TEMPLES, FORTS & BEACHES

Duration : 18 Days

Kolkata - Bhubhaneshwar - Konark - Puri - Hyderabad - Bidar - Gulbarga - Bijapur - Badami - Hampi - Goa - Mumbai

Day 01 : Kolkata
Arrive Kolkata in the evening. Transfer to Hotel by private vehicle.

Day 02 : Kolkata - Bhubaneshwar (Flight)
After breakfast, city tour of Kolkata, the "City of Joy". Visit the High Court Building, built in 1872 and the oldest Catholic Church in Calcutta, St. Marys. The Howrah Bridge, built in 1943 the bridge is crossed by approximately two million people everyday; the Botanical Gaderns, the oldest and largest of their kinds in India; Victoria Memorial : The majestic Victorial memorial, symbol of Calcutta was built between 1906 and 1921 at a cost of Rs. 7.5 million and is a reminder of the might of British India. It has been compared to Taj Mahal, with its four rudimentary minarets, gleaming white dome and exterior of solid Marcrana marble. It was conceived by Lord Curzon as both tribute to Queen Victoria and a triumphant depiction of her reign in India.

Evening, transfer to the airport to board flight for Bhubaneshwar. known as 'City of Temples' where one can explore more than 700 ancient Temples. Arrive Bhubaneshwar, check-in at prebooked hotel.

Day 03 : Bhubaneshwar
After breakfast, full day city tour Bhubaneshwar, known as Kalinga in ancient times is the capital of Orissa. At one time, some 7000 sandstone temples are supposed to have stood on the site of sacred Bundusagar lake alone. Today almost 500 remain. Most of them were built between 7th and 15th centuries and most of them were destroyed during the Mughal conquest of 16th century. Visit the Brahmeshwar temple, built in 11th century; Rajarani temple; Mukteshwar temple : one of the most refined temples in Orissa. Small and compact it is famous for both its ornate entrance and rich interior carvings; Parumeshwar temple : built in 12th century and the Lingaraj Temple : built in 11th century, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva as Lord Lingaraj (Lord of Universe), is one of the most notable temples.

Day 04 : Bhubaneshwar - Konark - Puri (110 kms, 03 hrs. drive)
After breakfast, visit leave for Puri enroute visit the Sun Temple at Konark. Built by King Narasimhadev in mid 13th century to celebrate his victory over the Muslims. It is a masterpiece of design and construction; built in the shape of huge chariot, pulled along by seven racing horses on 24 intricately carved stone wheels. Continue drive to Puri. Arrive Puri and check-in at prebooked hotel.

Day 05 : Puri
After breakfast, visit Puri - one of the four Dhams (holiest Hindu pilgrimage places in India). Visit the Jaganath Temple, which was built during the 12th century by the Kalinga ruler Chodaganga Deva, is the tallest and most magnificent monuments in Orissa. Its pinnacle rises to a formidable height of 65 m (212 ft). It is divided into four parts : the main central hall, the hall of audience, the dancing hall and the hall of offerings, and has four gates. Each of these has an animal theme : horse (south gate), elephant (north gate), tiger (west gate) and the lion (east gate). It is by the Lions gate that the pilgrims make their entrance and in front of this main gate stands a 16 sided monolithic pillar called Aruna Stambha.
Afternoon, relax at Puri, a beautiful beach resort along with the Bay of Bengal.

Day 06 : Puri - Bhubaneshwar - Hyderabad (80 kms., 02 hrs. drive )
Bhubaneshwar - Hyderabad (Flight)
After breakfast, proceed to Bhubaneswar en route visiting the Raghurajpur artisan village, Pipli appliqué craft village, Hirapur 64 Yogini temple along with bell-metal work village and Dhauli Buddhist Stupa.

Transfer to the airport to board flight for Hyderabad, the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad is an important center of Islamic culture and central India's counterpart to Mughal splendours of the northern cities of Delhi, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri. Most of the impressive monuments date from the 16th and 17th centuries and the city retains much of its 19th century atmosphere. The city was founded in 1590 by Muhammad Quli, the founder of Qutab Shahi kings who ruled this part of the Deccan from 1512 to 1687, when the last king was defeated by Aurangzeb. Arrive Hyderabad, transfer to prebooked hotel.

Day 07 : Hyderabad
After breakfast, visit the Charminar, built by Mohammad Quli Qutab Shah in 1591 to commemorate the end of plague in Hyderabad; Mecca Masjid, is one of the largest mosques in the world and is said to accommodate upto 10,000 worshippers ; Salar Jung Museum, which contains 35,000 exhibits from all corners of the world and includes sculptures, woodcarvings, religious objects, Persian miniature painting, illuminated manuscripts, armour and weaponry. Also on display are the swords, daggers of Mughal emperors and of Tipu Sultan; Golconda Fort, which dates from the time of Qutab Shahi kings (16th to 17th centuries) and is one of the most magnificent fortress complexes in India. Golconda remained the capital until 1590, when the court was moved to the new city of Hyderabad; tomb of Adil Shahi Kings, which are surrounded by landscaped gardens and number of them have beautifully carved stonework of Nawabs.

Day 08 : Hyderabad - Bidar - Gulbarga
After breakfast, leave for Gulbarga enroute visiting Bidar which was once the capital of Bahmani kingdom from 1428. The town has a splendid 15th century fort having Ranjeen Mahal, Chini Mahal and Turkish Mahal palaces. Continue drive to Gulbarga. Arrive Gulbarga and check-in at prebooked hotel.
Later, visit Gulbarga, which was the capital of Bahmani Kingdom from 1347 until its transfer in 1428. Gulbarga's old fort has number of interesting buildings. The town also has a number of imposing tombs of Bahmani kings, a shrine to a Muslim saints and the Sharana Basaveshwara temple.

Day 09 : Gulbarga - Bijapur
After breakfast, leave for Bijapur. On arrival in Bijapur checkin at your prebooked hotel.
In the afternoon, visit Bijapur, known as the Agra of the South. Visit the Gol Gumbaz, it is the mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah and was built in 1659; Ibrahim Roza, which was constructed at the height of Bijapur's prosperity by Ibrahim Adih Shah; Jama Masjid, also constructed by Adil Shah and the Citadel.

Day 10 : Bijapur - Badami
After breakfast, leave for Badami the town best know for cave temples. On arrival in Badami, check-in at your prebooked hotel.
Afternoon, visit Badami which was once the capital city of the Chalukyan empire which ruled much of the Central Deccan between the 4th and 8th centuries A.D. Badami is best known for its cave temples, cut into the cliff face of the red sandstone hill and connected by flights of steps. They display the full range of religious sects which have grown up on Indian soil. Two of them are dedicated to Vishnu, one to Siva and the fourth is a Jain temple. There's also one natural cave which is a Buddhist temple.

Day 11 : Badami - Hospet
After breakfast, leave for Hospet enroute stop at Pattadakal, the second capital of Badami Chalukyans. Pattadakal reached the height of its glory during the 7th and 8th centuries. The most important monument here is teh Lokeshwara or Virupaksha temple that narrates episodes from the Hindu epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
After the visit, continue drive to Hospet. We again stop to visit Aihole which was the Chalukyan regional capital between the 4th and 6th centuries. There are over 70 structures in and around and the more important structures include the Ladkhan temple, Kulinguidi and Durgigude Temples.
Continue drive to Hospet. Arrive Hospet and check-in at prebooked hotel.

Day 12 : Hospet
After breakfast, excursion to Hampi, the once beautiful capital city of Vijaynagar Empire was greater than Rome and had palaces; temple and sculptures spread all over. The Sultanates of South razed the city to the ground in the year 1565 AD. Some of the interesting ruins remaining are the Virupaksha, Vittala and Hazara Rama Temples, huge Ganesha and Narasimha images, the elephant stables, the queen's bath, and carvings on the Ramachandra Temple and Lotus Mahal.

Day 13 : Hospet - Goa
After breakfast, leave for Goa the land of white churches, golden sands and green fields. Goa is a fascinating beach resort on the Arabian sea and is very popular with Europeans since 1510, when Alhuquerque overwhelmed Goa and it became the capital of Portugese empire in the east.

Day 14 : Goa
Day at leisure.

Day 15 : Goa
Day free for individual activities.

Day 16 : Goa - Mumbai (Flight)
In the afternoon, transfer to the airport to board flight for Mumbai. Arrive Mumbai and transfer to prebooked hotel.

Day 17 : Mumbai
After breakfast, city tour of Mumbai, the capital city of the state Maharashtra and is the economic powerhouse of India. Visit the Gateway of India, which was conceived following the visit of King George V in 1911 and officially opened in 1924; Price of Wales Museum, designed in Indo Saracenic style and has sections for arts and paintings, archeology, natural history and an interesting collection of miniature paintings, bas reliefs from the Elephanta caves and Budha images; Marine Drive, which runs along the shoreline, starting at Nariman Point and upto Malabar Hill; Hanging Gardens, laid out in 1881 these formally laid out gardens have a notable collection of hedges shaped like animals.

Day 18 : Depart Mumbai
Transfer to the airport to board onward/return flight.