Mountain Serenity: Finding Peace Amidst Alpine Majesty

Reviews 17
Trip Length 28 Days/ 27 Nights
Travel Type Private Trip
Start Point New Delhi
End Point Chennai
Travel Theme Culture

Culture of North and South India

After a full-day sightseeing tour of Old and Delhi, drive to Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan and popular as the 'Pink City'. Explore the attractions of the Rajput era, and then drive to the village of Mandawa to view stunning havelis (mansions) and fresco paintings. Visit the 'Land of Camels' – Bikaner. See the Mehrangarh Fort and the Jaswant Thada in Jodhpur. Make a visit to the Jain Temples of Ranakpur before reaching Udaipur, the 'City of Lakes'. Fly to Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka, to view colourful gardens, palaces and temples. Explore Hassan, Belur and Halebid, famous archaeological sites. Visit Mysore and Ooty before stepping into the state of Kerala where you'll visit places like Alleppey and Periyar. Drive to Madurai to view popular temples of southern India. Visit Pondicherry, Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram before getting to Chennai for more sightseeing.

Tour Itinerary

Day 01: Arrive - Delhi

Arrive at Delhi International Airport. On arrival our representative shall meet and assist you to the hotel. Morning will be free to relax after a long flight. Overnight stay will be at the hotel in Delhi.

Included meals : no meal included
Places to Visit : no tour activity

Day 02- Delhi sightseeing

After breakfast, we proceed for city tour of New Delhi the modern and spacious parts of Delhi visiting Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb, India Gate. Drive past through The Presidents House, The Parliament House & Connaught Place shopping centre of New Delhi. Head for sightseeing tour of Old Delhi, enjoy a drive pass through the dramatic Red Fort built by the Great Mughal emperor Shahjahan in1638-48 AD, visit the stunning Jama Masjid - the largest mosque in India constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan between 1644- 56 AD. You can also do some old flavored shopping from here from the colorful market Chandni Chowk one of the main shopping centres of Delhi. Overnight stay at Delhi.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit : Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb

Day 03: Delhi – Jaipur

After breakfast drive towards Jaipur the capital city of Royal Rajasthan Upon arrival check-in at pre booked your Hotel and overnight stay at Jaipur

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :no sightseeing

Day 04: Jaipur

After breakfast, visit the Amber Fort which is a magnificent fort with beautiful palaces, complexes, halls, pavilions and Gardens at Amber fort. Enjoy the climb to the Amber Fort on the elephant's back. Explore the fort, and later proceed for sightseeing of Pink city, visit the Hawa Mahal the pyramid shaped monument with 953 small windows that allowed the women of royal families to watch the outside world - without being seen. Also visit the heritage City Palace complex, it houses an imposing collection of Rajasthani art Jewellery, enamelware, carpets, tremendous range of miniature paintings, armoury and thousands of ancient manuscripts which were handwritten and preserved from the royal family's private collections and Jantar Mantar observatory In the evening Gala Dinner with Rajasthani folk dance and songs. Overnight stay at hotel.

Included meals : Breakfast & Dinner
Places to Visit :Amer Fort, Hawa Mahal, City Palace and Jantra Mantra

Day 05: Jaipur – Mandawa

Early morning drive towards Mandawalies in the Shekhawati region and is usually used as a base by travellers to this region. The small town is dotted with numerous beautiful haveli's (residences of past royals) that are painted lavishly. View the stunning haveli's that are frescoed wonderfully making Mandawa an "open art gallery". Some of the most visits are Hanuman Prasad Goenka Haveli, Goenka Double Haveli, Murmuria Haveli, Jhunjhunwala Haveli, Mohan Lal Saraf Haveli and Gulab Rai Ladia Haveli. Overnight stay at hotel.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :Frescos and Havelis

Day 06: Mandawa – Bikaner

After breakfast, we drive towards Bikaner also called as the Camel Country. It was founded by Bika who was one of the fourteen sons of Rao Jodha. The city preserves the medieval aura and pervades the lifestyle here. Later in the afternoon visit the Junagarh fort, Lalgarh Fort, havelies the main attraction of this town. Overnight stay at Bikaner.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit : Junagarh fort, Lalgarh Fort and havelies

Day 07: Bikaner – Jodhpur

Morning we will check out from the hotel and visit to the camel breading farms. Later drive to Jodhpur. On arrival, check into your hotel. In the afternoon visit the imposing Mehrangarh Fort built in 15th century standing on low range of sandstone hills. Later visit Jaswant Thada. Overnight stay at Jodhpur.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit : Camel breading farms, Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada

Day 08: Jodhpur – Ranakpur – Udaipur

Today before driving to Udaipur, we will visit the Umaid Bhawan Palace one of the most luxurious hotel in India, a part of which is converted into museum and open for public, see the antiques, crockery, clocks and vintage car collection. From here, we will drive to Udaipur. Enroute visiting to famous Ranakpur Jain Temples devoted to Jains. These temples are built with white marble with the series of 29 halls having 1444 pillars with intricate carving and the unique feature is that no two pillars are alike. The main temple is "Chaumukha Temple" dedicated to lord Adinath. Continue our drive to Udaipur and check into your hotel. Evening is at leisure to enjoy the city near Lake Pichola.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit : Umaid Bhawan Palace

Day 09: Udaipur

Udaipur sightseeing takes you to the imposing City Palace situated on the banks of Lake Pichola is the most visited site of Udaipur. An assortment of palaces, courtyards, balconies, pavilions and towers makes this one of the most distinguished Palace of Rajasthan. Next we move towards Jagdish Temple is a fantastic carved Indo – Aryan temple. Saheliyon-ki-Bari is a small and splendid garden that was laid out for 48 women attendants who came as princess dowry. It consists of several fountains and marble elephants. A small and private museum that exhibits tribal jewellery, paintings and musical instruments is Bhartiya Lok Kala Museum. Other sites include Bagore-ki-Haveli, Fateh Sagar, Vintage & Classic Car Collection and the Sunset Point is worth a visit places. Later in the evening enjoy the boat ride at Lake Pichola and wander around the city on own. Overnight stay is in Udaipur.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :City Palace, Saheliyon-ki-Bari and Bhartiya Lok Kala Museum

Day 10:Udaipur – Bangalore

Today we will fly to Bangalore. The city is decorated with beautifully laid out gardens all over. On arrival our representative shall meet and assist you to the hotel. Evening is free at leisure and overnight stay is in Bengaluru.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit : No sightseeing

Day 11 : Bangalore

To Day we take you around the Bengaluru city which has modern structures, historical monuments and some great high end shopping arcades. The city is known for its colourful gardens that add to the beauty of it, we take you to one of the most popular gardens here - Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens it is a pleasure to see some of the beautiful & colourful variety of flowers that have been brought in from Persia, Afghanistan and France. The Tipu Sultan Palace located in Bangalore's hustling and bustling market area is notable for its teak pillars and ornamental frescos. It is not one of the well maintained palaces of the country but can be paid a visit when in the city. The Bangalore Palace which is still the private residence of the Wodeyar family is a must see. This palace shows the well preserved style of the bygone era royal lifestyle, it resembles the Windsor Castle in its architectural style. The other attractions you visit today include Bull Temple, Iskcon Temple and Cubbon Park. Overnight stay is in Bengaluru.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit : Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens, Tipu Sultan Palace, Bangalore Palace, Cubbon Park

Day 12 : Bangalore– Hassan

Today we will drive to Hassan, which acts as the entry point to explore the archeological sites of Halebid and Belur. On reaching Hassan, check into your hotel and spend the evening at lesirue.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :no sightseeing

Day 13: Hassan- Belur – Helebid – Hassan

Today after breakfast, we will proceed to the excursion of Belur and Helebid. Firstly stop at Halebid, founded in early 11th century this town has served as capital to the Hoysala Empire once in ancient times. The main attraction here is the "Hoysaleswara Temple" dedicated to Lord Shiva and dates back to 1121 and is a masterpiece of Hoysala architecture with marvelous carvings covering the walls that include Hindi deities, sages, stylized animals and friezes depicting the life of the Hoysala rulers.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :Belur and Helebid

Day 14: Hassan – Mysore

After morning breakfast proceed towards the historic headquarters of the Wodeyar Maharajas of "Mysore", the city with rich legacy. This charming little city has an old flavour in it which makes it a quite enchanting place with bustling markets, magnificent monuments and friendly people. The buildings and temples are proof of the preservation of its heritage and have given the epithet "City of Palaces" to Mysore. On arrival check in at the hotel and by evening we take drive a few kilometers (approx 20kms) to "Brindavan Gardens". It is one of the best laid out gardens of the state with symmetric designs, fountains, lamps, lawns and shrubs. The best time to visit it is after the sunset when the entire garden gets illuminated with colourful lamps and dancing fountains. It is a nice place to spend some leisurely time in the evening. Drive back to Mysore for overnight stay.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :Brindavan Gardens

Day 15: Mysore – Ooty

Today we will proceed for the sightseeing of Mysore visiting the most significant monument of this city-the Mysore Palace which was the former seat of the Wodeyar maharaja. This three storyed palace situated in the heart of the city attracts many tourists from all over. The second and another important tourist site of Mysore is the "Chamundi Hills Temple", atop the hill at 3000ft stands the "Chamundeshwari Temple" which can be easily reached by a motorable road. And an alternate & adventurous option is the flight of 1000 steps that lead to the temple which was constructed by Maharaja Dodda Devaraja in 1659. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Chamundeshwari or Durga, is a powerful form of shakti. After sightseeing, we will drive to Ooty, and check into your resort.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :Mysore Palace

Day 16: Ooty

Ooty is another popular hill resorts of India located in the Nilgiri Hills and is visited by loads of tourists both Indians and foreigners, as it serve as a good escape from the sweltering heat of the city. The beauty of this little town with green hills, cascading waterfalls, and sparkling brooks adds to the charm of the place. Visit the Botanical Gardens, St. Stephens Church, and enjoy the evening at leisure while enjoying the lovely weather.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit : sightseeing

Day 17: Ooty – Cochin

Today we will drive to Cochin, which is the most fascinating, as we will enjoy the beautiful scenic beauties and enter into the Kerala's city – Cochin. Spend rest of the evening at leisure at the resort or enjoy the leisure walks.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :no sightseeing

Day 18: Cochin – Alleppey

Post breakfast we take a half Day sightseeing tour of Kochi, this place has number of tourist places to visit and we start with Fort Cochin which includes Chinese Fishing Nets which are huge in sizes and a unique fishing device. The St. Francis Church which is the oldest European built church is a prominent site visited. Closely located is the Dutch Cemetery which is normally locked but one can view it from outside. Santa Cruz Basilica and Indo Portuguese Museum will be the last sites to be seen in Fort Cochin and from here we move to the Mattancherry Palace which is one of the attractions of Kochi, the magnificently preserved Hindu murals depicting scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharata in detail is the star attraction of this palace. Following sightseeing, we will drive to Alleppey, where we will board our one bed room houseboat, it shall take you around the interlinked lakes and canals the gives a chance to watch the backwater village life closely as you pass them. The Vembanad Lake is home to several types of marine life exclusively the Karimeen (Pearl Spotted Fish), Chemeen (Prawns) & Konju (Tiger Prawns). The houseboat cruise shall take you to Alleppey. Overnight stay is on Houseboat.

Included meals : Breakfast & dinner
Places to Visit :Fort Cochin, Mattancherry Palace, Chinese Fishing Nets

Day 19: Alleppey – Periyar

Early morning breakfast and we head towards the destination housing one of the finest & fascinating natural wildlife sanctuaries of India - "Thekkady" where we visit the "Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary". On arrival check in the hotel and after little relaxation and freshen up we take a guided spice plantation tour. It is an interesting activity as Thekkady is one of the main regions of spice cultivation in Kerala. You will come across the different spice plants in their various stages of growth, plantations of cardamom, rubber, vanilla and coffee are in plenty here. Evening buy some aromatic spices from the Thekkady's local market that make for a good buy. Overnight stay is in Thekkady.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :Spice Plantations

Day 20: Periyar

Today at sunrise we shall visit the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary which offers a unique opportunity to view the wildlife at close range through its boat cruise on the artificial lake here. The sanctuary is spread in an area of 777sq km, with a vast and varied collection of rich flora and fauna. There are many wild animals and various species of birds to be spotted here. The main attractions are the population of elephants that numbers over 1000 and around 46 tigers, apart from these you can watch bison, sambar, antelopes, wild boar, Nilgiri Langur etc.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Day 21: Periyar – Madurai

Following a leisurely breakfast, we will drive to Madurai. Madurai one of the best places to see South Indian temples, it is also an important cultural and commercial centre of Tamil Nadu in early 550AD. On arrival check in at the hotel. Spend rest of the day while enjoying the leisure walks in the city. Overnight stay is in Madurai.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :no sightseeing

Day 22: Madurai – Pondicherry

Attracting tourists from all over the world, Madurai has some glorious temples in it and the most famed and renowned one is Sri Meenakshi Temple. Standing in the centre of the city this temple is one of its kinds in India, and fascinated every visitor with its magnificent sculptures and carvings. One of the most striking feature of this temple is the Ayiramkaal Mandapam" or the Hall of Thousand Pillars. The pillars in this hall are skilfully sculpted with figures of gods, goddess and mythical animals displaying great Indian temple artifacts. Located close by the temple is Thirumalai Nayak Palace which was built in 1523 by Thirumalai Nayak. The Indo-Saracenic style of architecture is used marvellously in the palace. One of the striking parts of the palace that attracts people is the Swarga vilasam or the audience hall with a 70ft high dome. Next visit the Gandhi Museum and Mariamaman Teppakkulam Tank. Following sightseeing, we will drive to Pondicherry. On arrival in Pondicherry and check into your hotel

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :Gandhi Museum, Mariamaman Teppakkulam Tank.

Day 23: Pondicherry

From the town of temples we drive today to Puducherry that offers a welcome break from the fast life of big cities. Earlier called as Pondicherry and popularly referred as Pondy, this Union Territory of India is located on the east coast of Tamil Nadu retains a distinct Gallic flavour and is known for its display of French culture in India.. Visit the Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus, Church of our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and Eglise de Norte Dame Des Lourdes. If you like yoga and meditation pay a visit to one of the prime attractions of the town – Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Evening stroll on the beach Road, a long stretch of road with the Bay of Bengal on one side and various restaurants on the other serving great French cuisine. Overnight stay is in Puducherry.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :Sri Aurobindo Ashram

Day 24: Pondicherry – Mahabalipuram

The destination with archaeological wonders – Mahabalipuram also known as Mamallapuram, it is a tiny village with laid back atmosphere. Mahabalipuram is surrounded with some excellent interesting sites that are explored by every traveller who comes in this region. The temple and structures here are mostly rock cut & monolithic those are mostly built in 7th and 9th century in Dravidian architecture style and are today recognized as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town is renowned for temples such as Shore Temple, Five Ratha's and Arjuna's Penance. Overlooking the sea Shore Temples are unique and one of the finest sights in the country. There are two rock cut shrines one is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and the other to Lord Shiva. The "Five Rathas" (Chariot Temples) are full sized models of various kinds of temples named after the five Pandava princes and dedicated to Hindu god. And the Arjuna's Penance also known as a "Descent of the Ganges or Bhagirath's Penance" is considered to be the world's largest bas – relief and finest rock carvings in India.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :Shore Temple, Five Ratha's and Arjuna's Penance

Day 25: Mahabalipuram - Kanchipuram – Mahabalipuram

We drive towards another city of temples – Kanchipuram. It is one of the seven holy cities of Hindu's in the country. Once house to over 1000 temples, today there are only about 126 temples here. The most famous Shiva temple at Kanchi is the "Ekambareswara Temple" which has one of the tallest gopuram (58.5m) high in India. The "Kailasnatha Temple" is the oldest structure in Kanchipuram built by Rajasimha of the Pallava dynasty during the 8th century. And the last temple worth visiting in Kanchi is the "Varadarajaswamy Temple" situated atop Hastigiri or Elephant Hill. Ornamental rings carved out of single stone at the four corners of the mandapam are a delightful spectacle. Famous for silk sarees, it is a must but from this town.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :temple visits

Day 26: Mahabalipuram – Chennai

After breakfast, we will proceed toward Chennai known for beaches, parks and various ancient structures. On arrival at Chennai, we will check into our hotel. Evening is to spend the leisure time at Marina beach.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :No sightseeing

Day 27: Chennai

Today we shall take you on the sightseeing tour of Chennai; there are quite a number of options to see here. Firstly visit the Fort St. George built in 1654 and remodelled in 1749, it is a well maintained colonial mansion that looks like a complex. Close by the Fort Museum is a treasure trove of colonial memorabilia. The St. Mary's Church is the oldest Anglican Church in India built between 1678 and 1680 is a beautiful church to be visited. The Government Museum is one of the finest in India and has as many as 30000 exhibits from different fields and National Art Gallery built in Neo Mughal style has on display bronze artifacts from the 10th to the 13th century and Rajasthan and Mughal paintings belonging to 16th and 17th century. The temples of Chennai such as Sri Parthasarathy Temple and Kapaleswar Temple are ancient monuments in the city and beautiful architectural pieces to visit.

Included meals : Breakfast
Places to Visit :Fort Museum, Fort St. George, Government Museum, National Art Gallery