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The Golden Chariot

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Duration: 07 Nights / 08 Days
Destinations Covered: Mysore - Kabini - Bandipur - Mysore - Shravanabelagola - Hassan - Hospet - Badami - Goa - Bangalore
The Golden Chariot

Facilities:

26 twin beds, 17 double bed cabins and 1 cabin for the physically challenged
Luxurious and grand interiors at each room that make you feel like living in a palace
WI-Fi and LCD televisions and DVD satellite connections with 06 channels
Writing desk in each salon
Private bathroom with all necessary amenities
4-seater and 2-seater dining cabins with comfortable sofas and chairs
Well stocked bar
Conference hall having the seating capacity of 25-30 guests, 42 inch LCD television, High-speed internet
Fully equipped gymnasium with modern exercising equipments and facilities
Two massage rooms for an out of the world rejuvenation experience

Our eight day long The Golden Chariot tour would be a real royal experience for you. During this trip you will enjoy allures of India in with royal grandeur. You will enjoy your seven nights in the amazing and extremely comfortable Golden Chariot luxury train while on the eighth day of the trip you will visit the most sought after forts, temples, beaches, wildlife and heritage sites of 10 cities and towns of South India. It will be a Monday to Monday, seven nights long trip.

Day 01: Monday: Bangalore - Mysore
The representatives of India Tourism Travel will warmly receive you on your arrival at Bengaluru (Bangalore) airport / railway station on the first day of your Golden Chariot tour. Your Golden Chariot tour will commence at evening and we will use our time in the sightseeing of Bangalore's attractions.

Bangalore Palace- Bangalore Palace is a smaller replica of Windsor Castle in England. It is one of the most visited places in Bangalore. The construction of the palace was started in the year 1862 and was completed in 1944. The beautiful Bangalore Palace was then bought by Chamaraja Wodeyar, the then Maharaja of Mysore. The interiors of the palace are even more impressive than its exterior. You can see gothic style stained window, very elegant yet luxurious furniture and many beautiful paintings including those of Raja Ravi Verma in the Bangalore Palace.

Cubbon Park- The beautiful park is located at the heart of Bangalore city. Cubbon Park was created in 1870 and at that time it had an area of 100 acres but today its area is expanded to 300 acres. The park has around 6000 plants and trees of 96 species and 68 genera. Flowering plants, ornamental plants, oaks, bamboo trees and many other varieties of trees can be seen in the Cubbon Park. It also has motorable roads, monuments and decorative structures inside it.

Tipu Sultan's Palace- The beautiful palace was the summer resort of Tipu Sultan, who used it till his death in 1799. The construction of the palace was started by Hyder Ali and it was built entirely by teak wood. You can visit the palace every day from 9.30 AM to 5.30 PM by paying an entrance fee.

Other attractions of Bangalore are:

Lal Bagh, Vidhan Soudha, Bull Temple and Iskon temple

We will reach the railway station in evening to board the luxurious Golden Chariot Train. Enjoy your luscious dinner on board the luxury train, which will leave for Mysore at 10 PM.

Day 02: Mysore - Kabini - Bandipur The Golden Chariot

Our first halt will be at Mysore. Following are the places of tourist interest in Mysore:

St. Philomena's Church - The magnificent church was built in the year 1936. St Philomena's Church is built in the honor of St Philomena and is built in Neo Gothic style. The church was designed by the architect Daly and the inspiration for it was drawn from the Cologne Cathedral. It has two 175 feet twin spires that resemble with those of the St. Patrick's Church in New York.

Srirangapatnam Fort- Srirangapatnam Fort is considered to be the second most formidable fort in India. It was built in the year 1537 by a feudal lord. The fortifying fort is constructed in an Indo- Islamic architectural style and has an impenetrable double walled defense system. Tipu Sultan died at the fort in 18th century while fighting the British.

Chamundeswari Temple- Chamundeswari Temple was built in 12th century by Hoysala rulers. It is one of the most sought after temples in the city and is dedicated to Chamundeswari or the Goddess Durga. The temple has several images of Nandi, the bull which is the mount of Lord Shiva. The massive Nandi bull image in the temple is 15 feet high and 24 feet long.

After Mysore we will drive to Kabini and visit the popular tourist spots of the region:

Nagarhole National Park- Nagarhole National Park is also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park. Nagarhole National Park was once a hunting reserve of Woodeyar Dynasty. It is now a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and is also a Tiger Reserve under the Project Tiger. It is home to 270 species of birds, 60 species of ants, a good number of reptilian and mammalian species like Panthera tigris, Bos gaurus, Elephas maximus, Cuon alpinus, Panthera pardus and Paradoxurus hermaphrodites etc. which are found here in large numbers. Nagarhole National Park is very rich in floral species as well.

Irpu Falls- Irpu Falls is a fresh water cascade which is also known as Lakshmana Tirtha Falls. Cascading waters of Irpu Falls making white foamy trails through the jungle forest can mesmerize anyone. The lovely place is not only popular for its scenic natural beauty but is also important for religious reasons. A famous Shiva dedicated temple called Rameshwara temple is located near Irpu Falls

Your dinner and overnight stay will be at a jungle resort in Kabini.

Day 03: Bandipur - Mysore
After having our breakfast in the resort at Kabini we will start for Bandipur to have one more adventurous day of sightseeing. This day we will visit one more national park and other attractions of Bandipur.

Bandipur National Park- Bandipur National Park is an important Project Tiger Reserve. It is located in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka. The national park is stretched over an area of 874 square kilometers and surrounded by other national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, making it the largest protected area in South India. Bandipur National Park is rich in flora that includes many species of timber trees like Teak, Rosewood, Sandlewood etc. and several notable species of fruiting and flowering trees. The national park is also a home to Royal Bengal Tiger and a large population of elephants apart from many other animals like Tiger, Sloth Bear, Hyena, Sambar, Barking Dear, Wild Boar etc and a wide variety of Birds, Insects, Butterflies and Reptiles are found here. Bandipur National Park is truly a paradise for wildlife and adventure lovers.

Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta- It is the highest peak in Bandipur National Park. It has maximum height of 1450 meters and is extensively wooded. The hill also has Venugopalaswamy Temple which is dedicated to Lord Gopalaswamy, who is another form of lord Krishna. Since the temple is located in the core area of Bandipur National Park, it is frequented by wildlife and there are ample opportunities of sighting the wild animals in their natural habitat here.

At night, The Golden Chariot will depart from Mysore. Delicious dinner will be served on board the luxury train which will start its journey for Hassan at night.

Day 04: Mysore - Sravanabelagola - Hassan
We will reach Hassan in Karnataka on the fourth day of our Golden Chariot tour at 8.15 AM. After having our luxurious breakfast in the train we will drive to Sravanabelagola and following are the places that we are going to visit here-

Gomateshwara Statue- This 60 feet gigantic statue is located at Sravanabelagola in Hassan (or Hasan) district of Karnataka, 158 kilometers from Bangalore. It is one of the most important and famous pilgrimage centers of the Jain community. The monolithic statue of Gomateshwara was built by Chamundaraya, the minister and commander of the Ganga dynasty. The statue of Gomateshwara is carved out of a single block of granite and stands tall on the top of a hill. The event of Mahamastakabhisheka is celebrated every 12 years here and tourist and devotees from all over the world come to this place to participate in the grand event.

Akkanabasadi Temple- Located in Sravanabelagola, Akkanabasadi Temple was built in 1121 AD by Achiakka, wife of a minister of Hoysala king and is a living example of Hoysala architecture and sculpture. The main deity of the temple is Parshwanatha and it also has a Sanctum Sanctorum, Gopurams and Sabha Mantapa.

Kalamma Temple- Kalamma temple is the only Hindu temple in Sravanabelagola which is dedicated to goddess Kali. The idol of goddess Kali in the temple is in a seating position with four arms.

Chandragiri Temple, Vindhyagiri Temple and Bhandaribasadi Temple are few more important temples that we are going to visit this day.

Hassan has following two historically important places of interest that attract tourists from all over the world:

Belur- Belur is one of the major tourist destinations in Karnataka and is located in Hassan district. It is the erstwhile capital of Hoysala dynasty. The main attraction for tourists in Belur is Chennakeseva Temple which is dedicated to Chennakesev, or the handsome Vishnu. The temple was built by King Vishnuvardha to commemorate his victory over the Cholas. The temple complex also houses two more shrines and Kappe Chennigraya temple, built by the queen of king Vishnuvardhan.

Halebid- The 12th century capital of Hoysala dynasty, Halebid, which means ruined city, was twice ruined by Bahmani Sultanate. The city is famous for Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara temples which are one of the best examples of Hoysala architecture in India. The temple complex also has two Jain basadi and a big lake in the front. Hoysaleswara Temple is under consideration of UNESCO for World Heritage Site status.

Dinner will be served on board the luxury train Golden Chariot which will leave for Hospet at night.

Day 05: Hassan - Hospet
We will reach Hospet at 05.00 AM on the fifth day of our Golden Chariot tour. After having our breakfast we will start the sightseeing of the following places:

Chitradurga Fort- Chitradurga Fort is situated in Chitradurga district of Karnataka, around 200 kilometers from Bangalore, overlooking a flat valley. The Fort was built by the dynastic rulers of the region between 10th and 18th centuries. Chitradurga Fort is built in a series of seven concentric fortification walls and comprises of 19 Gateways, a Citadel, Masjid, Water Reservoirs, Warehouses, Palace and ancient temples. There are 18 temples in the upper region of the fort and a big temple in its lower part. It was mainly used for defense purposes by various rulers.

Hampi - Located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, Hampi is a historically important village and an important religious centre of North Karnataka. The ruins of Vijayanagara Empire at Hampi are a UNESCO declared World Heritage Site. There are more than 500 monuments in Hampi that include beautiful temples, palaces, ruins of aquatic structures, royal pavilions, old market streets and many more.

Vittala Temple- Vittala temple is the most famous and well known temple of Hampi and an architectural showpiece of the town. Spread over a sprawling campus with compound walls, the temple has many spacious halls, pavilions and temples within the campus. Vittala is a form of Vishnu who is the main deity of this temple. Built in the 15th century, Vittala temple is famous for its impressive pillared halls and a stone chariot.

Lotus Mahal, King's Balance, Virupraksha Temple, Raghunath Temple and Vithala Temple are few more places which we will see if time permits. Dinner will be served onboard and the Golden Chariot will depart for Badami at night.

Day 06: Hospet - Badami

Day sixth of our The Golden Chariot Train tour will be used in the sightseeing of the historical town of Badami. After having our breakfast onboard we will visit the following attractions of Badami.

Badami Cave Temples- Located in Badami, a town in Bagalkot district of Karnataka; Badami Cave Temples are great example of Indian rock cut architecture. Badami Cave Temples comprise of four caves carved out of soft sandstones. These four caves represent different regions - two caves are dedicated to Vishnu, one to Shiva and the fourth one is a Jain temple.

Tipu's Fort - Tipu's Fort is another place that attracts tourists in large numbers to Badami. The fort was built on top of a hill during the 18th century by Tipu Sultan with hard, beautiful and aerodynamic shanks, primarily with a purpose to fighting the Marathas. The route to the Tipu's Fort goes through caves 2 and 3 of the Badami Cave Temples.

Durga Temple- Built during the rule of Chalukya dynasty, Durga Temple is a fine example of Chalukyan architecture. "Durga" in the name of the temple refers to the fort and not the Goddess Durga. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is one of the most revered ancient Hindu temples of the region.

Pattadakkal, Jain Temple, Kasivisvesvara Temple, Virupaksha Temple and Jain Meguti Temple are few more places that we are going to visit during the day. After having your dinner in the luxury train, enjoy a sound sleep in the cozy environs of the Golden Chariot.

Our next halt after Badami will be Goa.

Day 07: Badami - Goa
We will have breakfast at 9 AM in the morning on board and after that we will go for sightseeing in Goa.

Basilica de Bom Jesus- Located in Old Goa, Basilica de Bom Jesus is one of the best examples of baroque architecture in India. It Basilica holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier. Built in the 16th century, this UNSECO World Heritage Site is an important landmark in the history of Christianity.

Calangute Beach - Calangute Beach is the most famous and largest beach in north Goa and is visited by huge number of domestic as well as international travelers. Also referred to as Queen of Beaches, Calangute beach is a paradise for the young and then old alike.

Fort Aguada - Constructed in 1612, Fort Aguada is one of the largest forts in India built with a purpose to guard against the invasion of the Dutch and the Marathas. A four storey Portuguese lighthouse erected in 1864 is another big attraction of Fort Aguada.

Anjuna Beach, Baga Beach, Tito's, Fort Aguada, Church & Convent of St Francis of Assisi, Flea Market and Sri Mangueshi Temple are other attractions of Goa.

Day 08: Goa - Bangalore - Departure
It will be the last day of our Golden Chariot tour. You will be served luscious breakfast on board the Golden Chariot. The luxury train will drop you back at Bangalore railway station from where you can embark on your further journey to your next destination.

Tags: The Golden Chariot Train Karnataka

The Golden Chariot Train TOUR ENDS!!