Faculty-led travel courses · Asia
Bangalore & Sakleshpur Faculty-Led Travel Course
This program pairs the technology hub of Bangalore with the hills of Sakleshpur and a journey through southern India. Students visit Bangalore Palace, Chennai, the Sri Aurobindo paper factory, Auroville with its Matrimandir, and the coastal town of Pondicherry and its Esplanade.
Good to know
- Language
- English, Hindi, Kannada and Tamil
- Currency
- Indian rupee (INR)
- Best season
- October–March
- Typical length
- 10–14 days (customizable)
Highlights
What students will see and do
- Bangalore PalaceA Tudor-style palace completed in the late 19th century, set in landscaped grounds in the center of Bangalore.
- SakleshpurA hill town in the Western Ghats of Karnataka known for coffee and spice plantations and forested slopes.
- ChennaiThe capital of Tamil Nadu on the Bay of Bengal, known for temples, classical arts and colonial-era landmarks.
- Sri Aurobindo paper factoryA small handmade-paper workshop in Pondicherry run by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
- Auroville and MatrimandirAuroville is an experimental international township near Pondicherry, and the Matrimandir is its golden spherical meditation space.
- Pondicherry EsplanadeA seafront promenade in the former French colonial quarter, lined with French-style streets and buildings.
Faculty-led travel courses
Courses that fit Bangalore & Sakleshpur
Professors build their own syllabus; ARAMFO arranges the visits that bring it to life.
Business & EntrepreneurshipStudents could study India's technology sector in Bangalore and small-scale enterprises such as handmade paper and plantation agriculture.
Geography & Environmental StudiesA course could examine sustainable community design in Auroville and land use in the Western Ghats.
Psychology, Sociology & Social WorkStudents could explore intentional communities, religious diversity and social change in modern India.
Education & Teacher PreparationA course could compare schooling models, including alternative education inspired by Sri Aurobindo's philosophy.
Map
Where you will go
Academic and professional visits
- A technology company or innovation hub
- A local university
- A handmade-goods cooperative
- A coffee or spice plantation
Visits are chosen with the professor to match the course.
Itinerary
Sample itinerary
A starting point only — every trip is adjusted to your course, dates and budget.
Customizable. This sample shows the kinds of visits and places available. Days, pace and academic visits are built around your course.
-
Day 1
Arrival in Bangalore
Arrive in India's technology capital and check in. The first day is for resting after the flight.
- Airport pickup
- Transfer to hotel in Bangalore
-
Day 2
Bangalore to Sakleshpur
Leave the city for a coffee-growing town in the Western Ghats, about 220 km west.
- Drive to Sakleshpur (about 220 km)
- Walk through a coffee estate
- Overnight at a hotel in Sakleshpur
-
Day 3
Sakleshpur to Bangalore
Return to Bangalore after a morning in the hills.
- Breakfast and departure from Sakleshpur
- Drive back to Bangalore
- Academic visit matched to your course (university, school, NGO or company)
-
Day 4
Bangalore Palace
Tour the Tudor-style palace built by the Wodeyar rulers of Mysore.
- Guided visit to Bangalore Palace
- Discussion of Karnataka's royal history
-
Day 5
Fly to Chennai, Drive to Puducherry
Fly to Tamil Nadu, then drive to the former French colony on the Bay of Bengal.
- Flight from Bangalore to Chennai (about one hour)
- Drive about 150 km to Puducherry
- Hotel check-in
-
Day 6
Handmade Paper Factory
See how cotton rag pulp becomes handmade paper at a workshop linked to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
- Visit the ashram's handmade paper factory
- Watch paper-making from cotton rags
- Silk screen printing and marbling techniques
-
Day 7
Auroville
Visit an experimental international township and its central meditation space.
- Guided tour of Auroville
- Silent meditation at the Matrimandir
-
Day 8
Puducherry Town
Walk through the French Quarter and along the seafront promenade.
- Guided tour of Puducherry's French Quarter
- Promenade Beach walk
- Academic visit matched to your course (university, school, NGO or company)
-
Day 9
Return to Bangalore
Drive back to Chennai and fly to Bangalore.
- Drive from Puducherry to Chennai
- Flight from Chennai to Bangalore
-
Day 10
Bangalore to Mysore
Drive to the city of palaces and tour its most famous one.
- Drive from Bangalore to Mysore
- Guided tour of Mysore Palace
- Public Hall, Private Hall, Dolls Pavilion and Royal Wedding Hall
-
Day 11
Ranganathittu and the Rail Museum
Combine birdwatching on the Kaveri River with a look at India's railway heritage.
- Boat ride at Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
- Spot storks, spoonbills, ibis, kingfishers and cormorants
- Visit the Rail Museum in Mysore
- See the 1899 Maharani Saloon and the 1925 Austin Rail Car
-
Day 12
Departure Home
Final transfer to the airport and flight home.
- Breakfast and hotel check-out
- Drive from Mysore to Bangalore Airport
What is included
ARAMFO arranges everything
You choose the dates and the airport your group flies from. We handle the logistics and the academic visits so you can focus on teaching.
3–6 credit hours, offered through your own department · 8+ students and the professor's travel cost is covered by ARAMFO · Your dates and your departure airport
- Airfare from your preferred airport
- Hotels or student housing
- Meals as set out in the itinerary
- Transportation in the host country
- Tour guides and entrance fees
- University, company and professional visits
- A native guide with the group for the whole trip
- Customized dates and itinerary
More in India
Other ARAMFO programs in India
Get started
Plan a course in Bangalore & Sakleshpur
Tell us about your course and we will reply with a draft itinerary and cost.