Best Things To Do in Karnataka

Lal Bagh Botanical Garden is spread over an area of 240 acres exhibiting more than 1,854 species of medicinal and scientific plants and trees. Among the places to visit in Bangalore, Lal Bagh Botanical garden certainly tops the list for its vast green stretch and the presence of exotic birds.  

The park was commissioned and concluded by Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan, respectively, in the year 1760 and this vast expanse of greenery houses a 3000 million years rock which is fondly famous as “the Lal Bagh rock” which is a unique site that interests hordes of tourists. 

There is also a glass house with a lake and an aquarium and this glass house hosts a vibrant annual flower show. The colorful and vivid presence of birds such as Parakeets, Myna, Brahminy Kite, Pond Heron, Purple Moorhen and Common Egret etc hook a lot of birdwatchers and photographers.  

Location: Mavalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560004

Best Time to Visit:  you can visit the garden any time of the year but if you particularly interested in the flower show then visit in January and August.

Price: entry is free for children and an adult needs to pay INR 10.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM on all days of the week.

Distance from Kempe Gowda Bus stand: Around 5 KM.

Location: Kasturba Road, Behind High Court of Karnataka, Ambedkar Veedhi, Sampangi Rama Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001

Best Time to Visit: Early morning.

Price: Free entry.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM on all days of the week except Monday. It also remains closed on every second Tuesdays of the month.

Average time required to visit the place: 2 to 3 hours or half a day.

Distance from Kempe Gowda Bus stand: Approximately 3.5 KM

This is a set of breathtaking hillocks which is a complete nature retreat. From cycling and paragliding into the stunning mount to the Yoganandeeshwara Temple that sits atop the hill with a huge Nandi statue, these small mounds have a lot to offer, even the name of the hills was coined after the temple statue. 

Nandi hills are set small hillocks which serves as a great trekking or weekend getaway from Bangalore. It bestows the visitors with the sight of some endemic flora and fauna and magnificent vistas of the surrounding. 

Trek through the paved roads, rocky terrain, small streams and grasslands to reach the top of the hills but one must be careful of the steep descent and sharp turns while returning. Hordes of monkeys will accompany you throughout the trek hence do not keep eatables in your hands.

Location: Chikkaballapur Taluk, Chikkaballapur 562101, India

Best Time to Visit: October to March.

Price: There is no charge except for the commuting fare from Bangalore.

Timings: It is open 24 hours and the standard trekking hours can be between 6 AM to 6 PM.

Average time required to visit the place: A day.

Distance from Kempe Gowda Bus stand: Approximately 62 KM.

Bannerghatta National Park is one of the interesting places to visit in Bangalore for the assorted wildlife and natural establishments and the rich vegetation. One can hire jeeps and cars or board a bus for touring around this massive national park sprawled across an area of  104.27 sq. km. 

The park encompasses a number of establishments such as a pretty butterfly park swarmed with colorful species of butterflies, an aquarium, Children's park, a zoo, a Crocodile farm, Snake Park, a museum and a Prehistoric Animals' Park which is highly praised by the visitors. 

The flora and fauna of the park include eucalyptus, sandalwood, tamarind, neem, bamboo etc in plants and jackal,  spotted deer, fox, wild boar, sloth bear, elephants, leopards, porcupine, Asiatic Lion, Royal Bengal Tiger, monitor lizard etc in animals. 

Bannerghatta park is not only nature’s retreat but also has ample locations for short trekking expedition, some of the points are Hajjamana Kallu, Mirza Hill, and Uddigebande; all of these are located under a distance of 4 KM. It is a quick getaway for all the shutterbugs and adventure enthusiasts dwelling in Bangalore.

Location: Bannerghatta Biological Park, Bannerghatta, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560083

Best Time to Visit: Winter season.

Price: INR 80 for adults and INR 40 for children (Indian Nationals), INR 400 and 300 for adult and children (any foreign national).

Timings: 9 AM to 5 PM on all days of the week except Tuesday.

Distance from Kempe Gowda Bus stand: Around 23 KM.

Bangalore Palace is a true example of sheer architectural beauty which was built in 1873. This old opulent structure sits on a land of 25000 square feet displaying the regal mix of Tudor and Scottish Gothic architectural designs. 

Besides being a preserved site, it is also a grand venue that hosts marriage parties, events, and rock concerts. The palace houses paintings of the famous painter of bygone era Raja Ravi Varma along with ancient carvings and granite and ceramic tiles seating on the floor which are still unblemished. 

There is magnanimous ground in front of the palace which has hosted a number of international artists in the past like, The Rolling Stones, Backstreet Boys, Elton John, Lamb of God, Don Moen, David Guetta,  The Black Eyed Peas, Deep Purple, Metallica, Roger Waters etc. 

On the auspicious day of Dussehra every year, a grand fair is organized in the ground against the royal backdrop of the beautifully lit palace.

Location: Palace Road, Near Mount Carmel Institute Of Management, Vasanth Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560052

Best Time to Visit: During Dussehra when it is well lit with a grandiose celebration.

Price: INR 230 for Indians and INR 460 for foreigners.

Timings: 10 AM to 5:30 PM on all days of the week.

Average time required to visit the place: 3 to 4 hours.

Distance from Kempe Gowda Bus stand: Approximately 5 KM

Vidhana Soudha is situated in the center of the city, painted in white and spread over an area of 60 acres. Vidhan Soudha is the most renowned landmark in Bangalore which houses the state secretariat and state legislature under one roof. 

This dome-like structure has two chambers where the first floor (central wing) can accommodate 268 members at a time and the southern wing can accommodate 88 members. 

The building is a marvelous amalgamation of Dravidian, British and Indo-Islamic style architecture. One must not miss the lighting up of the building on Sunday evenings and the inscription that reads “Government work is God’s work.” 

Please note that it is one of the sightseeing places in Bangalore that needs prior permission or a pass nowadays. The grandeur of Vidhana. Soudha is visible after sunset when the entire building is well lit and it resembles a grand palace

Location: Doctor Ambedkar Veedhi, Sampangi Rama Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001

Best Time to Visit: September to February

Price: No entry fee.

Timings: 10 AM to 5:30 PM on all days of the week except Sunday.

Average time required to visit the place: 1 hour.

Distance from Kempe Gowda Bus stand: Approximately 3.5 KM

This enormous art gallery is segmented into two halls where it exhibits more than 600 paintings. 

One of the two halls displays stone sculptures associated with Khajarao School of Art and Mathura whereas the other hall exhibits pottery and clay articles dating back to the Indus Valley civilization. 

This art gallery houses the artwork and paintings of world famous and renowned artists such as K. Venkatappa, M. F. Hussain, Hanumaiah, Hariram, Yusuf Arakkal, Rekha Rao, N. S. Bendre, and Vasudev in galore on the first level of the building. 

There are paintings christened as Prithvi, Vayu, Jala, Agni, Death, Sea Shore, Nagamandala, In Space,  and Last Glimpse by K.K Hebbar on the second level of the gallery. 

Venkatappa Art gallery is the Mecca for art loves, magnanimous, loaded and authentic and is one of the aesthetically pleasing places to visit in Bangalore.

Location: Kasturba Road, Ambedkar Veedhi, Sampangi Rama Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560001

Best Time to Visit: During the daytime.

Price: INR 10 per head (adults) and INR 5 (children)

Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM on all the days of the week except Monday.

Distance from Kempe Gowda Bus stand: Approximately 5 KM.

Take a day out and get charged at this craziest amusement park in Bangalore. Wonderla is one of the largest amusement parks in the entire country with more than 60 exhilarating rides such as Hurricane, Equinox, Insanity Twister, Recoil, Dropzone, Flash Tower, Mixer, Y-scream, Maverick etc. 

These high-tech rides will swirl, twist and turn you in around 360 degrees and will pump adrenaline rush to a next level. The water rides like splurgy and frolic with speedy drops and to and fro motion. 

Wonderla not only tops Bangalore tourist places list but it is loved by the local population as well. From rain disco to fun pools and wave pools, from roller coasters to boomerang rides; even an entire day at Wonderla is not enough to satiate the thrill junkies in you.

Location: 28th Km, Mysore Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka 562109

Best Time to Visit: November to February.

Price: Ranging from 850 to 2000

Timings: 11 AM to 6 PM from Monday to Friday and 11 AM to 7 PM on every Saturday and Sunday.

Average time required to visit the place: An entire day.

Distance from Kempe Gowda Bus stand: Around 35 KM