Monday, June 19, 2006

When your family visits Bangalore

My family (parents and sister) visited Bangalore last week. I had two weekends and the weekdays in between to tour them around. Their prime objective of coming here was to relax and not to make a fast trip to all places around here. Since I had to do all this digging myself, I thought I should share this information with everyone.

Since the objective was to relax, it doesn't make any sense to make long overnight bus trips to Kodai/Munnar/(elsewhere in Kerala). In North, Ooty is a famous place. Karnataka Tourism has a value-for-money package tours for most places around Bangalore like Mysore-Ooty. The advantage of package tours is that they are hassle-free. Getting seats in them is not difficult even a day before. However, please avoid going to Ooty in Monsoon season.

Even during Monsoon, Mysore is a place worth spending a day at. The KSTDC package tour for Mysore costs Rs.560/person which includes Volvo travel and sight-seeing. The bus leaves Corporation circle at 7:00 am and returns at 11:00 in the night.

The disadvantage of taking a conducted tour is that they make you run around in order to cover all points. A taxi (non-AC Indicab) would cost almost the same as a ticket for 4 (Approx Rs.2500) and provides the flexibility to spend more time at a place you like. It also allows you to start as per your convenience. However, a Taxi cannot guarantee visit to all points and you would have to pay extra for a guide.

KSRTC has a very good full/half day conducted tour of Bangalore sight-seeing. Full-day Volvo tour is Priced Rs.220. (http://kstdc.nic.in/frames9.htm) This tour covers about 8 different tourist spots in Bangalore.

We, however, took a Taxi for Bangalore sight-seeing. To be frank, there are not too many places of tourist interest (to me, personally - and to most bachelors like me, I suppose) in Bangalore. Typical package of a taxi costs Rs.800/- (non-AC Indicab) for a 8 hour/80 KM trip around Bangalore. Within this you can cover four-five points within Bangalore. Places like ISKCON Temple, Lalbagh, Vidhan Soudha and Viswesaraiya Technology Museum are worth visiting.

I was surprised to know that the markets at Commercial Street and Chikpet are larger and crowdier than MG/Brigade road! These places are heaven for all the ladies. Mysore Saree Udyog on Commercial Street (Sunday closed) is a good place to get your mom buy sarees :)

Another place of interest when someone comes down south it Tirupati Balaji. KSTDC/APTDC/ITDC/Southern Travels (and more private operators) have conducted tours for the pilgrimage. The charges vary from Rs.1175 to 1275 per person. This covers Volvo travel, accommodation, local transport and special ticket (AAD Darshan). The tour starts first day evening and returns next day evening. However, this is available only on a weekday (Departure - Sunday to Thursday). You get to have darshan within 2 hours of standing in queue. Thereafter they take you to the Padmavati temple and return.

Another package of Rs.800 per person is offered by many Private operators would cover non-AC travel with a normal (Rs.50) entry. This might take upto two days before you have the darshan. I was told that most private operators would not guarantee a darshan within an expected time limit. So, it would be advisable to go for ITDC/KSTDC/APTDC tours. However, getting a ticket in these can be tough. Ensure that you get your bookings done 10 days in advance as they only have limited seats.

These were the places we visited. If you can put together a gang of more than two, do make a trip to Wonder La. It is a memorable experience for everyone. Bannerghatta National Park and Meenakshi temple near it are good too. Besides these, KSTDC's Hogenkal/Nandi Hills/Jog Falls tours can be tried.

Here are some relevant contacts:

  • KSTDC: 22275883, 22352901-3, 22212098, 22222400 (Website not updated)
  • ITDC: 22383361-2 (Hotel Grand Ashok)
  • Brindaban Travels (Agent for KSTDC/ITDC) 25584529, 41123184 (Brindaban Towers, MG Road)
  • KSRTC: http://www.ksrtc.org/ContactUs.asp
  • Southern Travels: 22262633, 22267040
  • Taxi: Contact your neighborhood travel agent for this. The rate (Rs.800) is standard throughout and there is NO extra driver-batta.

[All the views expressed in this post are personal and I am getting NO benefits from any of the above mentioned operators :)]

73 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey...thanks for the info, shall definitely take mom to Mysore Silk Udyog :)

Anonymous said...

Anna,
Really useful information for all of us ...Thanks a lot..
Tailu

Anonymous said...

hmmm..
thats gud idea to avoid calls from different people..just guide them to read the BlOg...isnt it ??

well thats helpfull...as my parents coming next weekend..and i have hard time to find al stuf..

Arpit Agarwal said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Arpit Agarwal said...

Thanks for the comments!

@anonymous 1: Moms love their extensive collection.

@anonymous 2 (Tailor): Thanks for the appreciation.

@anonymous 3: No. All your calls/queries are welcome. My Number +91 98808 26363. Feel free. This Blog is for people who do not know me enough. Not for friends. I would certainly have more information to share over phone.

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot...... Awesome amount of useful info..... Cool....

ksk_blog said...

Very good information. Many thanks.

ksk_blog said...

Thanks for publishing this information. It was really helpful.

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lottt......
You don't know how much relieved person I am now. My bhaiya and bhabhi(with their kid) are coming to visit bangalore, and I am heavily workloaded..just read your blog, and it helped me to make an itinerary quickly for them...Thanks so much again

Unknown said...

hey... thanks a lot... gr8 info... was searching high and low for it... gonna visit B-M-Ooty soon... thnks again... have a good time...

Arpit Agarwal said...

Thanks! Thanks Anonymous, Akhil, Karthik and 'alochana'. This information was to help each of you - terribly time-tight techies of Bangalore - out! I am happy that it served its purpose! :)

Anonymous said...

Thank you Arpit. This really helps a lot.

Regards,
Shailaja

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Thanks for such A useful info.....
My brother and mom are coming to bangalore next weekend. If i go for the kstdc tour of bangalore sight seeing, then it will cost me near about the same what I have to pay for 8 hour/80km cab rent...(3 plp).. What would you suggest.. Cab or Volvo bus in that case??
Please let me knoe about this..Which one will be more convinent...

Thanks,
Sanjay

Anonymous said...

You are god-sent! My mom and dad are sitting right here in bangalore and I don't know where to send them! LOL ... This info is completely helpful...LOL

Pankaj Bhageria said...

maaaaaaaan........this was exactly what i was searching for!!!!!..my mom dad are also comming this weekend......supper maan.....thaanks a ton!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi...arpit, this is great info. My mom is already here. dad coming soon...it will help me a lot to plan trips for them......vipin

Sonrisa said...

e info!Th

Anoop Das said...

Hedy bud, it helped. Thanks a lot, for the effort and time you spend for this.

Eva Chris said...

Hey...thanks Arpit...the info really helped me

Nirmal said...

Hey Arpit many thanks for the valuable information.

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Anonymous said...

Thanks for the posting. my father, sister and cousin with their kids are coming. I'm planning to book one day mysore trip thru KSTDC. I was wondering if going by taxi would be better. Now I feel confident that going by KSTDC bus would be the better choice.
-Prema

Anonymous said...

thank you.it was informative and helpful.

Anonymous said...

Hey...

cool info dude... i have posted your blog link in my blog too..

it can be useful to many....


great...have fun :)

Vij

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Unknown said...

hiee...frndzz..i m here.to share my feeling..its really a memorable day for me in bandipur resorts in that wild life safari,sanctuary etc...awesomee... i enjoyd a lot with my family..if u visit u ll defintly njoy d weekend...

Karnataka Travel said...

Nice blog,This information helpful for who want visit travlers,Thanks for sharing,Mysore is one of Best Places In Karnataka,Other tourist places is Shravanabelagola,Nandi Hills,Jog Falls.

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