Private Tour: Mysore Palace and Srirangapatna Day Trip from Bangalore

Around 6:15 Am, your private chauffeur and professional guide will pick you up from your hotel in Bangalore. Settle into your comfortable private vehicle for the approximate 4-hour drive to Mysore, renowned as the ‘City of Palaces.’

En route, stop in the old city of Srirangapatna, which was briefly the capital of the Mysore state during the rule of Tipu Sultan. Located just 8 miles (14 km) from Mysore on an island in the Kaveri River, Srirangapatna is home to the Dariya Daulat Palace (Summer Palace), set amid the gorgeous gardens of Daria Daulat Bagh.

Visit the palace, built in 1784, which houses a museum dedicated to the sultan. See memorabilia, European paintings and Persian manuscripts on exhibit. Your guide will enlighten you about the royalty that lived here and points out unique architectural features, including open corridors with pillars made of teakwood, and outer walls displaying frescoes of battle scenes and portraits.

After your visit, enjoy a sumptuous lunch at a local restaurant and then continue your journey to Mysore.

Upon arrival, visit the centrally located Mysore Palace (Amba Vilas Palace). This former residence of Wodeyar Maharaja of Mysore has been converted into a museum that displays paintings, jewelry, royal costumes and other items that were once owned by the Wodeyars. Hear stories about the royal families who ruled Mysore for more than seven centuries! 

The impressive 3-story granite palace boasts several important halls and chambers under pink marble domes and expansive arches. Enter the Ambavilasa hall through a rosewood doorway inlaid with ivory to view stained glass ceilings and a mosaic floor of semi-precious stones. See Indianand European sculptures and ceremonial objects as well as 19th- to 20th-century dolls on display in the Gombe Thotti (Doll’s Pavilion). You’ll gaze in wonder at the marriage hall (Kalyana Mantapa) where peacock motifs decorate an octagonal-shaped pavilion in geometric patterns.

Admire the intricate and richly carved interior as you explore the palace and marvel at its opulence. Your guide will point out features of this fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture  – a blend of Hindu, Muslim, Rajput and gothic styles – and help you appreciate the artistic heritage of this important monument. 

After your tour, relax on the 4-hour drive back to your Bangalore hotel by private vehicle. Feel free to request that your guide stop for dinner (own expense) along the way.