We just returned from taking 2 package tours of KSTDC.
1.Mysore - Ooty - Coonoor & Srirangapatna (2 nights & 3 days) from 16th to 18th October 2013.
2.Nagarahole - Madikeri - Nisargadhama (1 Night & 2 days) from 19th to 20th October 2013.
Booking: I booked it online from Out of India using credit card without any problem. Mostly you can book up to 3 months in advance. Before booking I wanted to make some inquiries through email. They responded, but each time not in detail. They just respond in few words.
Experience of Mysore - Ooty - Coonoor and Sri Rangapautna tour.
I took this tour with my wife and 2.5 year old child. Reported at Badami house, which is closer to Corporation circle and Unity Building at 6.00 am to start the tour at 6.30 on 16th October. At Badami house, there is a waiting hall with seats and drinking water facilities.
The toilets are OK, but not good. On producing the receipt, they marked the bus number and our tour started sharp at 6.30. The Bus for this package was a non AC bus, but with comfortable seats. There are plug points for mobile chargers.
We stopped for breakfast at a place closer to Mandya called name sound like Camatuchapta or so, which is very crowded as many buses stops at that place. The toilets here are again basic and they will stop only for 30 minutes.
After Breakfast we proceeded to Tipu's summer palace closer to Mysore. We were given only half an hour but delayed by further 45 minutes or so, because one of our tour member got caught taking photographs inside the palace, where photography inside is prohibited. The staff fined him and took his camera chip to a place outside to erase the photos. (Why can't they do it at that place it self using the camera?)
Then we went to Chamundi hill, but due to some reason we have to return back so the Guide said we can visit this while returning. Visited St. Philomina church and then Lunch was at their regular place (Forgot the name). Again, here there were not enough seats. Since we were with our small child, we are the last to get down from the bus and we most often had this problem.
After lunch they stopped for shopping at Karnataka Governments Cauvery Crafts or so, where we found things are of good quality but bit expensive.
After Lunch we visited Mysore Zoo/a temple, palace. The zoo was not part of the 1st day but they gave an option to visit zoo or a close by temple in 1 hour. We opted for zoo, but since it was just after noon, most of the animals were on rest or in their cages. After zoo we visited Mysore Palace, which was very crowded on that day. During one of my previous visit some 6 or 7 years back, we were able to see the Gold chair of the king, but this time they have covered it.
Evening we visited Brindavan Garden and since our hotel was in the same vicinity, we first checked in to our room, refreshed our self and visited the garden after 6.30. There was a huge crowed crossing the bridge to see the water dance, but we felt it was not so worth for the effort. (Us walking with our child.
The boat service has been stopped) We got our room in the 3rd floor of the hotel and the room was good. (No AC but it was OK for us) The food options at the dining place (I want call it as the restaurant) were limited. Chapatis were good, but other side dishes are basic.
We were asked to wake up next morning at 4.00 am to leave at 5.00 am. Next morning after 5.30, we visited Nanjangud temple and there after proceeded to Ooty in the morning. We enjoyed the travel through Bandhipur and Mudumalai forest, where we could see wild elephants, deers, monkeys, peacocks, etc.
On reaching Ooty, they first stopped at a place opposite to Ooty lake for shopping and then for boating. The home made chocolates at this place a bit cheaper to that of other places, but there may be quality difference.
For Lunch in Ooty, they took us to their own hotel Myura Suthershan at fern hill, where they arranged a small veg buffet for Rs.100. The place is not so clean as well as the food was not so nice.
After Lunch they took us to Coonoor - Sims park and later to Ooty Botanical garden for which the time is not adequate.
Night stay, dinner and next day breakfast was at the same Hotel Mayura Suthersan, which is a property of KSTDC. The hotel's garden is maintained well. The rooms in the main line are old and not good, but on the other side are OK. We were initially assigned a room on the side wing, where the private garden for the room was so good, but since they have misplaced the key, they gave us another room, which is spacious with a double bed, cable TV, wall shelf, 2 large sofas and an attach bath.
The room was tiled and without any carpet as well as there were no heaters. Hot water was there in the bathroom but no showers. We have to use the buckets provided and of cause we do not like that. While checking the room, it was clean but I noticed that there were two window glasses were bot there. Luckily I had a packing tape and some plastic carry bags and managed to block the open. Otherwise the night wold have been much colder.
Next day we traveled from Ooty to Doddabedda, where they arranged Jeeps to go to the peak as buses are not allowed beyond a particular point. Since we were there in the morning, not much crowed.
While returning, we came through Mysore, visiting Chamundi Hills and Sri Rangapattuna. And reached Bangalore at around 10.30 PM.
Overall we are satisfied with the tour. The stay at Mysore at KRS Cauvery was good, Ooty was OK. It will be good if they can find some better places for meals. The guide Mr. Venkatesh was very helpful. He gave timely announcements in English and few other languages as well as collects money in advance to but entry tickets and get it done for each very fast.
Experience of Nagarahole - Madikeri - Nisargadhama
We reported at Badami house just before 6.30. Since we returned from our previous tour last night at 10.30, we were so tired. (If you are doing continuous tours like this, could stay the night at Mysore so that for the next day you can join the Coorg tour from Mysore)
We departed at around 6.45 instead of 6.30. For our good luck the same guide, Mr. Venkatesh came.
Since we were already tired, we felt the travel to Madikeri was long. Stopped at a veg place for lunch, which was again crowded and then shopping at the same premises at Cauvery craft, which was again expensive. After which we proceeded to Cauvery Nisargadhama, where we enjoyed the suspension bridge. Boat riding was stopped on that day but had a good nature walk. I was interested in the wood art work, where they make art using different pieces of woods, which are more than Rs 5000 at Cauvery arts and craft, but can get similar once at the small shops at Cauvery Nisargadhama for Rs 1000 onward. These are also available closer to Chamundi temple as well as Sri Rangapatna.
In the evening we visited Abbay falls which was so nice. Again we enjoyed the suspension bridge. We could not make to Raja's seat due to rain, but its a nice place to relax. Our stay was at KSTDCs Mayura Cauvery, which is not good as the place in Mysore. The room was very small and bathroom tiles were very dirty. The climate in the place was very good, but the food is not good. There were no electricity during mid night and the generator was kept switched off until 5.30 next morning.
The 2nd day, we visited Thalacauvery early in the morning and enjoyed the place as there were no crowed at that time. Then came for a shopping at a Coorg Cooperative place, where they had good honey, coffee and spice items. We returned to the same hotel for breakfast, which is of course not so good. After breakfast we proceeded to Nagarahole National Park, taking lunch in between.
Due to our bad luck the wiled safaris were cancelled because of the previous night rain, but enjoyed the journey through the national park. We saw wild elephants and deers. We stopped at the park for some time and proceeded to Srirangapatna. Since we saved some time at Nagarahale National Park, visited Sri Rangapatna Temple and returned to Bangalore at 9.30 pm as every one agreed not to stop for dinner.
