CHENNAI TO GOA OVERLAND TOUR

Attractions, Entertainments, Things to Do

Mamallapuram - Bangalore - Mysore - Hassan - Hospet - Badami- Dandeli

Mamallapuram

Shore Temple ca. 700 AD - the most famous icon associated with Mamallapuram along with Arjuna's Penance. Unlike most of the local monuments carved from rock, this temple was constructed. It's not particularly large, and the carvings have been badly eroded by the wind and the sea, but this adds to the sense of antiquity.

Five Rathas - carvings of chariots and various animals including a very large elephant, dating from the 7th century and built by Pallava King in order to safeguard the sculptures from the ocean.

Sculpture Museum - houses hundreds of sculptures in stone and wood. Well worth the visit.

Arjuna's Penance, also known as the Descent of the Ganges, is a giant bas-relief marked by intricate and detailed carvings including a family of elephants and monkeys. Archaeologists have never come to agree on it's depiction.

Krishna's Butterball is a giant round rock perched on a hillside, seemingly in defiance of all laws of physics.

Bangalore

Vidhan Soudha or the State Secretariat - built in 1954 and is the main attraction of this city. It is a marvel of modern architecture and is a fine amalgamation of traditional Dravidian and modern styles.

Cubbon Park - a 120-hectare park near the Vidhan Soudha, has a number of neo-classical styled government buildings

Tipu Sultan's Fort and Palace built in the 18th century

The Government Museum of Bangalore - one of India's oldest museums

Visvesvaraya Technological and Industrial Museum

The Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens

Ulsoor Lake

Venkataramanaswamy Temple

Gavi Gangadhareswara Cave Temple

Someshwara Temple

Mysore

Dasara (Dusshera) - the state festival of Karnataka - typically held in October

Chamundi Hill - a long climb via the steps where you'll be rewarded with a magnificent view of the surrounding countryside in the shadow of the famous giant Nandi bull statue

Kukkarahalli Lake - favorite place to stroll for exercise and people watching

Mysore Palace - iIntricately carved rosewood doors and ceilings, inlaid ivory work, marble figurines, collections of caskets, paintings of the members of the royal family, On weekends and holidays the palace is illuminated by close to 100,000 bulbs - worth the trip alone to Mysore

Brindavan Gardens and Musical Fountain at the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam - nice fountain gardens with light show amd music in the evenings

Tipu Sultan's Palace - Jagmohan Palace and Art Gallery - a former palace converted into a wonderful art gallery featuring famous works by various Indian artists

Mysore Zoo - one of the city’s most popular attractions, established under royal patronage in 1892, making it one of the oldest zoos in the world. The zoo has a very successful breeding program and houses animals from more than 40 different countries and there are many native Indian animals as well, including Royal Bengal tigers. A Mysore "must see"

Karanji Kere - a small lake inside the city which offers boat rides. Surrounded by beautiful landscaped greenery you can also enjoy the company of pelicans and painted storks.

Happy Man Park - a very popular family hangout. The park is quite compact but contains a mini-zoo, and ducks roam freely. The park is landscaped with a little stream and ‘wooden’ bridges. The main attraction is, of course, The Happy Man - a statue of a man with a huge pot belly representing the unhealthy eating habits of the Mysoreans.

Hassan

Ramanathpur Temples - on the banks of River Cauvery - the river has many species of fish and you can buy fish food from nearby vendors. There's a cave in the waterbed accessible during summer months.

Gorur Dam - across the Hemavathy River - built in the early 1900s - permission is required to go to the top of the dam to view the Hemavathi Reservoir.

Shettyhalli Church - Gothic architecture from the 1600s - the church is submerged during monsoons but can be explored during the summer. Once yearly in the summer prayers are held and a lamp is lit in the church.

Mosale Hoysala Temples - Hoysala architecture known for intricate detail work
Sri Ranganatha Hill - a new constructed Hanuman statue - enjoy the scenic drive up the hill.

Badami/Hospet/Hampi

Hiking and Climbing: being completely surrounded by cliffs and caves makes a great spot for climbing and exploring the carvings, monuments and ruins.

Dandeli

Kavala Caves: These ancient caves are about 25 km from the Dandeli. Tourists will have to trek some thousands steps through a dense forest to reach Kavala caves. These caves are revered as the abode of Lord Shiva-the Hindu god of Destruction.

Kulgi Nature Camp: Around 14 km from the Dandeli National Park, this camp has small museum and nature interpretation center. The highlight is the stuffed 13 foot king cobra captured some years ago.

Dandeli Wild Life Sanctuary and Anshi National Park are dominated by the Kali River. Activities include Coracle Rides (great for spotting crocodiles and water birds), rock climbing, mountain biking, rafting/kayaking/canoing, camping, jeep safaris, trekking, bird watching.