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South India Exotic Tour |
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Tour Highlights |
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Garden city “ Bangalore”, Royal Palace at Mysore, Queen of Hill station “Ooty”,
Kerala’s Backwater, Kovalam Beach & India’s commercial capital city “Mumbai“ |
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Covered Places : Bangalore – Mysore – Ooty – Cochin – Alleppey –Periyar
wild life park – Madurai – Trichy – Tanjore – Pondicherry – Mahabalipuram –
Kancheepuram – Chennai |
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Duration : 15 Nights / 16 days |
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Activities : Boat safari at Periyar wildlife park, watch Kerala
traditional Kathakali dance show at Cochin & overnight stay in a Houseboat at
Backwater |
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Day 01 : Arrive Bangalore |
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Arrive Bangalore, “The garden city”, where you are greeted with a traditional
Indian welcome on arrival at the airport and escorted to the hotel. After check
in at hotel our representative will explain you the travel plan and hand over
the essential travel documents to you. Overnight at hotel.
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Day 02 : Bangalore |
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Morning visit Lalbagh. Lal Bagh has rare collection of tropical and sub-tropical
trees, plants and herbs. Tippu's Summer Palace. It is one of several beautiful
palaces they built all over the state. Tipu Sultan used it as his summer
residence and named it Tashk-e-Jannat meaning the envy of heaven. Vidhan
Soudh-The granite building towering over Cubbon park houses the Secretariat and
the Legislative Assembly. Built in a Neo-Dravidian style, this is one of India's
most magnificent public buildings. Bull Temple -a typical example of the
Dravidian-style temple. Usoor Lake - it was a place of prominence in the early
years of last century.
Overnight at hotel.
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Day 03: Bangalore –Sravanbelgola - Mysore ( 140Kms) |
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Morning drive to Mysore visiting en route Sravanbelgola which is said to be the
world's tallest monolithic statue raises 17 meter high of Bahubali
(Gomateshvara).The statue was built in 981 AD and is most sacred to the Jain
Community. On arrival check in at hotel. In the afternoon visit KRS Dam and the
ornamental Brindavan Gardens. The musical fountains and colourful lights
transform this place into a fairly land in the evenings. Evening transfer to
hotel. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day 04 : Mysore – Ooty (150Kms)
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Morning visit most famous for the imposing Royal Palace with a magnificent
Durbar Hall, particularly splendid during the Dussehra Festival when the
Maharaja's jewelry, studded gold throne (weighing 200 kgs) is on display.
Chamundeshwari temple perched on a hilltop is 2000 years old, Nandi Bull half
way to the hill is a 4.8 meter monolith.
LLater drive to Ooty. On arrival check in at hotel. Overnight at hotel.
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Day 05 : Ooty |
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Morning sightseeing tour of Ooty. Located at 2240 m above sea level. The places
of interest in Ooty include Botanical Gardens where "summer Festival" is held
each during the month of May: the artificial lake and Dodabetta Peak which is
the highest point in the district at a height of 2623m. Rest of day free.
Overnight at hotel. |
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Day 06 : Ooty – Cochin (280Kms) |
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Morning drive to Cochin. On arrival check in at hotel. Evening show witness the
Kathakali Dance Show in an auditorium. 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, recreates an incomparable sense of
pageantry. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day 07 : Cochin – Alleppey (56 Kms) (Overnight at Houseboat) |
Morning visit Fort Cochin.This part of the city reflects an unusual blend of
medieval Portugal, Dutch and English country life grafted on to the tropical
Malabar Coast Also visit Chinese Fishing nets. Visit the 16th century
Mattancherry Palace, also known as the Dutch Palace. St. Francis Church, and
Jewish Synagogue.
Later drive to Alleppey and embark on deluxe Houseboat “Kettuvalam" for
backwater cruise. Sail along the winding network of Kerala backwaters, see the
unique water world and experience its myriad charms. Spot colorful insects and
butterflies flitting over flower bunch that adorn the lush green vegetation on
the banks of the Kerala backwaters.Cruise through the unique web of lakes,
lagoons, canals and rivers. Enjoy an overnight leisure stay in a houseboat also
enjoy lavish lunch & Dinner at Houseboat.
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Day 08 :Alleppey – Periyar Wild Life Park (170kms) |
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Morning disembark from houseboat to Alleppey boat jetty and drive to Periyar
National Park. Periyar, spread over an area of 777 sq km, has about 35 tigers
and leopards. The park encompasses a 26 sq km artificial lake and is the home of
sambars, wild boars, elephants and antelopes which can be occasionally seen on
the banks of the river during a boat cruise. In the afternoon we shall take a
boat safari on Lake Periyar to view wildlife. Evening free. Overnight at
hotel.el. |
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Day 09 : Periyar Wild life Park – Madurai (160Kms) |
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Morning drive to Madurai. on arrival check-in at the hotel. Evening free.
Overnight at hotel. |
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Day 10 : Madurai
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Morning city tour of Madurai. Madurai, known as “Athens of the East”. Madurai
where the people wake up at the chant of hymns is proud of the magnificent
Meenakshi-Sundareswara Temple. Of its 12 gopurams, four of the tallest stand at
the outer walls of the temple. Also visit Thirumalai Nayak Palace. Evening watch
night ceremony at the temple. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day 11 : Madurai – Trichy - Tanjore (201Kms)
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Morning drive to Tanjore on the way visit Trichy. Visit Srirangam, which is an
island, 5 kms from Trichy. Surrounded by the Kaveri water is a 600 acres island
town enclosed within the seven walls on the gigantic Sri Ranganathaswami temple.
The Rock Fort situated on the banks of the Kaveri River, Trichy's most famed
land mark is an 84 m high rock, one of the oldest in the world approx. 3,800
million years. Later drive to Tanjore, on arrival check-in at the hotel.
Overnight at hotel. |
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Day 12 : Tanjore –Chidambram – Pondicherry (175kms) |
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Morning drive to Pondicherry on the way visit the temple or Lord Natraja at
Chidambram. On arrival, check-in at the hotel. In the afternoon, city tour of
Tanjore. Tanjore (Thanjavur) is famous for the Brahadeeswarar Temple. The temple
constructed more than a thousand years ago by the Chola King Raja Rajan is an
architect's marvel. Evening free. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day 13 : Pondicherry- Mahabalipuram (135Kms) |
Morning visit Pondicherry. Although the French influence is gradually fading,
Pondicherry retains a few Gallic accents. Pondicherry's main sights are the Rai
Nivas, the Sacred Heart Church and the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. The ashram retreat
was founded in 1926 by Sri Aurobindo after whose death the spiritual authority
passed to one of his disciples, a French woman known as the Mother. The Mother
was also instrumental in founding the city of Dawn Auroville, 10 km from
Pondicherry. Its original charter aimed at creating a city of the future where
people from India and abroad could live and work together in a spiritual
environment. Further drive to Mahabalipuram. On arrival check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
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Day 14: Mahabalipuram –Day 14: Mahabalipuram – Kancheepuram - Mahabalipuram |
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The pallavas have created many marvellous monuments with sculptural panels,
caves, Monolithic Rathas and Temples. Krishna Mandapam has a big bas relief i.e.
the world's largest bas relief. Morning visit Shore Temple & Five Rathas are a
group of five monolithic temples, each created in different style. Later
excursion to Kancheepuram. Kanchipuram, 70 kms west of Mahabalipuram which is a
city of thousand temples. the city is also famous for its silk weavers. Evening
return to hotel. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day 15 : Mahabalipuram – Chennai (56Kms)
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Morning drive to Chennai. On arrival check in at hotel. Later visit Kalakshetra,
a school of art and music that encourages exponents of Bharatnatyam, Carnatic
music, traditional weaving and designing; Fort St. George built in 1653 during
British reign in India, now houses the Secretariat and Legislative Assembly of
Tamil Nadu; St. Mary's Church, the oldest Anglican Church in India with its
premises. Sri Parthasarathy Temple built by the Pallavas in the 8th century AD;
Kapaliswara Temple, Mylapore also an eighth century Pallava Temple dedicated to
Lord Shiva. San Thomas Cathedral Basilica rebuilt in 1606 as a cathedral and in
1896 it was made a basilica and Theosophical Society - the world headquarters of
the Theosophical Society formed to encourage the study of comparative religion
philosophy and science. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day 16: Departure From Chennai16: Departure From Day 16: Departure From Chennai |
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Morning transfer to airport to board on flight for onward destination. |
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