In Karnataka, Hire N Ride's base is Bangalore (Bengaluru), with self-drive cars for day trips and long weekends. Nandi Hills at sunrise and the Savandurga monolith are about 60 km out, Lepakshi's hanging pillar is about 111 km north just across the Andhra Pradesh border, Mysuru is about two hours down the expressway, and Coorg and Hampi make long-weekend drives. This guide links every Bangalore route we have published, grouped by trip length, with distances, timing and where to book.
Bangalore's traffic is the main thing to plan around. Almost every good day out starts with a pre-dawn exit, either to catch the sunrise or to clear the city before the morning jam, and ends with a return before the evening rush. Every distance and timing below comes from the linked guide, which has the full route and the sources we checked.
Short drives: about 60 km out
Nandi Hills before the crowd is the classic sunrise drive. Karnataka's tourism department puts the hill about 60 km from Bengaluru, at roughly 1,478 metres, with entry commonly listed from 6 am to 6 pm. Plan 1.5 to 2 hours via NH44 and Bellary Road including the climb. In mid-October sunrise near Nandi is around 6:10 am, so a 4 to 4:30 am city exit is what separates watching the colour build over the plains from circling for parking as the light fades.
Savandurga is the opposite direction and a different kind of morning. Wikipedia places the hill about 60 km west of Bengaluru, off Magadi Road in Ramanagara district. It rises to 1,226 m and is formed by two peaks known locally as Karigudda, the black hill, and Biligudda, the white hill, often described as one of Asia's largest monolith hill clusters. Treat the drive as 1.5 to 2 hours each way in ordinary traffic, and read our guide for the permit checkpoint and temple trailhead before the trek.
Lepakshi: the hanging pillar
The Veerabhadra temple at Lepakshi has a carved stone pillar that does not quite touch the floor. Our first Lepakshi guide puts the temple about 111 km from MG Road and about 91 km from Kempegowda International Airport by map routing, north on NH44 past Devanahalli and Chikkaballapur into Andhra Pradesh, then a signposted branch road east near the Kodikonda checkpoint. Incredible India lists the temple as open from 6 am to 6 pm. Our long-weekend Lepakshi plan adds the Vijayanagara murals and the monolithic Nandi about 200 metres from the complex, on Kurmasaila, the tortoise-shaped granite hill that holds the 16th-century temple. Plan 2.5 to 3 hours each way once you add the city exit, matching Karnataka Tourism's published range.
Mysuru for Dasara
Bangalore to Mysuru for Dasara covers the city's biggest festival drive. In 2026 the Mysuru Dasara ran for 11 days, from 11 to 21 October, opening on Chamundi Hill and ending with the Jamboo Savari elephant procession and the torchlight parade at Bannimantap. The access-controlled Bengaluru to Mysuru Expressway on NH-275 is about 118 km long, so a day trip is realistic, although festival traffic can make it much slower. The palace is lit every evening from 7 pm to 10 pm during the festival, and until midnight on Sundays and Vijayadashami.
Long weekends: Coorg and Hampi
Coorg over a long weekend answers whether the drive is worth it. Madikeri is roughly 250 to 270 km from Bengaluru, typically 5 to 6.5 hours without long stops, via the Mysuru expressway and the Hunsur, Kushalnagar and Madikeri corridor, so an overnight in Madikeri makes sense. The guide was written for the Gandhi Jayanti weekend of 2 to 4 October 2026, but the route advice applies to any three-day break.
Hampi from Bangalore is the big one. Map routing puts the ruins about 341 km from central Bangalore, a little over four hours of pure driving in ideal conditions, or about 326 km to Hosapete, the nearest large town and railhead. Treat it as an overnight at least, with time for the Vittala temple's stone chariot, Virupaksha and the boulder hills along the river.
Distances at a glance
| From Bangalore to | Approx. distance | Suggested trip |
|---|---|---|
| Nandi Hills | About 60 km | Sunrise, leave by 4:30 am |
| Savandurga | About 60 km | Morning trek |
| Lepakshi | About 111 km from MG Road | Day |
| Mysuru | About 118 km of expressway | Day or overnight |
| Madikeri, Coorg | About 250 to 270 km | Overnight |
| Hampi | About 341 km | Two nights |
What to see at each stop
Nandi Hills: sunrise viewpoints over the plains; arrive before the gates open at 6 am and confirm parking and ticket counters on arrival. Savandurga: the twin granite domes and the temple at the trailhead; the climb is steep rock, so wear shoes with good grip and carry water. Lepakshi: the hanging pillar in the main hall, the Vijayanagara ceiling murals and the monolithic Nandi nearby. Mysuru: the illuminated palace in the evening and, during Dasara, the procession routes and events in our guide. Coorg: Madikeri as a base for coffee country. Hampi: the stone chariot, the Virupaksha temple and the boulder landscape along the Tungabhadra.
More detail on the bigger trips
Mysuru Dasara. Beyond the opening and the procession, the festival weeks bring daily palace illumination, cultural programmes on the palace grounds, the Dasara Flower Show, the Aahara Mela food festival and the Dasara exhibition. In 2026 there were also ticketed drone show evenings at Bannimantap on 17 and 18 October. The district administration's official website, mysoredasara.gov.in, carries event schedules, ticket booking, procession routes, parking maps and traffic advisories; check it the night before you drive, because timings and diversions change. Buses and trains fill up during Dasara and on procession day almost everyone leaves Mysuru at once, which is where a car with a flexible departure helps.
Coorg. The final climb into Madikeri is on well-used but winding two-lane roads, and mist and brief showers still appear on the ghats in October, so keep your headlights on and avoid overtaking on blind bends. Long-weekend traffic out of Bangalore builds on Thursday evening and Friday morning, and Sunday evening returns are slow. Raja Seat is the classic viewpoint stop in Madikeri after the drive.
Hampi. The ruins sit on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra in Ballari district and were the heart of Vijayanagara for two centuries. Our guide lists the core stops as the Virupaksha temple and Hampi Bazaar, Hemakuta Hill, the Vittala temple with its stone chariot, Achyutaraya and the riverside paths. Plan on five to seven hours each way with fuel, food and traffic. Park once near your stay, walk and climb between clusters, and move the car only when the next one is too far on foot.
Savandurga. An online forest permit through Aranya Vihaara is mandatory before you start the trek from the Sri Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy temple. Late September to February is the best window for cooler, greener conditions, with October and November especially good for views and grip on the rock.
Planning a long weekend
Three days: drive to Mysuru on day one for the palace lights, continue to Madikeri on day two, and return on day three. Four days: drive to Hampi, spend two nights there, and come back on the fourth day. Just a Saturday: Nandi Hills at sunrise and Lepakshi on the way back north, or Savandurga in the morning and home by lunch. Keep each day to one main destination; stacking every Bangalore highlight into one tank of fuel turns a calm day into a rush.
Timing tips
Bangalore's weekend exits fill early, especially on long weekends such as Gandhi Jayanti and the Dussehra break of 17 to 20 October 2026, so leave before dawn. Festival traffic on the Mysuru expressway can make the 118 km take much longer than usual. In the post-monsoon weeks, scattered showers are still possible, so carry an umbrella and allow extra driving time, as our Dasara guide notes. Check kilometre limits on your rental for Hampi and Coorg, where round trips run to 500 to 700 km.
Questions travellers ask
What time should I leave for Nandi Hills sunrise?
Around 4 to 4:30 am in October, earlier on weekends, to reach the top before sunrise at about 6:10 am.
Is Lepakshi in Karnataka?
No. It is just across the border in Andhra Pradesh, about 111 km north of central Bangalore on NH44.
Can I do Hampi as a day trip?
Not comfortably. At about 341 km each way, plan at least one night, ideally two.
Is Mysuru a day trip from Bangalore?
Yes, on the 118 km expressway, though during Dasara an overnight lets you see the palace lights without a late drive back.
Practical tips
- Carry your original driving licence and a government photo ID; you cross a state border on the way to Lepakshi.
- Keep your FASTag topped up for the expressway and NH44 tolls.
- Compare vehicles and reviews on Hire N Ride and Zoomcar before long weekends.
Where to book
Book from the city page: self-drive car rental in Bangalore, which lists the cars hosts have available and current per-day prices.
