Karnataka

Overview

Karnataka offers three quite different landscapes, and a good itinerary samples more than one. Along the west, a narrow coastal strip meets the Arabian Sea, with Udupi among its well-known towns. Immediately inland, the Western Ghats climb into the green hill country called Malenadu, where Coorg has a name for coffee and low cloud. Towards the centre and east, the terrain flattens onto the Deccan plateau, which holds the capital, Bengaluru, and a large share of the state's historic monuments.

Heritage is what draws many visitors first. Four UNESCO World Heritage listings are linked to the state: the Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986), the Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987), the Western Ghats (2012) and the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas (2023). Mysuru, billed by the state tourism board as its cultural capital, adds royal architecture and a well-known autumn festival.

Elevation and rainfall shape the experience too. Chikmagalur district's Mullayanagiri hills hold the state's loftiest ground, at 1,925 metres. Rain falls far more heavily along the coast than inland, so a monsoon trip to the shore feels nothing like one on the plateau. It pays to match your route to the season.

Bengaluru is the usual starting point, with the state's main international airport and a big, modern city around it. Travellers often continue to Mysuru and Coorg, then head north to Hampi or west to the coast. Maharashtra and Telangana lie to the north, Goa to the north-west, Andhra Pradesh to the east, and Tamil Nadu and Kerala to the south, so the state also links easily with other southern journeys.

Two or three bases will serve you better than a dash across the whole state. Distances are long, and each region repays the time you give it.

Known for

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