Ancient Caves with Temple and Backwater (16 Days)

Ancient Caves with Temple and Backwater (16 Days)

On this 16 days tour explore the Ancient Caves of Ajanta & Ellora, visit the marvelous Temple of South India, and rejuvenate in the Backwater of Kerala. You will also visit Hyderabad the city blessed with extraordinary wealth of historic monuments. All airport transfers, sightseeing and excursion will be provide in an air conditioned vehicle, with private government licences local tour guide in each city. You will travel in flight on Mumbai - Aurangabad - Hyderabad - Chennai sectors.

Itinerary

Day 1: Mumbai

Pass By: Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra
On arrival at Mumbai airport meet with our office executive assistance and transfer to hotel (hotels check in time 1200hr afternoon, early check in subject to rooms availability). Rest time free for personal activities relax.

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 2: Mumbai

Stop At: Elephanta Caves, Mumbai India
Breakfast at hotel. Excursion to Elephanta Island located 10kms away from the Gateway of India. Motorboats take passengers from Gateway of India to Elephanta Island. These caves house rock cut temples dating back to the 5th century BC.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, DN Road Mumbai CST Area, Mumbai 400001 India
Later Mumbai city tour. Visit the Gateway of India, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (museum). Marine Drive which runs along the shoreline, starting at Nariman Point and up to Malabar Hill. Hanging Gardens laid out in 1881 these formally laid out gardens have a notable collection of hedges shaped like animals.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 3: Mumbai - Aurangabad (flight)

Pass By: Aurangabad, Aurangabad, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra
Breakfast at hotel. As per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for Aurangabad.

Pass By: Aurangabad, Aurangabad, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra
On arrival at airport assistance and transfer to hotel.

Pass By: Bibi Ka Maqbara, Begumpura Gulistan-e-Jauhar KARACHI, Aurangabad 431004 India
Later city tour of Aurangabad, visit the Aurangabad Caves, which are artificial caves that were dug out of soft rock during the 6th and 7th century. Then, visit the Bibi Ka Maqbara - the burial place of Aurangzeb's first wife. Also visit a small archeological museum nearby.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 4: Aurangabad - Ajanta - Aurangabad (104kms/ 2hrs approx one way)

Stop At: Ajanta Caves Road, Ajanta 431001 India
Breakfast at hotel.Full day excursion to Ajanta Caves (Monday closed). The Buddhist Caves of Ajanta were discovered by the British officers in 1819 while tiger hunting. Ajanta Caves were first mentioned in the writings of the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang who visited India between A.D 629 and 645. The Caves at Ajanta are older than those at Ellora , which date from about 200 B.C to 650 A.D. Thirty beautiful Buddhist Caves with mesmerizing sculptures and paintings depicting Buddha's life as well the lives of the Buddha in his previous births. Five of these Caves are Chaityas (Place of worship) while the other twenty-five are Viharas (monasteries). Ajanta Caves are divided in two categories based on two schools of Buddhist thought - Hinayana Caves and Mahayana Caves.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Evening back to hotel in Aurangabad for overnight stay.

Day 5: Aurangabad - Hyderabad (flight)

Stop At: Ellora Caves, Ellora Cave Rd Ahead of Hiranya Reosrts, Aurangabad 431005 India
Breakfast at hotel.Excursion to visit the Ellora Caves (Tuesday closed), a UNESCO World Heritage Site from about 200 B.C. to 650 A.D. There are a total of 34 monasteries and temples at Ellora, belonging to the three different religions, namely - Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism.Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines mentioned in the Shiva Purana. The temple is an important pilgrimage site in Shaivism tradition of Hinduism, which considers it as the last or twelfth Jyotirlinga (linga of light).
Duration: 4 hours

Stop At: Daulatabad, Daulatabad, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra
On way back visit Daulatabad Fort one of the most powerful forts of the medieval Deccan. The defence system that made Daulatabad virtually impregnable comprises fortifications with double and even triple rows of massive walls.
Duration: 4 hours

Pass By: Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Hyderabad District, Telangana
Later transfer to airport to board flight for Hyderabad.

Pass By: Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Hyderabad District, Telangana
On arrival at Hyderabad airport meet with our office executive assistance and transfer to hotel (hotels check in time 1200hr afternoon, early check in subject to rooms availability). Rest time free for personal activities relax.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 6: Hyderabad

Stop At: Qutab Shahi Tombs, Toli Chowki 1 Km from Golconda Fort, Hyderabad 500008 India
Breakfast at hotel, explore this wondrous capital, a 400 year-old metropolitan city teeming with bustling-bazaars and Muslim monuments. Visit to Golconda Fort, Qutub Shahi tombs, Salar Jung Museum, Hussain Sagar, Charminar, Grand Mecca Masjid.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 7: Hyderabad - Chennai (flight)

Pass By: Chennai District, Chennai District, Tamil Nadu
Breakfast at hotel. As per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for Chennai.

Stop At: Chennai District, Chennai District, Tamil Nadu
On arrival at Chennai airport assistance and transfer to hotel. Later sightseeing of colonial Chennai which includes Churches, Fort, Museum and government buildings. Also visit Marina beach.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 8: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram - Pondicherry (235kms/ 5hrs approx)

Stop At: Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu
Breakfast at hotel drive to Pondicherry via visiting Kanchipuram
& Mahabalipuram Temples. On arrival in Pondicherry check & overnight at hotel.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 9: Pondicherry

Stop At: Pondicherry, Pondicherry, Union Territory of Pondicherry
Breakfast at hotel sightseeing of French colony, churches, Temple and Aurobindo Ashram. Rest time free and easy to relax on the beach.
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 10: Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Gangai Konda Cholapuram - Darasuram - Thanjore (185kms/ 4hrs approx)

Stop At: Chidambaram, Chidambaram, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu
Breakfast at hotel drive to Thanjore via visiting Chidambaram - Gangai Konda Cholapuram - Darasuram Temple. On arrival check in & overnight at hotel.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 11: Thanjore - Trichy (60kms/ 1.5hrs approx)

Stop At: Brihadeshwara Temple Bus Stop, Membalam Rd, Balaganapathy Nagar, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu 613007, India
Breakfast at hotel visit Brihadeshwara Temple & Thanjore Fort. Drive to Trichy check in at hotel. Later visit Rock Fort Temple & Srirangam Temple.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 12: Trichy - Madurai (140kms/ 3hrs approx)

Pass By: Madurai, Madurai, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu
Breakfast at hotel drive to Madurai heck in at hotel.

Pass By: Tirumalai, Tamil Nadu 606907, India
Later sightseeing of Meenakshi Temple, Tirumalai Nayak Mahal & Vaniyur Mariamman Teppakulam Temple.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 13: Madurai - Periyar (Thekkady) (160kms/ 3hrs approx)

Pass By: Periyar Tiger Reserve, Idukki and Pathanamthitta Districts, Thekkady 685536 India
Breakfast at hotel drive to Periyar check in at hotel.

Pass By: Periyar Tiger Reserve, Idukki and Pathanamthitta Districts, Thekkady 685536 India
Late afternoon spice plantation tour and village visit.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 14: Periyar (Thekkady)

Stop At: Thekkady, Thekkady, Idukki District, Kerala
Breakfast at hotel explore the park by boat. The special animals in this region include wild elephants, nilgiri langur monkeys, sambar deer, wild bison, and colorful birds.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 15: Thekaddy – Alleppey (135kms/ 3hrs approx)

Stop At: Alleppey Backwaters, Alappuzha India
Breakfast at hotel drive to Alleppey. Board a houseboat from here and glide over the enchanting backwaters of Kerala. Houseboat stay includes lunch & dinner on board.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Houseboat stay.

Day 16: Alleppey – Cochin (60kms/ 1.5hrs approx)

Pass By: Kochi (Cochin), Kochi (Cochin), Ernakulam District, Kerala
After breakfast disembark houseboat and drive to Cochin.

Stop At: Mattancherry Palace, Palace Road, Kochi (Cochin) India
City tour of Cochin - one of few places in India that has managed to preserve the remnants of its colonial past with utmost care. Visit Te Chinese fishing nets, St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica, Jewish Synagogue and the Mattancherry Palace.
Duration: 4 hours

Pass By: Kochi (Cochin), Kochi (Cochin), Ernakulam District, Kerala
Later in evening/ night board flight for onward destination.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.