Bangalore Temples Tour: Private Guide & Car for Architecture

Four temples and a meditation centre, one guide driving you through Bangalore's sacred sites

A full-day private tour of Bangalore's temples with a local guide and personal chauffeur in an air-conditioned car, including hotel pickup and drop-off. You visit Bull Temple (home to a 15-foot Nandi carved from a single rock), the 9th-century rock-cut Gavi Gangadareshwara Temple, ISKCON Temple on Hare Krishna Hill, and the Art of Living International Centre on Panchagiri Hills. Dress code required: knees and shoulders must be covered.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Bull Temple2h
2. ISKCON Temple Bangalore2h
3. Art of Living International Center1h

Visit Bengaluru's famous temples and center

• Meet guide and chauffeur at hotel
• Drive to Basavanagudi Bull Temple
• Visit Bull Temple shrine and Nandi statue
• Walk to Dodda Ganesha Temple
• Explore Dodda Ganesha Temple
• Drive to Gavi Gangadareshwara Cave Temple
• Visit Gavi Gangadareshwara Temple
• Drive to ISKCON Temple at Hare Krishna Hill
• Visit ISKCON Temple and cultural complex
• Have vegetarian lunch at temple cafeteria (own cost)
• Visit Venkataramanswamy Temple and see carvings
• Visit Art of Living International Centre
• Attend meditation session or Ashram bus tour
• Return to hotel

The experience

Basavanagudi is where the tour starts, at the Bull Temple: the world's largest Nandi shrine, built in 1537 and standing 15 feet tall and 20 feet long, carved from a single piece of granite. From there you walk to Dodda Ganesha Temple, where an 18-foot-tall Ganesha dominates the shrine. The guide explains the Dravidian architecture and the belief that the idol grows on its right side.

The route then moves to Gavi Gangadareshwara, a 9th-century temple cut directly from rock: an example of Indian rock-cut architecture with rare stone discs in the forecourt and a sculpture of the fire god Agni with two heads, seven hands and three legs. After this, you drive to ISKCON Temple on Hare Krishna Hill, one of the world's largest ISKCON temples, where you can eat vegetarian lunch at the temple cafeteria (at your own cost). The guide handles the driving and the explanations. You move at a pace that lets you absorb each site without rushing.

The final stop is Art of Living International Centre, 24 kilometres southwest on Panchagiri Hills. The 65-acre campus includes a meditation hall called Vishalakshi Mantap, flowering gardens and a lake. You can attend a free meditation session or take the ashram's bus tour (around 90 minutes, free if seats are available) before returning to your hotel. The entire day runs eight hours with your chauffeur and guide included. You cover the major temples of South India architecture in one outing.

What’s included

• Private local guide in English.
• personal chauffeur with air-conditioned car.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• parking fees.
• fuel surcharge.
• GST.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by City Tours India

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a private guide and driver. You control the pace at each temple and avoid navigating traffic yourself, ideal for small groups or solo travelers who prefer personalized attention.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

What is the Bull Temple in Bangalore and why is it famous?

Bull Temple in Basavanagudi houses the world's largest Nandi shrine, a 15-foot-tall, 20-foot-long statue carved from a single piece of granite. Built in 1537 by a ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire, the actual temple structure is small, consisting only of the shrine itself, but the monumental Nandi statue is the main attraction.

What can I do at the Art of Living International Centre?

Art of Living International Centre sits on 65 acres of gardens and footpaths with a peaceful lake and Vishalakshi Mantap meditation hall. You can attend free meditation sessions (availability varies) or join the ashram's free bus tour of the grounds, which runs about 90 minutes if seats are available.

Is lunch included in this tour?

Lunch is not included, but you can eat vegetarian food at the cafeteria within the ISKCON Temple complex at your own cost when you visit there during the tour.

What dress code do I need to follow for the temples?

All temples require covered knees and shoulders for both men and women: no shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Failure to comply with the dress code may result in refused entry.

How long does the full tour take?

The tour runs eight hours total, including hotel pickup and drop-off, and covers four temples plus the Art of Living International Centre.

Does the tour include transport between sites?

Yes, a personal chauffeur drives you in an air-conditioned car between all stops, and hotel pickup and drop-off are included in the tour price.