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Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Bangalore

Known as the ‘garden city’, Bangalore offers a leafy backdrop from which to explore the bustling streets of India’s third largest city. Cosmopolitan restaurants line wide avenues where foodies can delight in a smorgasbord of south Indian flavours. Tea lovers can indulge in fragrant cups of Chai and a spell of people-watching from any of the tea stalls dotted around the city. A booming IT industry coupled with a city that seeks to preserve its green and colonial heritage has created a modern and sophisticated metropolis. Recently voted the most liveable city in India, Bangalore makes a great base for travelling southern India.

On arrival in Bangalore: Having cleared immigration, collected your luggage and passed through customs, please make your way towards the exit of the terminal building where you will see a bank of people waiting for you. Amongst them will be Travel Counsellors Representative who will be waiting to greet you with a paging board with your name on.

You will be transferred to your hotel and assisted with check in. (Standard check in time at hotel is 1400 hrs).

Day 2: Bangalore – Mysore

Serving as the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore from 1399 until 1947, the city of Mysore is a rich cultural and historical centre renowned for its beautiful Hindu palaces. Arguably the most captivating of these is the opulent Mysore Palace or Amba Vilas, particularly during the annual Dasara Festival, when every day after sunset it turns incandescent with the light of nearly 100 000 bulbs. In the modern context, Mysore is considered one of India’s cleanest and most efficiently planned cities, and has earned a reputation for its high quality sandalwood and silk.

After breakfast, take an orientation tour of Bangalore and then proceed to Mysore (Approx. 150 kms / 04 hours drive). Arrive Mysore and check in at the hotel.

Bull Temple

Located in Bangalore, India, Bull Temple, also known as Nandi Temple is a religious shrine famous for its colossal image of a bull. Built in 1537 by Kempe Gowda, Bull Temple is primarily used for the worship of the sacred bull or Basava in Hinduism, Lord Shiva’s vahana.

Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace

The intricately carved arches of the Tipu Sultan Fort have been built as per the Islamic style. Another major attraction of the fort is the well-preserved Ganapati temple situated inside it. Within the fort lies Tipu Sultan palace, which dates back to year 1790. Built entirely of teakwood, the palace was constructed as the summer residence of Tipu Sultan. The two-storied palace stands adorned with pillars, arches and balconies.

Day 3: In Mysore

After breakfast enjoy half day sightseeing tour of Mysore.

Mysore Palace

Welcome to the Royal Splendour of Mysuru, the home of the Wodyers who ruled Mysuru for more than 500 years, known as the City of Palaces, Mysuru retains a quaint charm, that never fails to enchant. Mysuru is a popular tourist destination, offering several attractions ranging from the royal splendour of Mysuru City and its fabulous Dasara Festival to exquisite temples, pilgrimage centres and scenic spots. The royal lineage can be traced back to 1399, when Yaduraya, a royal prince of the Yadava dynasty, was on a pilgrimage visit to Chamundi Temple with his brother Vijaya,. They took shelter in the Kodi Bhairava temple on the banks of Doddakere, the ‘Big Lake’. There they came to learn that the local royal family was in great danger. Their ruler had just died, and Maranayaka, a neighbouring chief, was threatening the queen. He wanted her daughter’s hand in marriage. The queen and the princess were in very vulnerable position. With the help of Jangama (Wadiyar) killed Maranayaka and married the daughter of Chamaraja and succeeded to the Mysuru principality. And so the Wodyer dynasty was established – a succession of 25 kings who ruled until 1947, when Mysuru became part of the Indian Union. The Wadiyars were great patrons of the arts, and the finest craftsmen in the state were employed to work on the Palaces. Wadiyar period was a new era of prose literature as an independent literary medium and it was in other words a prose writing in the form of the history of the Mysuru rulers. Chamaraja Wadiyar encouraged Kannada scholars like Ramachandra, author of Hayasaara Samuchchaya.

Chamundeshwari Temple

The Chamundeshwari Temple is located on the top of Chamundi Hills about 13 km from the palace city of Mysore in the state of Karnataka in India. The temple was named after Chamundeshwari or Durga, the fierce form of Shakti, a tutelary deity held in reverence for centuries by Mysore Maharajas.
Chamundi Hill is named after Goddess Chamundi who is believed to be the incarnation of Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. A large number of devotees from all over the country and even abroad visit the temple every year. Pilgrims strongly believe that the Goddess helps them to fulfill their needs. Standing as the crown jewel of Mysore, Chamundi Hills is the abode of all powerful Goddess, Chamundi or Chamundeswari. A motorable road, besides a flight of 1,000 steps, take the visitors to its top, where stands the beautiful tall Gopuram of the temple, one of the best examples of the Dravidian school of architecture. The hill rises to a height of 3,489 feet. Half-way to it, near the steps and the road, there is a beautiful 16-foot monolith statue of Nandi, carved in granite, black because of regular anointing with oil and other sacred waters. The beautiful carved statue was a gift by the Maharaja, Dodda Devaraja Wodeyar in 1659.

Brindavan Gardens

The Brindavan Gardens, primarily a terrace garden is laid out immediately behind the Krishnaraja Sagar dam site. The Department of Horticulture in 1927 started the work of laying out this garden, then called the Krishnarajendra Terrace Garden. Today, the garden extends over an area of 60 acres and it is laid out in the three terraces, which ends in a horseshoe shape. The slopes are planted with colourful Bougainvilleas and ornamental plants. This garden is a public park and it is one of the important tourist spots of India. The garden is enriched with innumerable fountains decorated with coloured lighting. The illuminated running waters and fountains with changing colours of lights is an event that the tourists can look forward to in the evenings. The garden has many open spaces, lawns, illuminated flower beds and ornamental plants. It also has well laid out roads and pathways. The Brindavan Gardens is the best-illuminated terrace garden in India. The boating pond in the midst of the garden is a location where the visitors can enjoy a boat ride. The whole garden when illuminated is an enchanting site to see.

Day 4: Mysore – Wayanad

Resting on the lush green slopes of the Western Ghats, Wayanad is the most sparsely populated region of India’s Kerala state. This spectacularly scenic area is ideal for trekking and is characterised by towering, mist-cloaked mountains, serene fresh water lakes, dense emerald green forests, breathtaking waterfalls, and paddy fields as far as the eye can see. Wayanad features a number of luxury resorts and elegant eco-hideaways where visitors can base themselves while exploring the many attractions on offer. Chief among these is the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary which was established in 1973 and is now an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. This sanctuary is one of the best place in India to spot Elephant in the wild as well as a number of other large mammals such as Indian bison, deer and tiger.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be driven to Wayanad (Approx. 130 kms / 03 hours drive). Arrive Wayanad and check in at the hotel.

Day 5: In Wayanad

After breakfast, you will proceed for your Shared Jeep ride at Wildlife Sanctuary [Subject to availability] Muthanga. Later visit Edakkal Caves.

Edakkal Caves

Located at about 1200 ft above the sea level, the Edakkal Caves are among the oldest human settlements ever discovered. Inside the caves are pictorial drawings and engravings that indicate the presence of ancient human settlements in the region. Despite their name, the Edakkal Caves are not actually caves. They are part of a prehistoric rock shelter, formed naturally when one huge boulder got wedged between two bigger ones. The name Edakkal itself means “a stone in between”. The Edakkal cave paintings are remarkable in their sheer scale and complexity, but their origins are shrouded in mystery. Ever since their discovery in 1895, they have been a source of awe and wonder for tourists and historians alike.

Day 6: In Wayanad

Breakfast at the hotel. And opportunity to do the visits / activities offered by the resort.

Day 7: Wayanad – Thalassery

After breakfast you will be driven to Thalassery. [Approx. 100 kms / 03 hours drive). Arrive Thalassery and check in at the hotel.

Day 8: In Thalassery

Morning after breakfast, leave with the host to the local market. Visit the spice, vegetable, Fish market, buy the fresh produce and return to the home for a hand on experience with the host to make your choice of meal for lunch.

Become a Malabar Cuisine expert before you leave! At Ayisha Manzil, the guests may eat and try to prepare the real authentic tastes of Muslim Malabar Food.

Mrs. Faiza Moosa, the hostess conducts cooking classes to add up the entertainment to the guests. As a part of the baggage, there is always the booklet of recipes given to the guests by this master cook. No Kerala meal is complete without the spicy Biryani accompanied by Chutneys and Pickles. It is made of rice, chicken or beef and spices, which is a popular dish in Kerala. The other recipes at this place which are sure to leave your taste buds longing for more, are, pathiri, neypathil, petipathiri, muttamala, alisas, unnakai, erachipathil and of course, the yummy taste of fresh seafood recipes. The mussels, fishes and prawns are marinated and fried to give a whole new taste to the seafood.

Day 9: Thalassery – Cochin

Also known as Cochin, Kochi is a city in southwest India’s coastal Kerala state. This attractive city has served as a popular port for over 600 years and is known for its eclectic architecture and its array of religious monuments, museums, galleries, cafes and antique shops. The city stretches across a number of peninsulas and islands, which can be reached by a network of water taxis and bridges. The majority of Kochi’s visitor highlights can be found on the peninsula of Fort Kochi. These highlights include the St Francis Church, the oldest European-built church in India; and Mattancherry Palace, which dates back to 1557 and contains some exceptional Kerala murals and temple art. Other must-see attractions include the Kerala Folklore Museum, displaying more than 4,000 cultural and ethnic artifacts; the 16th-century Jewish Synagogue; and the local market, where the air is filled with the aroma of exotic spices.

Leave Thalaseery to Ernakulam by train on arrival check-in at the hotel.

Day 10: In Cochin

A day to explore the city visiting Fort Kochi, Chinese fishing nets, the Jewish Synagogue, Dutch Palace and witness a Kathakli dance performance at a local theatre in the evening.

Fort Kochi

Fort Kochi takes its name from a long-gone fort which was built during its occupation by the Portuguese. The Portuguese were followed by the Dutch, who left their own legacy, and hot on their heels came the British with their own unique ways. Independent now for many years, Fort Kochi remains a colourful melting pot of diversity, retaining its colourful history in its architecture and culture.

Jewish Synagogue (Closed on Friday afternoon and Saturdays)

This synagogue was built in 1568 by the Malabar Yehudans or Cochin Jewish community. It was built close to the Mattancherry Palace Temple on the land gifted by King Rama Varma, a former ruler of Kochi. The Mattancherry Palace Temple and the Mattancherry synagogue share a common wall. This synagogue is the oldest one in the Commonwealth of Nations.

As one approaches the synagogue on Jew Street, its white facade begins to appear very prominently. A clock tower can also be seen, towering over and close to the facade. This was built in 1760 by Ezekiel Rahabi an affluent Jewish businessman. Of the four faces of the clock, the one facing the maharaja’s palace showed the time in Malayalam. And among the other three, the face with etchings in Roman numerals was meant for the traders. Of the remaining two faces of the clock, one had writings in Hebrew while the other remains blank.

Stepping inside the Synagogue, one’s eyes would easily go to the glass chandeliers and blue willow-patterned Chinese floor tiles. The chandeliers are of Belgian origin. Also of interest are the Scrolls of the Law housed here and the several gold crowns received as gifts and the brass-railed pulpit. And for some exclusive pieces from history, the synagogue also houses the copper plates of privileges given to Joseph Rabban, the earliest known Cochin Jew, dating from the 10th century, written in Tamil, by the ruler of the Malabar Coast.

Kathakali

Kathakali is a highly stylized classical kerala dance performance noted for its attractive make-up of characters, their elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion.

Kathakali is said to have evolved from other performing arts like Kootiyattam (a classical Sanskrit drama existing in Kerala), Krishnanattam and Kalarippayattu. Kathakali explicates ideas and stories from the Indian epics and Puranas.

Day 11: Cochin – Alleppey

Located in the Indian state of Kerala, the bustling city of Alappuzha, also known as Alleppey, is set along the coast of the Laccadive Sea. Dubbed the ‘Venice of the East’, it is renowned for its houseboat cruises which float along the tranquil backwater canals of Kerala. It is said to be one of the most popular tourist centres in the state. While cruising the palm-shaded canals is the main attraction, visitors can also enjoy visiting Alappuzha’s beautiful beaches, exploring the little riverside villages dotting the lush countryside and discovering an array of resplendent temples. Don’t miss the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race held at Punnamada Lake.

After breakfast you will be driven to Allepey. (approx 70 kms/ 02 hours drive). On arrival board the Houseboat by 12:30 Hrs. for a cruise over the backwaters of Kerala.

Cruise is followed by lunch at houseboat. These houseboats or Kettuvallam as they are traditionally called were at one time the mode of transportation for man and goods. Today, these are made to cater to the discerning guests who can lay back and enjoy the gentle cruise. Cruise the backwaters from the main Vembanad Lake through the small estuaries that link small villages to the mainland. Today, these are refurbished and all modern conveniences have been added for tourists who visit this beautiful water locked region of the country.