Mysore Silk tour from Bangalore: Weaving factory & palace

Mysore Silk has a long history that starts with a gift from China.

A full-day tour from Bangalore to Mysore traces the story of silk production from its origins in 1792 through the working factory and auction market to the grand Mysore Palace, led by a local guide with hotel pickup and lunch included. The tour visits Asia's largest silk cocoon market in Ramnagaram, the operational Mysore Silk Weaving factory where you see cocoons become fabric, and the Indo-Saracenic palace that once housed the royal family. The factory closes on public holidays.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Mysore Silk and Palace

• Travel to Ramnagaram silk market
• Visit Government Silk Cocoon Market
• Tour Mysore Silk Weaving factory
• See silk sarees at factory showroom
• Visit Mysore Palace
• Explore Devraja old bazaar

The experience

How does a fabric become a cultural icon? The answer unfolds across this 12-hour tour, which opens at Ramnagaram, a town 50 kilometers from Bangalore that now receives 50 tons of silk cocoons daily. In 1780, Tipu Sultan received silk as a gift from a Chinese ambassador, became fascinated by it, and eventually established 22 breeding stations that launched the Mysore Silk industry. You'll visit the Government Silk Cocoon Market, where auctions happen regularly and the scale of the operation becomes visible in the sheer volume moving through daily.

The factory itself is the heart of the tour. Built in 1912 by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV with 32 power looms imported from Switzerland, it remains operational today and produced parachutes for the British Army during World War II. Walking through it, you see the entire process: cocoons being reeled, threads prepared, and finally the weaving of silk fabric on the looms. The showroom displays finished silk sarees, the six- to nine-yard garments worn by South Indian women for weddings and celebrations, so you understand what the factory's work becomes in practice.

Mysore Palace comes next, a three-storied structure built in Indo-Saracenic style with marble domes and a 145-foot tower, designed to reflect the grandeur of the Mysore Maharajas. The tour ends at Devraja Market, the old bazaar filled with flowers, vegetables, jaggery, puffed rice and coconuts: a sensory contrast to the industrial precision of the factory. Your local guide leads throughout, and hotel pickup from Bangalore is included, along with lunch.

What’s included

• Local guide throughout the day.
• hotel pickup and drop-off from your chosen Bangalore location.
• lunch.
• all taxes, fees and handling charges.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English07:30 and 08:30

Guide in English07:30 and 08:30

Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDepartures at 07:30 and 08:30

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by 5 Senses Walks

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to trace silk from cocoon market through the working factory to finished product. The palace alone won't show you how it's made. If you prefer just the palace and bazaar, book a shorter option instead.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What exactly happens at the silk cocoon market in Ramnagaram?

The Government Silk Cocoon Market in Ramnagaram handles 50 tons of cocoons daily, making it Asia's largest. You'll see the auction process where cocoons are bought and sold, the volume giving a sense of how central this town is to India's silk supply.

Can I see silk actually being made at the factory?

Yes. The Mysore Silk Weaving factory is still operational, and the tour includes watching the full production process: cocoons being reeled into thread, thread preparation, and the weaving of finished silk fabric on the looms. The factory showroom displays the completed sarees.

What is the Mysore Palace like inside?

Mysore Palace is a three-storied Indo-Saracenic structure with marble domes and a 145-foot tower, built to showcase the wealth and taste of the Mysore royal family. The architecture blends Hindu, Muslim, Rajput and Gothic styles, and the palace represents the golden era of the Mysore Maharajas.

Where does the tour pick me up and what time does it start?

Hotel pickup is included from either your city hotel or from the Whitefield/Electronic City area, depending on which option you choose at checkout. The tour runs 12 and a half hours, so plan for a full day.

Is the factory open every day?

The Mysore Silk Weaving factory closes on public holidays, so check the date of your tour before booking to confirm it will be operational.