How much does it cost for a 40 day tour across Karnataka on cycle?
Karnataka is one of the best places for tourism in India. The western ghats, national parks, waterfalls, beaches, temples, and rich traditions make for a wholesome experience for a tourist. Considering the above, one can tour Karnataka as a tourist which will meant that it will cost a lot, or one can tour as a traveller. Major expenditure as a tourist comes from the stay and the food at tourist locations. Considering that people are willing to pay for a weekend or a summer outing, tourist places are almost always expensive. Expenditure on travel, food, and stay can be heavily slashed if one wishes to tour as a traveller.
In my case, since I am travelling on a cycle, my expenditure on travel is mostly the cycle breakdowns I face during my journey. A good traveller optimizes his travel in a way where he pays the least amount of money for food and stays. Yet, they manage to live with the locals and enjoy the aspects of their life. That’s exactly what I have attempted in my travel.
On my journey, I have stayed over at temples, slept outside people’s houses, pitched tents at public places, and even requested food at strangers’ houses. All in all, in my 40 days of travel across Karnataka, I spent as much as only 4500 rupees. Here is how one can manage to cut down the price of travelling in Karnataka.
Food
The beauty of Karnataka is that there is plenty of water. Plenty of water means farming is the predominant profession of people in the countryside. From my experience travelling here, I can tell with a guarantee that no farmer is going to send you back on an empty stomach if you go and request food. Farmers are the only rich people who can feed every passing stranger 365 days a year. Feel free to ask for food anytime you pass a countryside house. Farmers in Karnataka think that they are indebted to you when you request them food (concept of runa).
Plan your travel in such a way that in the afternoons you pass a big temple/mutt. Food is given as a Prasad to all devotees in many temples throughout the week. Food is also available at every school. From my experience, headmaster of the school is almost always happy to host a traveller for food. Also, if you are a traveller, feel free to barge into any festivals/events/functions along the way. So not be ashamed. People like it when a visitor comes along. A visitor is considered God (Athithi Devo Bhava).
Shown below are different varieties of food I have got to have at mutts, houses, functions, and schools.
Apart from the above couple of routes to earn food, the other option I see is to visit less expensive food carts. Food carts (food prepared at the rear of small auto rikshaw/vans) selling less expensive food are evenly distributed throughout the state.
Finally, pluck fruits and place them in your bag each time you see them. Mangoes are commonly available on the roadsides. Cashew fruits, lakshmanphal, and jackfruits if you are lucky enough will help you sustain for some time (read this article).
Stay
Just as there is Haridwar in the north, there are Mutts in Karnataka. Especially the ones dominated by the Lingayata caste of people, mutts are open 24/7 for visitors. You will find one every 50 Km in the Northern regions of Karnataka. Make sure to pitch your tents to avoid mosquitoes.
Secondly, government offices almost always have a guest house. Any recommendations from fellow government employees or higher-up officials (read this article) will help get a comfortable stay.
Finally, if you find some good locals who have ample space outside their house, you can subtly put in a point that you have a tent and that you are looking for a place to stay. Ask them politely if you can pitch it in their backyard. They usually do not turn down the request.
How much does it cost to tour Karnataka for 40 days?
Day | Date | Place | Km completed | Money spent | Food and stay |
1 | 13/03/23 | Sonnaredoddi | 57 | Nil | Lunch with Gangadhar, dinner, thrice tea offered with Shivamma. |
2 | 14/03/23 | Hongannidoddi | 102 | Nil | Breakfast at temple, lunch at school, tea and Dinner at Mr. Vasu house |
3 | 15/03/23 | Maralahally | 154 | Nil | Breakfast from Shivamma, lunch at school, dinner at Aradhya family’s place |
4 | 16/03/23 | VC Vasur | 205 | Nil | Breakfast requesting a house along the way, Lunch at school, Dinner and tea at Shivamallapa sir’s place |
5 | 17/03/23 | Arkaleadi Matha | 238 | Nil | Breakfast at Shivamallapa sir’s place, Lunch and dinner at Arkalwadi math |
6 – 9 | 18-21/03/23 | Kunagahalli | 267 | Nil | Taken care of at Sathish place |
10 | 22/03/23 | Hancinapura | 308 | Nil | Breakfast at Sathish place, lunch and dinner at Mudumallapa sir place |
11 | 23/03/23 | Tiger block | 351 | 100 rupees for Odomos | Charan’s place (Hakki Pikki tribals) |
12 | 24/03/23 | Bylakuppe | 416 | Nil | Breakfast at a village on the way. Biscuits offered at Arkalwadi. Otherwise mostly fasting today. |
13 | 25/03/23 | Boikeri | 467 | Nil | Breakfast and dinner packed by a beautiful family. Lunch at Butakola event |
14 – 18 | 26/03/23 – 30/03/23 | Kavu | 540 | Nil | Taken care by Sandesh and family |
19 | 31/03/23 | Kinnigoli | 621 | Nil | Breakfast packed by Sandesh, Lunch at strangers house, Dinner and stay arranged by church and co |
20 | 1/04/23 | Katapadi | 661 | 80 rupees for stappler 100 rupees for dinner | Divine N Dine lodge booked by a friend along the way |
21 – 22 | 2/04/23 – 3/04/23 | Kabbinale | 713 | Nil | Breakfast at stranger house, lunch at temple, dinner and food for next day at Krishna house |
23 | 4/04/23 | Guddekeri | 750 | Nil | Breakfast at Subbaraya Bhat sir house, lunch and dinner with Yakshagana mandali group |
24 | 5/04/23 | Thirthahalli | 781 | 60 rupees breakfast | Breakfast at tirthahalli, lunch and dinner at Arya Ahksobhaya tirtha matha |
25 | 06/04/23 | Sakrebylu | 812 | 35 coconut water for constable 70 for jeera rice lunch | Breakfast with constable, lunch at Sakrebylu restaurant and dinner at forest office |
26 | 07/04/23 | Shivamogga | 840 | Nil | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Nagesh sir at Ishwara Wana |
27 | 08/04/23 | Thirthahalli | 840 | Nil | Breakfast and lunch at Nagesh sir Ishwarawana place. Dinner at Nagesh sir vanachetana place. |
28 | 09/04/23 | Shivamogga | 840 | Nil | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Nagesh sir place. |
29 | 10/04/23 | Honnali Heirakal matha | 885 | Nil | Breakfast at Nagesh sir place. Lunch given by welding store and also packed by Nagesh sir. Dinner at Hierekal matha |
30 | 11/05/23 | Honnali Heirakal matha | 885 | Nil | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the matha |
31 | 12/05/23 | Univyof agricultural sciences Hanumanmatti | 978 | 30 for repairing RD gears, 40 for breakfast | Breakfast at a push cart shop, skipped lunch, had bananas given at temple, dinner at UAS |
32 | 13/05/23 | Hukkeri mata Haveri | 1014 | 80 for breakfast at Kamat 225 for lunch at Kamat | Breakfast and lunch at Kamat, dinner at matha |
33 | 14/05/23 | Anku Sunny house | 1074 | 30 for breakfast, 30 for toothpaste and soap powder | Breakfast at road side cart, second breakfast at strangers house, lunch at mutt, dinner with Anku |
34 | 15/05/23 | Anlu Sunny house | 1074 | 2097 for cycle stand | Breakfast and dinner at Anku house, lunch at ISCON |
35 | 16/05/23 | UAS Dharwad | 1127 | 200 for cycle service at Track N Trail 25 for ear buds and 80 for dinner | Breakfast at Anku house, lunch at ISCON, dinner in a small hotel opposite UAS |
36 | 17/05/23 | Mrityunjaya Matha, Dandeli | 1196 | 80 for breakfast 40 for spanner 50 for posting | Breakfast at a small hotel by the road, lunch at a Marathi house, dinner at Mrityunjaya matha |
37 | 18/05/23 | Chennabasaveshwara matha, ulavi | 1243 | 20 for biscuits | Breakfast had biscuits, lunch and dinner at Chennabasaveshwara matha |
38 | 19/05/23 | Chennabasaveshwara matha, ulavi | 1243 | Nil | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Chennabasaveshwara matha |
39 | 20/05/23 | Kadra police station | 1279 | 60 for breakfast, 60 for lunch, 60 for dinner | Breakfast at a small hotel in Anshi, lunch at a small hotel in Kadra, Dinner at a small but beautiful hotel in Kadra |
40 | 21/05/23 | Majali | 1314 | 45 for breakfast | Breakfast at a small hotel at Kadra where I had dinner yesterday, lunch at a small hotel gifted by the person there, dinner parceled from same hotel |
41 | 22/05/23 | Karwar | 1346 | 160 for lunch, 60 for juice, 350 for the tour plates, 243 for dinner | Breakfast packed by Nilan ma’am, lunch at at hotel in Karwar, Dinner at place where I requested for pitching tent |
42 | 23/05/23 | Majali | 1372 | 40 for lemon juice | Breakfast at cycling event Karwar, lunch at temple, dinner at a beautiful hosts house I met at the temple |
Expenditure | – | – | – | 4490 | – |
I am a 31 year young PhD graduate who has decided to travel the length and breadth of India on my cycle, to document the journey of meeting a vast array of people. In my journey, I intend to understand the characteristic features of the people of this nation and categorize them based on their demographics, age, profession, gender, traditions, and cultural differences.
Sir, you are amazing, just 2 day i am spending stay and food at weekend, but you spend only 4490 ,
It’s really amazing for india’s youth
I wish you Happy & pleasant journey