Ancient Caves, Architecture, Hill & Backwater 17 days

Day 1 Arrive Mumbai

On arrival at Mumbai airport, assistance & transfer to the hotel (check in/out time 12 pm).

Mumbai is disciplined by no time frame, neither day nor night. Dazzling shopping arcades, exciting sports activities, nightclubs & discotheques, theatre, music & gourmet restaurants offer visitors a heady mix of all this and more. Rest time is free for personal activities. O/n at the 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 the hotel.

Day 3 Mumbai - Aurangabad (B)

Transfer to the airport to board the flight for Aurangabad.

Arrival, transfer to the hotel. Later visit Bibi ka Maqbara, built in 1678, is a son's loving tribute to his mother, Panchakki, which discharged water on the wheel to power the flourmill and grind grain for the pilgrims & Aurangabad Caves, artificial caves that were dug out of soft rock during the 6th & 7th centuries.

Day 4 Aurangabad - Ajanta - Aurangabad (210kms round)

Excursion to Ajanta (Monday closed). The Buddhist Caves of Ajanta were discovered by the British officers in 1819 while hunting tigers. The Ajanta Caves were first mentioned in the writings of the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang, who visited India between AD 629 and 645. The Caves at Ajanta are older than those at Ellora, which date from about 200 BC to 650 AD. Thirty beautiful Buddhist Caves with mesmerising sculptures and paintings depicting Buddha`s life as well as the lives of the Buddha in his previous births. Five of these Caves are Chaityas (places of worship) while the other twenty-five are Viharas (monasteries). The Ajanta Caves are divided into two categories based on two schools of Buddhist thought - Hinayana Caves and Mahayana Caves. Drive back to Aurangabad for an 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. Also visit Bibi ka Maqbara, Panchakki & Aurangabad Caves. O/n at the hotel.

Transfer to the airport to board the flight for Hyderabad. Arrival, transfer to the hotel check in.

Day 6 Hyderabad (B)

City tour of Hyderabad, explore a 400-year-old metropolitan city teeming with bustling bazaars & Muslim monuments. Visit Golconda Fort, renowned for its diamond mines that have given the world-famous Kohinoor and Darya-i-noor diamonds. The ancient fort complex of Golconda will charm you with its history, tinged with legends and anecdotes. Qutub Shahi Tombs is a group of small and big mosques and tombs built by the rulers of the Qutub Shah dynasty on a raised platform and have a dome-shaped structure. Charminar, built in 1591 by Quli Qutub Shah, is an identifying landmark of Hyderabad. It is also famous for the market that sprawls around it called the Laad Bazaar. Salar Jung Museum (Friday closed) is a treat for tourists, famous for being the third largest museum in the country, having the largest antiques collection dating back to the first century. Chowmahalla Palace (Friday closed) is the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, where the Nizams entertained their official guests and royal visitors. Birla Mandir, made of pure white Rajasthani marble, is the temple of beauty that leaves you awestruck. Also drive past Hussain Sagar Lake, one of the largest man-made lakes, renowned for its monolith of Lord Buddha placed right at the centre of the lake. O/n at the hotel.

Day 7 Hyderabad - Vidyanagar/ Hampi (B)

As per the flight schedule, transfer to the airport to board the flight for Vidyanagar. On arrival, assistance & transfer to the hotel in Hampi, check in. Rest time is free and easy to relax. O/n at the hotel.

Day 8 Hampi (B)

City tour of Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage site dotted with numerous ruined temple complexes from the Vijayanagara Empire. Visit Hazara Rama Temple, Kings Balance, Mahanavami Dibba, Royal Enclosures, Statue of Ugra Narasimha Temple, Virupaksha Temple, Vithala and Lotus Mahal, Vithala Temple Complex and ASI Museum. O/n at the hotel.

Day 9 Hampi - Hassan (330km) (B)

Drive to Hassan en route to visit Belur, once the capital of the Hoysala Empire is known for its exquisite temples. The celebrated temple of Chennakeshava, built by the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana in 1117 AD, is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture. Everything is carved in black stone, looking like metal. Kappe Chennigaraya Temple is another majestic 12th-century CE temple built next to a pond. The stone architecture has splendid carvings and bas-relief work. The temple complex includes two ornate pillars, one of the Garuda built during the Vijaynagar period and one with a lamp built during the Hoysala period. Lakshmi temple, Sowmyanayaki temple & Ranganayaki temple are other temples in the same complex.

In Halebedu, visit the Hoysaleswara Temple built in the 12th CE, surrounded by ponds, mantapas and lakes. It is well known for the sculptures and architecture of the Hoysala period, standing on a platform like a casket, richly endowed with the most finely detailed scroll work in stone. The walls of the temple are covered with an endless variety of gods and goddesses. Other temples in Halebedu are Kadareswara Temple, Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Ishvara Temple, Koravangala Temple, Lakshmi Devi Temple & Hulikere Pond. Also, visit the Jain basics. Continue driving to Hassan and check in at the hotel.

Day 10 Hassan - Mysore (140km) (B)

Drive to Mysore via visiting Shravanabelagola, one of the most important Jain pilgrimage sites. Visit Vindhyagiri Hill, where a 17m high naked Lord Bahubali (Gommateshwara), the world's tallest monolithic statue, is placed. And Chandragiri Hill, which is also a seat of several ancient Jain centres, is much older than the Gommateshwara statue.

Arrive in Mysore, check in at the hotel. City tour visit Mysore Palace, built in 1912 for the 24th Ruler of the Wodeyar Dynasty and is counted amongst one of the biggest palaces in the country. Chamundi Hills, site of the Chamundeswari Temple, one among the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, located on the eastern edge at a height of 1000ft. The temple also has statues of Nandi Bull and Mahishasura, the demon. City Palace, which was rebuilt by Henry Irwin in 1897 in an Indo-Saracenic style. The palace contains astonishing wall paintings, authentic stained glass work and ornamented doors. St. Philomena`s Church is the second-tallest in Asia, built in the Neo-Gothic style of architecture. Jaganmohan Palace, which housed the royals before the construction of the Mysore palace, this structure displays various paintings of the past kings of Mysore and is one of the oldest buildings in the city.

Day 11 Mysore - Ooty (120km) (B)

Drive to Ooty, check in at the hotel. Ooty is an all-seasons hill resort and the queen of hill stations at an elevation of 7216 ft above sea level. Surrounded by trees, central Ooty Lake is a huge artificial expanse of water with beautiful boats. Enjoy the town and visit the well-maintained botanical gardens, which have over 1,000 varieties of plants, shrubs and trees. Also, take a ride on the famous Nilgiri Mountain Railway that winds its way down through spectacular scenery and breathtaking views to the nearby town of Coonoor. It was established in the early 19th century by the British now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Day 12 Ooty - Munnar (240kms) (B)

Drive to Munnar, check in at the hotel. Later tea estate visit & tea testing tour. O/n at the hotel.

Day 13 Munnar (B) - Eravikulam National Park

Visit Pothamedu, Mattupetty dam, Rajamala hill, Eravikulam National Park, Mattupedi Dairy Farm, Echo Point & Tea Museum. O/n at the hotel.

Day 14 Munnar - Thekkady (110km) (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-defence) & Kathakali Dance show performance.

Day 15 Thekkady (B) - Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Explore Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary on a boat. Sanctuary is home to tigers, elephants, 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 the hotel.

Day 16 Thekaddy - Alleppey (135km) (B, L, D)

Transfer to Alleppey boat jetty to board a 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 a houseboat.

Day 17 Alleppey - Cochin (60km) (B)

Disembark from the houseboat and drive to Cochin. City tour of Cochin, the lovely seaside city flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west. You will find here a unique mix and match of traditional as well as Western architecture and lifestyle. Visit Fort Cochin, a charming seaside area known for its Dutch, Portuguese & British colonial architecture and elaborate bamboo fishing nets at Fort Kochi Beach. St. Francis Church was the original burial site of explorer Vasco da Gama. Upscale eateries and chic cafes serve Kerala specialities, and quaint shops sell cotton clothing and handmade souvenirs. Heritage buildings house contemporary art galleries. Also visit the Jewish Synagogue & the Mattancherry Dutch Palace.

Later, transfer to the airport to board the flight for the onward destination.