Bengaluru Travel Guide: The Garden City & Silicon Valley of India - Capital Cities of Indian States [Karnataka]

Bengaluru being capital city of Karnataka and one of the most important IT hub in India, is frequently visited by lot of folks. I would assume that lot of people visit Bengaluru for business than personal work. Many of these folks get 2 day weekend off and at times, people plan extra time to explore the place well. Certainly Bengaluru city has a lot to do and explore but there are some very interesting places around Bengaluru where you can drive over the weekend and make best of your time. Let's go step by steps and first talk about how to reach Bengaluru from different parts of India or aboard. And then accommodation options and the relevant places to stay for saving time while you are on the move. How to reach Banglore : Banglore is connected very well through road, train and flights. One just need to opt for right option by looking at relevant websites. Flights for Banglore and from Banglore are usually expensive on Mondays & Fridays. Booking train ticket through IRCTC website has become easier and for buses, Redbus can be a good option.

Bengaluru (earlier Bangalore), the capital of Karnataka, is often called the “Garden City of India” and also the “Silicon Valley of India” for its thriving IT industry. Known for its pleasant climate, green parks, royal palaces, buzzing pubs, and cosmopolitan culture, Bengaluru beautifully balances heritage charm with modern energy.

This Photo Journey has some of the old photographs of Bannergatta National Park in Banglore (In Karnataka State of India). Two years, I visited Banglore for some official purpose and had a weekend to explore the city. This Photo Journey is one of the parts of weekend fun we had at Banglore -Bannerghatta National Park is situated approximately 20 km south of Bangalore, Karnataka, India. The journey to the park takes nearly one and a half hours from Bangalore. This hilly place is the home for one of the richest natural, zoological reserves. The 25 thousand acres zoological park makes this a major tourist attraction of Bangalore.Bannergatta National Park surroundings are a biological reserve belonging to the forest department and are home to elephant, leopards, deer and various other animals. The reserve belongs to an Elephant Corridor and is connected with the BR Hills, Sathyamangalam forest areas extending all the way up to Waynad.There is a huge number of Tigers and White Tigers inside Bannergatta National Park. It was awesome to see Tigers after numerous failed visits to Jim-Corbett, Ranthamore, Kikar National Parks.Visitors can reach Bannergatta National Park very easily by using the public transport. City buses starting from the heart of Bangalore City, with route number 365, keep plying back and forth to the National Park every 20 minutes. The newly released Air-Conditioned Volvo bus no.V365 makes the whole journey a very comfortable and pleasurable one.The bus runs via corporation and Shantinagar bus stand to Dairy circle where it joins the Bannerghatta road - Route and SchedulApart from that route No. 366 connects frequently from City market via Lakkasandra, and Dairy circleRoute of Big-10-4(Numbered G-4 for Green colour) plies every 10 minutes once from Brigade Road junction to Bannerghatta National Park. The frequency of 365,366 and G-4 geenrally increases on the day of holidays for benefit of commuters. (Info Courtesy - http://wikitravel.org/en/Bannerghatta_National_Park)A variety of animals are looked after here in this National park of Banglore. The Mammals are left freely in the forest and the visitors are taken around the forest in a well caged mini-bus to view these animals. Different partitions with huge gates and moats separate the forest into the Herbivores section and the Carnivores section. The Herbivores section comprises of few animals like deers, bears and a few monkeys etc. White Tigers, Lions, Bengal Tigers are covered in the Carnivores' section.Monkey drinking water out of a tap inside Bannergatta National Park.All visitors of Bannergatta National Park are allowed to view the forest area only in the 'safari' (joy ride) buses and are not allowed to get off the bus whatsoever. The Bannerghatta National Park also boasts of a zoo where reptiles, birds and amphibians are looked after in cages. Endangered animals like Cheetahs, Leopards, Hyenas and Panthers are looked after here, in cagesOne can get to look at Rhinoceros, Elephants, Zebras, Porcupines also in the zoo area. Visitors are also lucky to find Chipmunks (American brown squirrel) which are very rare in India.Here is a photograph of buses that run inside Bannergatta National Park of Banglore City in KarnatakaBannerghatta National Park hours are 9am to 5pm. Avoid the Sunday rush or go to the zoo early around 9.30am. It will be advised to avoid hours after 3pm as you probably won't have enough time to see everything you might like to see. Best visited when less crowded. Eat full breakfast before start your trip.Fast-food options are available around Ticket Counters of Bannergatta, but eatable are not allowed to take inside.

This comprehensive guide takes you through the best places to visit in Bengaluru, its food, culture, nightlife, shopping, and nearby getaways, with Travellingcamera links to explore more.

Local commute in the city : Try not to go for rented cars and avoid driving yourself. Use Metro wherever you can and then shared cabs (I specifically ask for shared cabs in Banglore because one cab for one person in this city is ridiculous. This chokes the whole city. ) Now let's talk about some of the popular places you must visit when in Banglore - 1. LalBagh Botanical Garden :

Top Places to Visit in Bengaluru

1. Bangalore Palace

A Tudor-style palace built in 1878, inspired by England’s Windsor Castle, with fortified towers, wood carvings, and sprawling grounds. It also hosts concerts and events.

👉 Travellingcamera’s palace experiences in India.

Cubbon Park in Bengaluru and more Lodhi Garden in Delhi, not completely but some of the views in parks remind of some special parks or gardens in different cities of India. Lot joggers and sports enthusiasts can be seen around Cubbon park in morning. By the time I reached the park, folks were walking out. Couples and tourists were coming in.

2. Cubbon Park

Spread over 300 acres, Cubbon Park is Bengaluru’s green lung, dotted with statues, colonial-era buildings, and shaded walking trails. A favorite for morning walks and photography.

👉 Travellingcamera’s parks & gardens explorations.

I walked to Zilker Park from Texas Capitol which is approx 4 miles if you are walking around the Lady Bird Lake to reach the park and I have shared about this walk on my blog. I highly recommend this walk to explore Austin town well and get the vibe of Austin town, especially on a weekend when lot of families come to this part of the town for their jogs, walks, runs, & family picnics. In this blogpost, we will focus on Zilker Park of Austin and why it's so popular in this part of the state.

3. Lalbagh Botanical Garden

Dating back to the 18th century, Lalbagh is famous for its glasshouse (modeled after London’s Crystal Palace), tropical plants, and seasonal flower shows.

👉 Travellingcamera’s flower show captures.

When you ask people about main places to visit in Banglore, most of the folks would mention Vidhan Soudha, Legislative assembly of Karnataka. I headed towards Vidhan Soudha in morning and plan was to walk around this place & explore other places like Cubbon Park, Science Museum, Fish Aquarium and Art Museum. All of these are at walkable distance from Vidhan Soudha. This is such a beautiful building in Banglore and spread over acres of land. Vidhan Soudha is a huge compound and well connected through Metro. There is a metro station near Vidhan Soudha and just across the state high court. All photographs shared in this post are clicked with Huawie P9 Mobile phone. Weather in Banglore is usually pleasant and that's why it was very convenient to walk around & explore this part of the city. Now there is another, relatively new, building called Vikas Soudha. Green lawns towards the road are very well maintained and you can see people coming here and enjoying the beauty. Lot of folks stop by to get a photograph clicked in front of Vidhan Soudha. Surroundings are green and clean. Most of the times, you would find police van patrolling around the place.

4. Vidhana Soudha & Attara Kacheri

  • Vidhana Soudha: The seat of Karnataka’s legislature, an imposing example of Neo-Dravidian architecture.

  • Attara Kacheri: A red colonial-era building opposite Vidhana Soudha that houses the High Court.

👉 Travellingcamera’s architecture stories.

In this section I will not be providing details and instead I would recommend you to check out provided links, which should be more than enough for you to plan your weekend at Banglore in much better way.

5. Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace

Built entirely of teak, this 18th-century Indo-Islamic structure was Tipu Sultan’s summer retreat, showcasing intricate arches and frescoes.

👉 Travellingcamera’s Mysore explorations for more on Tipu Sultan’s legacy.

It was time to head towards Iskon Temple. Before starting the journey, everyone goes to Iskon temple and Iskon Bengaluru is one of the important temples by Iskon organisation. It started raining as we reached outside the temple, but it was manageable. As we reached closed to the entry gate, it started raining heavily and one has to go through open areas to reach main temple. All of us the group were brave to take the call that we want to see the temple. It was ok if we got exposed to showers but it was worth. As we headed back, some of us found that our shoes are wet. They were placed in common area just outside the temple. That was little disappointing for some of us. This event spoiled the mood of some co-travellers. This is was of my learnings from this trip, but why it was learning? I would be writing a separate post about learnings from the trip and how someone can get prepared when planning such trips. Also there was few things for Golden Chariot team. So stay tuned.

6. ISKCON Temple

One of the largest ISKCON temples in the world, combining modern glass architecture with traditional temple features.

👉 Travellingcamera’s temple explorations across India.

7. Ulsoor Lake

A serene spot in the heart of the city, perfect for boating and evening strolls.

👉 Travellingcamera’s lake explorations.

Finally I landed at Art Museum , which is just next to Visvesvarya Industrial & Technology Museum. And this was my favourite place from the day. Brilliant collection of art at this place.

8. National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA)

Located in a colonial mansion, NGMA hosts works of Indian masters like Raja Ravi Varma, Amrita Sher-Gil, and contemporary artists.

👉 Travellingcamera’s art explorations.

This is what happens when you confuse between 'Fort' and 'Palace'. While in Bangalore, few friends suggested to visit Bangalore Palace and when I booked taxi, I mentioned Bangalore Fort as destination and here I reach. When taxi guy picked me from my hotel, he confirmed where I want to go. He was not really aware of the place as it’s one of the most crowded region in Bangalore (that’s what I perceived while driving through those narrow lanes. ). The taxi guy dropped me in front of a hospital and then I asked folks about Bangalore Fort. They gave me directions and it was just 2 mins walk towards the entry gate. There is no entry ticket for the fort. It was open at 9:15 am. The security person smiled and shared about the place. He said, it’s not huge and some parts are not approachable and closed for public. I moved in and came across this temple which is just in front of the entry gate. It seemed security folks live inside the fort. The family was just settling in for the day. There were few buckets around the lawn. I took a walk and noticed few beautiful birds around this place. It was peaceful inside the fort and these birds made it more cheerful. I sat there for some time and talked to the security people. Soon after another gentleman joined us and asked if I am from any newspaper. I smiled and said no. Clicked some portraits but they asked not to publish those photographs, so not sharing here. There is a huge vegetable market near the fort. Above photograph was clicked from taxi, while we were driving through this market towards the Fort. Above photographs don't give good perspective about the scale but these are huge doors around the outer wall of Banglore Fort. Above is the entry gate for Banglore Fort.

Culture & Festivals in Bengaluru

  • Karaga Festival: A centuries-old tradition honoring Draupadi, marked by processions and rituals.

  • Bengaluru Habba: A city-wide arts and culture festival.

  • Makar Sankranti & Ugadi: Celebrated with local traditions, kite flying, and feasts.

And finally the performance was concluded with Tanjavur doll dance. I loved the doll dance and you must see the video of this.

  • Tech Meets Art: With its young, cosmopolitan vibe, the city blends Carnatic music concerts with EDM gigs.

👉 Travellingcamera’s festival stories.

The train has two restaurants - Nala and Ruchi - that serve a variety of cuisines, including Indian, Continental, and Chinese. The chefs on the train use locally sourced ingredients to prepare the dishes and offer a unique culinary experience to the passengers. The train also has a lounge bar called Madira, where passengers can relax and enjoy a drink or two.

Food in Bengaluru

Bengaluru’s food scene is a blend of traditional Karnataka cuisine and global flavors.

If you're looking for an authentic South Indian breakfast experience, look no further than Reddy Tifin Centre in Medak. This popular food joint has been serving up delicious breakfast dishes to locals and tourists alike for years, and it's not hard to see why.

  • South Indian Breakfasts: Crispy dosas, idlis, vadas with filter coffee at iconic eateries like Vidyarthi Bhavan.

  • Street Food: Chaat, obbattu (sweet flatbread), and masala dosa.

  • Microbreweries: Bengaluru is India’s craft beer capital with popular spots like Toit and Arbor Brewing Company.

At 4pm, registration for Golden Chariot started followed by high tea. This was good opportunity to interact with some of the folks who would be part of the journey.

  • Global Cuisine: Reflecting its expat community — Korean, Japanese, Mediterranean, and fusion cafés.

Dinner menu was awesome. Grilled pineapple & prunes salad was served, allowed with Mulligatawny Soup. In main course, there were two options - Thali or Cajun Grilled Fish with Supreme of Chicken in Black Olive sauce. Thali comprised of Men MilGU, Manguluru Chicken Curry, Dharwadi Bendekai, Mysuru Brinjal Curry, Drumstick Ulli Sambr, Tawa Chapati, fluffy steamed rice & Khajur, kale ka raitha. In desserts, there were 2 options - Tender Coconut Souffe or Julab Jamun. We took 1 hr to have dinner and it was lovely. It was sort of food meditation for us :).

👉 Travellingcamera’s food trails.

I get to travel to Banglore quite often, because of it being one of the IT hubs in India. Every time I visit a place/city, one thing always is on top of my mind - how can I use available time in best possible way and that certainly means exploring news things in that region or city. As an outsider, I used to ask from local folks about what to do in my free time. Interesting many times I hear - have you explored XYZ pub in Kormagala or something similar. Then I wondered what is so special about these pubs in Banglore city and then somebody said - Banglore is Pub City of India. Ok, I took a pause and then again asked myself why.

Nightlife in Bengaluru

Unlike many Indian cities, Bengaluru has a legendary pub culture:

  • MG Road & Brigade Road: Trendy pubs, lounges, and live music venues.

  • Indiranagar & Koramangala: Popular with the young crowd for craft beer, rooftop bars, and hip cafés.

  • Cultural Evenings: Classical music concerts at Chowdiah Memorial Hall or Ranga Shankara theatre.

The General Post Office in Bangalore is more than just a postal facility; it is a symbol of the city's rich history, architectural grandeur, and enduring legacy. Whether you're a history buff, an architecture enthusiast, or simply a curious traveler, a visit to GPO Bangalore offers a unique and enriching experience. Discover the charm of this iconic landmark and appreciate the blend of past and present that makes it a true gem in the heart of Bangalore.

Shopping in Bengaluru

  • Commercial Street: Affordable fashion and accessories.

  • Brigade Road: High-street shopping with Indian and global brands.

  • KR Market: One of Asia’s largest flower markets, buzzing with colors and aromas.

  • UB City Mall: Luxury brands and fine dining.

👉 Travellingcamera’s market explorations.

Nestled in the bustling heart of Bangalore, the General Post Office (GPO) stands as a testament to the city's rich colonial heritage and architectural grandeur. As one of the oldest and most significant landmarks in Bangalore, the GPO not only serves as a hub for postal services but also attracts history enthusiasts and architecture admirers alike. In this blog post, we will delve into the fascinating history, architectural marvels, and the modern-day significance of GPO Bangalore, offering a glimpse into why this iconic building continues to capture the imagination of all who visit it.

Local Life in Bengaluru

  • Morning: People jogging at Lalbagh or Cubbon Park.

  • Daytime: Office-goers powering the IT industry in Whitefield and Electronic City.

  • Evenings: Cafés, pubs, and street food stalls buzzing with energy.

  • Weekends: Locals escaping to nearby hill stations or lakes.

👉 Travellingcamera’s street captures across India.

This year I was exploring Karnataka state of India and during the same trip I also visited Kabini Tiger reserve & wildlife sanctuary. I have done more than a dozen safaris in Wildlife sanctuaries in north India and success rate of Tiger sighting has been pretty low. I had never seen any Leopard in the wild and here I saw 2 leopard at the same time. And not only that, these leopards were around us for at least 15 minutes. We saw them drinking water in a pond and then taking some rest under the sun, before they headed back towards the forest. This post shares some of the such interesting experiences from Kabini Tiger Reserve. We have also tried to share some details details around - how to reach Kabini, main places to stay, what else to explore locally apart from Wildlife Safari.

Excursions Around Bengaluru

While coming back from Kannurto Bengaluru , we planned stop at Mysore Palace. We didn't stop for lunch on the way and thought of taking a break at Mysore and have some light lunch. It's a historical palace in the city of Mysore in Karnataka, southern India. It is the official residence and seat of the Wodeyars — the Maharajas of Mysore, the former royal family of Mysore, who ruled the princely state of Mysore from 1399 to 1950. Asked our taxi driver to drop us at the entry gate of Mysore Palace and park for next 1 hr.There is a dedicated parking area adjoining Mysore Palace campus. There is another huge parking across the road and lot of buses were parked in that parking. Ticket counter was empty, so it hardly took 5 minutes for us to enter into the campus. There was no one at the main entry to check out tickets. Entry ticket for one person costs 40 Rs and there is no ticket for camera. I specifically asked for camera fees and surprised to know that no fees is charged for cameras.After entering into the Mysore Palace campus, we thought of taking a round of this huge compound. The palace houses two durbar halls and incorporates a mesmerizing and gigantic array of courtyards, gardens, and buildings. The palace is in the central region of inner Mysore, facing the Chamundi Hills on the other side. There is lot of open space around the main palace. There is a temple around one of the corners of Mysore Palace.The Palace of Mysore is also known as the Amba Vilas Palace. After walking outside the palace, we reached the entry which takes you inside the palace. We needed to take out shoes. As we reached the counter to deposit our shoes, the guy standing there refused to give us a token and assured that we need not to worry :). Anyways, we moved on and stood in the queue.As we reached the security check, we were notified that cameras are not allowed inside and you need to keep it somewhere. Now I got to know that why there was no fees for camera but the person at ticket counter didn't bother to inform us about that. After spending 5 minutes in discussions with security folks, we got to know that a counter is there outside the compound where camera can be deposited. This was again a task of 15 minutes to take shoes back, deposit camera and then come back.Now we decided to directly go back to our cab and continue with our next journey towards Bengaluru. As we headed back to the shoe counter, the man at the counter asked for 'tip' and then gave us our shoes. Isn't it weird?Mysore is also popularly the City of Palaces. There are about 7 palaces inclusive of Mysore Palace. Now we didn't have to explore more in Mysore City. Probably we shall go there again sometime. I have also heard a lot of the Dussehra celebrations in Mysore, so let's see if I plan for it in future.To know more about the history and architecture of Mysore Palace, check out. It seems that Mysore Palace is now one of the most famous tourist attractions in India, after the Taj Mahal, and has more than 3,000,000 visitors annually. But not sure if I should compare it with Taj or not.

  • Mysore (150 km): Known for its palace, silk, and Dasara festival.

  • Shivanasamudra & Hogenakkal Falls: Stunning waterfalls, especially in monsoon.

It's been quite some time, that Vibha and I visited Wayanad region of North Kerala but recently I realized that I never wrote a good Travel Guide about Wayanad and instead written smaller pieces about some of the main places to explore in this region or things to do.

  • Coorg (250 km): Coffee plantations, misty hills, and Kodava culture.

1. Roam around aromatic Coffee plantations : Coffee produced in Wayanad region is very popular and that makes it a special place for exploring it's coffee plantations. Above photograph shows coffee plant loaded with lot of coffee beans. These dark red fruits contain 2 beans of coffee. So when they start getting blood red, they are took out and dried for a long time. When these fruits are dried, beans are taken out of these covers. So it's important to explore some of these coffee plantations and experience this whole lifecycle closely. Such things make you appreciate the effort and energy goes into producing high quality stuff. 2. Tea Gardens of Wayanad, Kerala :

Best Time to Visit Bengaluru

  • October–February: Pleasant winter, ideal for sightseeing.

  • March–May: Warm but manageable, gardens bloom beautifully.

  • June–September: Monsoon greenery adds charm but pack an umbrella.

If you land in Bangalore, you can catch a KRSTC bus running regularly to Kozikhode or directly to Wayanad. Some kerala transportation buses are also available. It is highly recommended to plan it well and know about bus timings before hand, to plan your trip well. Let's also talk about travel by Rail/train. Nearest railway station is Kozikode and beyond that you need to either take a taxi or bus. Related Post : Journey from Delhi to Wayanad via Bengaluru, Mysore, and Sultan Battery || Kerala Diaries

How to Reach Bengaluru

  • By Air: Kempegowda International Airport has excellent domestic and international connectivity.

  • By Rail: Major stations — Bengaluru City Railway Station & Yesvantpur Junction.

  • By Road: Well connected by highways and luxury buses to Mysore, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Goa.

Nagarhole National Park is one of the most popular tiger reserves in South India and is easily accessible from Mysore & Bengaluru. And today we are sharing about one of the most beautiful and very well located resort around Kabini Tiger reserve. we are going to talk about Kabini river Lodge which is located on the river bank of Kabini river. There are so many reasons which make this place special for stay as well as experiencing wildlife with great natural resources around it.

Stay Options in Bengaluru

  • Luxury: The Leela Palace, ITC Gardenia, Taj West End.

  • Mid-range: Lemon Tree, Hyatt Centric, Radisson Blu.

  • Budget: Backpacker hostels in Koramangala and Indiranagar.

👉 Travellingcamera’s hotel experiences.

Why Visit Bengaluru?

Bengaluru is more than India’s IT hub — it’s a city where history meets modernity, gardens meet tech parks, Carnatic music meets craft beer, and local traditions blend with cosmopolitan vibes. Whether you’re here for a short trip or long stay, Bengaluru offers a refreshing mix of experiences.

👉 Explore more from South India on Travellingcamera: Travellingcamera South India Stories.

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