In Karnataka, the two attractive wildlife parks of Nagarhole and Bandipur, though separate entities, are part of a larger contiguous wildlife reserve that includes the Mudumalai Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu and the Wynad Reserve in Kerala. Both the parks are easily accessible from Mysore.
A dam on the Kabini and its picturesque reservoir separate the two parks. In the dense moist deciduous forests of this area the upper canopy reaches heights of 30m and valuable hardwoods like teak and rosewood are also to be found here.
The 874.20 sq. km. Bandipur National Park, which is also a Tiger Reserve, with its open grassy woodland, lies to the south of the Kabini River while Nagarhole, 643.39 so. km. in area, to the north of the river, has taller and denser forests.

 

The capital of the Early Chalukyas, Badami is picturesquely situated at the mouth of a ravine between two rocky hills, Badami is famous for its cave temples - all hewn out of sand stone on the precipice of a hill.
Badami is an interesting place to visit in Karnataka what with its artificial lake, ancient temples, Museum and Hindu and Jain caves carved in the Sandstone hills. The largest and most ornamental is the third cave temple dedicated to Vishnu.
Overlooking the cave temples is a reservoir dotted with temples dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva. Also a must are the Bhutanath temples that lend their name to the lake beneath the cave temples.

 

The capital city of Karnataka, Bangalore, the fifth largest city in India, is the perfect blend of natural beauty and man-made marvels of architecture and technology. Blessed with a salubrious climate and dotted with beautiful parks, its tree-lined avenues, its trendy, yuppie downtown, and the software flood, Bangalore truly offers one a picture of striking contrasts.
Bangalore is fast emerging as one of the most industrialized cities in India, keeping pace with the latest trends and fashion. Bangalore is renowned, not only for its own beauty and technological advances, but also for its easy access to the marvels of the land around it. These intriguing sites of Bangalore include gardens, universities, temples and ancient ruins. The city of Bangalore also is a gateway to Southern India. Bangalore is well connected to other major cities. Today it has almost become the fastest growing city in Asia. The bazaars and shopping malls of Bangalore offer a fine selection of silks, sandal wood souvenirs, handicrafts and fragrant incense sticks. Communication is very simple in this city where people can converse in English, Kannada and Hindi with equal ease.

 

Gol Gumbaz, situated in Bijapur is an astounding engineering feat. Its enormous "Whispering" dome is second in size only to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The dome is the second largest in the world, 124 feet in diameter.
The dome stands unsupported by pillars. The fantastic acoustical system in the dome carries the faintest whisper around the dome and returns it to the listener nine times.
Even the tick of a watch or the rustle of paper can be heard across a distance of 37 m in the whispering gallery. The gallery around the dome provides a fabulous view of the town.
The architecture of this building is unique with the four minarets being the four staircases leading to the top dome. The beauty and excellence of this dome must be experienced at least once in a lifetime.

 

Bukka. The Vijayanagar Empire came to be celebrated for its might and wealth and as a show piece of imperial magnificence.
Vijayanagara is such that the pupil of the eye has never seen a place like it... " So eulogized Abdul Razaq, a Muslim envoy who visited Hampi.
The city was sacked pillaged and burnt in 1565 AD, after the combined attack of armies of Muslim Sultanates of the Deccan defeated the Vijayanagar Military Commander and the King fled the Capital. Rocky hills and the mighty Tungabhadra River, which flows through this rugged landscape, dominate the terrain.
One can still glimpse the splendour of Vijayanagara - one of the largest empires in the history of India - in its ruins. The Vijayanagar Kings were great patrons of Art & Architecture as evident by the vast ruins of Hampi.
In an effort to resurrect this abandoned capital, the government has been involved in the restoration, excavation and protection of the ruins, which are spread over an area of 26 sq kms.

 

The picturesque town of Hassan is located in the heart of Malnad.
Having a very pleasant climate throughout the year, Hassan 194 kms from Bangalore is the entry point for Belur, Halebid and Sravanabelagola.
Sravanabelagola is a famous Jain pilgrimage with a 17 m high monolith of lord Bahubali standing tall. Belur was once the capital of the Hoysala kings.
The Chennakeshava temple took 103 years to complete and is filled with intricate carvings and sculptures. No space is left blank in this finest example of Hoysala architecture.
In Belur Veeranarayana temple is also worth visiting. Halebid, like Belur is also a mute testimony to the rich cultural heritage of Karnataka.

 

About 6 kms from Udupi is Malpe, an ideal picnic spot with its virgin beach. The endless stretch of golden sand, graciously swaying palm trees, the clear blue sky and the gurgle of the sea all set the perfect mood for an unforgettable holiday here.
Malpe is famed for its silvery beaches that offer breathtaking views of the sea. An idyllic resort for boating, fishing and bathing the town lies around 386 km from Bangalore.
Udupi is at a distance of 60 km from Mangalore.

 

357 kms west of Bangalore is the district headquarters of Dakshina Kannada - Mangalore.
With an important port, this coastal town is a major commercial centre. Mangalore could be your entry point to Beach Country - with its virgin and unexplored beaches. It has several famous pilgrim centres.
It is a cosmopolitan city, leader in more than one way in banking, private entrepreneurship and in general awareness amongst people.
While in Mangalore try and see a Yakshagana performance - an elaborate dance form unique to Karnataka. The Kambala (buffalo race) is another exciting event.
A trip to Mangalore would be incomplete without a visit to the 10th century Manjunatha Temple, St. Aloysius Chapel, Mangala Devi Temple, Tipu's Battery and the Jumma Masjid. The Ullal Beach with Casuarina groves is another attraction that draws tourists all through the year.

 

A drive up north along the coastal road to Maravanthe, 50 kms from Udupi, is the sandy Maravanthe beach. The endless stretch of golden sand, swaying palm trees, clear blue sky and the gush of the sea attracts a large number of tourists to this spot.
The highway bordered on either side by the Arabian Sea and the Satuparnika River, with a backdrop of the Kodachadri Hills, makes the drive an out-of-the-world experience.
At sunset, a crimson sky and golden rays reflected both in the sea and the river convert Maravanthe into a fairyland of scenic beauty. A drive further up are the Belekal Theertha falls, near Baindur.
The Maravanthe Beach is a popular picnic spot and the waters are safe for swimming with huge but gentle tides beckoning you and mesmerizing you to come and play with them. The pristine beauty and peaceful surroundings of its virgin beach make it a favourite picnic spot.

 

The Mysore Palace, built is Indo-Saracenic style with domes turrets, arches and colonnades, the palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world. The tastefully decorated and inticrately carved doors open into luxuriously decorated rooms.
The walls of the palace are painted with pictures of the Dassera processions and these paintings are painted in such a manner that from any angle you can see the procession coming towards you. The royal throne of the Wodeyars is displayed during the Dassera festival.
The palace has now been converted into a museum, which treasures the souvenirs, paintings, jewellery, royal costumes and other items, which were once possessed by the Wodeyars. It is said that the palace displays the largest collection of gold items, quantity wise. The Durbar hall of the palace has an ornate ceiling and many sculpture pillars which are said to have been painted with gold.
The palace was originally built of wood, which got burnt down in 1897 AD and was rebuilt in 1912 AD.

 

Situated between Honnavar and Bhatkal, 1 km off the National Highway is the scenic holy place of Murudeshwar.
The place is believed to have been sanctified by a piece of the Pranalinga of Mahabaleshwara thrown by Ravana and has some beautiful carvings and statues. Bounded by the shimmering sea and rolling hills, the place is a favourite picnic spot.
WIth the roaring sea to the west, the towering hills to the east and the coconut and areca groves nearby, the temple attracts a lot of devotees and tourists as well.
While touring this land of picture-postcard scenery, be sure to witness some of the quaint rituals like Bhuta worship, the Kambala (buffalo race) or Korikatta the cockfight.
Partake of the delicacies of coastal Karnataka, the mouth - watering sweets, spicy fish curries and a variety of rice calces. Savour the juicy fruits a wide variety of mangoes, jackfruit, cashew and bananas, which abound in this fertile land. And take home memories as colourful and varied as your experiences.

 

Nagarahole (check spelling please) is derived from the combination of two Kannada words-'nagar' meaning snake and 'hole' meaning streams and true to its name a number of streams snake through its rich tropical forests.
Once an exclusive hunting preserve of the erstwhile rulers of Mysore, the terrain of this Park is gently undulating with lush green vegetation, swamps and numerous water resources, rendering it an ideal habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.
Nagarahole is situated in the picturesque districts of Kodagu and Mysore in southern Karnataka. The Nagarahole National Park was first set up in 1955. In 1975 its area was increased to include a greater expanse of forest reserve.

 

There is a stillness and everlastingness about the past, it changes not and has a touch of eternity, wrote Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in his "Discovery of India." These words somehow hold true when one arrives at Somnathpur, a tiny village on the banks of the Kaveri, 140 kms, south-west of Bangalore. Here in this everlasting rural stillness, like a milestone to eternity, stood one of the last and the grandest of Hoysala monuments - the Kesava Temple built 740 years ago.
By the year 1268 A.D., the year in which the Kesava temple at Somnathpur was built, the Hoysala rule had completed 260 years. The riches and splendour of the Hoysala court were already evident in their grand temples at Belur and Dvarasamudra (present day, Halebid).
In the dust and turmoil of history, India was witnessing the Golden Age of the mighty Cholas, Pandyas and the Hoysalas. The last named dynasty which ruled Karnataka for nearly 350 years, was founded in 1006 A.D., soon after the collapse of the Ganga Dynasty. Coming to the temple at Somnathpur, one need not search far for its history. An inscribed stone slab, in old Kannada, at the entrance says it all. The reigning monarch was Narasimha III (1254-91 A.D.) whose full regal title runs into a sizeable paragraph: "Sri Vishnuvaradhana, Pratapa Chakravarti, Hoysala Bhujabala, Sri Vira Narasimha, Maharajadhiraja, Raja Paramesvara, Sanivarasiddhi, Giridurgamalla etc.

 

Road

Banglore being Capital city is well connected by Road from all major cities in  Karnataka,  and Andhra Pradesh  Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Maharastra, Orissa.and from allover India

Metropolitian city has

 international airport.