What to do and see in Karnataka, India: The Best Budget-friendly Things to do

Agadi Thota is a one day activity place.People of all age group can hangout along with various activities and also food and snacks is served.

Mercara Gold Estate is a 20 year old coffee and spice farm 8 KM from Madikeri, Coorg. The farm is unique as all the spices are grown and well organised. There is also coffee processing and roasting at the estate itself. The estate offers a guided tour of the farm and visitors are introduced to all the different crops as well as roasting process. The tour takes about a hour and coffee is served at the end of it. Visitors also can buy some farm fresh products.

This 1912 structure is one of the largest palaces in the country and contains art from around the world.

ISKCON Sri Radha Krishna temple was inaugurated in the year 1997. It is not just a temple, but a cultural complex housing the temples dedicated to the Deities of Sri Sri Radha Krishnachandra, Sri Sri Krishna Balarama, Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga, Sri Srinivasa Govinda, Sri Prahlada Narasimha, Bhakta Hanuman, Garudadeva and Srila Prabhupada, Founder Acharya of ISKCON. ISKCON Bangalore is a charitable society with the objective of propagating Krishna Consciousness all over the world, as explained by Srila Prabhupada, whose teachings are based on Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.

Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, popularly known as ‘Mysuru Zoo’, is one of the oldest zoos of the country established in 1892, by His Highness, the erstwhile Ruler of Mysuru Sri Chamarajendra Wadiyar Bahadur. Mysuru Zoo holds an important place in Karnataka. In 1909 the Palace Zoo was named as Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens to commemorate the illustrious founder and since then it bears the nomenclature. Mysuru Zoo has gradually grown into tourist centre, imparting wildlife values. It has got 123 years of history exhibiting wild animals in the near natural enclosures. Despite majority of the zoos have been shifted from the original place to the new places, Mysuru Zoo could modernize the zoo, without shifting the zoo. The zoo is well compacted unit, with modern animal enclosures including heritage buildings attracting tourists all over the world.

Ranganathittu is a bird sanctuary that can be visited throughout the year by bird lovers. Easily accessible from Bangalore, enroute to Mysore, visiting this place is a great option for both children and adults. Visit early in the morning and hire a boat. November heralds in the winter migrants who stay put until March, adding to the already numerous varieties of birds you can see here.

Wonderla Holidays Limited, is the No. 1 amusement park operator in India. Promoted by Arun K. Chittilappilly and Kochouseph Chittilappilly, Wonderla currently owns and operates three amusement parks – one each in Kochi, Bangalore and Hyderabad respectively and a resort in Bangalore. Wonderla Kochi, spread over 35 acres of land, is thrilling visitors with 56 rides since 2000. Wonderla Bangalore, spanning over 82 acres, offers a spectacular range of entertainment with 61 rides. Wonderla Hyderabad, the latest edition in the portfolio, is spread over 50 acres and offers 43 attractions. Wonderla Amusement Park has been ranked No. 1 in India and No. 6 in Asia by TripAdvisor for 5 consecutive years. Wonderla Resort, located beside the amusement park in Bangalore, comprises of 84 luxury rooms, with amenities including 4 full-fledged banquet halls, multi cuisine restaurant, rest-o-bar and recreational facilities like a heated swimming pool, kid’s activity centre & a full fledged gym.

Welcome to The Art of Living International Centre! Situated on the top of the Panchagiri Hills, 36km southwest of Bangalore, near Udipalya village, the campus is an ideal location for reflection and rejuvenation. Started in 1986 and spread over 65 acres, the campus has an abundance of flowering foliage spread along winding footpaths, a peaceful lake and the exquisitely beautiful Vishalakshi Mantap, the central meditation hall. Satsangs, held every evening, are gatherings where different minds unite through music, meditation, and wisdom to experience an elevated state of consciousness. Through Seva (voluntary service) one can experience the humble satisfaction of doing selfless work here, from serving food in the kitchen to keeping the premises clean to working in the various departments that focus on various projects and the ashram's upkeep. The Vishalakshi Mantap, named after 'Amma', Sri Sri's mother, is the main Meditation Hall in the form of a fully blossomed 1000 petal lotus. Its reflective dome that mirrors the sun during the day is lit up at night to a synchronized change of colored lights. The dome and golden spire that can be viewed from all parts of the sprawling campus grounds play the role of a compass - lending a sense of navigation to the spiritual seeker. Courses are held in various rooms at different levels of the mantap and satsangs are held on the main level. Each level opens onto a gallery. Following a circular design, the levels provide an excellent view of the campus grounds and the open grounds and hills in the distance. Built on a smaller scale, is the Sumeru Mantap in the more secluded, old ashram campus. When the campus was newly set up, and there was a much smaller gathering of people, satsangs were held here. It is a circular 3 tiered gallery with a garden in the center and the sky for a roof, dominated by a large densely foliaged banyan tree in the center. The Radha Kund gardens recapture the mystical garden of Vrindavan, replete with a pair of elephants, a pair of geese, a deer, some rabbits and a number of exotic birds! This is an excellent place to observe various birds as they sweep over the lake - and a good place to unwind, reflect and take stock of one's life. From the gardens one can hear the Sanskrit chantings of the boys at the Gurukul nearby. The seven year training program at the Gurukul teaches students how to conduct temple rituals. The course syllabus also includes study of the Veda, Agama, Sanskrit, Astrology, Yoga, music, Sculpture, Epics and scriptures. The Goshala, home to over 250 cows, is an important project undertaken to preserve the native breed of Indian cows. The cows enjoy human company and visitors receive great pleasure brushing and petting the cows. For those who wish to simply relax, The Sri Sri Ayurveda Panchakarma (Wellness Spa) offers the ideal retreat for body and mind. Apart from the super ambience and food, one can select from a number of rejuvenating therapy packages the spa offers. On campus is a very popular, vibrant eatery, The Vishala Cafe that serves Indian and Continental fast food. It is here that youngsters like to meet, relax, exchange ideas, play the piano or eat a filling meal while reading from the selection of books displayed at the cafe. An array of shops are also present on campus - two Divine shops (selling music and books), The Divine Services (a provision store), Madhurya (traditional artefacts, gifts), Sri Kriti (a boutique that sells hand made products by rural women and traditional craftmen) and Sri Sri Agriculture with its fresh produce of fruits and vegetables grown on campus. The Bangalore Campus makes for a truly self-contained retreat - your home away from home!