KSTDC Day Trips
from Bangalore

Nandi Hills is one of those places Bangaloreans keep meaning to visit and never quite get around to. The hilltop sits at 1,455 metres — high enough that on clear mornings, the mist lies well below you and the plains of Bengaluru are visible in the distance. The KSTDC day trip covers the hilltop sightseeing circuit, the Yoganandeeshwara Temple, Tipu's Drop, Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple at the foothills, and the Isha Foundation with the Adiyogi statue on the return leg. It is a full day rather than an overnight stay — ideal for those who want to experience the hill without booking accommodation.

This is a pilgrimage circuit that most Bangaloreans are unfamiliar with — and that is part of its appeal. Chikka Tirupati, about 65 km from Bangalore, is believed to be the original abode of Lord Balaji, predating the Tirumala shrine. It draws a fraction of the crowd of the main Tirupati while offering an equally devout atmosphere. The tour then moves to Kotilingeshwara, a remarkable temple complex near Kolar featuring a 108-foot Shiva linga — said to be among the world's tallest — surrounded by thousands of smaller lingas. The day ends at Kaivara, a hill shrine associated with the 19th-century saint Yogi Narayana Swamy, where the cave temple and surrounding landscape give the place an unusually quiet, spiritual quality.

Bannerghatta is right on Bangalore's southern doorstep — 22 km — and yet few people explore it properly. The national park has one of India's few purpose-built safari parks where you can see lions, tigers, bears and elephants in open natural enclosures from the safety of a safari bus. The butterfly park within the complex is among the best in the country. The day trip combines Bannerghatta with Muthyala Maduvu — Pearl Valley — a waterfall tucked into the forest near Anekal, about 35 km from the city. It is a quiet spot, especially on weekdays, and a good contrast to the energy of the zoo and safari.

Most people pass through Devanahalli to reach the airport and never stop to look around. This day trip does what few Bangaloreans take time to do — explore the historical and spiritual sites that dot the rural belt north and west of the city. The circuit covers Devanahalli Fort, birthplace of Tipu Sultan, before heading to Ghati Subramanya, a temple set dramatically at a mountain gorge that is little visited despite being only 60 km from the city. Shivagange, a cluster of sacred temples on a rocky hill near Dobbaspet, rounds off the day — it involves a short climb but offers views that most people do not associate with the Bangalore district.

Bangalore is a city that residents often know less well than visitors do. This full-day tour covers the places that define the city — the civic grandeur of Vidhana Soudha, the calm of Lalbagh, the ISKCON temple, and the Science Museum and Planetarium which is consistently underrated as a half-day destination. The tour also covers Bannerghatta Zoological Park and Rajarajeswari Temple. It is particularly suited to relatives visiting from other states or towns, first-time Bangalore visitors, or families looking for a structured way to see the city without navigating traffic themselves.