Leave Bangalore around 6:30 PM and take NH275 through NICE Road / Kengeri / Ramanagara / Channapatna / Mandya; in normal Sunday-evening traffic you’re looking at about 3.5–4.5 hours, so with one short tea/bio break the group should reach Mysuru by roughly 10:00–11:00 PM. For 8 adults and 2 kids, a private car or tempo traveller is the easiest call—less hassle at tolls, easier luggage handling, and you can keep everyone together. If you can, start with a full tank and keep small water bottles handy; the drive is smooth, but once you pass Mandya the road can get a little mixed with trucks and occasional slowdowns near town junctions.
Book your stay around Nazarbad or Jayalakshmipuram so tomorrow’s start toward Chamundi Temple and Mysore Palace is quick and painless. After check-in, head out for a quick Mysore Pak stop at a classic sweet shop such as Guru Sweets or Mahalakshmi Sweets in central Mysuru—fresh sweet, a cup of tea, and you’ve already done one of the city’s nicest first-night rituals. Budget about ₹100–250 per person depending on how much everyone snacks, and keep it light because you’ll want to be rested for the early morning temple run.
If everyone still has a bit of energy, take a gentle walk around the Devaraja Market area and nearby Sayyaji Rao Road instead of trying to do anything ambitious. By night the market shutters are mostly down, but the streets still hold that old Mysuru feel—flower shops packing up, fruit carts, tea stalls, and the palace-zone glow in the background. It’s a nice low-effort way to stretch your legs after the drive, and with kids it works well because you’re not committing to a full outing. Keep it to 30–45 minutes, then head to RRR, Mysuru near Sayyaji Rao Road for dinner; it’s a dependable local stop for a proper Karnataka meal or biryani-style plates, with a budget of roughly ₹250–500 per person. After that, turn in early so you’re fresh for tomorrow’s dawn-to-daylight temple and heritage circuit.
Start from your Mysuru stay at dawn and head straight up Chamundeshwari Temple, Chamundi Hill before the heat builds and the tourist buses arrive. If you leave around 6:00–6:15 AM, the drive up from the city is usually 25–40 minutes depending on where you’re staying and how slow the climb is near the hilltop bends. Parking is straightforward but fills quickly near temple hours, so for a group of 8 adults and 2 kids it’s best to arrive early, do the temple first, and then spend a few minutes at the viewpoints for the city panorama. The temple is generally open from early morning till night with a midday break; entry is free, while the darshan queue can get busy on weekends, so keep 60–90 minutes here including the steps, queue, and photos.
From Chamundeshwari Temple, drop back into the city for Mysore Palace and plan to reach by about 8:30–9:00 AM. This is the classic Mysuru stop, and the palace grounds are best enjoyed before the crowds thicken. Allow 1.5–2 hours to walk through the courtyards, admire the carved archways, and take the usual family photos from the front lawns. The palace museum ticketing is simple, and most visitors spend roughly ₹100–₹200 per adult depending on the area visited; kids are usually lower priced. If you want a quick breakfast after the hill, pick something easy and central on the way in—Mylari in the city is famous, though it gets crowded, so even a simple filter coffee and idli stop nearby works better for a tight schedule.
After the palace, slow the pace at Karanji Lake, which is a nice reset for both the kids and adults after the temple-and-palace circuit. It’s only a short drive from the palace side of the city, and it’s one of those places that feels unhurried even when the day is packed. Boating, the aviary, and the shaded walking paths usually take about 1–1.5 hours; entry is modest, around the low tens per person, and extra for boating. If the weather is warm, this is the best place to let everyone sit for a bit, grab water, and avoid overdoing the day before the longer drive segments begin.
Continue toward the outskirts for Venugopalaswamy Temple, KRS Backwaters, ideally when the light is still soft enough for the water views to look good. This stop is especially worth it if the backwaters are full, because the temple’s setting on the water is the real draw. Expect about 45–60 minutes here, with quick photos and a calm temple visit rather than a long stay. From there, head to Srirangapatna Ranganathaswamy Temple, which is the heart of the island town and a very natural heritage stop before leaving the Mysuru side. Give it around an hour so you can do darshan, walk around the temple streets, and soak in the old-town atmosphere without rushing; it’s a good place to keep footwear secure and carry small change for offerings or parking.
Finish with Nimishamba Temple, Ganjam, which works nicely as the last spiritual stop because it sits in the practical direction back toward the highway. It usually takes about 45 minutes, including darshan and a short pause by the river-facing setting. If you’ve timed the day well, this is where the group can regroup, use the facilities, and get ready for the return drive. For snacks or a late tea, keep it simple and avoid long restaurant stops this late—on a day like this, the fastest option is best.
Leave Mysuru for Bangalore by around 4:00–4:30 PM via NH275, which is the cleanest route back for most drivers. On a Monday evening you’re usually looking at about 3.5–5 hours depending on traffic near Mandya, Ramanagara, and the approach into the city, so one comfort break around Channapatna or Ramanagara is sensible for the kids and older adults. If the group is tired, keep the last leg quiet and get moving early rather than trying to squeeze in one more stop; that usually makes the whole return smoother.