Karnataka Uncovered: Empires, Temples & Wild Landscapes

On arrival at Bangalore International Airport, you are met and assisted before being driven comfortably to your carefully selected city hotel. After check-in and time to refresh, you begin exploring Bangalore in the company of an expert city guide.

Your introduction starts at Lalbagh Botanical Garden, celebrated for its remarkable collection of tropical and subtropical plants and its ancient granite outcrop — among the oldest geological formations in the region. From here, step into the vibrant everyday life of the city at KR Market, where flowers, spices, and fresh produce reveal Bangalore’s enduring commercial traditions.

Lunch is at the legendary Mavalli Tiffin Room (MTR), an institution synonymous with South Indian cuisine. The afternoon continues with guided stops at Vidhana Soudha, the seat of Karnataka’s government, and Bangalore Palace, offering insight into the city’s evolution from a princely settlement to a modern capital.

What to Expect: A layered introduction to Bangalore’s gardens, markets, architecture, and cuisine
Overnight: Bangalore
Pace: Gentle introduction after arrival
Overnight: Comfortable city hotel in Bangalore

After breakfast, check out and travel in comfort to Hampi, once one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world as the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Today, it stands as one of the most extensive and evocative ruin landscapes anywhere.

With your guide, begin exploring the spiritual and ceremonial heart of the city. Visit Virupaksha Temple, a living place of worship that has remained active for centuries, followed by the monumental Two Ganeshas carved from enormous granite boulders and the imposing Lakshmi Narasimha, whose scale reflects the imperial ambition of the Vijayanagara rulers.

The day concludes at Hemakuta Hills, where sunset views reveal the sacred geography of the former capital — a fitting and atmospheric introduction to Hampi.

What to expect: A fitting and atmospheric introduction to Hampi
Pace and comfort: Comfortable long-distance journey in private, air-conditioned vehicle with breaks; a
gentle guided sightseeing experience
Overnight: Hampi

Today takes you beyond Hampi into the Chalukyan heartland, a region central to the development of Indian temple architecture between the 6th and 8th centuries.

At Aihole, explore early experiments in temple design, where architects tested new ideas in form and structure. Continue to Pattadakal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where royal coronation temples bring together northern and southern architectural styles in a single ceremonial landscape. At Badami, the former Chalukyan capital, discover cave temples carved directly into red sandstone cliffs, dramatically uniting architecture, landscape, and royal authority.

You return to Hampi by evening, carrying a deeper understanding of how South Indian temple architecture evolved over time.

What to expect: Early temple forms, UNESCO-listed monuments, and dramatic rock-cut sanctuaries
Pace and comfort: Easy to moderate walking level, with guided pacing
Overnight: Hampi

Today focuses on how Hampi functioned as a living, planned imperial city.

Begin with a walk along the Tungabhadra River, once vital to trade, ritual, and daily life. Continue to the Vijaya Vittala Temple, where ceremonial architecture reaches its peak, most famously in the iconic stone chariot.

Explore the Royal Enclosures, including the Mahanavami Dibba and Lotus Mahal, followed by the impressive Elephant Stables, which speak to the scale and organisation of the imperial court. The day concludes at Hazara Rama Temple, where sculpted panels vividly depict the close relationship between kingship, ritual, and epic tradition.

What to expect: Insight into Hampi’s urban planning, courtly life, and ceremonial architecture
Pace and comfort: Unhurried sightseeing, with regular rest points
Overnight: Hampi

After breakfast, check out and travel in comfort towards the Bhadra landscape, a region of forests, reservoirs, and river systems supporting one of Karnataka’s important wildlife areas.

After checking in at River Tern Lodge, beautifully located on the fringes of Bhadra Tiger Reserve, head out with a resident naturalist for an afternoon safari. Traverse dry deciduous and evergreen forests that support elephants, gaur, deer, rich birdlife, and predators such as leopards and tigers.

The emphasis is on experiencing the ecosystem as a whole, guided by expert interpretation.

What to expect: Immersion in a rich forest habitat with chances to observe large mammals and birdlife
Pace and comfort: Fully guided and unhurried, well-supported exploration
Overnight: River Tern Lodge

Overnight: River Tern Lodge
Experience: Fully guided and well-supported

Begin the day with an early morning safari, when the forest is at its most active. Afterwards, travel in comfort into the hills of Chikmagalur, set within the Western Ghats, one of the world’s most important biodiversity regions, known for its remarkable concentration of endemic plant and animal life.
After checking in to your curated accommodation, visit a working coffee estate with a knowledgeable guide. Learn how shade-grown coffee evolved alongside native forests and how cultivation shaped both the landscape and local livelihoods over generations.
The remainder of the day is free to relax and enjoy the cooler climate and green surroundings.

What to expect: Nature-rich travel combining safari exploration with plantation life
Pace and comfort: Balanced and restorative pace
Overnight: Chikmagalur

From Chikmagalur, travel in comfort to Belur and Halebidu, where you are joined on site by an expert temple guide.
At the Chennakesava Temple and Hoysaleswara Temple — both UNESCO World Heritage Sites and widely regarded as among the finest stone temples in the world — explore monuments built in the 12th century. Thousands of intricate soapstone carvings depict deities, epic narratives, courtly life, dancers, musicians, and everyday scenes with astonishing precision.
Return to Chikmagalur by evening, with time to rest and reflect.
What to expect: Close-up encounters with some of India’s most intricate temple sculpture and sacred architecture
Pace and comfort: Easy walking pace and comfortable travel in air-conditioned vehice
Overnight: Chikmagalur

After breakfast, check out and travel to Shravanabelagola, one of Jainism’s most sacred sites. Climb the gently stepped hill to encounter the colossal Gomateshwara statue — a powerful symbol of renunciation, balance, and spiritual discipline.
Continuing onward, arrive in Mysore, a former princely capital that developed into a major centre of administration, culture, and royal patronage. With a palace specialist, explore Mysore Palace, one of India’s grandest royal residences, followed by the Jaganmohan Palace Art Gallery, offering insight into courtly art traditions and royal collecting.

What to expect: Sacred Jain heritage followed by royal architecture and courtly art
Pace and comfort: Stepped ascent at Shravanabelagola, taken at a relaxed pace
Overnight: Mysore

After breakfast, check out and visit Devaraja Market, where Mysore’s everyday rhythms unfold among flower sellers, spice traders, and artisans.
Travel onwards to Srirangapatna, the fortified island capital of the Mysore Kingdom under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Explore the remains of Srirangapatna Fort, followed by Daria Daulat Bagh, Tipu Sultan’s summer palace, and the Srirangapatna Dungeon, which offers a stark glimpse into the final chapter of an independent kingdom.
Enjoy lunch by the banks of the Cauvery River, before the journey concludes — bringing to a close a rich nine-day exploration of Karnataka’s landscapes, empires, sacred centres, wildlife regions, and living traditions.

What to expect: Living market culture, followed by the military and political history of Tipu Sultan’s capital
Pace and comfort: Gentle exploration with a reflective, unhurried conclusion
Overnight: Independent onward arrangements