|
Day 01
Arrive Bangalore
Arrive in Bangalore.After completing formalities with
customs and immigration, you will be received by our
representative with Traditional Indian Welcome (with
garlands).
Transfer to your hotel.
Check in at hotel.
Overnight will be in Bangalore.
The first British Warehouse came up in 1639 when the
British acquired the sandy beach from the local Nayaks
on lease. It was called Madraspatinam then. Later by
1654, the Fort St. George was built. Still later the
neighboring villages were included in the city which
came either as grants or gifts. Triplicane was rented
from the Sultan of Golconda in 1676. In 1744 Robert
Clive worked as a writer from the Fort, later to become
a military man of British Army. The Fort House, which
housed the Governor and his council, were added in the
17th Century, the Assembly Hall in 1910 and the
Secretariat in 1925.
All the neighboring areas were merged into the city now
known as Madras or as Chennai as it is officially known.
Until Independence, Madras was the capital of what in
British times was called the Madras Presidency,
comprising nearly the whole of South India, including
the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada speaking areas.
Overnight will be at Hotel.
Day 02
In Chennai
Proceed for city tour of Chennai in the morning after
breakfast.
Santhome Cathedral. Built by Portuguese in the 14th and
15th century, this Cathedral is named after St. Thomas.
Historically important, it is one of the pilgrimages for
the Christian community
Fort St. George, one the first few bastions built by the
East India Company, marks the beginning of Chennai as a
modern city. It occupies a place of pride and prominence
in Chennai. This bastion achieved its name from St.
George, the patron saint of England. The state
legislature and the secretariat are located in Fort St.
George. It houses the St. Mary's church the oldest
Anglican Church in India which was built in 1680 and the
tombstones in its courtyard are the oldest British
tombstones in India. The Fort Museum, once a building
that housed Chennai's first lighthouse, first commercial
bank and first 'club', is now a well-kept repository of
tangible memories of early Madras.
Kapaleeswarar Temple Dedicated to Lord Shiva,
Kapaleeswarar temple has inscriptions from the 13th
century A.D. The temple 'Gopuram' (tower) is in the
characteristic Dravidian style of architecture. The
walls and pillars of temple have very delicate and
intricate carvings, which depict the scenes from Hindu
mythology.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 03
Chennai - Mahabalipuram/ Kanchipuram - Chennai
Excursion: By road full day excursion
Breakfast will be at hotel. Proceed for Mahabalipuram by
surface.
Proceed for sight seeing of Mahabalipuram - famous for
the seven pagodas. Here, on the seashore is an
interesting group of ancient rock hewn temples, which
are the examples of Dravidian style of architecture.
Visit Kanchipuram, ancient capital of the Pallavas
famous as a city of 1000 temples that still has 124
shrines. Kanchipuram is also famous for silk.
Return to the hotel.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 04
Chennai – Bangalore (Day Train)
After breakfast and proceed for The Railway station for
the Train to Bangalore.
Reach in the afternoon.
Bangalore - where every season carries a holiday
mood, a city called the Garden City of India, a city
which has identified it self as the Manhattan of India,
a city which keeps pace with the latest trends and
fashion. Bangalore is fast emerging as one of the most
industrialized city in India. The local Chieftain, KEMPE
GOWDA, founded Bangalore in sixteenth century. But
Bangalore never came up on the scene till Tipu Sultan
converted it into the summer capital of Mysore. The
Wodeyars also contributed in developing the city through
gardens and palaces they built. To the British goes the
credit of making it into an administrative center.
The pleasant climate of Bangalore has been an attraction
for one and all. Capital of a state that is rich in
Sandalwood, Rose wood and Silk, certainly has more to
offer than a day or two of sight seeing. Bangalore has
always tried to keep itself peppy and jazzy. The
numerous pubs and nightclubs can compete with any modern
city of America or Europe. It is a city that has adopted
to the changing fashion trends in the world. The city is
not only has large number of cinema halls but is also
famous for its nightlife. The modern shopping malls full
of brightly lit shops and showrooms not necessarily
invite prospective buyers but are treat for the window
shoppers too.
Proceed to explore the town and enjoy photography.
Overnight will be at Hotel.
Day 05
Bangalore – Mysore By Road (Approx 150 Kms / 03
Hours)
Proceed for city tour of Bangalore in the morning after
breakfast.
Drive to Mysore. En-route proceed for sight seeing of
Srirangapatanam. Reach Mysore and transfer to hotel.
Mysore was ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty from the 15th
century all the way up to Independence in 1947, and as
the former capital of a princely state, the city is
strewn with grand old palaces and other maharaja
ex-haunts, as well as monuments, statues, temples,
gardens and parks. Mysore's strong sense off tradition
explodes during the Annual Dasara Festival, a
ten-day-long celebration in October. Everywhere you go
in this city you'll find yourself surrounded by the
lingering aromas of sandalwood, Jasmine, Rose, Musk,
Frangipani and many others. Whenever you smell them
again, you'll be reminded this place. It is one of the
major centers of incense manufacture in India, and
sources of small family owned agarbatti (incense)
factories are scattered all over the town, their
products exported all over the world.
Overnight will be at Mysore.
Day 06
In Mysore
After breakfast, proceed for Sightseeing of PALACE.
Built in around AD 897 in Saracenic style, the Mysore
palace has both Hindu as well as Muslim influences. The
palace, designed by an English architect and completed
in 1912, was built in place of an earlier palace, which
was burnt down in 1897.
The main palace building is made of massive grey granite
with a tower covered by a gilded dome. Colours abound
the palace architecture. The huge rooms and the floor
tiles are covered with colours like turquoise blue,
magenta, golden yellow and leaf green. The central hall,
incredible in its beauty, was used for marriages and
other major gatherings. A temple is also situated within
the royal courtyard.
The palace also houses a museum, which has a collection
of musical instruments, children's toys, many paintings,
costumes, weapons, etc., belonging to the Maharaja's
family.
Overnight will be at Mysore
Day 07
Mysore – Ooty By Road (Approx 150 Kms / 03 Hours)
After breakfast drive to Ooty.
Aptly called the queen of southern hill stations, Ooty
(also Ootacamund or Udhagamandalam) is located in the
southern state of Tamil Nadu. The British Collector John
Sullivan discovered this place and had developed it to a
summer resort for the people of South India. This
picturesque place nestles in an amphitheatre created by
four majestic hills namely the Doddabetta, Snowdon, Elk
Hill, and Club Hill. These hills are part of the Nilgiri
ranges, which are actually the meeting points for the
Western and the Eastern Ghats. The name Nilgiri or the
Blue Mountains may have been derived from the fact that
when the funnel-shaped lavender-blue flowers blossom
this picturesque mountain range becomes covered with the
colour of the blue lavender making the entire mountain
look blue. The original name of the hill station was
Udhagamandalam, but with the advent of the British, the
name was shortened to Ooty. Every year, it draws
thousands of tourists who come to this place to escape
from the humid and dusty summer days of the plains.
Spend day at leisure enjoying the scenic beauty and
photographing. Meet the people and visit some of the
highlights.
Stay overnight at Hotel.
Day 08
In Ooty
After breakfast proceed for Sightseeing of Ooty.
Ooty Lake: Built in 1825, the 2.5-km-long Ooty
Lake is a place worth visiting. You can go for boating
and fishing in this lake. However, for fishing you need
a prior permission. A racecourse is also located near
the lake. A mini-train takes the visitors around the
lake.
Lamb's Rock: About nine kilometres from Coonoor
lies Lamb's Rock, a viewpoint on a high precipice. The
point offers stunning views of the Coimbatore plains and
the coffee and tea estates on the slopes.
Kodanadu View Point: On the eastern edges of the
Nilgiris, at about 16 km from Kotagiri, lies the
Kodanadu View Point. You can get a panoramic view of the
tea estates and the Moyar River from either side of the
road. There is a watchtower from where you can view the
Rangasamy peak and pillar.
Overnight will be at Ooty.
Day 09
Ooty – Cochin By Road (Approx 245 Kms / 06 Hours)
After Breakfast at hotel drive to Cochin.
The eventful history of this city began when a major
flood in AD 1341 threw open the estuary at Kochi, till
then a land locked region, turning it into one of the
finest natural harbors in the world. Kochi thus became a
haven for seafaring visitors from all over the world and
became the first European town-ship in India when the
Portuguese settled here in the 15th century.
In the evening enjoy a KATHAKALI DANCE with the make-up
session also. This would be an interesting cultural
insight.
Overnight will be in Cochin.
Day 10
In Cochin
After Breakfast proceed for the sightseeing of Cochin.
A few interesting sites included in the tour are the
Chinese fishing nets along the Vasco Da Gama Square,
Santa Cruz Basilica, St. Francis Church, VOC Gate,
Bastion Bungalow etc. Apart from these architectural
splendors, an array of restaurants serving fresh seafood
is also popular among tourists. The Chinese fishing nets
erected on teak wood and bamboo poles work on the
principle of balance. Records say they were first set up
here between AD 1350 and 1450. Vasco Da Gama Square, the
narrow promenade that parallels the beach, is the best
place to watch the nets being lowered and pulled out of
the sea.
Enjoy a private relaxing cruise in the harbor sipping
some hot tea and enjoying the sunset.
Overnight will be in Cochin.
Day 11
Cochin - Alleppey By Road (Approx 100 Kms /02 Hours)
After breakfast drive to Aleppey.
Aleppey is one of the most important tourist centers in
the state, with a large network of inland canals earning
it the sobriquet "Venice of the east". These large
networks of canals provide Alleppey its lifeline.
Alleppey was one of the busiest centers of trade in the
past with one of the best-known ports along the Malabar
Coast. Even today it retains its charm as the centre for
Coir carpet industries and prawn farming. Alleppey the
ideal headquarters for backwater tourism as well as for
visits to the lovely church filled town of Kottayam, and
the town of Aranmula, famous for its historic Aranmula
Snake Boat Race, which is an annual event. After reach
in Aleppey enjoy in a Houseboat.
The backwaters act as a vital waterway for the transport
of goods, people and their produce are often the only
link between isolated villages and crowded towns. In
Kerala, the total expanse of backwater stretches over
1500 km, with a network of 44 rivers, lagoons and lakes
from north to south. Alleppey, which forms the main part
of this network, has the peculiar geographical feature
of having the water in level with the land. This gives
the advantage of getting a closer look at the village
life on shore while on a backwater ride.
Talk to the crew and sip your tea while enjoying the
backwaters and seeing life pass by. The meals and
refreshments will be served on the boat.
Overnight will be on boat.
Day 12
Kumarokom – Thekkady By Road (Approx 175 Kms / 05
Hours)
After breakfast at boat cruise to Kumarokom. Disembark
and drive to Thekkady after a visit to the BIRD PARK.
Pass through the rubber plantations and tea gardens.
Stop at the TEA FACTORY and see how tea is processed.
The river Periyar is the longest river in Kerala. This
is the only perennial river in South India with clean
water. The river occupies an important place in the
history of Kerala. In the Sangam age Tamil epics such as
Chilapathikaram, 'Akananuru', 'Purananuru' etc much has
been said about this mighty river, formerly known as the
'Choorni Nadi' or 'Thamraparni Nadi' (Sukasandesam
-stanza 66). A land route existed in the Sangam age from
Mussuris (present-day Kodungalloor) to Madurai, which
passed near the banks of the river Periyar. The capital
of the old Chera Empire presumably existed on the banks
of the river Periyar. It is believed that there was a
flood in the 4th century AD that severely damaged the
areas along the Periyar and the people living there had
to escape to safer locations, abandoning their homes and
livelihoods. The flood of AD 1341 resulted in the
closing of Kodungalloor port and the opening of a new
port at Kochi. The huge landslide that began in the high
ranges as a result of the heavy downpours sent massive
flows of mud and sand which created an Island at the 'Azhimugham'
of the Periyar, which is now known as the Vyppin
Islands.
Relax in the evening. Overnight will be at Thekkady.
Day 13
In Thekkady
Breakfast will be at hotel.
Proceed for the boat ride at Periyar. Today you can
visit the rare species of plants and animals. Take a
jungle walk and enjoy nature.
Proceed to ABRAHAM'S SPICE GARDEN to see spice
plantations like cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, etc. In the
evening visit KUMILY MARKET to have a look at the
processed spices and you can pick up some to carry back
home. They are all fresh and unadulterated.
Overnight will be at Thekkady.
Day 14
Thekkady – Madurai by Road (Approx 170 Kms /03 Hours)
Breakfast will be at hotel and proceed to Madurai.
Madurai is over 2500 years old and is the second largest
city of Tamil Nadu - Ancient seat of learning. The city
is planned in the shape of a lotus.
Check into the hotel by noon.
Freshen up and by afternoon visit the famous Madurai
Meenakshi temple (dedicated to the consort of Lord Shiva
with its towering GOPURAMS) - There are four entrances
to this amazing temple complex set in 6 hectares. Beat
some of the stone pillars in the complex with any hard
object and feel incredible on hearing sweet metal
sounds. The total number of pillars in the temple is a
staggering one Thousand.
If time permits enjoy a 'light & sound Panorama' in
Thirumala Naik Temple (optional) or visit to Alagar
hills & Thirupura Rock Temple.
Spend night at Madurai.
Day 15
Madurai – Chennai (Train)
After breakfast in hotel proceed for a short sightseeing
tour of Madurai. Transfer to the station in the
afternoon for train to Chennai. Reach by late evening.
Freshen up at hotel and have dinner.
Overnight will be at Chennai.
Day 16
Chennai – Overseas
Transfer to airport for early morning flight home with
sweet memories of India. |
