The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) has announced its summer special weekend package tours onboard the Golden Chariot, the State’s own luxury express train. The KSTDC will offer a one-day and two-night package tour to Hampi and Mysuru.

The trip will cost Rs. 30,000 per person. The Mysuru tour will cover Srirangapatna, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion, Amba Vilas Palace and Brindavan Garden or Lalitha Mahal Palace.

The trip to Hampi will include Hemakuta Hill, Virupaksha Temple, Elephant Stables, Lotus Mahal Royal enclosure, Hazara Rama Temple, Queen’s Bath, Vijaya Vittala Temple complex, Marvel Stone Chariot and Thugabadhra river sunset view.

This is for the first time since the train’s commercial launch nine years ago, KSTDC has launched Golden Chariot Summer Trip package offering two tour options – Bengaluru-Mysuru-Bengaluru and Bengaluru-Hampi-Bengaluru – with different dates. The departure dates to Mysuru have been scheduled for April 7 and 21, May 5 and 19 and June 2. Likewise, the departure dates to Hampi are April 14 and 28, May 12 and 26 and June 9.

Package tour to Tirupati from Mysuru

Tourists from Mysuru will now be able to avail the KSTDC package tour to Tirupati directly, instead of coming to Bengaluru. The KSTDC has struck a deal with Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Trust Board to offer this service to devotees.  

From April, dedicated package tours to Tirupati, similar to what is already being offered from Bengaluru, will start from Mysuru. Tourists will be taken in multi-axle AC buses for Darshan. The KSTDC will start with one bus a day from Mysuru and may increase it later.

Tourists booking and boarding the bus from Bengaluru will be charged Rs. 1,900 per person, while tickets for those from Mysuru would be around Rs. 2,300 because of the distance. The rates include transportation, accommodation and Sheegra Darshan.