We are planning for a short family trip to Mysore from Bangalore on next Sunday. It will be a one day trip and we plan to return to Bangalore on the same day. As this is going to be our first visit to Mysore, I was looking for information on probable tourist attractions to visit in this historic city. While searching the web, I realized that there are lots of tourist places to visit in Mysore. As a result, our list of places to visit in Mysore has grown quite big. I don't think it would be possible for us to visit all the places of interest in one day. So I am looking for suggestions on the famous tourist places in Mysore that we can cover within a single day. We would definitely visit Mysore Palace and Vrindavan Gardens, but what could be the other best places to visit in Mysore?
Mysore is the second largest city in Karnataka after Bangalore in terms of area. The places of tourist interests in Mysore are scattered across various parts of the city. Quite a few are on the outskirts as well. The travel time between one place to another is going to consume a lot of time. It would be impossible to visit all the tourist spots in Mysore in just one day. I would strongly suggest you to make it a 2-days trip, if possible. Still if you would like to visit as many places as possible in a one day trip to Mysore, then I would recommend you the following itinerary - Start from Bangalore early in the morning, preferably by 5 AM. If travelling by car/taxi, you will be able to reach Mysore by 8 AM with a short break for breakfast. There are a number of eateries along the Bangalore-Mysore highway where you can have your breakfast. Kamat Lokaruchi at Ramanagaram, Maddur Tiffany's at Maddur or Adiga’s after Maddur can be your best bet for an awesome South Indian breakfast. The first place you should visit in Mysore is the Ranganathittu Birds Sanctuary. Early morning is good time for birdwatching. It is located off Bangalore-Mysore highway, so you need not have to enter Mysore city just yet. After crossing Srirangapattana, you will come across an Indian Oil petrol bunk. Right next to the petrol bunk, there is a circle. Take a U-turn there and you should see a big sign-board on your left pointing you towards Ranganathittu. Take that road and drive straight till you come across the entrance of the birds sanctuary on your right. The gates open at 8:30 AM. If you are bird lover, then you would surely fall in love with this place which is home to a wide variety of winged visitors. Go for a boat-ride to capture some amazing shots of the pelicans, storks and egrets. It would take around 1.5 hours for you to explore this amazing place. After visiting Ranganathittu, I would suggest you to go to the Chamundeshwari Temple before entering the Mysore city. Take the Ring Road after coming out of the birds sanctuary (towards the right hand side). Drive for around 20 KM and take the right diversion towards Chamundi Hills road. There are several sigh-boards along the road to provide you directions. Ask the local folks if you are unsure. While coming down from the Chamundi Hills after darshan, don't take the Ring Road. Turn left towards Mysore city. This road goes via Mysore Zoo. If you are travelling with kids, then you can pay a visit to the zoo which has a rich collection of animals and birds. Otherwise you may skip it and proceed further towards the city center. Once you are in the Mysore city, you can visit the famed Mysore Palace and Saint Philomena’s Cathedral. It would nearly be the time for lunch by that time. So head to one of the restaurants of your choice to satisfy your appetite. In the post lunch session, you can pay a visit to Jagmohan Palace and Art Gallery. It houses several valuable paintings created by the renowned artisans from Karnataka. Another interesting place to visit in Mysore city is the Folklore Museum (located in Mysore University Campus) which has an impressive collection of ancient artifacts. However the museum remains closed on Sundays, so you can chop it off from your places to visit list for this trip. You may, however, visit the Railway Museum which is open everyday between 10 AM to 5 PM. It has a great collection of vintage loco engines and railway wagons, few of which are over a century old. Next, head to Srirangapattana. It used to be the capital of Tipu Sultan. Srirangapattana Fort, Tipu's Mausoleum (Gumbaz), Daria Daulat Bagh and Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple are a few of the must visit places at Srirangapattana. Try out horse riding here if you haven't experienced this before. Last, but not the least, there is the famed Vrinadavan Gardens and KRS Dam. The reason for visiting this famous tourist spot by the end of the day is for attending the colorful light-and-sound show - which takes place in the evening as darkness sets on. The musical fountains with colorful sprays of waters is a sight to behold. Once the show is over, you can proceed for the return journey to Bangalore. That's all you can visit in Mysore in a single day. Regards, Deb
when i visited Mysore, we were running out of time and only gotto see vrindavan gardens and mysore palace..the best time to visit Mysore is during dusshera cos at that time you could see the beautifull lighting over the mysore palce which soo charming..
The best advice I can give you is that you should spend an entire day at a single spot to really enjoy it. I strongly recommend that you visit Chamundeshwari Temple and Mysore Palace. Spending time here is a great way to experience the true culture of Karnataka. This is what showcases our cultural richness and I can assure you that would be a great experience. You should visit fewer places and spend more time on each of them. Hope this helps. Good Luck.
