms, Google Map Link
Time Needed	2 to 3 hours
Places to see	Manchanabele Dam is closeby. The Dodda Alada Mara (big banyan tree) is very beautiful as well
Stay options	Bangalore
Food	Bangalore
Best time to visit	Anytime of the year
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	Check the photos above

Rivers and Waterfalls

Kabini River and Backwater
Distance	215 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay, 2 days
Places to see	Riverside nature, Wild life safari, Bird and Animal watching, Photography, Kabini Dam, Nagarhole National park safari, Irpu falls, Rameshwara Temple, Banasura Sagar Dam
Local Guides	You get a guided Safari from where you stay
Speciality	During guided safari, you get to see lots of animals and birds
Stay options	Plenty of options including Jungle Lodges (www.junglelodges.com/kabini-river-lodge/), but you need to book well in advance as this is been occupied by photographers very often. Check Water woods resort and The Serai as well.
Food	Where you stay
Best time to visit	After rains (at summer it might be dry and there may not be water or little water and very less chances of sighting animals).
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Not visited yet, will update in future

Bheemeshwari Riverside
Distance	105 Kms
Time Needed	6 to 8 hours including driving. You can also stay at Jungle Lodges and Resorts here.
Places to see	Riverside scenery, Galibore is also very close by, Bird watching, Scenery, Good picnic spot
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Beautiful scenery of the river
Stay options	Jungle Lodges and Resorts incase if you want to stay/relax at riverbed http://www.junglelodges.com/bheemeshwari-adventure-and-nature-camp/
Food	On the way at Kanakapura you might find one or two options
Best time to visit	After rains there will be water (at summer it might be dry and there may not be water or little water).
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Been there and stayed at the resort once, but don’t have any photos to share, will update with photos after visit in future. Google should help you.

Galibore Riverside
Distance	105 Kms
Time Needed	6 to 8 hours including driving, You can also stay at Jungle Lodges and Resorts here.
Places to see	Riverside scenery, Bird watching, Scenery, Good picnic spot, Bheemeshwari is closeby
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Beautiful scenery of the river
Stay options	Jungle Lodges and Resorts incase if you want to stay/relax at riverbed. http://www.junglelodges.com/galibore-nature-camp/
Food	On the way at Kanakapura you might find one or two options
Best time to visit	After rains there will be water (at summer it might be dry and there may not be water or little water).
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	I have not been there yet, will update with photos after visit in future. Google should help you.

Mekadatu and Sangama Riverside
Distance	200 Kms
Time Needed	6 to 8 hours including driving
Places to see	Chunchi falls is on the way, This is a confluence of two rivers and very good scenic place. Please be very careful get into water only at specific places with assistance from locals, There may be crocodiles at some places and sign boards are also there.
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Beautiful scenery of the river
Stay options	None
Food	On the way at Kanakapura you might find one or two options
Best time to visit	After rains there will be water (at summer it might be dry and there may not be water or little water).
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Been there few times long time back, but don’t have any photos to share, will update with photos after visit in future. Google should help you.

Chunchi Waterfalls
Distance	100 Kms
Time Needed	6 to 8 hours including driving
Places to see	Waterfalls, Sangama and Mekadatu are very close from here as well.
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Waterfalls
Stay options	None
Food	On the way at Kanakapura you might find one or two options
Best time to visit	After rains there will be water (at summer it might be dry and there may not be water or little water).
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Been there few times long time back, but don’t have any photos to share, will update with photos after visit in future. Google should help you.

Balmuri Waterfalls Near Ranganathittu
Distance	145 Kms
Time Needed	6 to 8 hours including driving
Places to see	Cauvery River, knee-deep and sometimes ankle-deep, many take bath here, But be very careful, before you get into water check the water flow and take all precautionary measures. Mysore is very close from here, you can also plan this along with your Mysore trip.
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Cauvery river bed
Stay options	Mysore
Food	At Mysore or on the Way to Mysore on NH.
Best time to visit	After rains there will be water (at summer it might be dry and there may not be water or little water).
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Been there few times long time back, but don’t have any photos to share, will update with photos after visit in future. Google should help you.

Hoganekkal Waterfalls
Distance	180 Kms
Time Needed	8 to 10 hours including driving
Places to see	Waterfalls. Please be extra careful. Take all precautionary measures if you are getting into water.
Nearby places	Panchapalli reservoir and dam (check my sxclusive blog on this)
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Waterfalls
Stay options	None
Food	On the way, at the NH near Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri
Best time to visit	After rains there will be water (at summer it might be dry and there may not be water or little water).
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Been there few times long time back, but don’t have any photos to share, will update with photos after visit in future. Google should help you.

Shivanasamudram Waterfalls
Distance	138 Kms
Time Needed	8 to 10 hours including driving
Places to see	Waterfalls. Cannot take bath, just a scenery. Talakkadu and Somanathapura temples are on the way to this.
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Waterfalls
Stay options	None
Food	On the way at Kanakapura you might find one or two options
Best time to visit	After rains there will be water (at summer it might be dry and there may not be water or little water).
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/07/somanathapura-talakkad-and.html

Nature, Wildlife, Bird watching and photography

Note: Kabini is a perfect place for Wildlife. Refer the previous section “Rivers and waterfalls” for the details on Kabini. I did not want to have same table and details again here.

Bandipur
Distance	138 Kms
Time Needed	3 to 4.5 hours including driving
Places to see	Wild life safari, Bird and Animal watching, Photography, Moyar river gorge, Gopalaswamy Betta visit
Local Guides	At the resort
Speciality	Birds and Animal Safari
Stay options	Jungle Lodges and Resorts, Windflower Tusker trails, and many other options
Food	Where you stay
Best time to visit	Any time of the year. During summer it might be very hot. Just after rains it might be so green and you get to see lots of animals. Best season is between September to February.
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Check my exclusive blog on Bandipur - http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2015/05/bandipur-national-park-and-tiger-reserve.html

Masinagudi
Distance	250 Kms
Time Needed	5 to 6 hours including driving
Places to see	Mudumalai and Bandipur Wild life safari, Bird and Animal watching, Photography, Theppakadu Elephant camp
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Wildlife, Photography, Nature
Stay options	Jungle Retreat and many other options
Food	Where you stay
Best time to visit	After rains it will be lush green, during summer (March till May) it might be dry and hot. Best season is between September to February.
Blog Link for more photos and complete details

Devala
Distance	276 Kms
Time Needed	8 to 10 hours including driving
Places to see
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Waterfalls
Stay options	Wild Planet Resort (http://wildplanetresort.com/), Ecospace Resort (http://www.ecoscape.co.in/) and few other options
Food	Where you stay
Best time to visit	After rains it will be lush green, during summer (March till May) it might be dry and hot. Best season is between September to February.
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Not visited yet, will update in future

BR (Biligiri Ranga) Hills
Distance	176 Kms
Time Needed	5 to 6 hours including driving
Places to see	Gopalasamy betta temple, Wildlife safari, Birds and animal watching, Photography
Local Guides	Guide at Resort
Speciality	Birds and Animals, photography
Stay options	Jungle Lodges and Resorts (http://www.junglelodges.com/kyathadevara-gudi-wilderness-camp/)
Food	Where you stay
Best time to visit	After rains it will be lush green, during summer (March till May) it might be dry and hot. Best season is between September to February.
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2018/01/biligiriranga-hills-and-kgudi.html

Bannerghatta National Park
Distance	Within Bangalore Limits
Time Needed	7 to 8 hours including driving
Places to see	Butterfly park, Zoo, Lion/Tiger safari
Local Guides	Guided safari
Speciality	Wildlife
Stay options	Jungle Lodges and Resorts (http://www.junglelodges.com/bannerghatta-nature-camp/)
Food	Bangalore or at resort if you stay
Best time to visit	After rains it will be lush green, during summer (March till May) it might be dry and hot. Best season is between September to February.
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit My Blog on “Places in Bangalore”: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2015/07/places-in-bangalore-important-places-to.html

Nagarhole
Distance	230 Kms
Time Needed	6 to7 hours including driving
Places to see	Wild safari, Bird and Animal sighting and photography, Irpu falls, Kutta village, Thirunelly temple
Local Guides	At resort
Speciality
Stay options	Jungle Inn, Kings Sanctuary and few other homestays
Food	Where you stay
Best time to visit	After rains it will be lush green, during summer (March till May) it might be dry and hot. Best season is between September to February.
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Not visited yet, will update in future

Dubare
Distance
Time Needed	6 to7 hours including driving
Places to see	White water rafting, Treks, Wild safari, Bird and Animal sighting and photography,
Local Guides	At resort
Speciality	White water rafting
Stay options	Jungle Lodges and Resorts (http://www.junglelodges.com/dubare-elephant-camp-hobli/ ), Coorg Dale homestay, The last resort,
Food	Where you stay
Best time to visit	After rains it will be lush green, during summer (March till May) it might be dry and hot. Best season is between September to February.
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Not visited yet, will update in future

Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
Distance	295 Kms
Time Needed	6 to 7 hours including driving
Places to see	Birds and Animal Safari, Photography, Jeep Safari, Boat Safari,
Local Guides	At resort
Speciality	Wildlife and photography
Stay options	Jungle Lodges and Resorts (http://www.junglelodges.com/river-tern-lodge/),
Food	Where you stay
Best time to visit	After rains it will be lush green, during summer (March till May) it might be dry and hot. Best season is between September to February.
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Not visited yet, will update in future

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
Distance	140 Kms
Time Needed	6 to 7 hours including driving
Places to see	Bird sanctuary
Local Guides	Guided boat safari is available
Speciality	Bird watching
Stay options	Mysore or Bangalore
Food	Plenty of options on the way at NH
Best time to visit	Best season to see birds are from November to February, but still you get to see many birds throughout the year as well
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit my exclusive blog: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2016/03/ranganathittu-bird-sanctuary-photo.html

Kokkare Beluru
Distance	90 Kms
Time Needed	5 to 6 hours including driving
Places to see	Walk around the village, you get to see variety of birds and their nestlings, You can also plan with Melukote
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Bird watching
Stay options	Bangalore or Mysore
Food	Plenty of options on the way at NH
Best time to visit	Best season to see birds are from November to February, but still you get to see many birds throughout the year as well
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit my blog on Kokkare Beluru: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/07/melukote-and-kokkare-bellur.html

Veerapuram near Lepakshi
Distance	135 Kms
Time Needed	5 to 6 hours including driving
Places to see	Walk around the village, you get to see variety of birds and their nestlings, Very close to Lepakshi. You can plan along with this.
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Bird watching
Stay options	None
Food	On the way at NH, Nandi Upachar, Kamat
Best time to visit	Best season to see birds are from November to February, but still you get to see many birds throughout the year as well
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit my blog: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/08/lepakshi-veerapuram-and-rangasthala.html

Valley school
Distance	25 Kms on Kanakapura Road, Google Link: https://goo.gl/maps/XrPzkXeKSVC2
Time Needed	1 to 2 hours including driving
Places to see	Bird watching
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Bird and photography
Stay options	Plenty of options in Bangalore
Food	No need to worry when you are in Bangalore
Best time to visit	Best season to see birds are from November to February, but still you get to see many birds throughout the year as well
Blog Link for more photos and complete details

Lakes of Bangalore
Distance	Within Bangalore Limits
Time Needed	1 to 2 hours depending on traffic conditions  (once you are in Bangalore, everything depend on the traffic only and distance never matters)
Places to see	Hulimangala, Hebbal Lake, Chinnappanahalli Lake, Puttenahalli lake near Yelahanka, Kaikondrahalli Lake (Search in Google with these names to spot the location in maps)
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Bird watching and photography
Stay options	Plenty of options in Bangalore
Food	No need to worry when you are in Bangalore
Best time to visit	Best season to see birds are from November to February, but still you get to see many birds throughout the year as well
Blog Link for more photos and complete details

Ramanagara Vulture Sanctuary
Distance	50 Kms
Time Needed	3 to 4 hours including driving
Places to see	Vulture sanctuary
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Vulture, In India this is the first of its kind. long-billed vulture, Egyptian vulture
Stay options	Mysore or Bangalore
Food	Plenty of options on the way at NH
Best time to visit	Best season to see birds are from November to February, but still you get to see many birds throughout the year as well
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit one of the good blogs which has lots of photos and details. Happy to share here. http://kannadagottilla.com/ramadevara-betta-vulture-sanctuary/

Hill Temples

Shivagange – Hill Temple
Distance	51 Kms from Bangalore and 31 from Tumkur
Time Needed	4 to 5 hours to climb up and down
Places to see	Theerthams (Holy water), Temples
Difficulty level	Medium
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Pilgrimage for many, Beautiful view from top
Stay options	None
Food	On the way at NH you get to see many options including Kamat
Best time to visit	Anytime of the year except hot summer i.e. April and May
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit my blog: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/05/shivagange-or-dakshina-kashi-near-tumkur.html

Shravanabelagola – Hill Temple
Distance	145 Kms
Time Needed	1.5 hours for Vindyagiri Hill and 45 mins for Chandragiri Hill
Places to see	Vindyagiri Hill and Chandragiri hill, and nearby places are Belur, Halebidu, Belavadi, Doddagaddavalli, Gorur Dam, Shettyhalli
Difficulty level	Medium
Local Guides	No, but you get to see lots of sign boards with details
Speciality	world's largest monolithic stone statue of Bahubali.
Stay options	Hassan town has few options including Hoysala Village resort, Mallige Residency, Hotel Hassan Ashok
Food	On the way at NH you get to see many options including Kamat
Best time to visit	Anytime of the year except hot summer i.e. April and May. But if you happen to visit in summer wear socks to climb up.
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit my blog: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/05/shravanabelagola-vindyagiri-and.html

Devarayanadurga – Hill Temple
Distance	51 Kms from Bangalore and 31 from Tumkur
Time Needed	30 mins to 1 hour to climb up and down
Places to see
Difficulty level	Easy
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Beautiful view from top
Stay options	None
Food	On the way at NH you get to see many options including Kamat
Best time to visit	Anytime of the year
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit my blog: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/05/devarayanadurga-narasimha-temples-and.html

Ahobilam – Hill Temple(s)
Distance	350 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days), might take one another day due to the distance
Places to see	Nine Narasimhasthalas (Narasimha temples)
Difficulty level	Medium
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Beautiful temples on the hills
Stay options	Nandyal -
Food	At Nandyal – Udupi hotel
Best time to visit	Avoid summer – April and May
Blog Link for more photos and complete details

Sri Revana Siddheshwara Hills (SRS) – Hill Temple
Distance	62 Kms from Bangalore, Google Map Link
Time Needed	30 mins to 1 hour to climb up and down
Places to see	Small hill temple, Annadhana (free food) area
Difficulty level	Easy
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Pilgrim place, small hill
Stay options	None
Food	On the temple premises they serve food for all
Best time to visit	Anytime of the year
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Check photos above

Balakondarayanadurgam Krishnagiri - Hill Temple
Distance	77 Kms, Google Map Link (on the way to Krishnagiri Tamilnadu)
Time Needed	2 to 4 hours including driving
Places to see	Small hill on the NH road
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Hill and the view are beautiful
Stay options	No
Food	Plenty of options at NH
Best time to visit	Any time of the year
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Not visited yet, will post in future

  

Avalabetta Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple – Hill Temple
Distance	92 Kms, Google Map Link
Time Needed	3 to 5 hours including driving
Places to see	Small hill
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Hill and the view are beautiful
Stay options	No
Food	Plenty of options at NH
Best time to visit	Any time of the year, Avoid summer
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Not visited yet, will post in future

Caves

Belum Caves – Natural Underground Wonder
Distance	300 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days)
Places to see	Belum caves and the beautiful fields on the way
Local Guides	Yes, available on request, ask for guide where you buy the entrance tickets
Speciality	This is one of the kind in India, more than a kilometer length you will be able to visit and has total of 3.2 Kms (not open to visitors)
Stay options	Haritha Resort at Belum (http://www.aptdc.gov.in/haritha_kurnool.html) (or) Hotel Suraj at Nandyal (or) Haritha Resort at Gandikota (refer the same above link)
Food	At the resort or at Nandyal – The Tourist Udupi style hotel
Best time to visit	Any time of the year
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit my Blog: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2016/02/belum-caves-gandikota-grand-canyon-of.html

Siddarabetta Caves – Medicinal herbal plants
Distance	100 kms
Time Needed	1 to 1.5 hours to climb up and cave exploration is about 30 mins and 40 minutes to come down
Places to see	Go inside the caves with the help of local guide
Local Guides	Yes, available on request. You will find locals who will come along with you and show the places beneath the rocks. Please don’t explore yourself, take the local guide along.
Speciality	You get to see the thick wines, caves
Stay options	None
Food	On the way to Tumkur you will find Kamat and other options at NH
Best time to visit	Any time of the year, avoid hot summer i.e. April, May
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit my Blog: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/05/trekking-and-cave-exploration-in.html

Antharagange Caves
Distance	100 kms
Time Needed	1 to 1.5 hours to climb up and cave exploration is about 30 mins and 40 minutes to come down
Places to see	Kashi vishweshwara Temple, Go inside the caves with the help of local guide
Local Guides	Yes, available on request. You will find locals who will come along with you and show the caves. Please take the help from local guide and don’t explore yourself.
Speciality	Caves
Stay options	None
Food	On the way to Kolar, you will find Kamat and other options at NH
Best time to visit	Any time of the year, avoid hot summer i.e. April, May
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit my Blog: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/07/koti-lingeshwara-temple-and.html I have only visited Kotilingeshwara and not Antharagange.

Trekking places

Nature treks:

I have not done any trekking except for Hill temples, Forts and caves. Please be careful not to explore alone into forests. Always go in a group with the help of organizers and guides with the proper permissions. Sharing some of the organizing sites and links. Some of the popular treks are:

Kudremukh Trek,

Mullayanagiri and Baba budangiri Trek,

Thadiyandamol Trek,

Kodachadri Trek,

Kumaraparvatha Trek,

Sakleshpur Trek,

Brahmagiri Trek,

Chembra Peak Trek,

Some of the Trek organizers

http://www.escape2explore.com/

http://www.adventurenest.com/

https://www.facebook.com/crazyyatra/ 

Hill temple trek: Refer to Hill temples listing

Caves Trek: Refer to Caves listing for Siddarabetta and Antharagange

Fort treks:

Note: For the details on Chitradurga Fort refer Historical monuments list.

Madhugiri Betta (Fort)
Distance	110 kms
Time Needed	2 hours to climb up and come down
Places to see	Just the view from top and ruined fort structure
Local Guides	No
Difficulty level	Medium, at one spot you need to be bit careful.
Stay options	None
Food	On Tumkur road you will find restaurants.
Best time to visit	Avoid rainy season.
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Visit my blog: http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2016/02/madhugiri-fort-or-madhugiri-betta.html

  

Savandurga Fort
Distance	50 Kms, Google Map Link, (check the temple link below as well)
Time Needed	4 to 5 hours including driving
Places to see	Small hill, Savandhi Veerabhadraswamy Temple
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Hill and the view are beautiful
Stay options	No
Food	Plenty of options at NH
Best time to visit	Any time of the year, Avoid summer
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Not visited yet, will post in future. Visit google map link for photos

Skandagiri Hills
Distance	60 Kms, Google Map Link, (check sunrise point link as well below)
Time Needed	4 to 5 hours including driving
Places to see	Small hill, Sunrise view point
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Hill and the view are beautiful
Stay options	No
Food	Plenty of options at NH
Best time to visit	Any time of the year, Avoid summer
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Not visited yet, will post in future. Visit google map link for photos

  

Temples and other divine places

Note: Refer to all the Historical monuments list and Hill temples list as well.

Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleshwarar Temple
Distance	205 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days)
Places to see	Arunachaleswarar Temple, Ramanashramam
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Ancient temple, Very big temple towers and the sculptures. During full moon days many do “Kirivalam” (barefoot walk) around the temple which is close to 12+ Kms.
Stay options	Thiruvannamalai town has many options.
Food	Thiruvannamalai town has many options.
Best time to visit	Anytime, Throughout the year
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/10/ratnagiri-vellore-thiruvannamalai.html

Kanchipuram Temples
Distance	285 Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay (2 days)
Places to see	Kamakshi Amman Temple, Ekambareswarar Temple, Kailasanathar Temple, Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Ulagalantha Perumal Temple, Kumarakottam Murugan Temple, Dr.Annadurai Memorial, Kanchi Kudil - Typical Kanchipuram house, Sankara Mutt or Kanchipuram Kamakoti Peetam
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Ancient Temples, there are lots of Temples here and it is famous for its Silk Sarees.
Stay options	Kanchipuram town has many options.
Food	Kanchipuram town has many options.
Best time to visit	Anytime, Throughout the year
My blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2016/08/kanchipuram-city-of-temples-and-silk.html

Tirupati, Kalahasthi and Thiruthani
Distance	250 Kms to Tirupati
Time Needed	1 night stay and 2 days, If you take the big-footpath you consider full day for darshan alone
Places to see	1.       Sri Venkateshwara Temple Tirumala, 2.       Sri Padamavathi Temple Trichanur 3.       Srikalahasteeswara Temple Kalahasthi, 4.       Thiruthani Murugan Temple Distance:               Tirupati to Thiruthani Murugan Temple is 66Km               Tirupati to Kalahasthi is 40 Kms               Tirupati to Trichanur is 6 Kms Online Booking for Tirupathi Darshan: https://ttdsevaonline.com/
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Temples, Tirupati Laddu are famous, You can go by walk (small path or big path)
Stay options	Plenty of options, check review sites, you can also book from the above Temple site
Food	Plenty of options at Town
Best time to visit	Any time of the year
Blog Link for more photos and complete details

Kukke Subramanya and Dharmasthala
Distance	Kukke is 281 Kms and Dharmasthala is 300Kms Kukke to Dharmasthala is 54Kms
Time Needed	1 night stay and 2 days
Places to see	At Kukke: Kukke Dharmasthala, Bisle Ghat view point, Kumaradhara River near the kukke temple, At Dharmasthala: Manjunatha Temple and Annadhana (have free food here), 39-foot Bahupali on Ratnagiri hill just beside the temple, Manjunatha museum, Nethravathi river
Local Guides	No
Speciality	16th century Temple, Annadhana at Dharmasthala is very special,
Stay options	At Kukke: Sri Krishna Residency, Akshara residency At Dharmasthala: https://www.shridharmasthala.org/online-room-booking/ (very basic and may not have attached toilets), Sannidhi has AC and non-AC.
Food	Try Annadhana at temple both Kukke and Dharmasthala
Best time to visit	Any time of the year
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/06/dharmastala-kukke-bisle-ghat-udupi.html

Chandra Choodeswarar Temple, Hosur
Distance	40 Kms
Time Needed	2 to 3 hours including driving
Places to see	Temple on a small hill, If you visit in evening, sunset is very beautiful from here, Also check Brahma hills opposite this temple
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Ancient temple on the hills
Stay options	Plenty if you want to, but not needed as you can just drive and back
Food	Plenty of options at Hosur and after Hosur on NH
Best time to visit	Any time of the year
Blog Link for more photos and complete details

Brahma Temple – Brahma Hills, Hosur
Distance	40 Kms, Google Map Link
Time Needed	2 to 3 hours including driving
Places to see	Temple on a small hill, If you visit in evening, sunset is very beautiful from here, Direct opposite to Chandra Choodeshwara Swamy Temple
Local Guides	No
Speciality	Temple, View and Hill
Stay options	Plenty if you want to, but not needed as you can just drive and back
Food	Plenty of options at Hosur and after Hosur on NH
Best time to visit	Any time of the year
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	Not visited yet, Check Google map link for photos

Koti Lingeshwara Temple
Distance	100 Kms
Time Needed	8 to 10 hours including driving
Places to see	Kotilingeshwara Temple, Antaragange Caves, Ramalingeshwara Temple and Sitadevi temple in Avani
Local Guides	No
Speciality	1 Crore shiva lingams installed here.
Stay options	No
Food	Plenty of options at NH
Best time to visit	Any time of the year
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	http://myjourneysinindia.blogspot.com/2014/07/koti-lingeshwara-temple-and.html

Adhi Chunchunagiri Kala Bhairaveshwara Temple and Nagamangala Saumya Keshava Temple
Distance	114 Kms from Bangalore, on Mangalore Highway you need to take a right turn for Adi Chunchunagiri and at same place take a left for Saumya Keshava Temple, Nagamangala
Time Needed	6 to 8 hours
Places to see	At Adi Chunchunagiri: Shri Kalabairaveshwara Temple, Visit Lord Kalabhairaveshwara on top of the small hill At Nagamangala: Visit Saumya Keshava Temple which is very old and beautiful.
Local Guides	No
Speciality	12th century Temple, Visit Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saumyakeshava_Temple,_Nagamangala
Stay options	Bangalore or Mysore
Food	Try Swathi Delicacy or Kichcha Halli Mane (both are opposite to each other)
Best time to visit	Any time of the year
Blog Link for more photos and complete details	<upcoming>

Resorts for relaxation at beautiful locations

There are lot more than what is listed below, check all the places listed under “Nature and wildlife category” as well. Click the links below to visit their web sites. 

• The Orange county at Kabini and Coorg 
• The Serai at Kabini, Bandipur and Chikmagalur
• Jungle Lodges Kabini
• Windflower resorts at Coorg, Bandipur and Wayanad
• Vivanta by Taj Coorg
• Tata Plantations Chikmagalur
• Jungle Lodges Dubare 
• Shiva Vilas Palace Sanduru  : My blog on this is here
• Vythiri Resort Vythiri wayanad 
• Wild Planet Devala

There are lot more, check all the places listed under “Nature and wildlife category”.

Hope you like this post, share with your friends and have a happy journey.