Explore Karnataka by road: every place, region by region

• 25

  Places in this guide

• 25

  Places with measured road distances

• 7

  Ready-made circuits

• 4

  UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Road distances come from our route catalog (by road, never straight-line guesses); fares are indicative (Oct 2026) from our published rate method, and every place links its official page.

The coastal temples

Dharmasthala, Kukke Subramanya, Udupi, Kollur Mookambika, Murudeshwar, Gokarna

Shankaracharya's seat and the Hoysala temples

Sringeri, Belur, Halebidu & Somanathapura

Jain pilgrimage

Shravanabelagola, Dharmasthala

Temples of the old capitals

Hampi, Badami, Aihole & Pattadakal, Srirangapatna, Mysuru

1. Group of Monuments at HampiInscribed 1986
2. Group of Monuments at PattadakalInscribed 1987
3. Western Ghats (Kodagu forests)Inscribed 2012
4. Sacred Ensembles of the HoysalasInscribed 2023

• Mysuru and Coorg from BengaluruFrom Bengaluru: Srirangapatna → Mysuru → Coorg (Madikeri)4 days518 km17-seater ₹28,200–34,500Photo: Adam Jones Adam63, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons
• Hampi and Badami from BengaluruFrom Bengaluru: Hampi → Badami4–5 days929 km17-seater ₹35,400–43,300Photo: Suraj S Rao, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons
• Coastal Karnataka temples from MangaluruFrom Mangaluru: Dharmasthala → Kukke Subramanya → Udupi → Kollur Mookambika → Murudeshwar → Gokarna4 days726 km17-seater ₹28,200–34,500Photo: A.Murali, CC0 1.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons
• Shravanabelagola, Belur and ChikkamagaluruFrom Bengaluru: Shravanabelagola → Belur → Chikkamagaluru3 days510 km17-seater ₹21,100–25,800Photo: Rohit14400, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons
• Mysuru, Bandipur and OotyFrom Bengaluru: Mysuru → Bandipur → Ooty4 days596 km17-seater ₹28,200–34,500Photo: Whistleraja, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons
• Dandeli, Gokarna and Jog FallsFrom Hubballi-Dharwad: Dandeli → Gokarna → Jog Falls3 days474 km17-seater ₹21,100–25,800Photo: PiolAtif, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons
• Ooty and Mysuru from PalakkadFrom Palakkad: Ooty → Mysuru3–4 days564 km17-seater ₹28,200–34,500Photo: Hellowikidoc, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons

• The highways through Bandipur close to traffic at night: plan to cross the forest in daylight.
• Safaris are run by the forest department and the government lodges; book them ahead in holiday seasons.
• Operators know the timings: tell them your dates and they plan the day around the closure.

Karnataka Forest Department (official)

• At Dharmasthala, Kukke Subramanya and several other temples men remove their shirts inside the shrine.
• Dress modestly, leave shoes at the counter and follow the rules on phones and cameras.
• Rituals such as Sarpa Samskara at Kukke are booked with the temple office ahead.

1. JanHampi Utsav · HampiA state festival of music, dance and light among the ruins, held in the cooler months; dates change each year.
2. JanKambala · Udupi and Dakshina KannadaBuffalo races through paddy-field tracks in the coastal villages, from about November to March.
3. FebMahashivaratri · GokarnaGokarna's biggest festival, in February or March, when pilgrims fill the Mahabaleshwar temple.Karnataka Tourism: Uttara Kannada
4. AprBengaluru Karaga · BengaluruA night procession of the Draupadi Karaga through the old city around the full moon of Chaitra (March–April).
5. OctMysuru Dasara · MysuruTen days in September–October: the palace lit up, cultural shows and the Jamboo Savari procession on the last day.Karnataka Tourism: Mysuru
6. OctKudroli Navaratri · MangaluruThe Kudroli temple's Navaratri and its colourful procession in September–October.Karnataka Tourism: Dakshina Kannada
7. NovLaksha Deepotsava · DharmasthalaThe festival of a lakh lamps at the Manjunatha temple in November–December.Karnataka Tourism: Dharmasthala

• Masala dosa and filter coffee: The Udupi and Bengaluru breakfast, best in the old darshinis.
• Bisi bele bath: Rice, lentils and vegetables cooked with a tangy spice mix.
• Mysore pak: The rich gram-flour and ghee sweet of Mysuru.
• Ragi mudde: Finger-millet balls eaten with sambar or saaru in the villages of the south.
• Mangalorean fish curry and neer dosa: Coconut-rich coastal cooking.
• Kodava pandi curry: Coorg's dark, tangy pork curry with kachampuli vinegar.
• Dharwad peda: The milk sweet of Dharwad, near Hubballi.

• A family, school or corporate group from Bengaluru is going to Mysuru, Coorg, Chikkamagaluru, Ooty or Wayanad and needs one tempo traveller or bus with a driver.
• A pilgrim group is doing the coastal temples (Dharmasthala, Kukke Subramanya, Udupi, Kollur, Murudeshwar, Gokarna), Sringeri, or the Jain yatra to Shravanabelagola.
• A school or college heritage trip is going to Hampi, Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, Belur and Halebidu.
• A visitor from abroad lands at Bengaluru (BLR) or Mangaluru (IXE) and wants a vehicle with a driver, with itemised quotes from verified operators.