South India Tour By Train

Upon your arrival in Mumbai, you will be welcomed by a representative who will transfer you to your hotel. Check in your hotel and you are at leisure for the rest of the day. Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is a bustling metropolitan city which is also a finance capital of India. It houses seven beautiful islands such as Colaba, Old Women’s Island, Mazagaon, Parel, Matunga-Sion and Mahim. These islands offer mesmerizing panoramic views and exotic waterfronts.

Mumbai is a fashion epicentre and home to India’s Bollywood Industry. The city attracts many tourists because of its religious hot-spots, sightseeing locations and numerous employment opportunities. You will stay in your hotel for the night after coming back from your travel.

After your healthy breakfast in the morning, buckle up yourself for a sightseeing tour. You will start your Mumbai city tour by visiting Hanging Gardens. Also known as Pherozeshah Mehta gardens, they are located on Malabar Hills and offer sunset views over the Arabian Sea. These terraced gardens feature numerous hedges shaped into animals and a beautiful walkway.

Next on our tour itinerary, you will visit Kamla Nehru Park which is a part of the Hanging Gardens complex. From this lush green garden, you can enjoy an enchanting view of the Chowpatty Beach as well as Marine Drive. You will continue your tour and visit Mani Bhawan which is situated at Laburnum Road. The great Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi once lived in this two-storied Bhawan. It also has a museum, library and research centre which depicts Gandhiji’s life and freedom struggle.

The next thing on your list is Prince of the Wales Museum which houses ancient artifacts, beautiful artworks and sculptures in its galleries. Regular exhibitions are also held in the museum. We will then take you to Gateway of India which is an arch monument which overlooks the Arabian Sea and is a confluence of Indian, Arabic and Western architecture.

After this you will visit Dhobi Ghat which is the world’s largest outdoor laundromat. You will then take a drive through Marine Drive and Flora Fountain. Marine Drive is an arc shaped boulevard which offers mesmerizing sunset views and is perfect for leisurely stroll. Flora Fountain, named after a Roman Goddess of Flowers, is an exquisitely sculpted heritage monument famous for local shopping delights. Then you will drive through Crawford Market where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

After this, you can take an optional tour of Elephanta Caves. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and can be reached by a boat from Gateway of India. The caves are a collection of rock art and 5 caves are dedicated to lord Shiva while the other two are Buddhist caves. In the late evening, you will be transferred to Train station for your Aurangabad night train. You will stay in the night on the boarded train.

Upon your arrival in Aurangabad, you will be met by a representative who will transfer you to your hotel. The city is named after the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and is a hub of many historical monuments and cultural sites. After checking in your hotel, we will help you to visit Ajanta Caves. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and comprises of finest rock sculptures and ancient paintings. The caves include ancient monasteries and worship-halls that showcase India’s culture and art. The ceilings are decorated with scenes from Jataka tales which gives an insight into the life of Lord Buddha. The caves remain closed on Mondays. Post your tour you will head back to the hotel for an overnight stay.

After your early morning breakfast, we will help you to visit another UNESCO World Heritage Site which is the magnificent Ellora Caves. It is a group of 34 caves which includes Buddhist monasteries, Hindu temples and Jain Temples. The caves houses Kailasa Temple which is the largest monolithic structure in the world. They remain closed on Tuesdays.

Post your excursion, you will return to Aurangabad and the rest of your day is at leisure. You are free to explore nearby places in the city, one of which is Bibi Ka Maqbara. It is a charming architecture which is often compared to Taj Mahal. It is called Baby Taj and is the tomb of Aurangzeb’s wife Dilras Banu Begum.

Next you can visit beautifully built mosques which are Kali Masjid and Jumma Masjid. Panchakki is another attraction which you can explore in Aurangabad. It is a 17th century water mill, famous for its underground water channel. The channel ends in an artificial waterfall which powers the mill.

Some more sites which you can discover in your leisure time are Aurangabad Caves and Quila-E-Ark. Aurangabad Caves dates back to 3 AD and are an enclosure of 32 exotic caves. Quila-E-Ark is a majestic palace which was built by Aurangzeb in 1692. It has 4 to 5 gateways, semi-circular towers, and battle-mented walls. After your exploration, you will head back to the hotel where you will stay overnight.

After your hearty breakfast, you have a full day free to discover Aurangabad and its adjoining places. We will suggest you take an optional tour of Daulatabad. It is an enchanting fort city and was once a capital for the king Muhammad Bin Tughlaq. The outer fortification encloses the entire city. The fort is magnificently built and can be accessed through a small passage on a narrow bridge. It also has a gallery and a cave entrance. Later on in the evening, we will transfer you to the railway station for your Hyderabad night train. You will stay in the night on the boarded train.

On the 6th day of the tour, you will arrive in Hyderabad and will be met by a representative who will transfer you to your hotel. It was established in 1591 by Muhhamad Quli Qutub shah and is known as the “lion city” or the “City of Pearls”. A stroll through the bustling Begum Bazaar and Sultan Bazaar is quite fascinating where you can buy unique souvenirs, pearl jewellery and savor delicious Hyderabadi biryani.

In the afternoon tour, we will take you to Char-MInar, an amazing structure with four grand minarets that is always bustling with energy. There are numerous shops where you can buy anything. Next you will visit the oldest and largest mosque, Mecca Masjid. Another location in your list to visit is Salarjung Museum. It houses the largest one-man collection of antiques and has diverse collection of artworks, sculptures, textiles, manuscripts etc.

Post your tour, you will head back to the hotel for an overnight stay.

The next day, after breakfast you have ample time to discover Hyderabad. Check out from your hotel to explore this city. Hyderabad has a multitude of attractions, one of which is Golconda Fort which is located on a granite hill and surrounded by ramparts. It contains the tomb of the Qutub Shahi Kings. The location is famous for its diamonds and some of the world famous diamonds mined here are Kohinoor, Regent, Princie, Darya-e-Nur, and The Hope. Later on in the evening, we will transfer you to the railway station for your Chennai night train. You will stay overnight on the boarded train.

Upon your arrival in Chennai, you will be transferred to your hotel by an executive. Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu and earlier was known as Madras. It is an important centre for Carnatic music and commercial activities. Relax and unwind at the hotel. In the afternoon, we will help you to visit various prominent places of Chennai.

First site on the travel itinerary is the Government Museum. It dates back to 1857 and is the oldest museums of India which has 46 galleries consisting of numerous sections of interest like archaeology, zoology, geology, etc. It remains closed on Friday and other public holidays.

Next you will explore the Bronze Gallery which houses intricately carved statues from the early years of the first millennium. After this, you will visit San Thome Basilica which was firstly built by Portugese then later rebuilt by British as a church. This white-washed church is built in neo-gothic style.

We will help you to take a drive through the Flower and Fruit Market and the Marina Beach. Marina Beach is situated along the Bay of Bengal and offers various myriad adventure activities like parasailing, boating, kayaking and snorkeling. After the trip, you will head back to the hotel for an overnight stay.

On your 9th day with us, get ready for a full day excursion tour to Mallapuram and Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram was once the capital of the Pallavas and flooded with 1000 temples. Some of its renowned places which you will visit are Shiva temple which dates back to 7th century and Ekambareshwara temple which is a secluded heaven. We will also take you to Sri Kailasanathar Temple which is a beautiful temple known for its historical significance and dedicated to Lord Shiva. Sri Vardaraja Perumal Temple and Shri Kamakshiammam Temaple are up next for exploration. The best items to shop in Kanchipuram are its beautiful silk sarees.

Next on our tour itinerary, you will visit Mallapuram city. Mallapuram or Mahabalipuram is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also known as “City of Seven Pagodas”. None of the historic pagodas survives except the Shore Temple. Mahabalipuram is a bustling seaport and an ancient town. In the excursion tour, you will visit the Shore Temple which is built using granite stones and is the oldest temple in South India. We will also take you through cave temples and mandapams cut in the rocks which depicts incidents from Hindu mythology.

Post your tiring tour, we will take you back to the hotel for your overnight stay.

After your delicious breakfast, you will check out from the hotel. Then we will transfer you to the railway station for your Mysore train. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by an executive who will transfer you to the hotel. Mysore is well-known for its majestic palaces, Dussehra festival celebrations, and rich cultural diversity. From 14th century to 1947, it was the capital city of the Mysore Princely Kingdom.

In the afternoon, we will take you on an exploration tour of the city. Firstly, you will visit Mysore Palace which was originally built by the King of Mysore. The palace has magnificent architecture, domes, turrets, archways, and beautiful sculptures. The next attraction up your list is the Art Gallery. It showcases an exquisite collection of 2000 artworks by renowned artists. Ancient war weaponry, artifacts and musical instruments are also displayed here.

We will drive you to the Chamundi Hills for a visit to Chamundeshwari Temple. Chamundi Hills offers scenic city views. The temple is dedicated to goddess Durga and has a flight of 1000 steps leading up to the 3000-foot summit of the hill. On your way back, we will take you to visit the Nandi bull which is made from granite and located on the 800th step on the hill in front of a small Shiva temple.

In the evenings, you could take an optional tour of Brindavan gardens and krishnarajasagar Dam. Brindavan gardens are sprawling lush green gardens which are famous for its musical fountains shows. Krishnarajasagar dam is built over river Kaveri and is an exceptionally beautiful site. The dam site is bestowed with stunning gardens and expansive water bodies. We will then take you to your quarters for an overnight stay in Mysore.

After your nutritious breakfast the next day, we will take you on a full day sightseeing tour to Belur, Halebid, and Sravanbelgola. Belur is a finest instance of Hoysala architecture and was once the capital city of Hoysala Empire. It has Chennakesava Vishnu temple which was completed in 103 years and marks the victory of King Vishnuvardhana over the mighty Cholas. The temple comprises intricately designed sculptures of elephants, lions, horses and scenes from Indian legends.

Halebid city derives its name from the word Dwara-Samudra which means entrance of an ocean. Kedareshwara and Hoysaleshawara temples are its main attractions. The temple walls depicts scenes from hindu mythology and dancing damsels. We will take you to Sravanbelgola which is a Jain temple and their important pilgrimage destination. Next you will visit Gommateshvara Bahubali statue which is also an important Jain pilgrimage center. This massive statue could be seen from 25kms away. It is a religious hot-spot and attracts hundreds of worshippers.

After your excursion tour, we will take you back to your quarters in Mysore for an overnight stay.

Wake up to a wholesome breakfast and check out from your hotel. We will help you to get deported to Bengaluru from Mysore by a road journey. Upon your arrival, check in your hotel to relax and unwind. Bangalore is also famous as the “Silicon Valley of India” is an entrepreneurial location. The city has a rich culture and is an important landmark for classical music and dance. The Karaga Shaktyotsava is a festival dedicated to Goddess Draupadi and is celebrated for nine days in the month of March or April.

In the afternoon, we will take you on a memorable Bangalore tour. You will visit Lal Bagh which is an enthralling botanical garden. It also has a glass house which dates back to 1889 and hosts two annual flower shows in the month of January and August. Next on the travel list is Maharaja’s Palace also called Bangalore Palace. It has an astounding architecture and interior design. It looks similar to Windsor Castle in England. You will drive past different government buildings on your sightseeing tour.

After your excursion tour, we will take you back to your quarters in Bangalore for an overnight stay.

On your 13th day after your breakfast, we will take you to the airport to help you catch a flight to Mumbai. With this, your Travel to South India By Train package will come to an end.