On Sunday evenings, and every night during the Dasara festival, someone throws a switch and the Mysore Palace lights up with just under a hundred thousand bulbs outlining every dome, arch and arcade of a building that already looks like an architect was told to use every idea he had. The palace is Indo-Saracenic — a late-Victorian style that mixed Mughal domes, Rajput arches, Gothic proportions and stained glass from Glasgow — completed in 1912 for the Wadiyar maharajas, who ruled here for six centuries and made Mysore one of the best-governed princely states in India.
The city that surrounds it is unusually pleasant: broad tree-lined roads, a working sandalwood and silk industry, a covered market that has been trading for over a century, and a hill temple with a giant Nandi bull carved from a single boulder. Bengaluru is three hours away, which makes Mysore the easy, civilised stop on a Karnataka trip and the natural gateway to the wildlife parks at Nagarhole and Bandipur.
Here’s Mysore for budget travellers, families, and luxury travellers, with costs, gear, a two-day plan, and a map.
Getting Oriented
The Mysore Palace sits in a walled compound at the centre of the city, with temples inside the grounds and the main entrance on the south side. North of it, Devaraja Market — a covered 19th-century market of flowers, fruit, incense and sandalwood — is the city’s other essential stop.
Chamundi Hill, 13km southeast, rises 1,000m above the plain, with the Chamundeshwari temple at the top, the monolithic Nandi bull two-thirds of the way up, and a 1,000-step stairway for those who want it. Brindavan Gardens and the Krishnarajasagara dam are 20km north; Srirangapatna, Tipu Sultan’s island fortress capital, is 16km north on the way to Bengaluru.
The city is compact and rickshaws cost ₹60–200. A car for a day runs ₹2,000–3,000.
Mysore on a Budget
Sleeping cheap. Guesthouses and budget hotels run ₹800–2,000; hostels ₹500–900. Mysore is one of the better-value southern cities and the standard is generally higher than the price suggests.
Cheap and free. Devaraja Market is free and is an hour well spent — pyramids of kumkum powder, jasmine sold by the metre, and bananas in a dozen varieties. Chamundi Hill is free (the temple, the Nandi and the view); the bus up is ₹30. The palace illumination on Sunday evenings, around 7–7:45pm, is free from the grounds and is the city’s best free spectacle. St Philomena’s Cathedral, a neo-Gothic pile modelled on Cologne, is free.
Paid, and worth it. The Mysore Palace interior is ₹200 for foreign visitors, ₹70 Indian — remarkable value for one of India’s finest interiors. Jaganmohan Palace art gallery ₹100, Rail Museum ₹50, Mysore Zoo ₹150 and among the best in India.
Eating cheap. Mysore is a south Indian food city: Mysore masala dosa (₹60–120), idli-vada at breakfast, Mysore pak (a ghee-heavy sweet invented in the palace kitchens, ₹40 a piece), and banana-leaf meals for ₹100–200.
Budget total: ₹1,400–2,600 a day.
Mysore for Families
- The palace illumination — 97,000 bulbs switched on at once. Sunday evenings and throughout Dasara. Children find it genuinely magical, and it’s free.
- Mysore Zoo — one of the oldest and best-run zoos in India, with large enclosures and a serious conservation programme. Half a day easily.
- Chamundi Hill — the monolithic Nandi bull, 4.9m high and carved from a single rock in 1659, sits 800 steps up; kids can climb from there, or you can drive to the top and walk down.
- The Rail Museum — a royal carriage, steam locomotives and a toy train ride.
- Brindavan Gardens — musical fountains in the evening, terraced gardens and boats. Unashamedly popular and children love it.
- Nagarhole or Bandipur safari — 90 minutes south, and among the best chances in India of seeing wild elephants in large herds, plus tigers and leopards. The best family add-on in Karnataka.
Mysore in Luxury
The Lalitha Mahal Palace, a white 1921 palace built for the Viceroy’s visits, is the historic address (₹12,000–25,000), and Royal Orchid Metropole the smaller heritage option. The finest stays are outside the city: The Serai and Evolve Back Kabini at the Kabini river — a luxury lodge on the backwaters of Nagarhole where elephant herds come to the shore in summer (₹35,000–70,000, all-inclusive with safaris) — is one of India’s great wildlife properties. Around them: private palace access with a historian, silk-weaving and sandalwood-oil factory visits, a Mysore-style yoga programme (the city is the birthplace of Ashtanga vinyasa), and jeep and boat safaris on the Kabini.
Signature Sights, Honestly Ranked
Mysore Palace, inside and lit — the interior for the Durbar Hall and the peacock-mosaic ceilings, the exterior on a Sunday evening for the lights. Devaraja Market — a working market, best at 8am. Chamundi Hill — the Nandi bull is better than the temple, and the view over the city is the point. Mysore Zoo — genuinely excellent. Srirangapatna — Tipu Sultan’s fort, summer palace and mausoleum on an island in the Kaveri; the most interesting history in the region and a half day. Brindavan Gardens — kitsch, popular, fun in the evening. St Philomena’s Cathedral — a surprise piece of neo-Gothic. Somnathpur, 35km east — a small, perfect 1268 Hoysala temple covered in intricate soapstone carving, and the finest art in the region. Nagarhole and Bandipur — the wildlife, 90 minutes south.
Best Time to Visit
October to February, when Mysore runs 18–30°C and dry — the plateau at 770m keeps it milder than the coast year-round. The date that defines the city is Dasara, ten days in September or October, when Mysore stages the biggest festival in Karnataka: the palace is lit every night, and the final day brings a procession of caparisoned elephants carrying a golden howdah through the streets, watched by hundreds of thousands. Book months ahead. March to May is warm (30–36°C) but bearable. The June–September monsoon is moderate here — the Western Ghats take the brunt to the west — and it greens the wildlife parks. For wildlife, March to May is best, when water sources shrink and animals concentrate at the Kabini river.
Essential Gear & Must-Haves for Mysore
| Must-have | Why it matters here |
|---|---|
| A Sunday evening in the city | The free palace illumination is the highlight |
| Socks | The palace interior is shoes-off; floors get hot |
| Camera rules noted | Photography is banned inside the palace interior |
| Light layers | Plateau evenings are cool year-round |
| Cash for the market | Devaraja’s stalls are cash-only |
| Safari booked ahead | Kabini and Bandipur jeep slots sell out, especially weekends |
| Space for silk and sandalwood | Both are Mysore specialities and genuinely good value |
What It Costs
Rough per-person daily figures (2026; verify before travel):
| Budget / backpacker | Family (per adult) | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | ₹500–2,000 | ₹2,500–6,000 | ₹12,000–70,000 |
| Food | ₹350–700 | ₹800–1,600 | ₹3,500–8,000 (often included) |
| Sights & transport | ₹500–1,000 | ₹1,500–3,000 | ₹6,000+ (safari, guide) |
| Daily total | ₹1,400–3,700 | ₹4,800–10,600 | ₹21,000–86,000 |
The Two-Day Plan
| Time | Day 1 (the city) | Day 2 (out of town) |
|---|---|---|
| Early | Devaraja Market at 8am | Srirangapatna: fort, Tipu’s summer palace |
| Late morning | Mysore Palace interior | Somnathpur Hoysala temple |
| Afternoon | Jaganmohan gallery, silk workshop | Mysore Zoo |
| Evening | Chamundi Hill sunset; palace illumination (Sun) | Brindavan Gardens fountains |
Mysore is Karnataka’s tourist hub: Bengaluru north, the wildlife parks south, and the Nilgiri hill stations beyond them.
Where Is Mysore?
Mysore (Mysuru) sits at 770m on the Deccan plateau in southern Karnataka, about 145km southwest of Bengaluru and 90km north of the Nilgiri hills. The map below shows the city and its palace.
Mistakes First-Timers Make in Mysore
Missing the Sunday illumination. The palace lights are switched on for about 45 minutes on Sunday evenings and nightly during Dasara. If your dates allow a Sunday, use it — it’s the single best thing in Mysore and it’s free.
Photographing inside the palace. Interior photography is banned and enforced, and phones are collected at some entrances. Enjoy the Durbar Hall with your eyes.
Visiting during Dasara without booking. The festival is magnificent and the city is at absolute capacity. Rooms triple in price and sell out months in advance.
Skipping Somnathpur. A 1268 Hoysala temple 35km east, covered in soapstone carving of extraordinary fineness, and almost empty. It’s the best art in southern Karnataka.
Booking a wildlife safari on arrival. Kabini and Bandipur jeep slots, especially at weekends and in the March–May dry season, need booking days or weeks ahead.
Buying sandalwood on the street. Genuine sandalwood is government-regulated and expensive; street vendors sell scented offcuts. Buy from the Cauvery Emporium or a certified shop.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do I need? Two nights for the city, three if you’re adding a wildlife park.
Is the palace worth it? Yes — the interior is one of the best in India and the ticket is under ₹250 for foreign visitors.
When is Dasara? September or October, over ten days, ending with the elephant procession. Dates follow the lunar calendar; check the year.
Is Mysore good for families? Very — the zoo, the gardens, the lights and the wildlife parks make an easy three days, and the city is calm by Indian standards.
Where’s the best wildlife nearby? Nagarhole (Kabini) and Bandipur, both about two hours south. Elephants are close to guaranteed in the dry season; tigers and leopards are luck.
Is this where Ashtanga yoga comes from? Yes — Mysore is the home of the Ashtanga vinyasa lineage, and several established schools take international students on month-long programmes.
Next Steps
Go south to the wildlife at Nagarhole and Bandipur, southeast to Madurai and the Tamil temple trail, or west to Kochi and Kerala. The India travel guide covers country-wide planning and the family packing list has the safari kit.
Planning a longer trip? See our full India family travel guide.