South India Heritage Tour

DAY 01:ARRIVE BANGALORE: Welcome in India. On arrival  transfer to hotel . Rest of day is free for personal activities. Overnight at hotel. 

DAY 02: IN BANGALORE: There are a number of tourist attractions to visit in and around the city of Bangalore. Of historical, religious and contemporary interests, these tourists spots are easily accessible and worth a visit. The Vidhan Soudha makes the major attraction in Bangalore. The building is a massive neo-Dravidian architecture presently functioning as the state legislative assembly. The Cubbon Park in the heart of the city, Lal Bagh (famous for the blooming red roses), and the Bangalore Palace are some of the other must see attractions of this garden city. The Venkatappa Art Gallery houses about 600 paintings on display. The Tipu's Palace and the adjoining fort are fine examples of Indo-Islamic architecture that also offer a glimpse into the Mughal lifestyle of the day. Among the religious places, the ISKCON Temple, Shiva Statue, and the Bull Temple are worth visiting. Besides, Lal Bagh Gardens Lal Bagh is a must see while visiting Bangalore. The name Lal Bagh has been given to it for the wonderfully loomed red roses that remain blooming all through the year in this garden. The garden has also a collection of famous Botanical species. Though the flow of visitors to the park is a regular affair, the garden gets a festive look during the Republic Day and on the days of flower shows that are held here.Vidhan Soudha, built in the year 1954 is one of the major centres of attraction in Bangalore. The architecture of the building is based on the neo Dravidian style and it presently houses the Legislative Assembly of the state of Karnataka. The building also houses a part of the Karnataka secretariat. Cubbon Park situated in the heart of the Bangalore city, the Cubbon Park is an interesting tourist spot which one should not miss out. The park was laid by Lord Cubbon in the year 1864. It is spread over an area of about 300 acres and the layout is absolutely exquisite.Bangalore PalaceBuilt in the year 1887, Bangalore palace is a must see tourist spot in the garden city. The architecture of the palace is based on the Tudor style. The palace is situated in the middle of the Bangalore city making it easily accessible for the tourists. Covering an area of about 800 acres, the palace gives a look of the Windsor Palace of England.. Tipu's Palace : The palace and the fort of Tipu Sultan are the must see spot in Bangalore. The architecture, the layout and the overall look of the palace gives you the idea of the ethnic Mughal lifestyle. The fort and its remains present the history of the era in which it was built. The construction of the Tipu palace was started by Haider Ali and completed by Tipu Sultan himself. ISKCON :The International Society for Krishna Consciousness or ISKCON Temple Complex of Bangalore is a marvellous building structure that has blended the Dravidian and modern architecture in its construction. The building has some of the modern facilities like the multi-vision cinema theatre, computer aided presentation theatres along with vedic library and a preaching library. The temple also has good accommodation facility for its members and non-members. Shiva Statue
The statue is a 65 feet high depiction of Lord Shiva in a position of Padmashan or Lotus position. The statue is complete with Mount Kailash, the Lord's heavenly abode and the river Ganga flowing from his matted locks in the background. The entire area gives you a clear picture of the mythological legend related to it. Bull temple:The Bull Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva's Vahana (vehicle), Nandi the bull. Here you can find a huge monolithic statue of the sitting bull that draws a large number of people to this place every day. The statue is 4.5 meters tall and 6 meters long and has been at this place long before the present temple was built.OVERNIGHT AT HOTEL.

DAY 03: BANGALORE/HASSAN(DRIVE:187KMS/04HRS) : In morning drive to Hassan .on arrival Check-in at hotel .Afternoon visit Helbid which is 27 kms north-west of Hassan  and 17 kms east of Belur, the temples of Halebid are the silent witness to the rich cultural heritage of Karnataka. Helbid are famous for 12 century   Hoysaleswara Temple is impressive for its awesome sculptural profusion. The walls of the temple are covered with an endless variety of gods and goddesses, animals, birds and dancing girls.Aftervisting Helbid  drive to  Belur which is only 17 kms from Helbid. The Channekeshava Temple at Belur is the only one of the three major Hoysala sites still in use. Construction of this temple commenced in AD 1116 to commemorate the Hoysala's victory over the Cholas at Talakad. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 04:HASSAN/MYSORE(DRIVE:121KMS/03HRS) : In morning drive to Mysore.Enroute visit Sravanbelgola , is one of the most sacred Jain pilgrimage centers in Karnataka. Here is the 17 m high monolith of Lord Bahubali - the world's tallest monolithic statue. Thousands of devotees gather here to perform the Mahamastakabhisheka - a spectacular ceremony held once in 12 years, when the 1000 -year- old statue is anointed with milk, curds, ghee, saffron and gold coins. The city of Mysore offers a visitor an insight into the lifestyles, cultures and traditions of its erstwhile rulers. The palaces and temples around the city speak volumes about heritage and architecture of the medieval times and the kind of patronage the city received from its rulers.Enroute visit Shrirangapatam About 15 km from the royal city of Mysore lies the town of Srirangapatnam. There are many interesting places here of which the summer palace of Tipu Sultan is a must visit. Built in 1784 in the Indo-Saracenic style, the palace also has a small museum where Tipu's trivia, including a gold-embroidered tunic, old paintings and a coin collection, are displayed. Afternoon visit Mysore 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. Lalitha Mahal Palace the snow-white it  was built in the 1930s for the guests of the Wodeyars. The main attraction of the palace is a staircase of Italian marble branching off from a landing to reach. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 05: MYSORE/OOTY (DRIVE: 160KMS/  05HRS) : One of the reasons people like to visit hill stations is that, they not only offer respite from the dust and pollution of the city but also give people a chance to see the undefiled beauty of nature. The green hills, the cascading waterfalls and sparkling brooks, all make the hill stations a delight for the eyes of the city-weary. Ooty is an ideal hill station since it offers all this and much more. There are many places you can tour, such as the Botanical Gardens, Lamb's rock, Dodabetta Peak, among many others.Botanical Gardens., you might want to visit the Government Botanical gardens, which were laid out in 1847.The picturesque gardens that are maintained by the Horticulture department of the state, cover an area of about 22 hectares. The Gardens have well over 650 species of plants and trees, including a fossil of a tree, which is believed to be more than 20 million years old. The garden is very popular with nature lovers and those who long to walk among greenery and see rare ferns and shrubs up close. Ooty Lake:If you love the outdoors, Ooty lake is a must see for you. It was built in 1825 and is about 2.5 km long. Visitors to this lake can go for boating on the lake or enjoy their favorite outdoor activity of fishing Dodabetta PeakThe Dodabetta Peak stands at an altitude of 2,623 meters. It is the highest point in the district, making it possibly the best vantage point around Ooty. It is merely 10kms from Ooty so you can simply grab your camera and head straight to the peak, and click amazing pictures of he valley below. Many say that on a clear day, which is honestly not that often, one can see far off areas, even the plains of Coimbatore and the flat highlands of Mysore. Kodanadu's View Point .Kodanadu is about 16kms from Kotagiri, and is situated on the eastern edge of the Nilgiri range. It is a great vantage point that offers a breathtaking view of the Moyar river and the tea estates. There is a watchtower here that offers a view of the Rangasamy peak.  OVERNIGHT AT HOTEL.

DAY 06:OOTY/COCHIN(DRIVE:281KMS/07HRS) : In morning drive to Cochin .On arrival check-in at hotel .Rest of day is free for personal activities.Overnight at hotel

DAY 07: IN COCHIN: Morning city tour of COCHIN Fort Cochin: Also known as the 'Old Fort', Fort Cochin is the very first fort built by the Europeans in India. Started by the Dutch and then British, the Fort has many amazing structures. Vasco de Gama, the first European to land on Indian coasts in 1498, died in Fort Cochin on Christmas eve in 1524. The Fort houses a huge Portuguese-style Mansion, the St. Francis Church and the Santa Cruz Basilica among other attractions. Chinese Fishing Nets: They are huge cantilevered fishing nets brought by the Indian traders from the court of Kublai Khan, the famous Mongol Emperor who founded the Yuan Dynasty of China. Erected between 1350 and 1450 AD by traders, these nets are set up on teak wood and bamboo poles. The best place to enjoy the nets being lowered into the sea and its catch is the Vasco de Gama square.Jewish Synagogue: Built in the year 1568, the Jewish Synagogue is probably the oldest synagogue in the commonwealth. The greatest attractions of this synagogue are the amazing 18th century hand painted willow pattern floor tiles imported from China, the copper plates on which the privilege granted by the kings were recorded, a dock tower and Hebrew inscriptions on stone slabs among many others.St. Francis Church:

DAY 08:COCHIN/KUMARAKOM(DRIVE:85KMS/02HRS) : : In morning drive to Kumarakom .On arrival In morning drive to Kumarakom to board House Boat for BACK  WATER  CRUISE .After enjoying Backwater Cruise  transfer to Hotel . Overnight at hotel.

DAY 09: KUMARAKOM/KOVALAM(DRIVE:170KMS/03HRS) : In morning drive to  Kovalam.On arrival chek-in at hotel . Kovalam is one of the most beautiful and famous beaches of Kerala.. The three beaches are called Lighthouse Beach, Hawah Beach and Samudra Beach. All the three beaches have clear sandy expanses and are backed by waving palm trees. A cool sea breeze blows in from the Arabian Sea and the rhythmic waves roll onto the beach, to the delight of paddlers and swimmers. Kovalam is a natural bay on the Arabian Sea coast of Kerala and with its blue waters, white sand and green coconut trees looks like a picture postcard image of a tropical paradise. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 10: IN KOVALAMAM: Day is free at leisure. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 11: KOVALAM/OUT: Transfer  to Trivendrum airport to board flight for onwards destination

 HAPPY LANDING