Rent a chauffeur-driven Ertiga: Mysore to Talakadu
| Distance | 50 km |
|---|---|
| Drive time | 1h 30m off-peak · up to 2h at busy times |
| One way, from | ₹3,150 incl. GST |
| Round trip, from | ₹5,513 incl. GST |
| Highway | via Malavalli and the Kaveri |
| Best departure | Leave by 8am; the sand is hot underfoot by midday |
How that fare is built
| Item | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|
| Chargeable distance | 130 km (min) | 250 km (min) |
| Rate per km | ₹20 | ₹19 |
| Distance cost | ₹2,600 | ₹4,750 |
| Driver bata | ₹400 | ₹500 |
| Toll and parking | At actuals, with receipts — quoted on the call | |
| Sub-total | ₹3,000 | ₹5,250 |
| GST at 5% | ₹150 | ₹263 |
| Total, from | ₹3,150 | ₹5,513 |
One way is charged for your direction plus the minimum distance. A round trip charges both legs with the daily minimum applied — which is why the one-way total is lower even at a higher per-km rate. Prefer a single agreed figure with toll and permit folded in? Ask for an all-inclusive quote.
The temples under the sand
Talakadu is the most unexpected place we drive to, and the reason to include it on this site is that almost nobody includes it on an itinerary.
It was a substantial town on the Kaveri, capital of the Western Gangas and later held by the Cholas and the Hoysalas. Then the river shifted and the sand came — and over centuries the temples were buried. What you visit now are structures that have been partly excavated out of the dunes, so you walk down into them rather than up to them.
There is a curse associated with the town’s abandonment, involving the last Vijayanagara viceroy’s wife and the Wodeyars of Mysore, and the guides will tell you about it with enthusiasm. Believe as much as you like; the sand is real.
The Vaidyanatheshwara temple is the principal one. Every twelve years the Panchalinga Darshana brings large crowds for a single day, and the rest of the time the place is very quiet.
Somnathpur, which belongs on the same trip
Close by is Somnathpur, and the Keshava temple there is one of the most satisfying buildings in Karnataka — a complete, compact, three-shrined Hoysala temple, finished rather than unfinished, with the carving intact and a plan you can take in at a glance.
If Belur and Halebidu are overwhelming, Somnathpur is comprehensible. Many people prefer it.
Talakadu and Somnathpur together make an excellent half day that the great majority of visitors to Mysore never hear about. If you have already done the palace and Chamundi Hills and are wondering what else there is, this is the answer.
The drive
An hour and a half via Malavalli, on ordinary district roads through sugarcane and paddy country rather than highway. It is a pleasant, slow, rural drive and part of the appeal.
The sand at Talakadu gets hot underfoot by the middle of the day, and you will be walking on it, so morning is better.
Why this route suits an Ertiga
Short, easy, on modest roads where a smaller vehicle is more comfortable than a large one, with a group who will get out and walk at two separate sites. Six seats without luggage means everyone travels together with room to spare — this is one of the few routes where the third row is entirely uncontroversial.
Still coming to this page: named toll plazas and amounts, named break stops. Those come from our own drivers rather than from a map, and we would rather leave them off than print a figure we have not checked. Ask on the call and we will tell you the toll for this route.
All bookings include a professional driver. We do not offer self-drive rentals.
Booking this route
We drive Talakadu to Mysore as well, at the same rate — the fare depends on the distance and the direction of travel, not on which end you start from. There is one page for both directions rather than two pages saying the same thing.
Related routes
Mysore to Talakadu — FAQs
What is actually at Talakadu?
A group of ancient temples that were buried under sand for centuries and have been partly excavated. You walk down into them. It is strange, quiet and quite unlike anywhere else in the region, and it receives a fraction of the visitors it deserves.
How long does it take from Mysore?
About an hour and a half, via Malavalli. It is a short easy run on modest roads through farmland — no highway, no ghat.
Is a permit needed?
No. Talakadu is in Karnataka, about fifty kilometres from Mysore.
Can we combine it with Somnathpur?
Yes, and you should — the Keshava temple at Somnathpur is a complete, compact Hoysala temple and it is close by. The two together make an excellent half day that most visitors to Mysore never hear about.
Round trip or drop?
Round trip. There is nothing at Talakadu to travel onward to, and at fifty kilometres two drops would both hit the minimum charge. The car waits while you walk the site.