Historic Caves, Fort Palaces, Temple & Backwater

Duration	Destination	Departure
19 days and 18 nights	India (Mumbai, Aurangabad, Hyderabad, Gulbarga, Vijayapura, Badami, Hampi, Cochin, Munnar, Thekkady, Kumarakom, Alleppey)	India (Mumbai)

Description

The private tour will begin in Mumbai the commercial capital of India a bustling city with Bollywood industry. Explore magnificent monuments of colonial era and Historical Elephanta cave. Thereafter fly to Aurangabad gateway to Ajanta & Ellora Caves. Next fly to Hyderabad an imperial city with historic Golconda Fort & Salarjung Museum. Then visit Bidar, Gulbarga and Bijapur ruled by Muslims dynasties. Further drive to Badami & Hampi centenaries old UNESCO World Heritage Monuments expanded in complexes. Fly from Hubli to Cochin a gateway city in Kerala to explore the tea estate, wildlife & backwater.

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Category
3 star hotels (Private Tour) Bed & Breakfast en
Price includes • Assistance on arrival at airport. • 18 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels. • Meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner) • Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program. • English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program. • Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary. • Bottled drinking water in car. • Government taxes. Price does not include • Mumbai - Aurangabad - Hyderabad & Hubli - Cochin flight • Camera charges at monuments. • Meals other than mentioned in day plan. • Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc. • Gratuities & optional activities. • Anything not mentioned in inclusions.
4 star hotels (Private Tour) Bed & Breakfast en
Price includes • Assistance on arrival at airport. • 18 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels. • Meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner) • Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program. • English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program. • Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary. • Bottled drinking water in car. • Government taxes. Price does not include • Mumbai - Aurangabad - Hyderabad & Hubli - Cochin flight • Camera charges at monuments. • Meals other than mentioned in day plan. • Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc. • Gratuities & optional activities. • Anything not mentioned in inclusions.
5 star hotels (Private Tour) Bed & Breakfast en
Price includes • Assistance on arrival at airport. • 18 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels. • Meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner) • Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program. • English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program. • Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary. • Bottled drinking water in car. • Government taxes. Price does not include • Mumbai - Aurangabad - Hyderabad & Hubli - Cochin flight • Camera charges at monuments. • Meals other than mentioned in day plan. • Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc. • Gratuities & optional activities. • Anything not mentioned in inclusions.

Program

Day 1:
Arrive Mumbai
Arrival transfer to hotel (check in/out time 12pm). Rest time for personal activites.
O/n at hotel.

Day 2:
Mumbai
Morning excursion to Elephant caves (Monday closed). Later city tour visiting CST, Prince of Wales Museum, Mani Bhawan & Dhobhi Ghat.
O/n at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 3:
Mumbai - Aurangabad
Transfer to airport to board flight for Aurangabad. Arrival transfer to hotel. Visit Bibi ka Maqbara, Panchakki & Aurangabad Caves.
O/n at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 4:
Aurangabad
Full day excursion to Ajanta which house 30 rock-cut cave from the 2BCE to about 480CE.
O/n at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 5:
Aurangabad - Hyderabad
Excursion to visit Ellora Caves, Grishneshwar Temple & Daulatabad Fort. Transfer to airport to board flight for Hyderabad. Arrival transfer to hotel check in at hotel.
O/n at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 6:
Hyderabad
Explore 400 year-old metropolitan city teeming with bustling-bazaars & Muslim monuments. Visit Golconda Fort Complex, Qutubshahi Tombs, Charminar, Mecca Mosque, Salarjung Museum & Chowmohalla Palace.
Overnight at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 7:
Hyderabad - Gulbarga (260kms)
Drive to Gulbarga via visiting Bidar Fort, Mahmud Gawan Madarsa & Bahmani Tombs. Arrive Gulbarga check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 8:
Gulbarga - Bijapur (170kms)
Visit Gulburga fort & Jama Masjid. Drive to Bijapur, check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 9:
Bijapur - Badami (120kms)
Visit Bijapur Fort & plethora of monuments built during the rule of Adil Shahi dynasty. Drive to Badami check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 10:
Badami
Excursion to visit Aihole home to over 125 Chalukyan temples & Pattadakal a treasure trove of Hindu & Jain temples. Also visit Badami Fort, cave & Lake.
Overnight at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 11:
Badami - Hampi (180kms)
Drive to Hampi via visiting few active & ruined temples in Gadag & Lakkundi. Arrive Hampi check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 12:
Hampi
Explore Hampi an UNESCO world Heritage sites dotted with numerous ruined temple complexes from the Vijayanagara Empire.
Overnight at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 13:
Hampi - Cochin
Transfer to Hubli airport to board flight for Cochin. Arrival transfer to hotel. Rest time free for personal activities.
Overnight at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 14:
Cochin - Munnar (140kms)
Visit Fort Cochin, St. Frances Church, Jewish Synagogue, Mattancherry Dutchs Palace & Chinese fishing nets. Drive to Munnar check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 15:
Munnar
Visit Pothamedu, Mattupetty dam, Rajamala hill, Eravikulam National Park, Mattupedi Dairy Farm, Echo Point & Tea Museum.
Overnight at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 16:
Munnar - Thekkady (110kms)
Drive to Thekkady via Ramakkalmedu the windiest places in Asia. Evening watch Martial Arts & Kathakali Dance show.
Overnight at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 17:
Thekkady - Kumarakom (140kms)
Explore Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary on boat safari followed by spice plantation tour. Drive to Kumarakom check in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel. Meal plan: B.

Day 18:
Kumarakom - Alleppey
Transfer to Alleppey boat jetty to board houseboat & sail through the tropical countryside enchanting backwaters.
Overnight in houseboat. Meal plan: B,L,D.

Day 19:
Alleppey - Cochin (60kms)
Departure transfer to Cochin airport.
Meal plan: B.

Price includes

• Assistance on arrival at airport.
• 18 Nights accommodation in selected price category hotels.
• Meal as per day plan (B- Breakfast, L- Lunch, D- Dinner)
• Private air conditioned deluxe car for airport transfer, sightseeing and excursion as per program.
• English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per program.
• Monuments entrances and activities charges mentioned in the itinerary.
• Bottled drinking water in car.
• Government taxes.

Price does not include

• Mumbai - Aurangabad - Hyderabad & Hubli - Cochin flight
• Camera charges at monuments.
• Meals other than mentioned in day plan.
• Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet etc.
• Gratuities & optional activities.
• Anything not mentioned in inclusions.

Itinerary

Day	Overnight	Itinerary highlights
1	4 StarsMumbai	Mumbai - Mumbai Airport or your hotel in the city
2	4 StarsMumbai
3	4 StarsAurangabad
4	4 StarsAurangabad
5	4 StarsHyderabad
6	4 StarsHyderabad
7	4 StarsGulbarga
8	4 StarsVijayapura
9	4 StarsBadami
10	4 StarsBadami
11	4 StarsHampi
12	4 StarsHampi
13	4 StarsKochi
14	4 StarsMunnar
15	4 StarsMunnar
16	4 StarsThekkady
17	4 StarsKumarakom
18	4 StarsAlleppey
19		Kochi - Cochin Airport

Accommodations provided in each place

Place	3 star hotels	4 star hotels	5 star hotels
Mumbai	Hotel Suba Palace/ BW Hotel Sahil or similar	Sun-N-Sand Hotel/ Fariyas Hotel or similar	Trident Hotel/ ITC Grand Central or similar
Aurangabad	7 Apple Hotel Aurangabad / Ginger Aurangabad or similar	Ambassador Ajanta / VITS Hotel or similar	WelcomHotel Rama International/ Lemon Tree Hotel or similar
Hyderabad	Aditya Park/ Red Fox Hotel or similar	Lemon Tree Hotel/ Fortune Park Vallabha or similar	ITC Kakatiya, a Luxury Collection/ Trident Hotel or similar
Gulbarga	Hotel Heritage Inn or similar
Vijayapura	Sun Hotel/ Hotel Mayura Adilshahi or similar
Badami	Badami Court or similar	Krishna Heritage or similar
Hampi	Malligi Hotel/ Krishna Palace or similar	Heritage Resort / Royal Orchid Central Keerti or similar	Hyatt Place/ Hampi Boulders or similar
Kochi	The Dune Hotel/ Abad Plaza or similar	Casino Hotel/ Le Maritime or similar	Xandari Harbour/ Le Meridien or similar
Munnar	Fort Munnar/ Abad Copper Castle or similar	Nature Zone Jungle Resort/ Fragrant Nature Munnar or similar	Chandys Windy Woods/ Tea County or similar
Thekkady	Abad Green Forest/ Hotel Treetop or similar	The Elephant Court/ Cardamom County or similar	Spice Village/ Carmelia Haven Resort or similar
Kumarakom	Abad Whispering Palm/ Cocobay Resort or similar	Eastend Lake Song/ Goldfield Lake Resort or similar	Coconut Lagoon/ The Zuri or similar
Alleppey	Deluxe Houseboat (ATDC Houseboat/ Dream Boats) or similar	Preminum Houseboat (Abad Premium Houseboats/ Rainbow Premium Houseboats) or similar	Luxury Houseboat (Xandari Riverscapes/ Lakes & Lagoons) or similar