Highlights of South India
Duration: 4 Nights - 5 Days
Destinations: Cochin - Ooty - Mysore - Hassan - Bangalore - Bombay
Day 1: Cochin - Ooty
After
breakfast, drive to Ooty (281 kms / 8 hrs)
Upon arrival at Ooty - check
into hotel.
Ooty was first discovered by the Collector of Coimbatore
John Sullivan who built a residence and then the Lake. With its green downs,
gentle rains and mild temperatures all year round, it was adopted as their
summer home by British officials and planters in South India. The downs of
Ooty might well be in Devon of Yorshire-there are 80 kms of them offering
golf, hunting or pleasant walks & hikes. Ooty still maintains its
definite air of elegance and there are British Raj reminders
everywhere-notably in the stone cottages with flower gardens, the beautiful
Botanical gardens (1840), the Churches, tea gardens and eucalyptus
plantations. Ootacamund derives its name from "Toda" term meaning
village of huts". The Todas, the original settlers here before the
British were an aboriginal tribe and lived in barrel-shaped huts.
Dinner
and overnight at hotel.
Day 2 : Ooty - MysoreMorning
drive to the Botanical gardens - 51 acres of terraced gardens and lawns
housing 650 varieties of plants created by the Marquis of Twerdale.
Ascending through gardens of ornamental plants, orchards, ferns, conifers
and rockplants, keep an eye out for the local Toda community on the top
levels. About 2000 of them lived up here, almost exclusively engaged in the
cultivation of potatoes and weaving. Nearby is the Raj Bhawan (Government
House). Out of the gardens make a hairpin bend to the St. Stephens Church.
Just below is the select Ooty club famous for its amazing Raj memorable and
as the place where snooker was invented. A straight walk leads to the
picturesque Ooty Lake (4 km circumference). Also visit Wedlock Downs,
offering spectacular views down over the Coimbatore plains, Ketti Valley,
the Mysore plateau and tea-estates.
After lunch, drive to Mysore (158
kms/5 hrs)
Upon arrival at Mysore - check into hotel.
Dinner and
overnight at hotel.
Day 3 : Mysore - Hassan
Visit
the beautiful city of Mysore, that is known for its fine craftsmenship in wood,
ivory, sandal-wood and for its silk. Visit the Maharaja's Palace, which is lavishly
decorated in a mixture of styles. Also visit the Zoological Garden, Mysore Arts
& Crafts centre and then proceed to the Chamundi Temple on a hill above
the city.
After lunch, drive to Hassan
(115 kms/4½ hrs) enroute visiting Srirangapatnam and Sravanbelgola.
Sriringapatnam - from this small island fortress town
straddling the river Cauvery, came the two brilliant Muslim leaders Hyder
Ali and his son Tipu Sultan, who rulled a powerful empire comprising much of
Southern India for 40 years. Tipu Sultan "The Tiger of Mysore"
became the most dreaded foe of the British in the south, and inflicted two
punishing defeats on the forces of East India Company before at last being
overcome in 1799. Tipu was killed and his town razed, but his elegant Summer
Palace, or Daria Daulat Bagh remains intact; the British kept it for their
own use. Later Duke of Wellington, lived here for a spell while serving as
governor of Mysore.
Sravanbelgola - famous for its colossal
statue of the Jain Saint Gomateshwara. 614 steps lead to his monolithic
statue, 18 meters tall and standing atop the hill of Indragiri. Every 12
years Jains from all over India gather here for the spectacular bathing
festival of the statue.
Upon arrival at Hassan - check into hotel.
Dinner
and overnight at hotel.
Day 4 : Hassan - Bangalore - Bombay
After
breakfast drive to Bangalore enroute visit Halebid & Belur. Built in the
12th & 13th Century in the superbaroque style, these temples are carved
of stone and are truly magnificent. As one architect and critic said "These
friezes carved with a minute elaboration of detail are one of the most marvellous
exhibitions of human labor to be found even in the patient East". The temple
at Belur is famed for its profusely ornamented exterior, and the one at Halebid
for its sculptured figures and open air museum. Also visit the colossal monolithic
Jain statue, 57-ft high, which stands on top of a steep bare hill.
Thereafter continue drive to Bangalore airport
to connect flight Bangalore / Bombay .
Upon arrival the guests will be
met & transferred to the hotel where rooms will be provided for wash and
change.
Dinner at the hotel.
Later transfer to the International
airport for onward flight.
Day 5 : Abroad - BombayLeave
Bombay
Highlights of South India Tour Reservation Form
