Bangalore Visitor Guide 2024: Everything you need to know

Published by: BouncePosted
World Trade Center Bangalore

Located in sizzling southern India, Bangalore is a big city of more than ten million people. Like all of India, Bangalore is rich in culture both ancient and modern. Home to dozens of temples dedicated to some of India's many religions, Bangalore dates back to 890 at least. But despite its age, the city is emerging as a tech hub of India. Plus, its vibrant culture and reliably warm weather make it a great place to visit. More and more tourists are discovering the potential of this southern city for themselves.

Explore the ancient temples. Visit lively clubs and bars. Head out of town and see some of southern India's best natural areas. Whatever you like to do, chances are you'll find it in Bangalore. If you're ready for an adventure, you've come to the right place.

5 Best Ways to Experience Bangalore in 2024

Bangalore, or Bengaluru, is the capital of Karnataka state in India and is often referred to as both the garden city or the Silicon Valley of India. It is a city that has one foot in the modern world and the other deeply steeped in history. 

For the tourist, India can be at once a vibrant and colorful adventure, and at the same time a slightly overwhelming experience. Street vendors and geeky young techies throng the same streets and modern skyscrapers rub shoulders with ancient temples.

Here are some companies that can make your visit both much more interesting and far less chaotic. Before getting started, why don’t you drop your extra bags at one of Bounce’s luggage storage centers so that you can focus on the adventures at hand?

Best walking tour — Hidden Gems Tours

Praveen Singh is both a businessman and ultra-marathon runner who founded this company in order to share his passion for this amazing city. He has used his in-depth knowledge of both the region and its history to put together a variety of unusual tour options. 

Tours range as diversely as the Kempe Gowda Towers tour to a Bangalore Through the Ages tour with much more along the way. Although Praveen believes that the best way to discover this city's hidden gems is on foot, he also offers airconditioned motorized tours in addition to his running and walking tours. 

To get more detail about the wide variety of tours that Praveen offers, contact him at praveen@hiddengemstours.in or by calling on +91 99005 55558.

Best excursions — Adventure Buddha

If unusual and authentic getaways are what you are after then these are the guys that you need to speak to. Adventure Buddha's motto is 'see less, experience more,' and they go out of their way to make sure that you do just that. Whether it's trekking on the Sakleshpar on a sunrise trek or hiking the Kudremukha peak in the Kudremukha National Park these guys will have a weekend getaway for you.

The company offers a range of different getaway adventures but they all have certain commonalities. Use of native guides, local homestays, and benefits for the local environment. They like to restrict their adventures to small groups so that all gain the maximum benefits and don’t be surprised when the guide partakes in your adventures alongside you.

For further information, contact Adventure Buddha at adventurebuddha@gmail.com or by calling +91 99169 43398

Best in-depth tour — Unhurried

This is one for those who want to delve deeper into the history, heritage, and culture of this amazing city. It is the brainchild of Poornima Dasharathi who in addition to being an author and storyteller, is also a food blogger.  What better combination of skills to guide you through your visit?

Unhurried offers a wide range of local day tours that include heritage trails, nature walks, market tours, and, of course, food trails.

In addition, they also offer out-of-town tours with enticing titles such as The Silk Route or Sand Dunes of Talakad. 

For more information on these or any of their other tours, call +91 82170 98154 or email reachus@unhurried.in 

Best adventure tours — Bangalore Adventure School

So, you want to be an adventurer? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Bangalore Adventure School aims to ‘enable the next generation of explorers’ so if you are looking to kick up the adrenalin levels and do something out of your comfort zone, these are the people you need to be talking to. 

Bear Grylls played a big part in influencing this school's agenda so you know that you may be in for some heart-racing moments. Survival training, adventure sports, courses and gear are all on offer. The school has a highly experienced team of instructors standing by to guide you in the discipline of your choice and what a choice it is. Canyoning, scuba diving, trekking, and rock climbing are just some of the subjects to consider.

To find out more and book your place call +91 8105 292136 or email info@BangaloreAdventureSchool.com

Best off-the-beaten-path tours — Yours Truly India

Bangalore is an offbeat city and you will realize that within about five minutes of getting there. The trouble is, getting to grips with a city as off-the-wall as this requires skills that most of us don’t have. That is where Yours Truly India comes into the picture.

This is a company that offers day tours that aim to take you to places that you probably wouldn’t even think of looking for, let alone be able to find. Would you know where to go to have your fortune told by a parrot or purchase an authentic Karnataka meal presented on a banana leaf? Probably not. 

This company has built its reputation by specializing in showing people parts of India that are both bizarre and fascinating. If you want to go beyond what is normal then give them a call on +91 94800 49807 or email info@yourstrulyindia.com  

A weekend in Bangalore

As locals will probably tell you, you could spend a lifetime in Bangalore and never see it all. Partly, that's because this vibrant city keeps on changing. However, a weekend in the city will allow you to see some of its most impressive and popular attractions.

  • Explore Indian history at Tipu Sultan's Fort. This impressive castle-like structure was built in the sixteenth century by the Emperor of Mysore. Now, it houses a well-preserved temple and some stunning Islamic architecture. Drop off unneeded bags at a Bangalore luggage storage locker to explore this historic gem.
  • Bangalore isn't short on temples, but the Bull Temple is one of the most impressive. Located inside the massive Bugle Rock, this Hindu temple dates back to the sixteenth century and is famous for its elaborate carvings and historical significance.
  • Explore a relic of the British Raj at Bangalore Royal Palace. Built in 1878, the palace was modeled in part after Windsor Castle as a royal residence for a maharajah. Now, the palace is one of Bangalore's top tourist attractions, and an audio tour will explain more about the history and significance of the site.

Bangalore lockers

Bangalore is a busy and bustling place. The streets teem with life day and night, and you're never far from a crowd. Make things easier on yourself by dropping your heavy bags at a Bangalore bag storage. The lighter you travel, the easier you'll find it to get around. You can immerse yourself more fully in the beating heart of the city when you know your belongings will be safely looked after.

Off the beaten path in Bangalore

people in a boat

Bangalore is known for its temples and gardens, and these make fantastic places to visit. However, there’s more to the city than just these tourist attractions. Drop off your bags at a Bangalore luggage locker and see another side to this fascinating city.

  • See one of the largest flower markets in Asia at KR market. You'll find more than just flowers here. Food, spices, utensils, and just about everything else can be purchased, but expect to haggle with the traders. If you can handle it, it's a fascinating glimpse of the real life of India.
  • See the modern side of India's Silicon Valley at Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum. This huge museum boasts interactive exhibits that explain India's impact on technology. Drop off heavy bags at a Bangalore bag storage and see what the future holds.
  • Take a relaxing boat trip on Ulsoor Lake. This urban lake is one of the jewels of Bangalore and a perfect place to relax. You can rent a boat to drift on the water or take a walk around the lake and recharge your batteries.

What to do alone in Bangalore

Often, big and busy cities are paradoxically the best places to explore by yourself. Traveling alone can make it easy to navigate Bangalore's crowds and see exactly what you want to see. Whether you're taking a solo vacation in Bangalore or traveling on business, you'll find plenty to do by yourself or with a companion.

  • Visit the botanical gardens of Lal Bagh. Famous for its massive greenhouse that hosts an annual flower show, this botanical garden is home to more than one thousand species of plants. The garden also contains a famous rock formation and is a great place to wander and take a break from the hectic pace of the city.
  • Have an adventure at Antaragange. This wilderness area outside the city contains dozens of caves and is a popular place for cave diving. Book an adventure tour to engage in some high adrenaline activities and make new friends as you explore the Indian countryside.
  • Take a wine tour of the Nandi Hills. India's wine industry is rapidly growing, and Bangalore's warm climate makes it a center of production. A guided tour will take you through the picturesque countryside outside Bangalore and allow you to sample the products of the local vineyards.

The best souvenirs in Bangalore

Shopping in Bangalore is an experience all by itself. For some of the best prices on products that may or may not be exactly as they appear, KR Market is hard to beat. Pick up some of the sandalwood products the area is known for or one of the silk saris that are must-have for every Indian woman. Alternatively, you could get some traditional Channapatna wooden toys from Kalaplanet and celebrate a two-hundred-year-old tradition. Coffee fans will love Gayathri Coffee Works, where you can pick up Indian Coorg coffee. Or for a sweet treat, get some Mysore Pak candy from Gundappa Sweets.

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