Day 01: Arrival - Mumbai - Mumbai / Goa (9W479
- 0630/0730)
Meeting and assistance upon arrival, our representative would
guide you to your luxury car, and, would introduce India and
your tour to you.
Welcome to India, or as we say 'atithi devo bhava' (the guest
is an incarnation of God). Thank you for giving us the opportunity
to serve you!
Transfer to the domestic airport for your flight to Goa.
Meeting and assistance upon arrival & transfer to hotel
Fort Aguada Beach Resort
Rest of the day is at leisure for independent activities.
Overnight at Fort Aguada Beach Resort (Superior
Sea View Room / Cottage)
Day 03: Goa/ Badami
Early morning drive to Badami.
Upon arrival check into your Hotel Badami Court
Following rest and relaxation we proceed on a guided tour
of Badami, which is well known for its rich history and ancient
architecture. It was the ancient capital of the early Chalukya
kingdom. A number of richly carved monuments and caves belonging
to Chalukyas, dating back to the 6th and 7th centuries can
be found here. The Chalukyas laid the foundation of a unique
style of architecture, which is a fine blend of North Indian
Nagara style and the South Indian Dravidian style of architecture.
The architecture and sculptures created in Badami during the
time of the Chalukyas inspired later-day architectural and
sculpting traditions. A number of places of historical importance
are situated near Badami.
Overnight at Hotel Badami Court
Day 04: Badami / Hampi
Following breakfast drive to Hampi. Upon arrival check into
Hampi Boulders. Nestled in the Yamani Hills on the banks of
the majestic river Tungabhadra and 7 km from Hampi lies this
resort. Swift flowing Tungabudra river criss-crosses to create
an awesome array of naturally sculpted rock formations. This
network of eroded boulders, make a beautiful sight of the
resort. A sight that leaves you gazed on in wonder. From the
vantage points of our luxury cottage, savour this unique and
unspoilt glimpse of nature's wonderment, the water and rock
formations that leave you spellbound. The closest you can
get to paradise on Earth.
A world heritage center, Hampi- is the most beautiful of
all the ruins in Karnataka. Founded in the 14th Century, this
was the glorious capital city of a flourishing dynasty who
were great patrons of art and architecture. The remains can
still be seen in the vast ruins of Hampi, which historians
have praised as 'greater than Rome'. Hampi is famous for its
ruins belonging to the erstwhile medieval Hindu kingdom of
Vijayanagar and it has been declared a World Heritage site.
The temples of Hampi, its monolithic sculptures and monuments,
attract the traveler because of their excellent workmanship.
The Hindu style of architecture found at Hampi reflects the
splendor of the Vijayanagar Empire. The rugged landscape adds
to the historic ambience of this site.
Overnight at Hampi Boulders
Day 05: Hampi
After leisurely breakfast, proceed on a guided tour of city.
Hampi holds many delightful surprises. The most famous is
the King's Balance where kings were weighed against gold or
money which was then distributed to the poor. Also worth a
visit are the Queen's Bath with its arched corridors, projecting
balconies and lotus shaped fountains, the two storeyed Lotus
Mahal, the huge Elephant Stables, the splendid Vitthal Temple
with its musical pillars and the Stone Chariot, the Virupaksha
Temple, Ugra Narasimha, the 6.7 meters tall monolith, the
Pushkarini Tank, the Mahanavami Dibba, etc. Temples of this
city are noted for their large dimensions, florid ornamentation,
bold and delicate carvings, stately pillars, magnificent pavilions
and a great wealth of iconographic and traditional depictions,
which include subjects from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
The Pampapati temple is one of the largest temples at Hampi.
The Vitthal temple is an excellent example of Vijayanagar
style. Also present are some monolithic statues of Lakshmi,
Narasimha and Ganesha, which are noted, for their massiveness
and grace. Other temples in the surroundings are the Krishna
temple, Pattabhirama temple, Hazara Ramachandra, Chandrasekhara
temple and the Jaina Temple.
Overnight at Hampi Boulders
Day 07: Chikmagalur / Halebid / Belur / Hassan
Following breakfast drive to Hassan enroute visiting Belur
and Halebid
Upon arrival proceed on an excursion to Belur and Halebid
- temple towns slightly bigger than villages. The temples
in typical Dravidian style are excellent examples of traditional
Hindu architecture. These temples are the cream of what remains
the most artistically exuberant periods of Hindu cultural
development. The wealth of sculptural details on the temples
make them easily the most outstanding example of art and architecture.
Every inch of the outside wall and much of the interiors are
covered with an endless variety of Hindu deities, sages, scenes
from wars, hunting, agriculture, music and dance and some
very sensual sculptures explicitly portraying the amorous
lifestyles of the dancing girls.
The life outside the temples is extremely busy and colourful.
Pilgrims, bare feet with horizontal or vertical sandalwood
paste smearing on their foreheads and wearing traditionally
coloured saffron or black pilgrim's costumes move in and out
of the temple complex with flowers and other offerings in
their hands. The pavement flower shops, shops selling religious
artefacts, the fruit and tea stalls with pilgrims flocking
around, add colour and character to the place.
Following the tour we ride to Hassan, upon arrival check
into your Hotel Hassan Ashok.
Overnight At Hassan Ashok
Day 08: Hassan / Sharavan Belagola / Mysore
After breakfast drive to Shravan Belagola, which is one of
the oldest and the most important pilgrimage centres for the
followers of Jain religion. It is the site of the 17mtr monolithic
statue of Lord Bahubali - believed to be the world's tallest
monolithic statue.
Later drive to Mysore. Upon arrival check into your hotel
Lalitha Mahal Palace.
Evening, we visit the extremely colourful Devaraja Fruit
and vegetable market where tropical fruits and vegetables
are arranged in fascinating heaps and shapes. Watch out for
the amazing patterns in which fruits and vegetables are heaped
upwards as hills. The adjoining local bazaar is also a very
popular spot with local Indian shoppers where all things needed
for daily use can be found.
Overnight At Hotel Lalitha Mahal Palace
Day 09: Mysore / Bangalore / Cochin (9W3527
- 1745/1905)
Following breakfast, we proceed on a guided tour of the city.
Mysore, which has been for centuries an important center for
South Indian culture and learning. It is also the city of
lingering aroma of Jasmine, Musk, rose, sandalwood, etc. This
is so because Mysore is one of the major manufacturers of
incense sticks through scores of family owned factories. The
city is also a crafts center. It is an extremely friendly
and easygoing city and at an altitude of 770 meters it has
a wonderful climate. The Maharaja's Palace (1907) is a huge
building in Indo - Saracenic style of architecture; it hosts
an extravaganza of stained glass, mirrors, gilt and gaudy
colors, beautifully carved wooden doors, mosaic floors and
a series of historically important paintings. Of special mention
are the beautifully carved mahogany ceilings, solid silver
doors, white marble floors and superbly collumned durbar hall
(Hall Of Public Audience). Next we visit the temple of Shri
Chamundeshwari, set on top of the Chamundi Hills (1602 meters.).
Three quarters up the hill is the famous Nandy (Lord Shiva's
Bull - His vehicle) carved out of a single solid piece of
granite and 5 meters in height. The temple itself is a huge
building with a 40mtr high seven-storied Gopuram (tower).
Afternoon, drive to Bangalore airport to connect your flight
to Cochin
Meeting and assistance upon arrival and check into The Brunton
Boatyard - a Casino Group of Hotel in Cochin is situated right
at the Fort Kochi, build on the old Portuguese architecture,
Situated at the Harbour mouth overlooking the busy ship channel
all rooms boast of a magnificent view of the sea and the Delta.
There is never a dull moment out there for boats of every
size and colour constantly ply these waters not forgetting
the mammoth Ocean liners which silently glide past just outside
the window. The hotel has its own private jetty, which doubles
up as a 'café'. Over looking the pool garden and the
sea, The History Restaurant a unique gastronomic exploration
of Kerala's famous port and its rich past, the Terrace Grill
adjacent to the History restaurant opens for Dinne, The Armoury
offers a breath-taking view of the Delta. Serving mini meals
light snacks and tall drinks is open right through the day
and a major part of the night
Overnight At Hotel Brunton Boatyard (Standard
Room)
Day 10: Cochin
This morning we proceed on a guided tour of the City. The
true character of the city is to be found in the older parts
of the Fort Cochin area. It more or less exists as it used
to be a 1000 years back, when it was first built. The roads
have not been widened because the old haggard buildings, through
patchwork repairs over the centuries, still stand on the edges.
This part of the city reflects an unusual blend of medieval
Portugal, Dutch and English country life grafted on to the
tropical Malabar Coast. The fishing community of Cochin is
also very interesting. They ancient cantilevered fishing nets
called Chinese Fishing Nets. The net is fixed to a pole on
the shore. While fishing, the entire net is lowered by a primitive
fulcrum mechanism using long bamboo poles. By the same mechanism
the pole is lifted along with the catch. We will explore the
sights of Photographic as well as cultural interest. We would
also visit the 16th century Mattancherry Palace, also known
as the Dutch Palace since the Dutch substantially renovated
the palace in the 17th century. The double storied quadrangular
building surrounds a courtyard containing a Hindu temple.
The Central Hall on the first floor was the coronation hall
of the Rajas of Cochin; on display are their dresses, turbans
and palanquins. The most important feature of this palace,
however, is the astonishing murals in the bedchambers and
other rooms, which depict scenes from the Ramayana and other
religious legends. These murals are undoubtedly some of the
most beautiful and extensive anywhere to be seen in India.
The unique feature here is the unexpected and isolated Jewish
community, whose origins date back to AD 52. They are self-contained
and have there own Synagogue.
The area around the Synagogue, known, as 'Jew Town' is one
of the main centres of spice trade. Scores of small firms
huddle together in old dilapidated buildings and the air is
filled with the aroma of ginger, cardamom, cumin, turmeric
and cloves. The area is very busy. The potters are loading
gunny bags of spices on to carts, which keep running up and
down the narrow lanes. We would visit Jew Town, in the Mattancherry
section and a short walk from the ferry is one street long.
Jews used to occupy virtually all the houses on Jew Town Road,
where they sold fruits, vegetables and spices or worked as
oil pressers or carpenters. The spice markets are still located
on the narrow street.
Kathakali Dance:
A special treat awaits us this evening as we proceed to witness
the strength and vigor of Kathakali dance drama, as it enacts
episodes from great Indian epics. The extremely stylized gestures,
the elaborate make-up, the masks and the splendid costumes
of these all-male dancers, recreate an incomparable sense
of pageantry.
Overnight At Hotel Brunton Boatyard (Standard
Room)
Day 11: Cochin / Kumarakom
Following breakfast, ride 45 kms to Kumarakom to experience
Kerala's famous backwaters that comprise of vast lakes and
a system of narrow canals and waterways linking them to one
another. Not so long ago, these waterways served as the backbone
of Kerala's transportation. Kumarakom is the ideal place to
experience the fascinating lifestyles of the backwaters.
Upon arrival check into Coconut Lagoon, which has rightly
carved its place among the top 10 heritage resorts of the
world. The resort is on a small island and can be reached
only by boat. The accommodation consists of individual cottages
built in the traditional Kerala style, relying heavily on
wood and some with private pools.
Overnight at Coconut Lagoon (Mansion)
