| Cost From: | $7495 |
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| Length: | 17 days |
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| Activity: | Walking, Archaeology, Cultural Adventures |
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| Difficulty: |
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An extremely well thought out and well executed itinerary and the best Trip Leader I’ve ever had.W. Naftael—Long Beach CA
Experience the fascinating way of life of the San people, whose African heritage dates back 30,000 years, and enjoy an amazing safari in the Okavango Delta and Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
Ancient spice ports, wild elephants, temple festivals, lavish maharajas’ palaces, tea plantations, old British hill stations—what a colorful world southern India is! We discover the south’s distinctive flavors as we roam the narrow lanes of Cochin, port of entry for spice traders on the Malabar Coast, and explore charming Mysore, with its opulent palaces. In enchanting tropical Kerala, we travel by private houseboat on tranquil waterways to watch the pageant of traditional riverside life. In Tamil Nadu, we find ourselves in an outdoor museum of magnificent temple architecture as we discover the ancient city of Madurai, whose landmark Shiva shrine bustles with pilgrims, and the fascinating temple town of Thanjavur, capital of the Chola Kingdom for four centuries.
$7495 (12-16 members)
$7795 (10-11 members)
$8095 (7-9 members)
Single supplement: $1990
Internal Airfare: $390 (subject to change)
Holiday surcharge (Dec. 17, 2009, departure only): $185 per person
Special Holiday departure December 20 – 30, 2010: from $4995
Taj Mahal Extension from: $1925
Prices are for Winter 2009 / 2010 dates, call for 2011 prices
Dec 20-30, 2010 Hashmat Singh
Jan 3-19, 2011 Hashmat Singh
*Dec 20-30, 2010 Special Holiday departure is 11 days, call for details.
Reading list, click here.
Nagarhole National Park is a perfect place to appreciate the range of Indian wildlife, with over a thousand wild elephants plus sloth bears, gaur (bison), monkeys, and crocodiles. Our accommodation is a 19th century hunting lodge once owned by the Maharajas of Mysore.
After a visit to Mysore’s fairytale royal palace, splendidly redolent of royal excess, we drive through an idyllic landscape of rice paddies and coconut palms to Sravanabelgola. Here we climb the pilgrim path to see the imposing statue of Lord Gometeshwara, a Jain saint. In Melkote, a center of traditional Sanskrit learning, we enjoy lunch with a local Ayengar family.
Intriguing Cochin in the green and tropical state of Kerala has a stunning location on islands along the Arabian Sea. Our walks on the lanes of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry reveal the legacies of Cochin’s European past. We also attend a performance of Kathakali, the elaborate dance-drama native to Kerala.
Gliding by private houseboat, we travel through serene waterways between the sea and the hills of Cochin to see the picturesque rural life of Kerala, where people fish from longboats. Next we drive through tea and spice plantations to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary for gameviewing by boat, keeping an eye out for wild elephants and fabulous birdlife.
Madurai is one of the oldest cities in India, set on the River Vaigai. We discover the lively bazaars and the fortress-like Meenakshi temple, breathtakingly baroque and full of worshippers making puja (prayer ceremonies). We also stroll the labyrinthine market full of flowers, incense, and aromatic herbs. In the ancient temple town of Thanjavur, we explore the massive stone temples of the Chola kingdom, exquisitely carved and colonnaded.
In Madras (Chennai), we explore Mammallapuram, a World Heritage Site of extraordinary rock-cut temples by the sea, a legacy of the maritime Pallava Kingdom. Depart in the late evening on Day 17.
This is the Itinerary-at-a-Glance. For the complete trip description, Download Full Trip Brochure
If you would like to extend your adventure, we offer the following option:
Day 1 (1 night), Bangalore, India
For our overnight in Bangalore, this modern hotel in the heart of the city hits the spot and offers all the amenities we expect from a hotel that is ...
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Days 2 to 3 (2 nights), Nagarhole National Park, India
A restored 18th century hunting lodge once owned by the Maharajas of Mysore, the Kabini River Lodge offers simple, low-key comfort and an unbeatable ...
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Days 4 to 6 (3 nights), Mysore, India
The Metropole was built as a royal residence in the 1920s to accommodate the British guests of the Maharaja of Mysore. Just down the road from the ...
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Days 7 to 8 (2 nights), Cochin, India
Set along the harbor on Willingdon Island a few miles from the city, this hotel enjoys great views over the Arabian Sea and toward Cochin’s ...
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Day 9 (1 night), Alleppey, India
The beautiful houseboats of Kerala, called kettuvallams, were once used to transport rice, spices, and other goods to the port of ...
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Day 10 (1 night), Periyar, India
Set in a lush, hilly landscape and named for the wild elephants that roam nearby Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Elephant Court is a peaceful retreat ...
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Days 11 to 23 (13 nights), Madurai, India
This restored colonial home, with its unique hilltop location overlooking the temple city of Madurai, is full of character and charm. Built atop ...
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Days 13 to 14 (2 nights), Thanjavur, India
The Parisutham has an unbeatable location just a five-minute walk to the World Heritage Site of Brihdishwara Temple, the marvelous 11th ...
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Days 15 to 16 (2 nights), Mammallapuram, India
The Taj Fisherman’s Cove is our sunny landing spot at the end our South Indian odyssey. Set outside Chennai but still offering easy access to ...
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If you would like to view the accommodations offered with our extensions option:
Note: Listed above are our signature accommodations for this trip. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
