Come Home To India...

...with Siddhartha Holiday, Tours and Travel Service        

Karnataka / Kerala Tour

Description

This 13 day / 12 night tour starts in Trivandrum, Cochin or Bangalore. We visit the most famous places in Karnataka, admire the beauty of Mysore and the spiritual city Madurai. Other highlights are the wildlife parks in Mundamalai and Periyar, the houseboat stay in the backwaters, and the Kathakali dance in Cochin

Itinerary

Day 01 Arr Bangalore & drive to Hassan Enroute visiting Sravanbelgola - one of the oldest and most important pilgrimage centres in India and site of huge statue of Lord Bahulbali (Gomateshwra) which, at 17 meters high and carved our of a single piece of rock, is said to be the world's tallest monolithic statue. It stands on the trop of the hills. On arrival Hassan, check in at your hotel for overnight stay.

Day 02 Hassan/Mysore - Morning sightseeing tour of Belur and Halebid which is the finest examples of Hoysala art. The soft stone used by builders was chiselled with same fineness of detail as is found in the ivory and wood craftsmanship of the area. The temple at Belur is famed for its profusely ornamented exterior, and the one at Halebid for its sculptured figures and open air museum. Afternoon drive to Mysore Enroute visiting Srirangapatnam - Tippu's summer Palace.

Day 03 Mysore - lies in a valley dominated by Chamundi Hill and is known for its elegant palaces, gardens and parks. In the Morning visit the Maharaja's Palace built in the late 19th century, one of the largest and most splendid in India. The Maharaja's family still live in the portion of the Palace. There is an incredible wealth of detail on every conceivable surface both inside and out, With its wedding cake domes and vaulting archways it is an extravagance of great gilded halls with marble floors ornately carved columns, carved mahogany ceilings, mosaics and stained glass. There are great chandeliers massive doors covered in elaborate inlay and stucco work. The Palace got elephant stables and gardens. Chamundi hill, where on top sits the great sacred Nandi bull, Shiva's Mount. It is carved from a single block of stone sixteen feet high and garlanded with bells and chains. From there you will get great panoramic view of Mysore city.

Day 04 Mysore/Madumalai Morning drive to Madumalai Enroute Bandipur. Afternoon visit the Sanctuary.

Day 05 Madumalai/Ooty/Coonoor - Morning drive to Ooty and take a Toy Train up to Ooty (Train Subject to operation). Rest of the day at leisure.

Day 06 Coonoor to Cochin - after breakfast drive to Cochin & check in at your hotel for overnight stay.

Day 07 Cochin - the Queen of the Arabian Sea the gateway to Kerala - that Vasco da Game first landed in 1497. The beautiful setting of a group of Islands and narrow peninsular with a mainland centre which make up a rich bustling commercial port. Pepper, Ginger, Turmeric, Cashew & choir are still exported from here and the local fishermen continue to use Chinese fishing nets. After breakfast, visit the Dutch Palace, St Francis Church, the Jewish Synagogue and the Chinese fishing nets. Evening enjoy a Kathakali dance drama in a local theatre in the city.

Day 08 Cochin/Alleppey - drive to Alleppey to board your HOUSE BOAT for an overnight cruise Enroute narrow canals & villages.

Day 09 Arr Kottayam & drive to Periyar, up in the hills - an experience in itself as the road winds up the mountains, Climbing through a carpet of tea bushes, estates and gardens of coffee, cardamom and pepper. The vegetation is lush and the air becomes refreshingly cool . Afternoon gameviewing on Lake Periyar to view wildlife to see the animals as they come to the lake to bathe and drink.

Day 10 Periyar/Madurai - after breakfast proceed to Madurai - which was the centre of Tamil culture and the home of goddess Meenakshi - a consort of Lord Shiva. Probably the largest in the country both in area and in the number of structures within a single compound. It contains a multitude of shrines, halls and colonnades and over 33 million sculptures. The temple's Gopurams are carved with gods, goddesses, animals and mythological figures. Its fabulous Hall of Thousand Pillars is a picture book in stone giving a vivid account of daily life at the time. It is filled with worshippers all hours of the day. Afternoon sightseeing tour of Madurai.

Day 11 Madurai/Kovalam - after breakfast proceed to Kovalam Enroute visiting Kanyakumari also known as Cape Comorin, the southernmost tip of the subcontinent, where the waters of Bay of Bengal, the Arabian sea and the Indian Ocean meet in rolling passion. On arrival Kovalam, check in at your Beach Resort.

Day 12 Kovalam - at leisure.

Day 13 Kovalam/Trivandrum - in time transfer to Trivandrum Airport for onward destination.

top

Dates

We are pleased to offer all out tours according to your requirements. For example we can offer cheaper hotels or more luxury hotels. We are also able to change the tour itenary.

top

Hotels

 Standard hotels

Deluxe hotels

Prices

Our prices, in US$, are based for one person sharing a double room, with American breakfast. (We can also offer the same tour, but using accommodation in 3/4 star hotels or any Super Deluxe hotel of your choice. Please contact us for further details)

Surcharges

• US$ 134 per person towards for air-conditioned car.
• Single room supplement US$ 313 (standard) US$ 655 (Deluxe)

top

Conditions

Our prices include:

• All transfers from and to airport and land transportation, as per the program by non air-conditioned Ambassador Car / Tata Sumo (jeep) or Tempo Traveler (minibus), depending upon the group size, throughout the tour.
• Non air-conditioned  room.
• Continental breakfast.
• Entrance fee at the monuments.
• Services of local english - speaking guide for sightseeing tours at all places.
• Services of an english-speaking tour escort above 6 persons throughout the tour.
• All currently prevailing taxes on hotel and transport.

Our prices do not include:

• Airport tax on departure from India (500 rupees/person)
• Any personal expenses like telephone call, laundry shopping, table drinks, camera fees at the monuments.
• Any additional expenses caused by disturbances in the trip due to circumstances beyond our control such as airline and railway delays, road blocks, natural disaster, wars, etc.
• Liability for or insurance against injury, loss of life, accidents, damage or loss of property

top