Meeting Point: Pick up from your City Centre Hotel (MG Road or Nearby)

 

First destination of our tour is Lalbagh Botanical Gardens. This is a nationally and internationally renowned centre for botanical artwork, scientific study of plants and also conservation of plants. Heaven for all nature lovers, Lal Bagh covers an area 240 acres in the heart of the city and has nearly 1,854 species of plants. It was commissioned by Hyder Ali in 1760 and completed by his son Tipu Sultan. The garden features rare plants of French, Persian and Afghani origin and has attained the status of a Government Botanical Garden. The Lal Bagh Rock which is over 3000 million years old is found here and is a major tourist attraction. This botanical garden, a delight for photographers, also consists of the famous glass house where an annual flower show is held every year and it  is also a home to an aquarium and a lake.

Bengaluru Palace,  is an epitome of great architecture and beauty and preserves in it the spice of old regal opulence. Currently the central attraction in Bengaluru, the palace was built in the year 1878. Chamarajendra Wadiyar's British Guardians bought the original property in 1873 from the principal of Bengaluru Central High School, Rev, J Garret. The palace is extraordinarily vast and spread across 45,000 square feet. A mixture of Tudor and Scottish Gothic architecture have resulted into the grand palace that we see today. The wooden structure of the palace along with the beautiful carvings both inside and outside showcases the royal culture in different ways. A visit to the palace gives you a chance to witness the elegant and lavish splendour of one of the most powerful dynasties of South India. An audio tape is available inside the Palace, both in Hindi and English, to help the people understand its history better.

 

 

After witnessing the epitome of great architecture and beauty it’s time to witness one more architecture wonder of Bengaluru i.e. Vidhana Soudha, described by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as 'a temple dedicated to the nation', Vidhana Soudha houses the State Legislature and the Secretariat of Karnataka and is one of the most popular attractions in the lively and colourful city of Bengaluru. It also proudly boasts the title of being the largest state legislative building in the country. With four entrances in all four directions and four floors above the ground level and one below it, we surely don't doubt the title. Popularly known as the 'Taj Mahal of South India', it is counted as one of the most magnificent buildings in the city and is sure to impress the onlooker with its sophisticated poise and glorified grandiose. The entire monument is illuminated on Sundays and public holidays and is a sight for sore eyes.

Time to visit one more royal beauty, one you simply cannot miss. Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace stands tall in the heart of the city with golden history and myriad mysteries. Located at the juncture of Albert Victor Road and Krishna Rajendra, this was the magnificent accommodation of the valiant ruler of Mysore- Tipu Sultan. The palace is located in the Bengaluru Fort and is an exquisite example of Indo- Islamic architecture. The opulent palace was once used as a summer retreat by the king and was often referred to as the 'Abode of Happiness' and 'Rash e Jannat' meaning 'Envy of Heaven'. Amongst one of the most noteworthy creations of the ancient times, the palace boasts of ornamental frescoes, magnificent arches, protruding balconies and brilliant motifs. One can take a good leisurely stroll across the balconies before entering the palace. 

 

Although we have visited Lalbagh Gardens earlier, the Cubbon Park is full of huge sprawling trees which give it an old classic look. It is obviously smaller than the Lalbagh Gardens but certainly has a beauty of its own and also next to Cubbon Park is a Bangalore Aquarium which you can definitely enjoy. Cubbon Park spread over an area of 300 acres is a major sightseeing attraction rich in green foliage. It is a green belt region of the city and is an ideal place for nature lovers and those seeking a calm atmosphere. Having been laid down by Lord Cubbon, the park is named so in his honour. It is home to more than 6,000 trees that support a vibrant ecosystem. In addition to being a natural sightseeing destination, some of the major structures of the city such as the Attara Kacheri, Cubbon Park Museum and Sheshadri Iyer Memorial Park are also situated here. Another famous attraction in the Cubbon Park is The Bengaluru Aquarium, which is the second largest aquarium in India.  This aquarium is the largest aquarium in Bengaluru and the second largest in India. Established in the year 1983, this aquarium has on display a variety of ornamental as well as exotic fishes including Siamese Fighters, Catla, Freshwater Prawns, Goldfish, Red Tail Shark and many others. It is an ideal place for casual exploring in Bengaluru.

 

Bull Temple also known as Nandi Temple is one of the oldest temples in the city of Bengaluru. The temple is popularly called as 'Dodda Basavana Gudi' by the locals and is the biggest temple dedicated to Nandi in the world. Nandi, the bull, is the mount or 'vahana' of Lord Shiva and the guardian deity of Lord Shiva's abode, Kailashagiri according to Hindu traditions. This temple is every Shiva devotee's must-visit destination because Nandi holds great importance to Lord Shiva.The architectural style of the Bull Temple is mainly Dravidian and was constructed by Kempe Gowda. It is believed that the origin of the river Vrishabhavati is at the feet of Nandi. The entire sculpture of the bull is carved out of one single granite rock. The statue is 4.5 meters high and 6.5 meters long. Coconut oil, butter and 'benne' are regularly applied to this statue. This had led to the originally grey statue to turn black.

 

Created in 1995 by B. N. A. Technology Consulting Limited, Hong Kong, Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain is probably the most technically advanced and one of the biggest artificially created fountains in India. Located on T. Chowdaiah Road, the enthralling fountain has been based on multimedia technology, MIDI interfaces and hardware architecture. The magnanimous fountains surrounded by pleasant lush gardens hosts two nightly light and sound shows per day. The show together with rhythmic dancing of the sparkling water is an enchanting site. The landscaped park is maintained by the Department of Horticulture and includes a play garden for kids. The entrance also houses a dummy train engine in the honour of the then Chief Minister C. K. Jaffer Sharief, who then got the fountain constructed. All in all, the fountain park is an asset to not only Bengaluru but all of India. It is believed that with very little modification, the park can surpass the techniques and designs of many foreign attractions.

 

After the tour head back to the comforts of your hotel.