MYSORE (140 km) City of silk and sandalwood, of fantasy gardens and fairy-tale palaces, Mysore has changed very little since its days as the princely city that several royal families made their headquarters and were proud to call 'home'. The Maharajah's Palace has an ancient appearance. The palace is a surprisingly recent building, being constructed in 1911 to replace one that was partially burnt down. Illuminated by countless tiny lights on Sunday nights, the place is an outstanding piece of architecture. Other than these you can see the Government sandalwood and silk factory, Mysore zoo, Lalitha Mahal Palace, Chamundi Hills, Krishnarajasagar dam, Srirangapattana, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary and many more.

SRAVANABELAGOLA (160km) A little gem of calm, unspoiled township tucked away between the large Indragiri and the smaller Chandragiri hills. Sravanabelagola has remained a great Jain center and the goal of thousands of pilgrims who flock to see the magnificent, gigantic statue of the Jain saint, Lord Gomateswara. The statue of Gomateswara is carved out of a single stone. It shows the hermit completely nude, in the Jain tradition, and being 17m.(55 ft) high, is visible from 30km away. It is regarded as one of the largest monolithic statues in the world.

SOMANATHPUR (Around 100 KM) A sleepy little village that is the site of a spectacular Hoysala masterpiece. The Prasanna Chennakesava temple, one of the three superb, most famous Hoysala temples, the other two being those at Belur and Hallebid, this one is the newest, dating from around 1268.

NANDI HILLS (60 KM) A range of craggy hills (with the highest peak being 1,478 m) studded with the shimmering Amritha Samovar lake and strewn with walks of sylvan beauty. A popular health resort today, it was also the place Tipu and assorted royalty retired to when they sought to escape the din of battle and the heat of the plains.

BANNERGHATTA NATIONAL PARK (11 KM) Numerous wild animals roam freely in this densely forested, hilly area- bisons, elephants, lions, baboons, panthers, wild boars, all sorts of buck, jackals and lion-tailed monkeys. It also has over 100 species of birds, a crocodile farm, a serpentarium, pets and many more.