.Ask for prices for special Seasons (Christmas, New Year and Holydays)
Day 01 : (Arrive Bangalore)
Arrive Bangalore in the late evening. After passing immigration and customs, meet with our representative and then drive to the West End hotel where accommodations are reserved for immediate occupancy.
The Gothic West End hotel is set in twenty acres of magnificent gardens, this heritage hotel is a stamp of Bangalore's old world charm and colonial architecture.
Overnight in Bangalore.
Day 02 : (In Bangalore) - B
Bangalore, one of India's fastest growing cities is also rightly called 'The Garden City' with its numerous parks and avenues of jacaranada, gulmohur and cassia. Recent growth has been fuelled by Fortune 500 Companies setting up shop for computer applications software and creating intellectual capital by tapping into Bangalore's vast array of engineers and technicians.
We spend the day with our host Arun Pai who will show us around.
Overnight in Bangalore.
Day 03 : (Bangalore - Cochin) - B
Soon after breakfast, check-out and take a short flight to the ancient spice trading port of Cochin, in Kerala State.
Slightly smaller than Switzerland, Kerala is a cluster of islands and peninsulas where picturesque lagoons and canals take the place of main roads.
It's approx an hour's transfer from the airport to Fort Cochin and the Brunton Boatyard hotel. Once a boatyard of Geo Brunton and Sons, this hotel's architectural style blends with the flavor of Fort Cochin and its ever present influences of the Portuguese, Dutch and the British.
In the afternoon, we retrace Fort Cochin; visiting the nearby St. Francis Church, the Mattancherry or Dutch Palace which houses royal costumes, palanquins, furniture and weapons but its striking feature is a series of beautiful murals.
The story of Kochi Jews is pretty fascinating. For centuries there were two communities; the Black Jews who arrived as early as 587 BC and then much later came the White Jews, fleeing persecution and seeking refuge from the Raja of Cochin.
Our next stop is the synagogue which is an experience of light and airiness accented in its flooring of 18th century hand painted blue Cantonese ceramic tiles.
At sunset we sail around Cochin harbor in our local boat passing narrow strips of land and coconut covered islands and the famous Chinese fishing nets constructed out of teak wood and bamboo poles that work on a principle of balance.
Overnight at the Brunton Boatyard.
Day 04 : (Day excursion to the backwaters of Alleppey) - B, L
After breakfast we take an hour and a half drive via lush countryside to the backwater town called Alleppey. Here we board a houseboat to explore this famous backwater region sailing along palm fringed canals and lakes. The waters seethe with dragon shaped dugouts with graceful sails. We stop at a backwater settlement and visit a private home.
After the cruise, we explore this small town that has gained a new recognition for its Women's Empowerment in India. Our lady hosts have gotten together to prepare a delicious lunch of traditional Alleppey delicacies in one of their homes.
We meet some of these ladies who walk us around the awareness programs initiated by them - use of Biogas units, children's education and community hygiene related issues. At a revived community coir factory we see timeless methods of coir fiber and its usage.
In the Gujarati community quarter, the ladies have been responsible for restoring a beautiful old mansion and converting it into a Gallery Café and crafts center.
We drive back to Cochin with an opportunity to shop in the antique and other stores in the Jewish Quarter. Our next stop is Our Ladies Convent where underprivileged girls are taught the art of the finest needlework to supplement their income.
Overnight at the Brunton Boatyard.
Day 05 : (Cochin -Bangalore - Mysore) - B
We return to Bangalore this morning and soon after take a drive to Mysore, which is rapidly acquiring a reputation as an international Yoga city.
Our accommodation is at the Windflower Spa Resort located around 10 acres of greenery at the foot of the sacred Chamundi Hill.
After a relaxed afternoon, we take an evening stroll to the Devaraja fruit and vegetable market, one of the most colorful bazaars in South India. We come face to face with southern culture, so unlike others in India; their dress, language, food, eating and worshipping habits. It's an extravaganza for photographers.
Overnight in Mysore.
Day 06 : (Mysore - Golden Chariot) - B, L, D
We may choose to partake in a 'Surya Namaskar' (homage to the sun) yoga session at dawn.
After breakfast, we tour some interesting highlights. The awe inspiring Mysore Palace designed by renowned architect Henry Irwin (after the old teakwood palace fell victim to a fire in 1897), is a beautiful example of Indo-Saracenic work.
The Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery has some excellent collections of the royal family including artists like Nicholas Roerich and Raja Ravi Varma. We then visit St. Philomena's, the only one of its kind featuring a French statue of a Greek saint in a German Cathedral.
In the evening, we transfer to the railway station to board the Golden Chariot train, for the next four 'adventurous' nights. Our private coupe is fitted with an attached bath and toilet with all amenities. A bar lounge is attached to the dining salon where breakfast, lunch and dinner is served.
Overnight on the Golden Chariot.
Day 07 : (Hassan) - B, L, D
Our train arrives into the small township of Hassan, where we spend our day visiting the simply amazing temple sites of Halebid and Belur. The Hoysala artist was a perfectionist, seeming to make the impossible possible. The chiseling is so fine it resembles lace. A bangle could rotate on a sculpted hand and stone bells made to ring on a statue.
The star shaped Chennakesava temple at Belur is the earliest (in and around AD 1117) built in commemoration of a military victory over the Chola rulers near Madras. Halebid - hale (old) and bidu (capital) was once referred to as Dwarasamudra, the gateway to the sea.
After dinner, our Golden Chariot train departs Hassan on an overnight journey to our next highlight.
Day 08 : (Hospet) - B, L, D
Hospet, is another small South Indian town and forms the gateway to the magnificent World Heritage ruins of Hampi, formerly the great empire of Vijayanagar.
Day 09 : (Badami - Goa) - B, L, D
We have breakfast onboard and then spend the morning in Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole, who represent the birth and pride of the Indian temple in many ways.
The Early Western Chalukyas were one of the most important dynasties to rule the Deccan until the foundation of Vijayanagar (Hampi). Their temples concentrated at Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal are amongst the most fascinating of India's sacred monuments. These temples belong to possibly the most creative phases in the history of Indian architecture and sculpture; the evolution that took place here in less than two hundred years was to have a profound impact on the subsequent development of the hindu temple.
Badami, the capital of the Chalukya dynasty has four marvelous cave temples situated at the mouth of a ravine between two rocky hills. The exquisite sculptures and the rust red sandstone cliffs of Badami tell many a tale of yore. Amongst the highlights is the 18 armed Shiva striking 81 dance poses.
Pattadakal with its finely chiseled temples is located on the banks of the Malaprabha river and was a ceremonial center where Chalukyan kings were crowned. Not far away is Aihole, acclaimed as the "Cradle of Hindu Temple Architecture". There are over a hundred temples scattered around the villages, the most impressive of which is the Durga Temple with its semi-circular apse, elevated plinth and the gallery encircling the sanctum.
This afternoon, our train departs on our final overnight journey, to Goa.
Day 10 : (Goa)- B, L
Lush and lovely Goa was created as a place for relaxation where Sun worship is a cult form. Adventure seekers can go hunting for beaches and tiny villages. There are colorful local markets, trips to Spice farms and a countryside of Portuguese and Indian culture, with warm friendly people. In quiet and complete contrast to other ports and places on the Indian sub-continent, Goa offers a quaint reflection of its colonial Portuguese past well assimilated with its democratic Indian present.
Our train arrives Goa in the early morning. We checkout after a relaxed breakfast and do a bit of touring before checking-in to the Fort Aguada Beach Resort. Our first stop is at 'Old Goa' and the Basilica of Bom Jesus famous throughout the Catholic world.
After a drive around the quaint capital of Panjim, we then visit a local Spice Farm cultivating cinnamon, clove, pepper, cardamom, nutmeg and other spices favored in Indian cooking. Our host Otto Oliveira and his wife Celia prepare a home cooked Goan lunch.
The afternoon is for leisure.
Overnight at the Fort Aguada Beach Resort.
Day 11 : (In Goa) - B
The day is for leisure to enjoy the beach and resort.
Overnight in Goa.
Day 12 : (Goa - Bombay) - B, D
After a morning for leisure, we take the Jet Airways afternoon service to Bombay.
Mumbai or Bombay, with a population exceeding 18 million, this one time group of low lying mud flat is now India's economic power base and her most industrialized city.
While driving to our hotel, we make our first stop en route at 'Dhobi Ghat', the city's open air laundry! Our next stop is at Mani Bhavan, Gandhi's Bombay residence between 1917 and 1934 and now a museum and memorial to the Mahatma.
In Bombay, we stay at the historic Taj Mahal Palace in the Heritage section.
To catch a flavor of the local scene, we recommend a short walk from the hotel to the stylish multi-cuisine restaurant 'Indigo' which has been regularly voted the best local eatery in the country. Its atmosphere reflects the cosmopolitan and friendly nature of Bombay.
Overnight at the Taj Mahal Palace.
Day 13 : (In Bombay) - B, L
This morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we take a drive passing through the teeming commercial areas and many handsome buildings of Victorian Bombay, including the University, Victoria Terminus and General Post Office.
We then drive onward to the Churchgate Railway Terminus to see the 'Dabbawallahs' members of the Bombay Union of Tiffin Box Carriers. They provide a very essential service to the city's several thousand office goers by delivering fresh meals to them. The service which costs a few rupees a week is a good example of the fine division of labor in India.
Lunch is suggested at the 'Khyber' restaurant famous for its Northwest frontier cuisine.
Our next encounter is at the Pavement Club, a elementary school provides for the street children the right to education, nutritious meals, cleanliness and clothing, entertainment, medical care and above all else a sense of belonging.
Later we go to where it all began. No visit to Bombay is complete without a foray into the bazaars of Bhuleshwar. Within a few square kilometers there area dozen bazaars and more commodities for sale than you will see probably anywhere else in a lifetime.
Cosmopolitan Bombay offers a variety of activities and interesting shopping opportunities, which can be independently explored. Transport is at disposal.
Overnight in Bombay.
Day 14 : (Bombay - Home)
Transfer to the international airport in the early hours in conjunction with our flight back home.
End of our services.
SamVarghese
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