4-Hour Private Photowalk Tour in Bengaluru

This was basically a guided tour of the market where I could take pictures. If you are expecting someone to guide you with photos this is not that kind of trip. Included was to be admission with fees covered to a temple (which the guide pointed out to me and I could walk in alone), the fort (which was closed so we walked by) and a palace (which you needed an online ticket for and I not the guide had been provided those so that was also a walk by.) This tour was not worth the money I spent.

So I signed up just expecting to see the touristy stuff and it to be a very on the rails adventure. Nope not even close. The guide met me at town hall only two people signed up for the tour this day .we walked on some streets that had some awesome lighting for photography. The guide told us we were lucky because if it had been raining we wouldn’t be able to walk through this as it wouldn’t be sanitary. The smell confirmed this. We get to the outdoor flower market and it’s very busy. This is a market we were the only people there not doing business. In this place you have to keep moving no way around it you have to keep your head on a swivel and moving. Awesome picture opportunity. We make our way to the main market and get the photos seems in the picture promoting the tour. Pretty awesome to be honest. Then onto the veggie market and it’s also hustle and bustle. This is the side of the city most tourists never see. Our guide explained how the market works where people come from , very knowledgeable. Some where along the way he says we are going to take a short cut. Yeah we end up in some back alley way that doesn’t exactly give you the warm and fuzzy feeling you want on vacation. We didn’t get to go into the palace because it doesn’t open till after the tour ends. We had to pay for our own tuk tuks and went off the beaten path more than once. If you’re up for some adventure and want to really experience the city this is perfect. Wear close toed shoes you aren’t attached to and be aware of pickpockets and you should be fine. I would not recommend a women go alone on this trip as my tour companion definitely felt like she would have been targeted had I not been accompanying her and I feel the same way.

I was astonished to be the only person I saw with a camera at the market. People were very friendly, no one objected to being photographed and got a lot of smiles. Although the flower market is highlighted there are also fruit, vegetable and meat areas. Guide was helpful, knowledgable, with excellent English. I'd recommend a hotel pickup for anyone female or nervous- the town hall was pretty dark deserted at 6am. He did drop me by my hotel (JWMarriott, 5 minutes away) to be sure I got back ok. Markets like these are a delight to me, you see such a huge cross section of humanity. The fort, temples and summer palace were interesting but the market was the highlight and well worth the early start- by 8am it was already emptying out. Highly recommended and an excellent value