Bengaluru or Bangalore also known as the Silicon Valley of India is a fast growing Metropolitan city. The capital city has a thick population and best known for its slow moving traffic and fast and hectic life. Most of the Bangloreans would opt to relax and enjoy on weekends. This city has many gorgeous sites nearby, to forget the worries and relax in the lap of nature. Here comes the list of Weekend Getaways from Bangalore
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65 km drive from Bangalore is famous for its stunning views from the hilltop and was once Tipu Sultan’s summer retreat. The hill being a popular picnic spot of Bangloreans, the young as well as the old, resembles a sleeping bull. The rivers Pennar, Palar and Arkavati originate from these hills. The Tipu’s Drop, a high cliff from where prisoners were hurled down to death is a breathtaking sight. Tipu’s Summer Palace, Fort, Horse Way, Yoga Nandeeshwara Temple and Secret Passage are other attractions here.
Biligirirangan Hills commonly known as the B.R hills is a favorite destination of nature lovers especially those who love to see the lush green hills and wildlife. The peculiarity of B.R Hills is that it lies at the easternmost edge of the Western Ghats and bridges the western and eastern Ghats. They are named after the Biligiriranga Swamy temple and Biligiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary. The Sanctuary allows for jeep and elephant safaris through the dense forest and reveals the diverse flora and fauna. The best season to visit is from July to January and the major attractions are the picturesque misty hills, BRT Sanctuary and Biligiriranga Swamy temple which lie atop the highest peak among the hills.
Hesaraghatta Lake is a lovely picnic spot where one can sail through the beauty of the lake and enjoy the greenery surrounding it. This fresh water artificial lake created in the year 1894 has a vast area of 1000 acres. Other attractions are the Government Aquarium, Horticultural Research Institute, Indo-Danish Poultry and Dairy farms and the famous Nrityagram. If you admire Indian classical dance, the dance village offers special tours that will include explanation on Indian philosophy, dance demonstrations and a tasty home grown vegetarian lunch.
Mysore reminds everyone as the city of palaces, gardens, and temples. Having a rich historical and cultural importance, Mysore invites a lot of tourists to exhibit its tradition and culture. During the Dasara festival of Mysore, a lot of tourists visit the city. It is a ten day celebration during the month of October or November. The famous Brindavan garden gives a pleasant ambience and has musical fountains, lights and illuminations and the beauty of Mughal Style architecture. Another must see in Mysore is the spectacular beauty of Mysore palace. The Jayalakshmi Vilas, The Jaganmohan Palace, and the Lalitha Mahal are some of the other palaces in the city.
Austin Railcar inside the Railway Museum, The Mysore Zoo, Karanji and Kukkarahalli lakes, St. Philomena’s Church are also good tourist spots to visit. This city was once the political capital of the Wodeyar Dynasty and now it has been titled as the 2nd cleanest city in the country.
Bheemeshwari, a popular fishing hub in the state that lies near the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. It is called the ‘Angler’s paradise’, because of the Mahseer fishes found here and is located at a distance of 107 km from Bangalore. This beautiful town lies between the Shivasamudra falls and Mekedatu falls, on the Cauvery River. It is in the Kollegal Highway which leads to Cauvery Fishing camp, the best picnic spot for techies.
Another quick getaway near Bangalore city is just 25km away in Ramohalli, the Big Banyan Tree. The tree is more than 500 years old and covers almost three acres. The big banyan tree called ‘Dodda Alada Mara’ in Kannada is one among the nature’s wondrous creations. Nearby is a garden having narrow pathways to walk around and cement benches to sit and relax under the cool shade of the tree. Being India’s second biggest Banyan Tree, this place is a popular tourist attraction in Karnataka.
Kalavaarahalli Betta or Skandagiri is one among the few hill forts of the country. Tourists can see the remains of Tipu Sultan’s fort here. This place is famous for beautiful night trekking. Atop the hill one gets a heavenly sight of an ocean of clouds. It’s also popular for the spectacular view of sunrise and Nandi hills can be seen from this hill.
Srirangapatna is the most important pilgrim center for Vaishnavas in India as the famous Ranganatha Swami temple stands here. This temple was built in the 9th century by the Ganga Dynasty. Srirangapatna was once the capital town of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Major attractions here other than the temple are Colonel Bailey’s Dungeon, Thomas Inman’s Dungeon, Death place of Tipu where the body of Tipu was found, Lal Mahal Palace, Jamia Masjid, Dariya Daulat Bagh or the Summer palace of Tipu Sultan, Dodda Gosai Ghat, Sangam, Nimishamba temple and Triveni Sangam.
Shravanabelagola is famous for the Gomateshwara monolith statue which is the world’s largest monolith statue. This Jain pilgrim center is 142kms away from Bangalore. One can enjoy the scenic beauty of two hills namely, Chandragiri and Vindhyagiri and also a beautiful pond amidst the town called Belagola meaning ‘White Pond’ in Kannada. Thus, this town has the name Shravanabelagola or White pond of the Shravana, a Jain monk. Other attractions are the Jain temples and a statue of Chandragupta Maurya in Chandragiri hill.
One can enjoy the beauty of World’s 16th largest and India’s second largest waterfall just by driving 3 hours from Bangalore. Shivanasamudra falls has twin jumps, namely the Gagana Chukki or the Western falls and the Bhara Chukki or the Eastern falls. Tourists have to trek through the green forest for almost 2 km to reach the falls. They get a stunning view of the falls from Shivanasamudram watch tower. Tourists visiting Shivanasamudra also visits Mekedatu where river Cauvery flows through a narrow ravine. It is believed that Lord Shiva disguised as a goat once jumped across the river and thus the name Mekedatu or ‘Goat’s Leap’.
Hogenakkal Falls or ‘smoking rocks’ in Kannada is about 170 km from Bangalore. “The Niagara of India” is famous for medicinal baths and hides boat rides and has a thick crowd of tourists during the best season. The specialty of this tourist place includes the Carbonatite rocks found here which are considered to be the oldest of its kind in South Asia and one of the oldest in the world and the curative power of the water. The spellbound view of the falls surrounded by beautiful hills and lush green woods make it a favorite destination for nature lovers.
Belur and Halebidu are known for the marvelous temples constructed in the 12th century and thus can be called as the temple cities of Karnataka. Main attraction of Belur is the Chennakesava temple complex which is a fine example of Hoysala Architecture. Several attractive carvings depicting ancient cultures are found on the walls of the temple. Halebidu is 16 km away from Belur and the major attractions are the Hoysaleswara Temple and Shantaleswara temple.
Bannerghatta National Park is a famous zoological park 21 km south of Bangalore. The park has a Tiger and Lion reserve and popular for its tiger and lion safari. The thick jungle extends to 25000 acres and has a lush flora all over. It is a home for many endangered species, white tiger, leopard, bison, wild boar etc. Major attractions here are the butterfly park, zoo, serpentarium and the crocodile farm. The park is closed on Tuesdays.
Kabini is another favorite destination of nature lover’s in Karnataka. It lies on the banks of river Kabini and is a part of Nagerhole National Park. Herds of elephants can be seen here. Tourists can enjoy a thrilling wild life safari, boating and bird watching here. Kabini Dam is also an important destination.
Nagarhole national park alias Rajiv Gandhi National park is a thick green forest area and wildlife reserve at the end of Bandipur National Park. It is spread between Kodagu district and Mysore district and is at a distance of 94kms from Mysore. Kabini reservoir separates the two. Nagarhole is known for the large Asian elephant population; and tigers, leopards, wild dogs, sloth bears, gaur, sambar deer, chital, common muntjac, four-horned antelope, mouse deer and wild boar form a varied fauna. Nilgiri thars and Nilgiri langurs can also be seen here.
Bandipur National Park is the most famous tiger reserves in India. Known for its rich flora and fauna, it lies in the heart of the beautiful Nilgiri hills in the Western Ghats. A perfect weekend getaway from Bangalore is just 220 km away. Wildlife Safari through the park is a must do for every tourist who visits this national park. Tiger, Leopard, Elephant, Gaur, Sambar (deer), Chital, Wild boar, barking deer, four horned Antelope and Hyena are just a few. Flora includes rosewood, sandalwood, teak etc.
Agumbe, a beautiful rainforest also known as the Cherrapunjee of the South, borders the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kudremukh National Park. Agumbe is popular for the spellbound, gorgeous views of the valley and the Arabian Sea which is located almost 50 km away. The best season to visit Agumbe is from November to February when the sky is clear and the horizon is free of clouds and mist and tourists get an astonishing view of sunset at the Barkana View Point. Other attractive places to visit nearby are the Kunchikal falls, the picturesque Barkana falls, Onake Abbi falls, Koodlu theertha falls and Jogigundi which is located deep in the forest and ideal for a picnic.
Kodagu also called as Coorg is 260 km from Bangalore. It is a favorite destination of honeymoon couples as it has a cool climate, misty hills, verdant valleys, Tea and coffee plantations and thus greenery all around. It has three wildlife sanctuaries and one national park namely, Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Talakaveri Wildlife Sanctuary, Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary and Nagarhole or Rajiv Gandhi National Park. The gorgeous Western Ghats and lush green steep hills makes it a perfect holiday destination. Another peculiarity is that the river Cauvery originates here at Talacauvery and is worshipped by the locals. It is just 45 km from Madikeri and is famous for the temples of goddess Cauvery and Lord Brahma, which is one among the only two temples in Southeast Asia. The Abbey falls, Irpu falls, Nisargadhama, Bhagamandala Temple and Dubare are the other important places which bestow natural beauty, fresh air and peace of mind.
Ooty or Udhagamandalam is one among the most popular hill stations in India. The blue Nilgiri hills, beautiful lakes, miles of Green Tea plantations, dense forests and most importantly the chilly climate gifted the name “Queen of hill stations” to Ooty. The best season to visit Ooty is from November to March and is 290 km away from Bangalore. One of the best honeymoon destinations in India offers a lot of romantic spots. The beautiful Ooty Lake, famous Botanical Garden, Kalhatty Falls, Doddabetta Peak which is the highest point in the Nilgiri Hills offers picturesque views of the town and district, Ketti Valley, Pykara Lake Boat House and Pykara falls, Wenlock Downs, Kamraj Sagar Lake, Mudumalai National Park, Needle hill view point, Emerald Lake, Avalanche Lake , Porthimund Lake and the Government museum and many more attracts a lot of tourists round the year.
Wayanad is a favorite tourist hub of most of the Bangloreans and is 255 km from Bangalore. Wayanad hills in the Western Ghats possess the beauty of plantations, forests and scenic beauty. There are various places of touristic, ecological, historic and religious importance in the district. Pookode Lake, Chembra peak, Banasurasagar Dam, Meenmutty falls, Kuruva island, Edakkal caves etc attracts thousands of tourists every year.
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