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Travel guide
Karnataka (Mysore and Hampi)
2 days · 2 things to do
Best time to go: October to February
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Welcome
Karnataka (Mysore and Hampi), in a few days
The lavish palace of Mysore, a city of sandalwood and silk, and the otherworldly landscape of Hampi, the capital of a vanished empire, its temples scattered among giant granite boulders.
- Day by day
- D1 Day 1 1 thing
- D2 Day 2 1 thing
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
The trip
Day by day
Map of the sights (numbers follow the suggested order). It prints with the base map.
D1
Day 1
1 thing to do · at your own pace
- All day · The temples of Hampi free · a full dayThe ruins of Vijayanagara, a UNESCO site, from the still-active Virupaksha Temple to the Vittala Temple and its stone chariot.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Malligi ↗ · All places to stay by budget →€40 a night
D2
Day 2
1 thing to do · at your own pace
- Morning · Hampi's boulders and rice fields free · half a dayGranite boulders piled across the landscape above banana groves and rice paddies along the Tungabhadra River, best seen at sunrise or sunset.
Further afield (over 130 km from the base hotel), best as a separate stop: Mysore Palace lit up, Devaraja Market, Mysore coffee and silk.
📲 Book things to do in Karnataka (Mysore and Hampi) on GetYourGuideBefore you go
Worth sorting before you go
📶 eSIM data
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
🛡️ Travel insurance
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
💳 Fee-free card
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
🚐 Airport transfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
Some links are partner links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Good to know
Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Dosa: a thin, crisp pancake of fermented rice and lentils, served with sambar and chutney.
- Idli: soft steamed rice cakes, the standard southern breakfast.
- Kerala curry: fish, prawns or vegetables cooked in coconut milk with curry leaves.
- Sadya: a vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf, eaten with the right hand.
- Filter coffee: strong South Indian coffee with hot milk, poured from a height to froth it.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Drink sealed bottled water only, and eat food that is hot and freshly cooked.
- Cover shoulders and knees at temples, and take your shoes off at the door. Some temples admit Hindus only.
- Agree the auto-rickshaw fare before you get in, or use Uber or Ola.
- Plan around the monsoon: heavy rain from June to September, and again in October and November.
Getting by
Words that help
English ↔ Tamil
| English | Tamil |
|---|---|
| Hello | வணக்கம் (vanakkam) |
| Thank you | நன்றி (nandri) |
| Please | தயவுசெய்து (thayavu seydhu) |
| Yes | ஆம் (aam) |
| No | இல்லை (illai) |
| Excuse me | மன்னிக்கவும் (mannikkavum) |
| Goodbye | போய் வருகிறேன் (poi varugiren) |
| Do you speak English? | ஆங்கிலம் பேசுவீர்களா? (aangilam pesuvirgala?) |
| I don't understand | எனக்கு புரியவில்லை (puriyavillai) |
| How much is it? | இது எவ்வளவு? (idhu evvalavu?) |
| Where are the toilets? | கழிவறை எங்கே? (kazhivarai enge?) |
| The bill, please | பில் கொடுங்கள் (bill kodungal) |
| Help! | உதவி! (udhavi!) |
| Cheers! | சியர்ஸ்! (cheers!) |
The essentials
The practical page
CurrencyIndian rupee (INR, ₹)
BudgetAbout €60 a day, mid-range
Best seasonOctober to February
PlugC/D/M · 230V
Tap waterBottled only
TippingAppreciated, around 10%
Emergency112
EntryAn e-visa is required and must be applied for online at least four days before arrival, with a passport valid six months, for EU, UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. An online e-arrival card is also required.
HealthHepatitis A and typhoid are recommended. Malaria is present in some rural areas, so ask about prophylaxis for your route. Dengue is common: use repellent.
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/karnataka
Don't forget
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.