Mysore Tourism

Mysore Tourism is restricted to magnificent palaces and other majestic buildings, then you probably have not heard of Brindavan Gardens, Mysore Zoo, Chamundi Hills, or Karanji Lake. These spectacular places, including a few sprawling gardens, and some stunning waterfalls & lakes, makes Mysore, one of the best tourist destinations in Karnataka. Mysore, which is also known as the cultural capital of Karnataka, is home to many opulent and royal palaces. It has several yoga centres and lush green sandalwood forests, that gave this city names like 'City of Palaces', 'Sandalwood City', and 'City of Yoga.'

Recently the city was declared the 'second cleanest city' in India by the Union Urban Development Authority. This makes it one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in Karnataka, visited by a large number of tourists every year. The rich cultural heritage and historical significance of this glorious city attracts tourists from around the world, who explore the splendor of Mysore city that includes prehistoric sites, palaces, monuments, temples, churches, zoo, sandalwood forests and well-manicured gardens.

The cosmopolitan nature of the city and its affluent standard of living further adds beauty to Mysore, which consists people of all religion and facets of life. With several options open for tourists, the city plays a host to travelers throughout the year, inviting them to visit places like Mysore Zoo, Mysore Palace, Brindavan Gardens, Chamundi Hills, Karanji Lake, etc. Mysore city was once the capital of Karnataka and so, it has a lot of historic buildings, monuments and sites, that are now developed into museums, library, and gardens.

History of Mysore: Tales of yesterday
There is a mythological tale attached to the history of the city of palaces. Mysore was ruled by the buffalo-headed monster called Mahishasura. Hence the city was first known as Mahishuru. This demon was then killed by Goddess Chamundeshwari and henceforth its name changed to Maisuru, in the language. The city was then ruled by the Ganga dynasty in the second century. After which the Cholas ruled the region for about a century. The events of this city, during the 11th and 12th century, are detailed in old manuscripts from the past, which you can explore at your leisure. From 1761 to 1799, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan ruled the city. The advent of the British brought with it growth and development in to the city. The city soon became well known for its open roads, splendid buildings and majestic parks.

Timings: Best time to visit
If you are looking to encounter pleasant weather with a rush of cool winds during your trip, the best time for tourism in Mysore would be during the months of October to February. For the honeymoon travellers out there, love will surely be in the air. If you think you have it in you to beat the heat, visit during the months of March to May. The temperature soars up to 39 degrees Celsius in May - making it the hottest month of the year. The monsoon brings with it moderate to heavy spells of rain leaving behind the lush greenery to marvel at. Do visit during the months of June to September if you want to witness Mysore in all its monsoon glory.

How to get to Mysore: The royal highness awaits you
By Rail - The Mysore railway station is two kms away from the city centre. Trains run from Mysore to Bangalore on a regular basis. Bangalore itself is well linked to the major cities in the country.
By Road - There are buses available from Bangalore to Mysore, be it AC or non-AC. Major cities such as Coimbatore and Conoor also connected by the road and could be a stop along the way.
By Air - The Bangalore International airport is located 170 kms away from Mysore. Bangalore is well connected to other major cities in the country. Buses and taxis are easily available from the airport to Mysore.

Karnataka Tourism

Karnataka Tourism rich with scenic beauty, is located at the southern part of India. Resourceful with all kind of varieties including temples, wild life sanctuaries, water falls, cosmopolitan cities, valleys, hill resorts, beaches etc..., Karnataka is a must visit state in India for all tourist enthusiasts and will not get disappointed. The weather is very moderate at southern districts. The temperature remains ideal throughout the year. Most part of the Karnataka state are agricultural lands as the state is rich in rivers. The western part has Arabian see and then the range of Western Ghats follows. This is the eighth largest state in India both in area and population. This state is famous for its natural beauty, rich culture and pleasant climate. Bangalore is the capital city of Karnataka and is famous as IT hub housing many small and large IT companies. Kannada is the official (spoken and public correspondence) language of the state. But, the accent varies from region to region within the state. We will discuss some important places of various districts to travel as destinations in Karnataka. Here are details of various districts on Karnataka tourism. Visit the individual district page for more details about important places to visit and the distances of each place from various other places.