Mysore and Nagarahole National Park - Palace and Tigers nearby

We continued our journey to Mysore, also known as Mysuru.

The first thing we noticed was that it was significantly cooler! Pleasant after the tropical heat. This is mainly due to its slightly higher altitude of about 750m.

At first glance, the city appears somewhat more 'organized' than what we have seen so far. Of course, there are also magnificent markets full of colorful colors and oriental smells. But there is also the Mysore Palace, the most visited monument in India after the Taj Mahal. And rightfully so, a Kiwi would probably move in here! It is hard to imagine the amount of gold and silver that has been processed here.

Many other impressive buildings are now occupied by government institutions.

One of the first things we encountered here are monkeys. Mostly near temple complexes. They appear quite cheeky, and they definitely are, but they still keep their distance. So you still have the chance to observe them up close.

There is so much to discover in Mysore. The Chamundi Hill with its temples and the Brindavana Gardens, which served as the backdrop for many Bollywood movies, are just a few of them.

Not far from Mysore and all the hustle and bustle, we also find the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. India does a lot for nature conservation and habitat preservation.

So, of course, a Kiwi cannot resist spending two days in a wildlife reserve with a safari. We even had the 'luck' of sighting a tiger (fortunately from a safe distance). Unfortunately, we don't have any photos due to human excitement.

Thus, some exciting days come to an end, and we embark on our first overnight train journey in India on the Hampi Express. It will be exciting!