India guide
Like India itself, our India travel guide is bursting with colour and spice.
BEST TIME TO VISIT KARNATAKA
Allow for heat and humidity from April to June with high altitude hill stations around Coorg and the Nilgiri Mountains offering much needed refreshment, in every sense.![]()
Monsoon season lasts from Jul-Sep and is best avoided unless you're into thunderstorms and impassable roads. It's a shame really as the hill stations along the Western Ghats are really atmospheric during a good old downpour with rivers reaching the peak of their powers before tumbling over hillsides as spectacular waterfalls. On the flip side, Nov-Feb presents the best time to visit Karnataka for cooler, drier conditions with things heating up during Mar-May to turn watering holes in Karnataka's national parks into the place to be for animals and wildlife watchers alike.
Karnataka Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
15
27
3
FEB
16
30
7
MAR
19
33
10
APR
21
34
41
MAY
20
33
109
JUN
19
29
75
JUL
19
28
96
AUG
19
28
122
SEP
19
28
192
OCT
19
28
155
NOV
17
27
65
DEC
15
26
19
Our Karnataka Vacations
Southern India tour, temples & nature
Tour from Coimbatore to Bangalore via Mysore
From
£494
6 days
ex flights
Karnataka luxury tour, heritage hills & wildlife
Experience Karnataka 2018 - the state that has it all!
From
£2450
13 days
ex flights
Karnataka and Kerala vacation
A remarkable trip through the splendeurs of South East India
From
£2300 to £2675
14 days
ex flights
Karnataka 12 day tour, India
Temples,verdant valleys,thundering waterfalls,wildlife
From
£2149
12 days
ex flights
Best of South India tour
Culture, Art and Scenery Tour through incredible South India
From
£2257 to £2555
17 days
ex flights
Karnataka tailormade vacation, India
Experience the highlights of Karnataka at a relaxed pace
From
£3930
16 days
inc UK flights
THINGS TO DO IN KARNATAKA
Things to do in Karnataka…
Things not to do in Karnataka…
Our top Karnataka Vacation
Karnataka 12 day tour, India
Temples,verdant valleys,thundering waterfalls,wildlife
From
£2149
12 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Travel Team
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KARNATAKA TRAVEL ADVICE
Explore from top to toe
Explore from top to toe
Rajat Kumar, from our supplier explorIndya, lives within the Nilgiri Mountains, close to the border with Karnataka.
“Two weeks is a good amount of time to gain a deeper understanding of the whole of Karnataka, although it all depends on the traveler. Perhaps 10 days exploring the south, southwest and central areas is more appropriate before deciding on a bit of time to relax in either Goa or Kerala.”
“Two weeks is a good amount of time to gain a deeper understanding of the whole of Karnataka, although it all depends on the traveler. Perhaps 10 days exploring the south, southwest and central areas is more appropriate before deciding on a bit of time to relax in either Goa or Kerala.”
Guided or guide books?
Guided or guide books?
“If you are looking for a guided tour of Karnataka, travel with a regional guide who will offer a more comprehensive introduction to the state as a whole. This type of tailor made tour allows for flexibility, with chances to use self-guided audio options or free time for self-discovery to complement practical information and local knowledge gained from an accompanying guide.”
Down the market
Down the market
Sanjay Oberoi, from our tour partners Bespoke India Travel, highlights where to meet local people in Karnataka:
“Visits to city markets in Bangalore or rural markets in places like Coorg, Kabini, Badami, Hampi, and Bijapur provide some excellent opportunities to interact with local people.”
“Visits to city markets in Bangalore or rural markets in places like Coorg, Kabini, Badami, Hampi, and Bijapur provide some excellent opportunities to interact with local people.”
Take the scenic route
Take the scenic route
“Aside from driving on the scenic Konkan Highway, the best way to enjoy the coastline of Karnataka is to take the train which features around 10 stations from Kerala to Goa. It really is a lovely route and a great way to have an authentic Indian experience, if you have the time.”
KARNATAKA TRAVEL ADVICE
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travelers are often... other travelers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do - and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful Karnataka vacation tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your suitcase.
We have selected some of the most useful Karnataka vacation tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your suitcase.
The bird sanctuary just outside Mysore was pretty amazing – masses of nesting storks, night herons, pelicans and little crocodiles basking on the rocks. Worth it just to hear the sound! ![]()
– Fiona Andrews
“We could easily have spent more than a week traveling, so give yourself plenty of time. And be open to surprises!” – Robyn Nadolny
“We expected it to be hot. But July was VERY hot... except in the Nilgiri hills where it was beautifully cool and an easy introduction to India. Small, uncrowded towns and villages.” – Anna Perkins
“I now know I have been over-boiling the water for my tea and after a fascinating visit to a local tea plantation and factory – I will never buy basic British rail tea again! (Life's too short).” – Fiona Andrews
“Read !! Read !!! Read !!! If you go without reading first you will be blind. Nothing will make sense. Good books on India are out there. Travel guides need to be digested before leaving.” – Joel Montague
“We expected it to be hot. But July was VERY hot... except in the Nilgiri hills where it was beautifully cool and an easy introduction to India. Small, uncrowded towns and villages.” – Anna Perkins
“I now know I have been over-boiling the water for my tea and after a fascinating visit to a local tea plantation and factory – I will never buy basic British rail tea again! (Life's too short).” – Fiona Andrews
“Read !! Read !!! Read !!! If you go without reading first you will be blind. Nothing will make sense. Good books on India are out there. Travel guides need to be digested before leaving.” – Joel Montague
Indian ladies, of whatever religious persuasion, or none, do not generally show anything of their legs, or their shoulders (midriffs are optional!).![]()
– Kate & Adrian Parker
“Our trip was in late February to early March, and this worked well – it was before the end of the tourist season and not too hot. We were there during the harvest, and it was so interesting to see all of the harvesting and also the start of planting for the next season.” – Mary Vetter
“Indian ladies, of whatever religious persuasion, or none, do not generally show anything of their legs, or their shoulders (midriffs are optional!). When touring round the temples, particularly, many of which are active religious centers, I felt more comfortable in long skirts or trousers. For men, shorts in town are similarly a bit difficult (especially in hot weather) but bare legs would usually denote a lower caste person so bear it in mind.” – Kate & Adrian Parker
“Take a universal sink plug – they were a rarity. Take travel wash, because although washing services are universal and cheap, one is rarely in one place long enough to employ them, and we were reliably informed that in any case the dhobi wallah will smash your buttons on the rock!” – Kate & Adrian Parker
“Indian ladies, of whatever religious persuasion, or none, do not generally show anything of their legs, or their shoulders (midriffs are optional!). When touring round the temples, particularly, many of which are active religious centers, I felt more comfortable in long skirts or trousers. For men, shorts in town are similarly a bit difficult (especially in hot weather) but bare legs would usually denote a lower caste person so bear it in mind.” – Kate & Adrian Parker
“Take a universal sink plug – they were a rarity. Take travel wash, because although washing services are universal and cheap, one is rarely in one place long enough to employ them, and we were reliably informed that in any case the dhobi wallah will smash your buttons on the rock!” – Kate & Adrian Parker
More about Karnataka
From the misty mountain tops, coffee and cardamom estates, to the UNESCO sites of Hampi and Anegundi, check out our Karnataka travel guide...
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