Depart home bound for India

Depart your home city today on an overnight international flight to Bangalore, India, also known as Bengaluru. The Bangalore International Airport has the three-letter code: BLR. Use this code when researching flights from your home city. At the end of the tour you will be returning home from Mumbai, whose airport code is BOM. International flights typically arrive in India late at night the day after you leave. Tour services begin in Bangalore with overnight accommodations on October 16. (Meals Aloft)

Arrive in Bangalore

Bangalore is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. With a population of 8.5 million people, it is India’s third most-populous city. Plan to arrive in Bangalore any time today. Touring does not commence until tomorrow, but your hotel room will be available for check-in any time after 3pm today. You will be personally greeted at the International Airport, presented with a fresh flower garland, and transferred to our hotel. Our tour includes only a brief panoramic overview of Bangalore. We encourage you to plan to arrive a day early if you wish to explore more of the city, or simply rest and recover from jet-lag. (Meals Aloft)

Bangalore Overview / Transfer to Mysore

We take a morning sightseeing tour to give us a brief overview of Bangalore. After an early lunch, we drive to Mysore. Enroute we visit Srirangapatnam (16 km/ 10 miles from Mysore), an island fortress in the Cauvery River. Inside the Fort are a Mosque and the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, a popular Hindu pilgrimage site. Images of Vishnu are on pillars, ceilings and domes represented by the 7-headed serpent after whom the island and oldest structure are named. Time permitting, we will also visit Tippu’s summer palace, (Daria Daulat Bagh), built in 1784, which is now a museum. Celebrate the beginning of our adventure with a Welcome Dinner tonight. (All Meals)

Mysore Sightseeing

Mysore is a magnificent Royal city and site of the Goddess Chamundeswari Temple and the Sacred Chamundi Hill with its Palaces built by Tippu Sultan. Take a morning excursion to Chamudi Hill, stopping first to see the famous Nandi (Shiva’s bull) carved from solid rock nearly 17 feet high. Visit Sri Chamundeswari Temple, a huge structure with a seven-story Gopuram (tower) 131 feet high. Afterwards, visit Mysore Palace, a beautiful Indo-Saracenic Palace built in 1911-12 at a cost of 4.2 million rupees to replace the former Palace destroyed by fire. In the afternoon, drive to the village of Somnathapur to visit the intricately carved star-shaped Prasanna Channakeshara Temple. In the evening we attend a cultural performance. Off in the distance, the majestic Mysore Palace is illuminated by nearly 100,000 lights. (All Meals)

Vijayadashami Day

After breakfast we proceed to Maharaja Palace to be seated to witness Dasara Pooja and the procession at Maharaja Palace. A major Hindi festival, Vijayadasami celebrations include processions to a river or ocean front that carry clay statues of Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya, accompanied by music and chants, after which the images are immersed into the water for dissolution and a goodbye. Elsewhere, the towering effigies of Ravana symbolizing the evil is burnt with fireworks marking evil's destruction. This evening we attend rehearsal of the Torch Light Parade at Bannimantap before returning to our hotel in Mysore. (All Meals)

Nagarhole Wildlife Sanctuary

This morning depart to Nagarhole National Park. Officially known as the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, it is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India's largest stretch of protected forest, an area which includes several neighboring sanctuaries as well. The Nagarhole ecosystem supports the highest density of herbivores anywhere in Asia with around 108 animals per square kilometer. In addition to large herbivores such as the Chital, Sambar, Gaur, Asian Elephant and more, Nagarhole also boasts many predators including the Tiger, Leopard and Wild dog. On arrival check into the hotel and have lunch. After lunch embark on a jeep safari through the jungle. (All Meals)

Safari at Nagarhole

Early morning guided nature hike on a bird-watching trail. Return to our lodge for breakfast. After breakfast visit the village of Kadu Kurubas. Return for lunch followed by free time for enjoying resort facilities. In late afternoon, embark on a boat safari in Nagarhole National Park. Our evening entertainment will be a tribal dance and wildlife documentary film, followed by dinner. (All Meals)

Sravanabelagola / Hassan

After an early breakfast, we travel to Sravanabelagola. It is one of the oldest and most important Jain Pilgrimage Centers in India, the site of the huge 50-ft. naked statue of Bahubali (Gomateshvara), said to be the world’s largest monolithic statue. One must climb 620 steps up hill to the statue. In the afternoon visit Belur and Halebid Temple Complexes, dating from the 12th to 14th century. Built by the Hoysala kings, the temples are the best examples of what remains of one of the most artistically exuberant periods of Hindu Cultural development. The wealth of sculptural details found on the exterior and interior of these temples makes them the most outstanding example of Hoysala sculptural art. We arrive in Hassan by late afternoon for an overnight stay. (All Meals)

Chitradurga / Tumkur / Hiriyur / Hampi

Today will be a long travel day, beginning with a stop at Chitradurga Fort, which lies at the foot of granite hills. Originally a mud fort and then one built of stone, the Tipu Sultan later had a palace, mosque and granaries built here. Enjoy lunch at Iswarya Fort in Chitradurga and then continue to Tumkur, an important market town. A few miles north is the small Dravidian-style Kaidala Keshava Temple which contains striking stone images. In the town of Hiriyur, built along the bank of the river Vedavati, the Teru-Malleshwara Temple has a 14-meter-high lamp pillar that holds enough oil for the lamp to be relit only once a year. Our final stop for the day is our hotel in Hampi. (All Meals)

Hampi

After breakfast, explore the ancient art and architecture of Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site showcasing the ruins of the medieval Vijaynagar Empire. Bounded by the torrential Tungabhadra River on one side and surrounded by defensible hills on the other three sides, the site is historically and architecturally significant. We need a whole day to visit the stunning collection of temples, palaces and markets of Hampi. (All Meals)

Aihole / Pattadakal / Badami

This morning drive to Aihole, the first Chalukyan capital and home to monuments dating back to the 5th century. It is regarded as the cradle of Hindu temple architecture. In an area called Morera Angadigalu, excavations have unearthed many prehistoric temples and pottery pieces. Pattadkal is the second capital of the Chalukyan kings between 7th and 8th century and the city where the kings were crowned. Most of the temples cluster at the foot of the hill and displaying a merging of Northern and Southern Indian architectural traditions. We arrive at Badami in the evening. (All Meals)

Badami

Set in beautiful countryside amongst red sandstone hills, lakes and peaceful farmlands, the small rural village of Badami has four temples cut into the hillside in the early 6th century. Each cave has various sculptures inside. Other temples of note which we visit include the Buddhist temple near the ancient artificial Bhuthanatha Lake, the 7th century Mallegitti Sivalaya Temple, and the North Fort Temples whose 7th century carvings give an insight into Badami history. (All Meals)

Drive to Goa

Today we drive to Goa, known as "Pearl of the Orient". The state of Goa is located on the western coast of India in the coastal belt known as Konkan. The magnificent scenic beauty and the architectural splendors of its temples, churches and old houses have made this a popular destination for tourists. Upon arrival we check in to our hotel and the rest of the day is free. (Breakfast / Lunch)

Free Day in Goa

There are no planned activities today. You have an entire day to enjoy the amenities of our hotel, explore the city on your own, spend time relaxing on the beach, go shopping, or find a fine dining restaurant for this evening’s dinner. Overnight in Goa. (Breakfast)

Old Goa

Drive to Old Goa, and see the beautiful Basilica of Bom Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a fine example of baroque architecture. Next, visit several important churches and Sri Mangueas Temple, the most important of all temples in the area. Afterwards we visit a tropical spice plantation located in a nearby village, where we enjoy a lunch in the traditional Goan style. Later visit Ancestral Goa, an open-air museum recreating rural life here as it had existed in the days of yore. Culminate the day at Miramar Beach, where the Mandovi River meets the Arabian Sea, a point that offers the best location to watch the sunset. After toasting our final full day together, we celebrate our adventures at a farewell dinner. (All Meals)

Fly to Mumbai / Departure

Transfer to the airport for our afternoon flight AI-660, departing at 3:00pm and arriving in Mumbai at 4:10pm. On arrival transfer to The Lalit Hotel nearby, where we have the use of day rooms to wash, change and rest until 9:00 pm. At that time the hotel shuttle transfers us back to the International Airport for return flights home. Let us know if you wish to extend your stay at The Lalit for a full night, with check-out tomorrow morning. (Breakfast)

OPTIONAL EXTENSION TO MUMBAI

Fly to Mumbai

Fly with the group to Mumbai, saying farewell at the airport to those who are returning home before continuing to our beautiful hotel in the city. After check-in, the evening is free. (Breakfast)

Mumbai Sightseeing

After breakfast we start our tour by visiting Mumbai's most famous monument: The Gateway of India, built as a triumphal arch to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay in 1911. Continue to the Prince of Wales Museum. This Gothic and Moorish style building is crowned by a sparkling white dome and houses a priceless collection of art, sculpture, china and other antiques. Drive past old colonial buildings like Victoria Terminus (undoubtedly the British Raj's piece de resistance, featuring carved stone friezes, stained glass windows and flying buttresses), Mumbai University and Rajabai Clock Tower. Proceed down Marine Drive, South Mumbai’s windswept promenade, flanked by the sea and a row of art deco buildings. Our panoramic tour also features Chowpaty Beach, the Parsi Towers of Silence and Malabar Hill.

After lunch, participate in a truly memorable encounter: a tour of the Dharavi slum. Around 60% of the citizens of Mumbai live in slums. Dharavi, with a population of at least half a million, probably has become the most famous of them, especially after the success of the movie “Slumdog Millionaire.” Our walking tour begins in the commercial area, where waste recycling is a big business. The residents scavenge materials from all over the city and bring them to the little workshops here to clean, process and recycle them. Climbing to a rooftop right in the center of the settlement, we can appreciate the vast dimensions of the place and the number of people working and living here. After the tour we return to the hotel where we have the use of our rooms to wash, change and rest until 9:00 pm. At that time, we transfer to the International Airport for return flights home. Let us know if you wish to extend your stay for a full night, with check-out tomorrow morning. (Breakfast)