Top ten tourist destinations in Karnataka

Karnataka is one among the other states, which offers a varied attractions. Be it a well preserved heritage or a modernized society, you can enjoy everything here. No wonder Karnataka is ranked as third most popular state in India. Eager to know the places to see in karnataka,  that is why we are going to list the Top ten tourist destinations in Karnataka.

Top ten tourist destinations in Karnataka

Bangalore

Karnataka tourist destinations are vast and now we are going to start with our very own namma Bengaluru (Official name of Bangalore). Bangalore, being the capital of Karnataka, it offers variety of tourist places to enjoy. This Silicon valley of India is a nice bend of past and present, that is why it is not constrained to one set of people instead all people of varied interest can enjoy completely. An interesting story folklore behind the name of Bengaluru is an old women served boiled beans (Bentha Kaalu) to a hungry and lost Hoysala King Veera Ballala II. Bentha means Boiled and Kaalu means beans in Kannada and hence Benda Kaalu ooru was shortened as Bengaluru.

Popular places to visit:  Vidhana soudha, Lalbagh gardens, Government Museum, Cubbon park, The Bull Temple, The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Bannerghatta National park, ISKON Temple, Bangalore palace, Tipu Sultan’s Summer palace, Wonderla amusement park and many more more.

Mysore

Mysore is one of the famous places to visit in Karnataka and is attracting visitors worldwide. Associated with rich cultural heritage, Mysore has received immense contribution from Wodeyar dynasty who once rulled this city.  Premium Silk, Sandalwood and Incense are famous products that one should not miss to buy when they visit Mysore. Now we will see the most preferred places to visit in Mysuru (official name of Mysore).

Popular places to visit:  The palacious Amba vilas Palace (Mysore palace), Mysore zoo, Colourful Brindavan gardens, Krishnaraja sagara Dam, Chamundeshwari Temple, Lalitha Mahal, Karanji Lake, Railway Museum, Kukkarahalli Lake, Folk Lore Museum, St Philomena’s Chruch and many more.

Coorg

Coorg never misses to grab its own place in Karnataka tourist destinations. This hill station has got variety of attractive tourist places. You can enjoy to your fullest by getting closer to the nature in Coorg.

Popular places to visit:  Iruppu falls, Raja’s seat, Abbey falls,  Namdroling Monastery, Cauvery Nisargadhama, Dubarey elephant camp, Bylakuppe, Nagarhole national park, Talakaveri, Kushalnagar, Brahmagiri Peak and many more.

Hampi

Hampi, one among the Top ten tourist destinations in Karnataka, is a historic village located in North Karnataka. Hampi inherits the ruins of famous vijayanagara empire also replicates their amazing architectural skills. Visiting more than 500 monuments with brilliant craftsmanship leaves you spell bound.

Popular places to visit:  Archaeological Museum, Monkey Temple , Vijaya Vittala Temple , Royal Enclosure, Virupaksha Temple, River side Ruins, Queen’s Bath, Hampi Bazaar, Underground temple, Old Palace and many more.

Belur & Halebid

A part of Hassan district, Belur is a must see in Karnataka tourist destinations. Popular Chennakesava temple is located here, which exhibits the architectural brilliance of Hoysala dynasty. The intricate carvings of this temple took over a hundred years to finish. Another important place is Halebid, which has renowned Hoysaleswara and Shantaleswara temple .

Popular places to visit: Chennakesava Emple, Shravanabelagola, Jain Temples, Kedareshwara Temple, Yagachi Dam, Archaeological Museum, Pushpagiri Willife Sanctuary, Basdi Halli,  Hoysaleswara,  Shantaleswara and many more.

Mangalore

This port city Mangalore derived its name from the deity Mangaladevi. It is located inbetween Arabian Sea and Western Ghats. This city served as a kingom of many powerful dynasties and hence inherits rich cultural and historical significance. Don’t miss to include Mangalore in your Karnataka tourist destinations list.

Popular places to visit: Karkala, Mudabidiri , Dharmasthala, Kukke Subramanya, Sringeri, Udupi, Malpe, Jamalabad Fort, Hanumanagundi falls, Venur, and many more.

Badami

Badami was formerly called as Vatapi, is one of the tourist attraction located in Bagalkot district and is famous for its magnificient rock cut temples with intricate carvings. Being served as a capital of Chalukya dynasty, it captures one of the place in Top ten tourist destinations in Karnataka.

Popular places to visit: Badami cave temples, Agastya lake, Bhuthanatha temple, Sangameshwara temple, Badami Fort, Aihole, The Archaelogical Museum, Banashankari temple, Durga temple and many more.

Bandipur National Park

Bandipur National Park was once serving as a hunting place for Wodeyar dynasty. A vast spread area of 800 km, Bandipur preserves tiger. Other than tigers, you get to see sloth bears, elephants, pythons, 200 species of birds, many variety of butterflies, etc. Connecting us with nature, Bandipur National Park is a top visiting places in Karnataka. When you visit Bandipur National park, you can cover few popular places near by to this National park.

Popular Places to visit: Biligirirangan Hills, Biligiri rangaswamy temple,  Anjaneyar Temple, Gopalswamy Betta, Dodda Sampige Mara, Brt Wildlife sanctuary, Malai mahadeshwara Temple and many more.

Chikmangalur

Lush green coffee estates that fills your eyes, that is Chikmangalur. Other than coffee estates, it has great places for wildlife activities, mountain biking, trekking and you can enjoy Dravidian style architecture too. Being a charming hill station, Chikmangalur continuously attracts many Explorers, Trekkers, nature lovers, Honeymoon couples through out the year.

Popular places to visit:  Kudremukh National Park, Mullayanagiri,  Sharadamba Temple, Baba Budangiri, Kadambi Falls, Kemmangundi, Manikyadhara Falls, Hebbe Falls, Kalhatti Falls, Bhadra Wildlife sanctuary and many more.

Gokarna

Gokarna is famous for its beaches and gives a similar feel to visiting Goa. It is located in northern part of Karnataka. October to march is considered as a best time to visit Gokarna. The name Gokarna means Cow’s ear in local language, why because the rivers located in Gokarna converges in a shape similar to the ear of a cow. Gokarna is one of the popular Karnataka tourist destinations one should not miss if they plan for a Karnataka tour.

Popular places to visit: Kudle Beach, Om Beach, Half moon beach, Paradise Beach, Mahabaleshwar Temple, Ganpati Temple, Gokarna Beach, Mirjan Fort, Shiva Cave, Kotitirtha and many more.