Chamundi Hill rises 1,062 metres above sea level south of the city and has dominated the Mysore skyline since the Wadiyar dynasty chose the hill goddess Chamundeshwari as their family deity. The temple at the summit is one of the important Shakti temples of South India — large, active, and wrapped in the usual infrastructure of a busy pilgrimage site: flower stalls, prasad vendors, shoe deposit counters, and a persistent queue at the inner sanctum. Non-Hindus can visit the outer precincts and the gopuram (tower) area; the inner sanctum is restricted.
The 1,000 steps begin partway up the hill and wind down through scrub forest and past a sequence of carved figures and small shrines. About halfway down the steps you pass the monolithic Nandi bull — a good reason to walk at least that far. The views from the top take in the whole of Mysore spread across the Deccan plateau, the palace visible even from this distance, and on clear days the Nilgiri foothills to the south.
The easiest approach is by road — autos and city buses run up from the city, and there is a large car park near the summit. Allow time for the queue at the temple on weekends and festival days, particularly during Navratri, when the temple is at its most crowded and most spectacular.