Weekend Getaways from Bangalore

No matter how serious life gets, you just need a good weekend to calm the hustle inside you.

Just for 2 days, shut down your laptops as well as your work lives and get into a whole new experience of life. Leave your world behind and go away to a place, unknown and undiscovered by you. India is rich in its diverse cultures and religions. Adhering to and following a single culture is too mainstream. Come on! Take that vacation book out and fill it with new experiences, cultures and explorations.

Use the following tips to enjoy a worry-free weekend getaway.

1. DSLR camera. Isn’t it obvious? You gotcha capture all your pretty moments right? So DSLR is the very first thing you should pack.
2. Local map. Yes, now we have Google maps of course, but keeping a map handy is highly advised. Its all about getting lost and finding yourself but no! we don’t want a weekend getaway to be spoiled.
3. Power bank. Another must keep to make sure your phone battery is intact. We know that you must be looking for this getaway opportunity to go away from the ordinary life but you won’t like to miss any important calls or texts. And yes who doesn’t want to call up the friends and make them jealous.
4. Extra cash or credit card. To be on a safe side in case you go a little beyond the decided budget.

Here are some cool places for a weekend getaway from Bengaluru.

These places are chosen keeping in mind the distance (within 300kms); decent hotels and resorts to stay; locations perfect for family outings.

Coorg

Coorg is popularly known as the Scotland of India because of its beautiful greenery which looks like a green colored blanket spread all over the area, spectacular hills covered with forests and dreamy landscapes. This is that one place which feeds and rejuvenates your love for Nature. This place is also known for its rich wildlife. In a nutshell, Coorg can be a home away from home for you.

Distance from Bengaluru

This is a perfect getaway location from Bengaluru as it is just 250kms away.

How to reach and travel duration

• Unfortunately, there are no direct flights or trains from Bengaluru to Coorg. The best way to reach the destination is by Car, Bus or Cab. A road trip is not only a convenient option but it is also a fun to execute idea.
• It takes around 5 hours to reach Coorg by car.
• There are some private buses as well as this direct Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus which helps you reach your destination. These buses are quite comfortable and affordable to get along. It takes around 6hours to go to Coorg by bus.

Best time to plan your trip
Although Coorg is a perfect year around destination, the best time to plan your weekend is from September to March. At this time, you will witness pleasant and refreshing rainfalls. Also, this is the peak season for tourism which may cause high tariffs on hotel booking to come to your way. But, the surety is that the experience will pay back all your money.

Best sites to visit in Coorg

• Raja’s seat: make a note! This is the most important tourist spot with artificial fountains creating a mirage.
• Namdroling Nyingmapa Monastery: also known as the golden temple, Namdroling is the largest teaching centre of Nyingmapa lineage standing amidst beauties to look at.
• Abbey falls: Falls surrounded with long stretches of coffee plantation, Abbey Falls is a must visit in Western Ghats in Karnataka.
• Nagarhole National Park: This national park is known as the thirty seventh Project Tiger Reserve. And got itself registered in 1999. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve took it as a part of itself.
• You can also trek your way to Brahmagiri Peak and go for adventure sports like Quad biking, River Rafting etc.
• Do not forget to have a taste of coorg cuisine restaurants and The Falls at The Tamara Coorg.

Total budget: Approx INR 10,000 per person

Chikmagalur

Chikmagalur is another amazing weekend destination from Bangalore. It is situated in the south-west part of Karnataka state and lying in the Baba Budan Hills. It is basically the most scenic hill station with a pleasant climate, picture perfect locations, floral valleys and beautiful waterfalls.

Chikmagalur has made it to the suggestions of top 5 weekend getaways from Bangalore as it takes care of the short duration of the trip and completely manages to give you thousands of pleasing memories in a short time period.

Distance from Bengaluru
It is just 244kms away from Bangalore which makes it easily reachable on weekends.

How to reach Chikmagalur
You can reach Chikmagalur from Bangalore by train or by road.

• By train: although there are no direct trains from Bangalore to Chikmagalur yet you can board a train from Bangalore to the Kadur railway station that is the nearest railway station to Chikmagalur. Kadur railway station is around 45 minutes from the city centre for which you can either rent a cab, an auto-rickshaw or a local bus.
• By road: You can get your own car or hire a cab from Bangalore to Chikmagalur which is an extremely comfortable option. Although, there is also an option of taking a direct bus from Bangalore.

Best time to visit Chikmagalur

You can visit at any time of the year although, April-June is the peak time of tourism. In summers, the weather is recorded from 21 to 35°C and in Winter 14 to 32°C.

Best places to visit

• Baba Budangiri (Datta Peeta): Baba Budangiri is renowned tourist place for its shrine to the sufi saint Hazrat Dada Hayat Khalandar. Its peaceful aura makes it one of the best places in Chikmagalur to sit and relax.
• Mullayanagiri: Hills calls for trekking! Mullayanagiri peak in Karnataka is the best place to trek your way into adventures.
• Kudremukh National Park: Kudremukh, which means “horse-face”, is naturally carved mountain range in the shape of a Horse-face. It is the 3rd highest peak and best for treks.
• Hebbe Falls: this is another beautiful falls surrounded by coffee estate. The greenery and natural picturesque gives it a heavenly aura.
  Go for sight-seeing and wildlife expeditions to make some unforgettable memories. You can also go for adventure camping and other activities which are widely preferred by tourists.

Total budget: INR 9,000-12,000 (approx.) per person

Ooty

Ooty is one of the most visited tourist destinations in India. It is situated in Tamil Nadu, located in the Nilgiri Hills. This hill station is known for its lush green tea gardens and splendid landscapes. The hill station also offers its visitors a lot off other adventure escapes like trekking, golfing, nature camps and joyrides in the hills of Nilgiri.

Distance from Bangalore

The distance from Bangalore to Ooty is around 270kms.

How to reach Ooty

• BY BUS: there are direct buses which take you from Bengaluru to Ooty in just 8hours. A bus is the most convenient as well as the cheapest way to reach Ooty.
• BY TRAIN: another comfortable yet enjoyable way to reach Ooty is by train. Although there are no direct train buses from Bengaluru to Ooty yet you can take Basava Express from Bengaluru to Mysore and then take KSRTC from Mysore to Ooty. This will take around 9hours for you to reach your destination.

Best time to visit Ooty

Since Ooty is the best hill station for vacations and trips, it is marked as one of the busiest tourist destinations throughout the year. You can plan your weekend right now or at any time of the year and get through an experience to die for.

Places to see

• Pykara Falls AND Pykara Lake: go in the beauties of this lake for fishing and other activities. Nature can never lead you down and a place like this? You just cannot afford to miss.
• Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: take your kids for a wildlife expedition at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. It is one of the best places in Ooty for family visits and adventures.
• Ooty Lake: if you want to go boating, then Ooty Lake is the best for you. Here, you can arrange house boats and go on a peaceful boating experience. It is a man-made lake famous for its comfortable house boats.
• Hidden Valley: Are you fond of going and exploring places? Or discovering new locations? Here is food to the discoverer in you! Hidden valley, as the name suggests, is a valley which in located deep inside the forests in Ooty. You will have to go on and on to reach this place. But, it will be worth it!
• You can go on adventurous forest safari rides which is just the perfect activity for you to enjoy in the spreads of nature. Have fun with numerous activities like trekking, tent stays, sky diving and cycling.

Places to stay

Although a tent stay is the best, you can also enjoy your stay at some comfortable and luxurious hotels.

• The Monarch Ooty: from the best of facilities to luxurious rooms, the Monarch is a perfect place to stay. Restaurant, bar, swimming pool, laser disc, fitness centre and theatre are some of the amenities available.
  Price: INR 6,655 per night
  User ratings: 5/5
• Hotel Gem Park: this hotel is situated in Ooty and is about 1km away from botanical garden. The well-organised tour operators from this hotel takes responsibility of your wonderful tour and adventures. Private bathrooms, Wi-Fi service, swimming pool, mini bar, tea and coffee makers are some amenities here. There are Presidential rooms, luxury rooms and deluxe rooms
  Price: INR 5,650 per night
  User ratings: 4/5

Total budget: INR 7000 per person (approx.)

Monetary issue? No worries, use these hotel coupons and make your weekend getaway extra special, with cashback and discount on your travel bookings.
Bon Voyage!!

Wayanad

Wayanad is a district located between the western ghats of Kerela. It is surrounded by majestic hills, dense forests and green agricultural estates. It is famous for its Vanilla, tea, coffee, pepper, cardamom and other condiments. The hill city is content with pleasurable landscapes, splashing waterfalls, tingling water lakes, wildlife sanctuaries and many more places to explore. This is another beautiful getaway from Bengaluru with a calm climate.

Distance from Bangalore

Wayanad is about 262kms away from Bengaluru.

How to get there

• By car: it is the most convenient and enjoyable way to reach your weekend destination. The shortest route from Bengaluru to Wayanad is by using NH275 and NH212.
• By train: there is no direct train from Bengaluru to Wayanad. Though you can take the Tirupati-Chamrajnagar Express from Bengaluru, Banaswadi station which stops at Nanjangud and from there Wayanad is 109kms. Also, you can go to railway station at Kozhikode which is approx 100kms from Wayanad.
• By bus: there are some private buses that take passengers to Wayanad. It takes about 9hours to reach the destination.

Best time to visit

A weekend getaway to Wayanad can be planned between Jan-May and Oct-Dec as the weather is not favorable in the rest of the months.

Places to see

• Soochirpara Falls: Waterfalls are the gem of hilly areas. Soochipara Falls is a three-tiered waterfall surrounded with immensely dedicious forests and greeneries.
• Banasura hill: this is the second tallest mountain peak in Wayanad. It has profoundly rich tropical vegetation and is a must visit for nature lovers.
• Eddakal caves: Eddakal caves is famous for it’s the only place in India with Stone Age carvings. It’s a two headed natural cave and interests the visitors a lot.
• Apart from usual adventures like trekking, you can also go on religious visits to Thirunelli Temple, Jain Temples, Pallikunnu Church and many more for spiritual peace.
• Expeditions to carvings from Neolithic and Mesolithic ages will definitely give you knowledge and experiences.

Total budget: Approx Rs. 7000 per person

Kotagiri

Kotagiri is a beautiful hill station in the Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu. Neat roads, refreshing environment and liveliness makes Koatgiri a must visit destination. The town is covered with an amicable plantation of tea and beautiful landscapes. Long stretches of greenery makes you forget everything and ensures the peace of mind.

This town is one of the most liked places for a regular getaway from Bengaluru and other cities. So, pack your bags and run into the meadows of this soothing place.

Distance from Bangalore

Kotagiri is about 294 kms from Bangalore.

How to get there

• By car: you can reach your destination travelling by a car or hiring a cab. Travel via NH44 and NH544 which is the fastest route to Kotagiri. It will take around 7hours for you reach here.
• By train: there is no direct train from Bengaluru to Kotagiri though you can travel from Bengaluru to Coimbatore by train (229kms) and then from Coimbatore to Kotagiri by taxi which is only 48kms away. You can the train to Coimbatore from Banswadi station.

Best time to visit

To visit Kotagiri, keeping a note of temperature is a must because you wouldn’t like to burn your body in the hot temperature. The best time to visit Kotagiri is from December to May.

Places to see

Out of many beautiful places to be visited in Kotagiri, here are some of the sights worth visiting which will definitely make you fall in love with this destination.

• Catherine Falls: away from hustles of modern life, St. Catherine falls lets you get lost into the natural beauties and meadows.
• Kodanad viewpoint: this is a beautiful tourist spot in Kotagiri which renders a beautiful view into the fascinations of clouds and mountains. Long stretched plantations let you have a good eagle’s eye view of the Kotagiri Town.
• Longwood shola: Longwood shola is content with beautiful woods and forests. You can go camping and bonne fires with your family and friends or have a relaxing party.
• Rangaswamy peak: the hill station of Kotagiri has many tourist spots and Rangaswamy Peak is one of the gems in this area. It is a famous family picnic sport and view spot for tourists. Another must visit in your adventure book!
• Elk falls: this place is little hard to find in Kotagiri but once you reach there, it is one peaceful place. The sound of clinging water is the music to your ears.
• Do not forget to attend the Arundra Darshan Festival in Kotagiri. You can also transverse into the Tea Estates and deep water diving adventures.

Places to stay

• Green Nest Resort: for the lovers of peace and nature, a resort surrounded by mesmerizing views of the nature. Restaurant, free parking, travel assistance and room service are some of the amenities available here.
  Price: INR 4000 per night
  User ratings: rated 4.5/5
• The Point: Luxurious and comfortable place to relax and get away from the stress. Well-organized staff, cleanliness taken care of, parking facility, restaurant, Internet service are some of the amenities available here.
  Price: INR 5000 per night
  User ratings: 4.7/5

Total budget: Approx Rs.10,000-15,000

I am pretty sure that this small list has already left you excited enough to shoo away all the second thoughts and plan your weekend right now.

And why not? Everybody is busy complaining about life. You don’t want to spend your life in complaints and regrets, do you? Sit back, take a sip of a nicely made coffee and explore the above listed destinations.

Make your own wish list of activities you want to do, the food you want to have, the impossible you want to make possible and sketch that book of memories. We promise you, one day you will look back and feel content about yourself because you didn’t just exist, you live!