Highlights
- Ranganathaswamy temple and Tipu's summer palace at Srirangapatna
- Mysore Palace, lit up on Sunday evenings
- Chamundi Hill and the Nandi statue
- Bandipur and Mudumalai forests from the road
- Ooty botanical garden, lake and Doddabetta
- Toy train from Ooty to Coonoor
This is the standard south Indian hill holiday, and it works well for families and grandparents. Two nights in Mysore give you a full day for the palace and Chamundi Hill, and the chance to see the illumination if one night is a Sunday. The forest drive to Ooty is done in daylight because the highway closes at night. In Ooty we add the short toy train ride to Coonoor, which gives you the mountain railway without the long climb from Mettupalayam.
Day-wise itinerary
Day 1: Bengaluru to Mysore via Srirangapatna
Pickup in Bengaluru and the drive on the expressway. Stop at Srirangapatna for the Ranganathaswamy temple and Tipu Sultan’s summer palace, Daria Daulat Bagh. Check in at Mysore, and in the evening the Brindavan Gardens if they’re open.
Day 2: Mysore Palace and Chamundi Hill
Morning drive up Chamundi Hill for darshan at the Chamundeshwari temple and the Nandi statue. The palace in the late morning, when it’s less crowded, then St Philomena’s Church and Devaraja market. On a Sunday or public holiday, back to the palace at 7 pm for the illumination.
Day 3: Mysore to Ooty through Bandipur and Mudumalai
Leave after breakfast for the drive through the Bandipur and Mudumalai tiger reserves, watching for elephants and deer, then the climb into the Nilgiris. Afternoon at the Ooty lake and evening on Commercial Road.
Day 4: Ooty and Coonoor
The Government Botanical Garden and Doddabetta peak in the morning. Then the toy train from Ooty down to Coonoor, if seats are confirmed, with the car meeting you there. Sim’s Park and Dolphin’s Nose in Coonoor, and a tea factory on the way back.
Day 5: Ooty to Bengaluru
An early start for the drive back through the forests to Bengaluru, crossing them well before the 9 pm closure. Drop at the airport or station; book flights for the evening.
Planning the Mysore night
If you want to see the palace lit up, tell us whether you can start on a Saturday, so your full Mysore day is a Sunday. During Dasara the illumination runs every evening, but hotels in Mysore fill for those ten days and the city centre is very crowded in the evenings, so book early and plan extra time.
What's included and what isn't
Included
- Hotels for 4 nights (2 Mysore, 2 Ooty) with breakfast and dinner
- Private car with driver, Bengaluru to Bengaluru
- Pickup and drop at Bengaluru airport or station
- Ooty e-pass application for your vehicle
- Help booking the Ooty to Coonoor toy train on IRCTC
Not included
- Flights or trains to Bengaluru (quoted on request)
- Entry fees (Mysore Palace, gardens, Doddabetta) and toy train tickets
- Green tax at the Nilgiris check post
- Lunches
- Forest safaris at Bandipur or Mudumalai (on request)
- Tips and personal expenses
Visa, costs, best time and travel tips: Mysore, Ooty and Kodaikanal Tour Packages.
