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Holidays » South India Vacation with City of Joy
South India Vacation with City of Joy
| Duration:
13 Nights / 14 Days
Destinations: Mumbai - Kolkata - Chennai - Mahabalipuram
- Pondicherry - Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai - Periyar - Kumarokom - Cochin - Ooty
- Mysore - Bangalore - Mumbai |
Day 1 Arrival at
Mumbai: Compass Representative will meet and assist you upon your
arrival at the Mumbai airport. Transfer to your hotel. Check in at hotel in Mumbai.
Its
young, its lively and a confluence of varied cultural currents and cross currents
have given Mumbai a unique position of the most multi-ethnic city of India. The
capital city of Maharashtra State formerly known as Bombay lies in the southwestern
part of India and occupies a peninsular site originally composed of seven islets
lying off the KONKAN COAST of western India. Oozing with the cocksure self-confidence
of a maverick moneymaker and "Bindass" (carefree) attitude, Mumbai is
also country's financial and commercial hub and has a principal port on the Arabian
Sea.
Yet, there's another face of Mumbai too that is of the most densely
populated cities in the world. Mumbai is located on a site of ancient settlement
and took its name from the local Goddess "Mumba" - a form of Parvati,
the consort of Shiva, one of the principal Gods of Hinduism - whose temple once
stood in what is now the southeastern section of the Mumbai city.
Overnight
will be at Mumbai.
Day 2 Mumbai - Kolkata:
By Flight
Flight
Number : 9W 217
Airline : Jet Airways
Departure : 1005 hr
Arrival
: 1235 hr Breakfast will be at the hotel.
Take flight
to Kolkata. Reach and proceed to the hotel.
Kolkata was the first capital
of the British in India. The city was established in 1976 when the British moved
to the small villages of Sutanati, Govindpur, and Kalikata from their trading
port of Hooghly. It progressed well until 1756 when Siraj-Ud-Daula (Nawab of Bengal)
attacked the town and drove away the British. Lord Clive retook Kolkata and until
1911, it remained the capital of the British government in India. Being the centre
of power for so long created a unique culture and heritage, totally unlike any
other city in India.
Enjoy the afternoon at Victoria Memorial and in
the evening take a horse carriage ride around the MAIDAN - this is the famous
cricket grounds and where the people of Calcutta meet to take in the evening weather.
Victoria Memorial is a grand edifice constructed in the memory of Queen
Victoria. This building houses a number of rare specimens of the historical preserves
of the land.
Overnight will be in Kolkata.
Day 3 Kolkata:
Proceed for the sight seeing tour of the city after breakfast. Visit
the MOTHER TERESA MISSION and spend some time there.
In the afternoon
visit: - The Old Buildings of Calcutta in Central Calcutta.
- Howrah Bridge is another landmark that denotes the city of joy. This hanging
bridge is an architectural marvel of the country.
- Birla Planetarium - The
second largest planetarium in Asia and is an interesting site that attracts attention.
In the evening enjoy a cruise of the River Ganges (the last stage) watching
the city at sunset and enjoying the heritage of the old British Capital.
Overnight will be in Kolkata.
Day 4 Chennai/Kanchipuram/Mamallapooram:
By Road
76 km in 2 hr After breakfast drive to Kanchipuram
- is the ancient capital of the Pallavas famous as a city of 1000 Temples and
still has 124 shrines. The first temple dedicated to Shiva was built in the 7th
and 8th century and has paintings on the walls. Temples of Ekambaswara, Kailasanatha,
Sri Kamakshi and Varadarajaswamy are of interest. Kanchipuram is also famous for
its silks. Lunch at local restaurant and later drive to Mamallapooram and check
in at hotel.
Afternoon visit the city - built in 7th century, earlier
called Mahabalipooram, this ancient Pallava port, is today the sight of several
antique sculptural marvels. In this ancient seaside town, shrines and huge sculptures
cut-out of rocks more than 1200 years back during the reign of Pallava Kings in
the region can be seen. The rock carvings depicting mythological episodes - of
demons, Gods and animals in battle and others - are truly poems in stone. The
only shore temple which remains here is the spectacular two - spired shrine, unique
because it houses both Lord Shiva and the Lord Vishnu in its sanctum-sanctorum.
Overnight will be at hotel.
Day 4 Mamallapooram - Tiruvannamalai
- Pondicherry:
By Road
112km in 03hr After breakfast drive
to Tiruvannamallai a pilgrim centre with an ancient temple of Lord Shiva.
After lunch at local restaurant, proceed to Pondicherry, which carries a
strong whiff of the French presence in India. This erstwhile French colony on
the east coast of South India merged with the rest of the country in 1954. Legend
says that Pondicherry is the place where St. Agasthaya settled down.
Overnight stay will be at the heritage hotel.
Day 5 Pondicherry -
Tanjore:
By Road
160km in 04hr Drive to visit Aurobindo
Ashram which is also known as "the city of dawn". The place is 10 km
north of Pondicherry. This ashram promotes Shri Aurbindo's ideas in bringing about
a synthesis of Yoga and modern science, so as to unite the spirit and matter.
After lunch at local restaurant, drive to Thanjavur enroute visiting
the Brass factory at Kumbakonam. Tanjore once the capital of Chola Kings, has
the Brahadeswara temple(or the big temple of God).
The
temple tower rises to a height of 15mts from a square base of 29 mts and then
tapers off, making a total of 66mts.
Overnight will be at Tanjore.
Day 6 Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai:
By Road
54km in 02hr
133km
in 04hr After breakfast leave for Trichy, short name of Trichurapalli,
situated on the banks of Kaveri River is a blend of history and tradition as well
as pilgrim centre. It is famous for Ranganath temple at Srirangam.
Proceed
towards Madurai. Reach and check in at hotel.
Madurai's Main attraction
is the Famous Sri Meenakshi Amman temple a riotously baroque example of Dravidian
architecture with Gopurams carved from top to bottom in a breathtaking profusion
of multicolored images of Gods. Tamil & Greek documents record the existence
of Madurai from the 4th Century B.C.the city was known to the Greeks via Magathenes
their ambassador to the court of Chandraguptha Muriya this city was popular in
trade especially in spices. It was also the site the Sangam the academy of the
Tamil Poets. And Madurai is the centre of all the cities and Madurai is famous
for the cotton Sungudi Saris.
Overnight will be at Madurai.
Day 7 Madurai: After breakfast go for city tour of Madurai.
The ancient city of Madurai, some 2600 years old is laid out in the banks
of river Vaigai as a lotus flower with the Meenakshi temple in the centre. After
lunch city tour visiting - Meenakshi temple, King Tirumala's Palace, Great Tank
and Gandhi museum.
Sri Meenakshi Amman temple: dated back to 2000 Years
back and designed in 1560 by Vishwanatha Nayaka and built during the reign of
Tirumalai Nayaka. The Temple occupies an area of six hectares. There are 12 temple
towers (Gopurams). The outer towers are the landmarks of Madurai. They are:
Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam: Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam is a huge temple
tank about 5 km east of the Meenakshi temple. The mandapam in the centre has an
idol of Vigneshwara (Vinayaka). It is said to have been found when the earth was
being dug out from here to build the Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal. So, the place
attained sanctity and was converted into a teppakulam (tank). This enormous temple
tank is fed by water brought from the Vagai through an ingenious system of underground
Channels. King Thirumalai Nayak born in 'Poosa' Star. so in commemorating the
birth of the king " Float Festival" is conducted in Tamil Month 'Thai'
(Jan/Feb) in the tank in a colourful way, which attracts thousands of tourists.
Gandhi Museum: The Gandhi Memorial Museum is one of the distinct places
to be visited in Madurai. This Museum is one of the rare living memorial of "The
Father of India". The Museum is set in relaxing grounds and has a clear historical
account of India's struggle for Independence.
Thirumalai Nayak Palace:
This Palace was built in 1636 by King Thirumalai Nayak with the help of an Italian
Architect. The building we see today was the main Palace where the King lived.
The original Palace Complex was four times bigger than the present structure.
This palace
consisted
mainly of two parts, namely Swargavilasa and Rangavilasa. In these two parts,
there are royal residence, theatre, shrine, apartments, armoury, palanquin place,
royal bandstand, quarters, pond and garden. King Thirumalai Nayak celebrated festivals
like Sceptre festival, Navarathri, Chithirai festival, Masi festival and the Float
festival. He conducted daily dance and music performances in the palace. This
palace was destroyed by his grandson Chokkanatha Nayak and the valuables were
transferred to other places. During the British rule, in 1822, Lord Napier made
several renovation works. Then the palace was utilized to house some officials
of the judiciary and district administration. After independence, this palace
was declared as a national monument and is now under the care of the Tamilnadu
Archaeological Department.
Overnight will be at Madurai.
Day 8 Madurai - Periyar:
By Road
133km in 04hr Proceed for
Periyar after breakfast.
The river Periyar is the longest river in Kerala.
This is the only perennial river in South India with clean water. The river occupies
an important place in the history of Kerala. In the Sangam age Tamil epics such
as Chilapathikaram, 'Akananuru', 'Purananuru' etc much has been said about this
mighty river, formerly known as the 'Choorni Nadi' or 'Thamraparni Nadi' (Sukasandesam
-stanza 66). A land route existed in the Sangam age from Mussuris (present-day
Kodungalloor) to Madurai, which passed near the banks of the river Periyar. The
capital of the old Chera Empire presumably existed on the banks of the river Periyar.
It is believed that there was a flood in the 4th century AD that severely damaged
the areas along the Periyar and the people living there had to escape to safer
locations, abandoning their homes and livelihoods. The flood of AD 1341 resulted
in the closing of Kodungalloor port and the opening of a new port at Kochi. The
huge landslide that began in the high ranges as a result of the heavy downpours
sent massive flows of mud and sand which created an Island at the 'Azhimugham'
of the Periyar which is now known as the Vyppin Islands.
Proceed for
enjoying a boat cruise in Periyar Lake with lunch break. The most enjoyable part
of seeing the wildlife is going around the lake in a boat. From the safety of
a boat you can witness herds of wild elephants coming down to water and swim.
The other prominent fauna to be seen are Tiger, Sambar, Barking deer, Mouse deer,
Nilgiri Tahr, Wild Pigs, Wild dogs, Porcupine, Lion-tailed macaque, Malabar Squirrel,
Flying Squirrel, Sloth Bear, Gaur and Black Langur (Monkey). Tigers and Leopards
seldom come to the lakeside by day.
Relax in the evening. Overnight
will be at hotel in Periyar.
Day 9 Periyar - Kumarakom:
By Road
175km in 04hr Breakfast will be at resort.
In the morning
proceed for a SPICE PLANTATION visit. This will be an interesting tour at one
of the family farm houses. Proceed to the SPICE MARKET to have a look at the finished
products.
Proceed towards Kumarakom enjoying the beauty of the traditional
Kerala houses. You will also pass through rolling tea gardens and rubber plantations.
Stop at a tea factory to see the tea - making process.
Reach Kumarokom
and check in at hotel. An enchanting backwater destination, Kumarokom offers visitors
many other leisure options.
An unbelievably beautiful paradise of mangrove
forests, emerald green paddy fields and coconut groves interspersed with enchanting
waterways and canals adorned with while lilies - this is Kumarokom.
Check into a traditional houseboat of Kerala Style and go on a leisurely backwater
cruise along the lake on a thatched houseboat.
The backwaters act as
a vital waterway for the transport of goods, people and their produce are often
the only link between isolated villages and crowded towns. In Kerala, the total
expanse of backwater stretches over 1500 km, with a network of 44 rivers, lagoons
and lakes from north to south. Alleppey which forms the main part of this network
has the peculiar geographical feature of having the water in level with the land.
This gives the advantage of getting a closer look at the village life on shore
while on a backwater ride.
Talk to the crew and sip your tea while enjoying
the backwaters and seeing life pass by. The meals and refreshments will be served
on the boat.
Overnight will be at Houseboat.
Day 10 Alleppey
- Cochin:
By Road
60 km in 01hr Cruise through the villages
after breakfast.
Disembark the boat at Alleppey.
Aleppey is
one of the most important tourist centers in the state, with a large network of
inland canals earning it the sobriquet "Venice of the east". These large
networks of canals provide Alleppey its lifeline. Alleppey was one of the busiest
centers of trade in the past with one of the best known ports along the Malabar
Coast. Even today it retains its charm as the centre for Coir carpet industries
and prawn farming. Alleppey the ideal headquarters for backwater tourism as well
as for visits to the lovely church filled town of Kottayam, and the town of Aranmula,
famous for its historic Aranmula Snake Boat Race which is an annual event.
The eventful history of this city began when a major flood in AD 1341 threw
open the estuary at Kochi, till then a land locked region, turning it into one
of the finest natural harbors in the world. Kochi thus became a haven for seafaring
visitors from all over the world and became the first European town-ship in India
when the Portuguese settled here in the 15th century.
Enjoy the boat
ride in the harbour watching the dolphins playing and enjoying the city from the
water.
In the evening you will ring in the NEW YEAR at the hotel joining
the party and gala dinner. This being a port city the all ships will hoot at 0000
hr of the 1st.
Day 11 Cochin: Breakfast will be at
the resort.
Proceed
for a sightseeing tour of FORT COCHIN. A few interesting sites included in the
tour are the Chinese fishing nets along the Vasco Da Gama Square, Santa Cruz Basilica,
St. Francis Church, VOC Gate, Bastion Bungalow, Jewish Synagogue, Mattancherry
Palace, etc. Learn the operation of the interesting Chinese fishing nets erected
on teak wood and bamboo poles which work on the principle of balance. Records
say they were first set up here between AD 1350 and 1450. Vasco Da Gama Square,
the narrow promenade that parallels the beach, is the best place to watch the
nets being lowered and pulled out of the sea.
Feel the essence of Kerala
in Kathakali Dance in evening. Overnight will be at Cochin.
Overnight
will be in Cochin.
Day 12 Cochin - Ooty:
By Road
280 km in
06hr Drive to Ooty after breakfast.
Ootacamund, Ooty or
more recently Udhagamandalam, call it what you like, still translates to a little
town set on the stepped slopes of the Nilgiris, the oldest mountain range in India.
Located 2240 meters, above sea level, the soothing clime and rustic setting gift
Ooty a charm of its own. The verdant tea gardens and the rolling hills exude a
pleasantness that will calm the high-strung city dweller and soothe his senses
with the fragrance of eucalyptus and sandalwood that hangs in the air. What's
more, the superb 300km drive from Bangalore to the hill station takes the motorist
through two dense wildlife sanctuaries. We've been there and done that and we're
about to tempt you to do the same.
Relax during the day and in the evening
explore the small town.
Overnight will be in Ooty.
Day
13 Ooty & Coonoor: Breakfast will be at the hotel.
Spend day at Coonoor (hop on to the toy train) enjoying the scenery and the weather.
Some of the beautiful must see spots are:
Coonoor is the second largest
hill station in the Nilgiris. It stands on a lower ridge of the main plateau at
an altitude of 1839 metres. Its climate is milder than Ooty. Surrounding the town
are many picnic spots. In the heart of Coonoor is "Sims Park". It is
a park cum botanical garden. Many species of trees and shrubs not found in Ooty
are grown here. It is at an elevation of 1880 metres and occupies 12 hectares
of land.
Sim's Park The Park is situated in a deep ravine on the Northern
side of Coonoor Railway Station at an elevation of 1797 to 1798 mts. The park
can be divided into eight major sections. The natural shola with winding footpaths
all over the higher slopes of the park is the most distinctive and picturesque
feature of this park. This apart a number of individual tree specimens planted
in a scattered fashion all over the place, lend a special charm to the park specially
when they bloom in different seasons throughout the year.
Pomological
Station
This
is one of the three experimental fruit gardens in the Nilgiris maintained by the
Horticultural Department. The other two are Burliar and Kallar on the Coonoor
- Mettupalayam ghat road. Apples, Plums, Peaches, Lemons, Apricots and Pomegranates
are grown here for the purpose of research. Surplus fruits and fruit based jams
are sold to the public.
Silk Rearing Station Adjoining the Pasteur Institute
there is a Silk Rearing Station maintained by the Central Silk Board. The Sericulture
experts at this station may be contacted for special assistance.
Laws
Falls The Place is a beautiful picnic spot, situated at Coonoor - Mettupalayam
Road at the distance of 7 Km from Coonoor. The height of the falls is about 180
feet. It is a paradise for Naturalists.
Lamb's Rock It is 8 Km from
Coonoor on the way to Dolphin's Nose. It commands a grand view of the Coimbatore
Plains. It is a favorite place for tourists.
Lady Canning's Seat From
Coonoor it is 9 Km. It is marked by a small house and commands panoramic view
of the tea estates and the plains.
Dolphin's Nose The view point is
10 Km from the town. The Nose is a unique rock of tremendous proportions which
looks like a Dolphin.
The Droog This is also a picnic spot which is used
by TIPU SULTAN as an outpost. It is 15 Km from Coonoor and stands 6000 feet high
overlooking the plains. Three kilometers of trekking has to be done to reach the
point.
Return by the evening and overnight will be in Ooty.
Day 14 Ooty - Mysore:
By Road
200 km in 05hr Breakfast
will be at the resort.
Drive to Mysore.
Once you enter the
Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary limit, the road is almost straight, flanked on both
sides by a dense forest. Seven and a half kilometres after the Bandipur reception
centre, the road crosses over into Tamil Nadu and the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary.
Reach Mysore and check in at hotel.
Visit Chamundi Hills -
Towering over the city, these hills are 13 km away from Mysore. Halfway-up is
the Nandi Bull, a 4.8 m monolith. Right on top is the 2000-year-old Brindavan
Gardens 19 km north-west of Mysore is the KRS Dam and the ornamental Brindavan
Gardens. The musical fountains and colourful lights transform this palace into
fairy land in the evenings.
Overnight will be in Mysore.
Day
15 Mysore - Bangalore:
By Road
150 km in 04hr 
Breakfast will be at the hotel.
Visit Sir Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery-
Housed in the Jaganmohan Palace, this gallery has a collection of exquisite paintings
dating back to 1875, the Russian Svetoslav Roerich and the traditional Mysore
gold leaf style of painting.
Start for Bangalore later in the morning.
On the way visit Srirangapatnam - 16 kms before Mysore, this fort was
the stronghold of Tipu Sultan, son of Haider Ali. Tipu made a last minute ditch
against the British in 1799 before surrendering his kingdom. Among the many fort
buildings still intact, are Tipu's airy Summer Palace and his tomb at the Darya
Daulat Bagh (garden). Here, is also the celebrated Sri Ranganatha Temple.
Reach Bangalore by evening.
A major industrial and commercial center,
with scientific and research activity, Bangalore is multifaceted: modern marvels,
historical monuments, bustling shopping plazas, a race course and golf courses.
Called the Silicon Valley of India for its growing software industry, it is also
known as the city of draught beer. Bangalore is capital of Karnataka which harbours
a diversity of interests such as the ruins of Vijaynagar, sculptures of Belur
and Halebid, mausoleum of Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur, golden sands of Karavalli, proud
hills of Kodagu, forests of Bandipur, Nagarhole and Bannerghatta, and Chikmagalur
with its mountains and coffee plantations, majestic Mysore and the world's tallest
freestanding monolith of Bahubali at Sravanabelagola.
Overnight will
be in Bangalore.
Day 16 Bangalore - Home: Have a leisurely
breakfast and proceed for sightseeing.
Lal Bagh: Hyder Ali laid out
this famous botanical garden and his son added horticultural wealth to them by
importing trees and plants from several countries. The garden today houses over
1000 species of flora which include rare and enchanting collection of tropical
plants, trees and herbs. The Glass House, modelled along London's Crystal Palace,
is the center of attraction in this 2400-acre park. Bi-annual flower shows attracting
participants from all over India is held in the Glass House.
Cubbon Park:
This wooded and beflowered park was laid out in the heart of the cantonment in
1864. Since then, fairy fountains, an august bandstand and a wealth of atatury
have been added. But the most important aspect of Cubbon Park is its newer buildings
that have added beauty and cultural wealth. Lush green lawns, shady flowering
trees, vibrant flower beds, make Cubbon Park an ideal place for morning joggers
and alike.
Government Museum: One of the important buildings, the Government
Museum is one of the oldest in India (1886). A special attraction here is "the
antiquities from Mohenjodaro period". Situated nearby the museum is Visveshwaraya
Industrial and Technological Museum named after the great engineer-statesman.
Next to the VITM is the Visveshwaraya Industrial Trade Center, the first of its
kind in India. In addition to its trade promotional activities, the Center has
two exhibition floors housing a permanent display of all that is manufactured
in Karnataka.
Near the Museum is the K. Venkatappa Art Gallery which
has a permanent exhibition of the works of the great artist, K. Venkatappa. The
Gallery does much to encourage art in the state.
Also in the Cubbon Park
are the Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, which houses the public library, the High
Court and the Jawahar Bal Bhavan. The Bhavan, with its toy train, fairgrounds
and theatre, is a recreational, hobby and educational centre for children.
Gandhi Bhavan: The Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, housed in the Gandhi Bhavan, houses
a comprehensive picture gallery and other exhibits of Gandhiji which depict the
life and times of Gandhiji. The Bhavan is open on weekdays (10:30 Am to 5:00 PM).
Ulsoor Lake: A picturesque lake with several tree-shaded islands in
it, is an ideal picnic spot. You can go boating or go for a swim in the nearby
swimming pool that is part of the recreational complex near the lake. You can
also go to the nearby Gurdhwar, the largest Sikh Shrine in Bangalore.
Afternoon
proceed for a half-day sightseeing. Visit The Bangalore Palace, Fort & Vidhana
Soubha.
Vidhana Soubha: This splendid neo-Dravidian granite building
that dominates the northern boundary of the Cubbon park, is the home of the State
Legislature and the Secretariat. The massive sandalwood door of the Cabinet room
is a spectacular feature of this imposing building. The Vidhana Soudha is bedecked
in illuminated glory during special periods and is a sight worth viewin.
The Bangalore Palace & Fort: The Bangalore Fort was built by Kempe Gowda and
expanded by Tippu Sultan. Within its walls is the well preserved 16th century
Ganapathi Temple. The Bangalore Palace was built by a Wodeyar king in 1887. Inspired
by the Windsor castle, this palace was built in the Tudor style, complete with
Gothic windows, the foiled windows, battlements and turrets resembling the Daria
Daulat Palace in Srirangapatanam, this summer palace has been constructed largely
of wood and is famous for it's carving and paintings.
Proceed to the
airport for flight home with sweet memories of India.
TOUR ENDS
South India
Vacation with City of Joy Reservation Form 
