Ancient Caves with Temple & Backwater
Description
Day 1: Arrive Mumbai
On arrival at Mumbai airport assistance & transfer to hotel (check in/out time 12pm). Mumbai is disciplined by no time frame neither day nor night. Dazzling shopping arcades, exciting sport activity, nightclubs & discotheques, theatre, music & gourmet restaurants offers visitors a heady mix of all this and more. O/n at hotel.
Day 2: Mumbai (B)
Morning excursion to Elephant caves (Monday closed). Later city tour visiting CST, Prince of Wales Museum, Mani Bhawan & Dhobhi Ghat. O/n at hotel.
Day 3: Mumbai - Aurangabad (B)
As per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for Aurangabad.
Arrival transfer to hotel. Later visit Bibi ka Maqbara, Panchakki & Aurangabad Caves. O/n at hotel.
Day 4: Aurangabad (B)
Full day excursion to Ajanta which house 30 rock-cut cave from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 CE. Drive back to Aurangabad for overnight stay.
Day 5: Aurangabad - Hyderabad (B)
Excursion to visit Ellora Caves, 34 monasteries and temples date back from 600 to 1000 AD. Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple & Daulatabad Fort.
Transfer to airport to board flight for Hyderabad. Arrival transfer to hotel check in. O/n at hotel.
Day 6: Hyderabad (B)
Explore 400 year-old metropolitan city teeming with bustling-bazaars & Muslim monuments. Visit Golconda Fort Complex, Qutubshahi Tombs, Charminar, Mecca Mosque, Salarjung Museum & Chowmohalla Palace. O/n at hotel.
Day 7: Hyderabad - Chennai (B)
Transfer to airport to board flight for Chennai. Arrival transfer to hotel check.
Later city tour visit Fort St. George, St Mary's Church inside the fortress, Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Vadapalani Murugan Temple, Government Museum, Dakshinachitra Museum, Santhome Cathedral & Marina Beach. O/n at hotel.
Day 8: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry (235kms)
Drive to Pondicherry via visiting Kanchipuram Kailasanathar temple, Ekambareswarar temple, Varadharaja temple, Vaikundhaperumal temple & Kamakshiamman temple. Further drive to Mahabalipuram and visit Monolithic Temples, Five Rathas, Krishna Butterball, Cave Temples, Shore Temple & The Arjuna Penance. Continue drive to Pondicherry check in at hotel. Rest time to relax on the beach. O/n at hotel.
Day 9: Pondicherry
Visit Aurovil & Pondicherry Museum. Drive pass or walk through stunning French Quarters, charming mustard streets and colonial villas which include French consulate, Raj Nivas, Government Square, Churches & French schools. Evening to relax on the beach. O/n at hotel. Meal plan: B.
Day 10: Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Gangai Konda Cholapuram - Darasuram - Thanjavur (185km) (B)
Drive to Thanjavur. Enroute visit Chidambaram Nataraja Temple dedicated to the dancing posture of Lord Shiva. Gangaikonda Cholapuram, temple complex which includes Nandi Mandapa, Alankar Mandapa, Maha Mandapa, Mukha Mandapa and Ardha Mandapa. And Darasuram Airavateshwarar temple a storehouse of art and architecture. Arrive Thanjavur check in at hotel. Arrive Thanjavur check in & O/n at hotel.
Day 11: Thanjavur - Trichy (60km) (B)
Visit Brihadeshwara Temple & Palace Complex built by great Chola king in the 10th century. Drive to Trichy check in at hotel. Later visit Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Rock Fort Temple & Jambukeshwara temple. O/n at hotel.
Day 12: Trichy - Madurai (135km) (B)
Drive to Madurai check in at hotel. Later visit Meenakshi Temple, Thirumalai Nayakar Palace, Alagar Koil, Tiruparankundram Murugan Temple & Palamuthirsolai Murugan Temple. O/n at hotel.
Day 13: Madurai - Thekkady (160km) (B)
Drive to Thekkady via Ramakkalmedu one of the windiest places in Asia and being so, one can find here a wind farm generating electricity. Visit Frog Rock, Turtle Rock and the highest twin-statue in Kerala called Kuravan & Kurathi. Evening watch Kalaripayattu (Martial Arts for self-defense) & Kathakali Dance show performance. O/n at hotel.
Day 14: Thekkady (B)
Explore Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary on a boat. Sanctuary is home to tigers, elephant, rare lion-tailed macaques, sambar deer, leopards and Indian bison. Later spice plantation tour to see crops of cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, coffee etc. O/n at hotel.
Day 15: Thekaddy - Alleppey (135km) (B,L,D)
Transfer to Alleppey boat jetty to board houseboat and sail through the tropical countryside enchanting backwaters. The Houseboats have generated electricity, sitting cum dining area, separate bedroom with attached English toilets, sun deck and fully loaded kitchen with a chef & driver. O/n in houseboat.
Day 16: Alleppey - Cochin (60km) (B)
Disembark from the houseboat and drive to Cochin. Visit Fort Cochin St. Frances Church, town of Vasco da Gama, Jewish Synagogue, Mattancherry Dutchs Palace & Chinese fishing nets.
Later transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.
On arrival at Mumbai airport assistance & transfer to hotel (check in/out time 12pm). Mumbai is disciplined by no time frame neither day nor night. Dazzling shopping arcades, exciting sport activity, nightclubs & discotheques, theatre, music & gourmet restaurants offers visitors a heady mix of all this and more. O/n at hotel.
Day 2: Mumbai (B)
Morning excursion to Elephant caves (Monday closed). Later city tour visiting CST, Prince of Wales Museum, Mani Bhawan & Dhobhi Ghat. O/n at hotel.
Day 3: Mumbai - Aurangabad (B)
As per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for Aurangabad.
Arrival transfer to hotel. Later visit Bibi ka Maqbara, Panchakki & Aurangabad Caves. O/n at hotel.
Day 4: Aurangabad (B)
Full day excursion to Ajanta which house 30 rock-cut cave from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 CE. Drive back to Aurangabad for overnight stay.
Day 5: Aurangabad - Hyderabad (B)
Excursion to visit Ellora Caves, 34 monasteries and temples date back from 600 to 1000 AD. Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple & Daulatabad Fort.
Transfer to airport to board flight for Hyderabad. Arrival transfer to hotel check in. O/n at hotel.
Day 6: Hyderabad (B)
Explore 400 year-old metropolitan city teeming with bustling-bazaars & Muslim monuments. Visit Golconda Fort Complex, Qutubshahi Tombs, Charminar, Mecca Mosque, Salarjung Museum & Chowmohalla Palace. O/n at hotel.
Day 7: Hyderabad - Chennai (B)
Transfer to airport to board flight for Chennai. Arrival transfer to hotel check.
Later city tour visit Fort St. George, St Mary's Church inside the fortress, Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Vadapalani Murugan Temple, Government Museum, Dakshinachitra Museum, Santhome Cathedral & Marina Beach. O/n at hotel.
Day 8: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry (235kms)
Drive to Pondicherry via visiting Kanchipuram Kailasanathar temple, Ekambareswarar temple, Varadharaja temple, Vaikundhaperumal temple & Kamakshiamman temple. Further drive to Mahabalipuram and visit Monolithic Temples, Five Rathas, Krishna Butterball, Cave Temples, Shore Temple & The Arjuna Penance. Continue drive to Pondicherry check in at hotel. Rest time to relax on the beach. O/n at hotel.
Day 9: Pondicherry
Visit Aurovil & Pondicherry Museum. Drive pass or walk through stunning French Quarters, charming mustard streets and colonial villas which include French consulate, Raj Nivas, Government Square, Churches & French schools. Evening to relax on the beach. O/n at hotel. Meal plan: B.
Day 10: Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Gangai Konda Cholapuram - Darasuram - Thanjavur (185km) (B)
Drive to Thanjavur. Enroute visit Chidambaram Nataraja Temple dedicated to the dancing posture of Lord Shiva. Gangaikonda Cholapuram, temple complex which includes Nandi Mandapa, Alankar Mandapa, Maha Mandapa, Mukha Mandapa and Ardha Mandapa. And Darasuram Airavateshwarar temple a storehouse of art and architecture. Arrive Thanjavur check in at hotel. Arrive Thanjavur check in & O/n at hotel.
Day 11: Thanjavur - Trichy (60km) (B)
Visit Brihadeshwara Temple & Palace Complex built by great Chola king in the 10th century. Drive to Trichy check in at hotel. Later visit Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Rock Fort Temple & Jambukeshwara temple. O/n at hotel.
Day 12: Trichy - Madurai (135km) (B)
Drive to Madurai check in at hotel. Later visit Meenakshi Temple, Thirumalai Nayakar Palace, Alagar Koil, Tiruparankundram Murugan Temple & Palamuthirsolai Murugan Temple. O/n at hotel.
Day 13: Madurai - Thekkady (160km) (B)
Drive to Thekkady via Ramakkalmedu one of the windiest places in Asia and being so, one can find here a wind farm generating electricity. Visit Frog Rock, Turtle Rock and the highest twin-statue in Kerala called Kuravan & Kurathi. Evening watch Kalaripayattu (Martial Arts for self-defense) & Kathakali Dance show performance. O/n at hotel.
Day 14: Thekkady (B)
Explore Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary on a boat. Sanctuary is home to tigers, elephant, rare lion-tailed macaques, sambar deer, leopards and Indian bison. Later spice plantation tour to see crops of cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, coffee etc. O/n at hotel.
Day 15: Thekaddy - Alleppey (135km) (B,L,D)
Transfer to Alleppey boat jetty to board houseboat and sail through the tropical countryside enchanting backwaters. The Houseboats have generated electricity, sitting cum dining area, separate bedroom with attached English toilets, sun deck and fully loaded kitchen with a chef & driver. O/n in houseboat.
Day 16: Alleppey - Cochin (60km) (B)
Disembark from the houseboat and drive to Cochin. Visit Fort Cochin St. Frances Church, town of Vasco da Gama, Jewish Synagogue, Mattancherry Dutchs Palace & Chinese fishing nets.
Later transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.
Included
- Assistance on arrival at airport.
- 14 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels.
- Meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner)
- Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program.
- English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program.
- Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary.
- Bottled drinking water in car.
- Government taxes.
Excluded
- Mumbai - Aurangabad - Hyderabad - Chennai flight fare approx INR 15,500 per person in economy class.
- Camera charges at monuments.
- Meals other than mentioned in day plan.
- Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc.
- Gratuities & optional activities.
- Anything not mentioned in inclusions.
Know before you go
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel.
- Few tour sights may not be wheelchair accessible.