Weekend Getaways from Bangalore: 15 Best Trips by Distance (2026)

Every trip below lists the road distance from central Bengaluru, a realistic drive time, the ideal length of stay and the best months to go. Distances are approximate and drive times assume normal traffic. Friday evenings can add one to two hours, so plan an early start.

Not sure where to begin? Use the trip picker to choose by mood, or open the comparison table to see all fifteen at a glance.

Tap a trip name to jump to its section. Distances are approximate road distances from central Bengaluru.

Distance~60 kmDrive1.5–2 hIdeal stayHalf dayBestOct–Feb

Nandi Hills is the closest real hill escape from Bengaluru, a granite hill near Chikkaballapur crowned by old fortifications. The pay-off is sunrise: on cool mornings between October and February, cloud pools in the valleys below. Add the Yoga Nandeeshwara temple, the cliff known as Tipu’s Drop and Tipu’s Summer Palace nearby.

Access is the catch. A July 2024 news report described parking capped at 300 vehicles, with weekend queues stretching over a kilometre, and the district administration has changed pass and timing rules more than once. Check current notices before you leave, aim for a weekday and be at the gate well before first light.

Read our Chikkaballapur guide

Distance~50–65 kmDrive1–1.5 hIdeal stay1 dayBestOct–Mar

Ramanagara is the film-famous granite country on the Mysuru road, where Sholay was shot. Ramadevara Betta is the hill to know: it has a vulture sanctuary and is a popular spot for rock climbing and walking. Janapada Loka, the folk-arts museum near the highway, makes an easy first stop.

Savandurga, about 60 km from the city on the Magadi side, is a massive monolith commonly described as one of Asia’s largest. The climb is steep and shadeless, so start at dawn, carry water and skip it in peak summer heat.

Read our Ramanagara guide

Distance~55–70 kmDrive1.5–2 hIdeal stay1 dayBestOct–Feb

Both hills sit along the Tumakuru highway, so they pair well with a long breakfast on the road. Shivagange, near Dobbaspet, is a pilgrim hill climbed on rock-cut steps to a temple complex, and the view back toward the plains is worth the sweat. Devarayanadurga, close to Tumakuru town, is a forested hill with the Yoga Narasimha temple on top and a winding road most of the way up.

Neither needs more than a day, which makes them the lowest-effort trek-and-temple trips on this list. Go early, wear shoes with grip for the rock steps and check temple timings before you leave.

Read our Tumakuru guide or our Bengaluru Rural guide

Distance~125 kmDrive2–2.5 hIdeal stayHalf day to 1 dayBestOct–Mar

Srirangapatna sits on an island in the Cauvery and is the best history stop on the Mysuru road. See the Ranganathaswamy temple, Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace (Dariya Daulat Bagh) with its painted walls, and the Gumbaz mausoleum where Tipu is buried.

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is a short drive away, and the cooler months, roughly November to February, are the better time for birds. Give the town three to four hours, or fold it into a Mysuru trip as the outbound stop.

Read our Mandya guide

Distance~135 kmDrive2.5–3 hIdeal stay1 dayBestAug–Nov (water flow)

The Cauvery splits into two cascades here: Gaganachukki and Bharachukki. They run best after good monsoon rain, so the months from August to November give the biggest water. The town also holds one of Asia’s earliest hydroelectric stations, opened in 1902.

Check conditions before driving. Viewpoints, coracle rides and bathing areas can be restricted when the river is high, and the water is not safe to swim in during floods. Pair it with Talakadu or Mysuru if you want a fuller weekend.

Read our Mandya guide or our Chamarajanagar guide

Distance~145–150 kmDrive2–3 hIdeal stay2 daysBestOct–Mar

Mysuru is the default Bangalore weekend for good reason. The Bengaluru–Mysuru Expressway is 118 km and takes roughly 90 minutes of driving, and fast trains make the city easy without a car. Mysore Palace, Chamundi Hills, Devaraja Market and Brindavan Gardens fill two days comfortably.

Add the Chennakesava temple at Somanathapura, about 35 km away and now part of the UNESCO-listed Hoysala group, if you like temples. Come in autumn for Dasara: our Mysore Dasara 2026 guide has dates and ticket details. Two-wheelers are not allowed on the expressway.

Read our Mysuru guide

Distance~170–180 kmDriveAbout 4 hIdeal stay2 daysBestOct–Mar

BR Hills (Biligiriranga Hills) sit inside a tiger reserve in Chamarajanagar district, where the Eastern and Western Ghats meet. The Biligiriranga Swamy temple on the ridge draws pilgrims, while forest drives bring a chance of elephants and gaur.

Stays are limited and forest rules apply, so book accommodation and any safari ahead and check access timings for the road through the reserve. It is quieter than Bandipur, which suits travellers who want forest without the crowds.

Read our Chamarajanagar guide

Distance~220 kmDrive4–5 hIdeal stay2 daysBestNov–May

Bandipur and Nagarhole, with the Kabini backwaters, are Karnataka’s best-known wildlife weekends. Safaris are booked through the forest department or your lodge, and the dry months, roughly February to May, tend to bring animals to the waterholes.

The Bandipur stretch of the Mysuru–Wayanad highway is closed to night traffic. The restriction has stood for years, but confirm current hours and plan to cross before dusk. Kabini sits on the Mysuru side, so combining both parks only makes sense with three days.

Read our Chamarajanagar guide or our Mysuru guide

Distance~220 kmDrive4–5 hIdeal stay2 daysBestOct–Mar

Sakleshpur sits at about 930 m in the Western Ghats foothills and is built around coffee and spice estates. Manjarabad Fort, the star-shaped fort Tipu Sultan built in 1792, is the main sight. The Bisle viewpoint, about 35 km away, looks across to Dodda Betta, Pushpagiri and Kumara Parvata.

Rain is heavy here, around 2,200 mm a year and mostly from June to August, so the cooler months suit walking and plantation stays. Ghat stretches can see landslides or diversions in heavy rain, so check road status before you go.

Read our Hassan guide

Distance~220 kmDrive4–5 hIdeal stay1–2 daysBestOct–Mar

Belur’s Chennakeshava temple and Halebidu’s Hoysaleswara temple are among the finest Hoysala monuments, carved in soapstone, and were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2023 as part of the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas.

Halebidu is about 16 km from Belur, and together they take a day. Add Sakleshpur or Chikkamagaluru to turn them into a two-day loop. Visit in the morning for softer light on the carvings, and dress for temple entry.

Read our Hassan guide

Distance~240 kmDrive5–6 hIdeal stay2 daysBestSep–Mar

Chikkamagaluru sits at about 1,090 m and is where, by tradition, Baba Budan first brought coffee to India. Mullayanagiri, Karnataka’s highest peak at roughly 1,930 m, is the signature climb, and Baba Budangiri, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary and Ayyanakere Lake round out the area.

Winter nights fall to around 11°C, so pack a layer between November and February. The pilgrimage towns of Horanadu and Sringeri are within day-trip range, and estate homestays fill early on long weekends.

Read our Chikkamagaluru guide

Distance~250 km (Madikeri)Drive5.5–6.5 hIdeal stay2–3 daysBestOct–Mar

Madikeri sits at about 1,170 m and gets heavy rain, roughly 3,200 mm a year, so the dry months from October to March are the comfortable window. Abbey Falls, Raja’s Seat, Madikeri Fort, the Omkareshwara temple and Mandalpatti viewpoint are the core sights.

Add Dubare elephant camp, Talacauvery and the Tibetan settlement at Bylakuppe along the way, and try Kodava cooking at a homestay. Expect heavy traffic on long weekends and landslide-related diversions in peak monsoon.

Plan the trip with our Coorg 3-day itinerary and cost guide or read our Kodagu guide

Distance~340 kmDrive6.5–7.5 hIdeal stay2–3 daysBestOct–Feb

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with temples, bazaars and boulder hills spread across a vast landscape. Don’t skip the Virupaksha Temple, the stone chariot at the Vittala Temple, and sunrise or sunset from Matanga Hill. Hire a bicycle or an auto and plan two days at the very least.

The nearest railhead is Hosapete (Hospet), about 13 km away, which makes overnight trains or buses an efficient way to save a hotel night. Summer heat is severe from April to May, so go between October and February.

Read our Vijayanagara (Hampi) guide

Distance~400 kmDrive8–9 hIdeal stay3 daysBestOct–Feb

Udupi pairs the Sri Krishna Matha temple and its famous vegetarian cooking with Malpe beach and the ferry to St Mary’s Island. Kaup beach lighthouse makes a good sunset stop.

Plan this as a three-day trip: the road from Bengaluru is long, and an overnight bus keeps the weekend efficient. Beach and ferry activities are best from October to February, and rough seas in the monsoon can shut them. Add Mangaluru if you have an extra day.

Read our Udupi guide or our Mangaluru guide

Distance~485 kmDrive9–10 hIdeal stay3 daysBestOct–Mar

Gokarna combines a pilgrimage town around the Mahabaleshwar temple with a string of beaches: Kudle, Om, Half Moon and Paradise. The coastal walk between Kudle and the southern beaches is the reason most visitors come.

An overnight sleeper bus takes roughly nine hours, so plan a Friday-night departure and a Sunday-night return. Swimming is unsafe in the monsoon and many shacks close, so go from October to March.

Read our Uttara Kannada guide

• Beat the traffic. Leave before sunrise on Saturday or early on Friday afternoon, and return on Sunday before about 3 pm or early on Monday.
• Use the Mysuru expressway. It is 118 km with a 100 km/h limit and tolls, and two-wheelers are not allowed.
• Take the train or an overnight bus. Fast trains serve Mysuru. Hampi (via Hosapete), Udupi and Gokarna suit overnight trains or buses, which saves a hotel night.
• Check ghat roads in the monsoon. Sections into Coorg, Chikkamagaluru, Sakleshpur and the coast can see landslides and diversions in heavy rain.
• Book forest stays and safaris early. Bandipur, Kabini and BR Hills run on forest department rules, and the Bandipur highway stretch is closed overnight.
• Carry offline maps and some cash. Network and card machines can be patchy in hill and estate areas.
• Confirm before you go. Timings, fees and access rules change. Check the official source for the place you are visiting.