Karnataka travel guide

Top places to visit in Karnataka

One place from each district that our guide covers in depth.

1. Badami cave temples

   Bagalkote district · Chalukya sites

   Late 6th century, under Mangalesha (578-610 AD); open 6 AM-6 PM; Rs 40 Indian / Rs 600 foreign (Karnataka Tourism).

2. Ballari (district headquarters)

   Ballari district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Ballari district. District of Kalaburagi division; Vijayanagara (with Hampi) was carved out of it by notification of 8 February 2021 (Deccan Herald).

3. Belagavi (district headquarters)

   Belagavi district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Belagavi district. District of Belagavi division (Wikipedia list).

4. Devanahalli (district headquarters)

   Bengaluru North district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Bengaluru North district. Formerly Bengaluru Rural. Renaming approved by the state cabinet in July 2025 (Deccan Herald; Wikipedia); gazette notification not seen.

5. Ramanagara (district headquarters)

   Bengaluru South district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Bengaluru South district. Formerly Ramanagara district; renamed Bengaluru South on 23 May 2025 (Wikipedia).

6. Lalbagh Botanical Garden

   Bengaluru Urban district · Gardens and lakes

   240 acres, begun 1760 by Hyder Ali; flower shows in January and August (Karnataka Tourism).

7. Bidar (district headquarters)

   Bidar district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Bidar district. District of Kalaburagi division (Wikipedia list).

8. Chamarajanagara (district headquarters)

   Chamarajanagara district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Chamarajanagara district. District of Mysuru division (Wikipedia list).

9. Chikkaballapur (district headquarters)

   Chikkaballapura district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Chikkaballapura district. Formed in 2007 (Karnataka Tourism).

10. Chikkamagaluru (district headquarters)

    Chikkamagaluru district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Chikkamagaluru district. District of Mysuru division (Wikipedia list).

11. Chitradurga (district headquarters)

    Chitradurga district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Chitradurga district. District of Bengaluru division (Wikipedia list).

12. Mangaluru (district headquarters)

    Dakshina Kannada district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Dakshina Kannada district. District of Mysuru division (Wikipedia list).

13. Davanagere (district headquarters)

    Davanagere district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Davanagere district. District of Bengaluru division (Wikipedia list).

14. Dharwad (district headquarters)

    Dharwad district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Dharwad district. District of Belagavi division (Wikipedia list).

15. Gadag (district headquarters)

    Gadag district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Gadag district. District of Belagavi division (Wikipedia list).

16. Chennakeshava temple, Belur

    Hassan district · Hoysala temples

    Built over 1117-1235 CE (Karnataka Tourism); part of the Hoysala World Heritage Site (2023).

17. Haveri (district headquarters)

    Haveri district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Haveri district. District of Belagavi division (Wikipedia list).

18. Kalaburagi (district headquarters)

    Kalaburagi district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Kalaburagi district. District of Kalaburagi division (Wikipedia list).

19. Raja's Seat

    Kodagu district · Hills and viewpoints

    Garden viewpoint; open 9 AM-8 PM (Karnataka Tourism).

20. Kolar (district headquarters)

    Kolar district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Kolar district. District of Bengaluru division (Wikipedia list).

21. Koppal (district headquarters)

    Koppal district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Koppal district. District of Kalaburagi division (Wikipedia list).

22. Mandya (district headquarters)

    Mandya district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Mandya district. District of Mysuru division (Wikipedia list).

23. Mysuru Palace (Amba Vilas)

    Mysuru district · Palaces and city

    Palace of the Wodeyars; open 10:00 AM-5:30 PM; illuminated on Sundays and public holidays (Karnataka Tourism).

24. Raichur (district headquarters)

    Raichur district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Raichur district. District of Kalaburagi division (Wikipedia list).

25. Shivamogga (district headquarters)

    Shivamogga district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Shivamogga district. District of Bengaluru division (Wikipedia list).

26. Tumakuru (district headquarters)

    Tumakuru district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Tumakuru district. District of Bengaluru division (Wikipedia list).

27. Sri Krishna temple, Udupi

    Udupi district · Temples

    Open 5 AM-9 PM; Paryaya handover every two years (Karnataka Tourism).

28. Murudeshwara

    Uttara Kannada district · Temples

    Shiva statue 123 ft; gopura 249 ft, 20 storeys; temple 6 AM-8:30 PM (Karnataka Tourism).

29. Virupaksha temple

    Vijayanagara district · Hampi temples

    Living temple; gopuram about 50 m (Karnataka Tourism).

30. Gol Gumbaz

    Vijayapura district · Adil Shahi monuments

    Dome about 210 ft, described as the second largest dome; whispering gallery (Karnataka Tourism).

31. Yadgiri (district headquarters)

    Yadgiri district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Yadgiri district. Carved out of Kalaburagi district (Wikipedia); formation date to confirm.

Districts of Karnataka 31

31 (Vijayanagara, 2021, is the newest; two renamed in 2025) — 31 since Vijayanagara (notified 8 Feb 2021). Ramanagara renamed Bengaluru South (May 2025); Bengaluru Rural to Bengaluru North (cabinet approval July 2025; notification not seen).

• Bagalkote

  HQ Bagalkote · 4 placesEarly Chalukya country: Badami's caves, Aihole, and the World Heritage temples of Pattadakal.Highlights: Badami cave temples, Pattadakal, Aihole

• Ballari

  HQ Ballari · 4 placesBallari fort, Sandur's Kumaraswamy temple and Mincheri.Highlights: Ballari fort

• Belagavi

  HQ Belagavi · 5 placesGokak falls, Godachinamalki, Kittur and Saundatti Yellamma.Highlights: Gokak Falls

• Bengaluru North

  HQ Devanahalli · 7 placesDevanahalli fort, Ghati Subramanya, Makalidurga and Avati Betta; home of Kempegowda airport.Highlights: Devanahalli Fort

• Bengaluru South

  HQ Ramanagara · 6 placesSavandurga, Mekedatu, the Sholay rocks and Channapatna toys.Highlights: Savandurga

• Bengaluru Urban

  HQ Bengaluru · 9 placesThe state capital: Lalbagh, Cubbon Park, Tipu's summer palace and the city's art museums.Highlights: Lalbagh Botanical Garden, Cubbon Park

• Bidar

  HQ Bidar · 4 placesBidar fort and Rangin Mahal, the Bahmani tombs at Ashtoor and Nanak Jhira.Highlights: Bidar fort and Rangin Mahal

• Chamarajanagara

  HQ Chamarajanagara · 5 placesBandipur tiger reserve, BR Hills, MM Hills and Bharachukki falls.Highlights: Bandipur National Park

• Chikkaballapura

  HQ Chikkaballapur · 5 placesNandi Hills, Skandagiri and the Bhoganandishwara temple.Highlights: Nandi Hills

• Chikkamagaluru

  HQ Chikkamagaluru · 5 placesMullayanagiri, Karnataka's highest peak, Kudremukh, Hebbe falls and coffee country.Highlights: Mullayanagiri, Kudremukh peak trek

• Chitradurga

  HQ Chitradurga · 5 placesThe Nayaka hill fort, Chandravalli caves, Jogimatti and Vani Vilas Sagar.Highlights: Chitradurga fort

• Dakshina Kannada

  HQ Mangaluru · 5 placesMangaluru's temples and beaches, Dharmasthala and the Karavali Utsava.Highlights: Dharmasthala

• Davanagere

  HQ Davanagere · 4 placesKunduvada Kere, Harihar's temple and Shantisagara lake.

• Dharwad

  HQ Dharwad · 1 placesTwin city Hubballi-Dharwad and the Dharwad peda.

• Gadag

  HQ Gadag · 6 placesLakkundi's Chalukya temples, Trikuteshwara, Dambal and Magadi bird sanctuary.Highlights: Lakkundi

• Hassan

  HQ Hassan · 4 placesHoysala World Heritage temples at Belur and Halebidu, the Hasanamba darshan and Shravanabelagola.Highlights: Chennakeshava temple, Belur, Hoysaleswara temple, Halebidu, Sri Hasanamba temple

• Haveri

  HQ Haveri · 3 placesRanebennur blackbuck sanctuary and Bankapura peacock sanctuary.

• Kalaburagi

  HQ Kalaburagi · 4 placesKalaburagi fort and Jama Masjid, Haft Gumbaz and the Khwaja Bande Nawaz dargah.Highlights: Kalaburagi fort and Jama Masjid

• Kodagu

  HQ Madikeri · 6 placesCoorg: hill country around Madikeri, the Kaveri's source at Talakaveri, waterfalls and Nagarahole.Highlights: Raja's Seat, Abbey Falls, Talakaveri and Bhagamandala

• Kolar

  HQ Kolar · 6 placesKotilingeshwara, Kolaramma, Antaragange and the Kolar Gold Fields.Highlights: Kotilingeshwara

• Koppal

  HQ Koppal · 4 placesAnegundi across the river from Hampi, Itagi's Mahadeva temple and Naradagadde.Highlights: Anegundi

• Mandya

  HQ Mandya · 5 placesSrirangapatna, KRS dam and Brindavan Gardens, Shivanasamudra falls and Ranganathittu bird sanctuary.Highlights: Srirangapatna, KRS Dam and Brindavan Gardens

• Mysuru

  HQ Mysuru · 12 placesPalace city of the Wodeyars and home of Dasara, with Chamundi Hill and the Hoysala temple at Somanathapura.Highlights: Mysuru Palace (Amba Vilas), Chamundi Hill temple, Somanathapura Keshava temple

• Raichur

  HQ Raichur · 2 placesRaichur fort, contested in the battle of 1520.

• Shivamogga

  HQ Shivamogga · 6 placesJog Falls, the Sakrebyle elephant camp, Sanskrit village Mattur and Linganamakki dam.Highlights: Jog Falls

• Tumakuru

  HQ Tumakuru · 5 placesMadhugiri's monolith fort, Devarayanadurga and Siddaganga matha.Highlights: Madhugiri fort

• Udupi

  HQ Udupi · 7 placesThe Krishna temple, Malpe and St Mary's Island, Kapu, Blue Flag Padubidri, Karkala and Kollur.Highlights: Sri Krishna temple, Udupi, Kollur Mookambika, Malpe beach

• Uttara Kannada

  HQ Karwar · 6 placesMurudeshwara and Netrani, Gokarna and Om Beach, and the forests of Dandeli and Yana.Highlights: Murudeshwara, Gokarna

• Vijayanagara

  HQ Hosapete · 12 placesHampi, capital of the Vijayanagara empire and a World Heritage Site since 1986.Highlights: Virupaksha temple, Vittala temple complex and stone chariot, Lakshmi (Ugra) Narasimha

• Vijayapura

  HQ Vijayapura · 3 placesThe Adil Shahi capital: Gol Gumbaz and its whispering gallery, Ibrahim Rauza and Malik-e-Maidan.Highlights: Gol Gumbaz, Ibrahim Rauza

• Yadgiri

  HQ Yadgiri · 1 placesHill-fort town on the Bhima.

Festivals and dates to plan around

• Sri Hasanamba Jatra Mahotsava — Hassan: 29 Oct-11 Nov 2026; public darshan 30 Oct-10 Nov (Incredible India; Karnataka Tourism events)
• Karavali Utsava — Mangaluru: 21 Dec-31 Jan in 2025-26 (Karnataka Tourism); 2026-27 to confirm
• Lalbagh flower show — Bengaluru: January and August (Karnataka Tourism); dates to confirm
• Pattadakal Dance Festival — Bagalkote: January-February (Karnataka Tourism); dates to confirm
• Hampi Utsava — Vijayanagara: 13-15 Feb 2026 held; 2027 not yet listed (Karnataka Tourism)
• Mysuru Dasara — Mysuru: 11-21 Oct 2026 held (Karnataka Tourism)
• Kittur Utsava — Belagavi: 22-24 Oct 2026 held (Karnataka Tourism)
• Netrani diving — Uttara Kannada: Suspended June-September (Karnataka Tourism)