Golden Chariot - Pride of The South & Goa

Overview

Named after the exquisite stone chariot of Hampi, this addition to the fleet of luxury trains is certainly worth experiencing. The Golden Chariot as it is called is a wonderfully equipped travel mode that has all the modern amenities, comforts and services that make this tour capsule called the Pride of South and Goa truly worth cherishing. The journey kick starts at Bangalore, with a day at hand to go sightseeing.

Bangalore is called the city of gardens. There are numerous botanical gardens and the most impressive is the palace of Tipu Sultan, the valiant ruler of south. From here you head to Yashwanthpur railway station to board the Golden Chariot and begin the epic journey with enthusiasm and high spirits. The train takes you on an extraordinary journey of architectural marvels of Belur and Halebid, Hampi, the ethereal rock cut creations of Badami which even has a cave where one can only enter crawling. On the way, comes Pattadakal which is studded with ancient historic temples. The temples here also happen to be the World Heritage sites.

All along the journey the style, elegance and the cozy confines of the beautifully done up coaches match up to the amazing destinations that spring up like wonderful surprises every day!! Towards the end of the red carpet tour the centre of attraction changes from temples, palaces, wildlife National Park to the glorious beaches of Goa. Apart from the fun and excitement of the beaches, there are beautiful churches, and monuments that carry timeless impressions of Portuguese rule.

It is a wonderful way to wrap up the great journey with the Golden Chariot!! 

Outlined Itinerary

Day 01 - Bangalore

Arrive Bangalore, meet and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Day 02 - Bangalore

Lunch is at The Leela Palace hotel. Enjoy a city tour of Bangalore – Visit the beautiful botanical gardens of ‘Lal Bagh’, the ‘Nandi Bull Temple’, the impressive building of the ‘Vidhana Souda’ (Secretariat). Continue onwards to the ‘Palace of Tipu Sultan’. Depart from Yeshwanthpur railway station. Later in the evening arrive Mysore. Dinner is on board.

Day 03 - Nagarhole NP

Morning drive to Nagarhole National Park in Kabini, a scenic delight was once the hunting lodge of the erstwhile Mysore Maharajahs. The steep valleys with rich forests, spectacular pools and rapids provide an ideal opportunity to revive your adventurous spirits. Lunch is at Jungle Lodge. Enjoy the game safari in the National Park. Dinner is on board. FULL BOARD

Day 04 - Mysore

Breakfast and depart for Mysore. After lunch on Golden Chariot, depart for sightseeing to Srirangapatnam by coach. Visit the beautiful city of Mysore that is known for its fine craftsmen ship in wood, ivory, sandal-wood and for its silk. Visit the Maharaja's Palace, which is lavishly decorated in a mixture of styles. Reach the Lalitha Mahal Palace for cultural show followed by dinner. FULL BOARD

Day 05 - Hassan

Depart from Mysore to Hassan. Visit Sravanabelagola and the famous Jain Temple - famous for its colossal statue of the Jain Saint Gomateshwara. After lunch on board, drive through lush tropical landscapes to Halebid and Belur. 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. Depart for Hospet. Dinner is on board. FULL BOARD

Day 06 - Hampi

Arrive Hospet. After breakfast on board, depart for Hampi - A world heritage centre, Hampi is the most beautiful and evocative of all the ruins in Karnataka. After lunch on board visit the splendid Vithala temple with its musical pillars and the stone chariot, the Virupaksha temple - still used for worship, Ugra Narasimha the 6.7m tall monolith. The Pushkarini Tank, Mahanavami Dibba & many other interesting sites are still being excavated. Dinner is on board. FULL BOARD

Day 07 - Badami

Morning depart for Badami. After breakfast on board, you will arrive Gadag. Visit Badami Caves & Pattadakal. Visit Badami - once the former second capital of the Chalukya dynasty. Here the cave temples are hewn out of solid rock, in a magical setting of hills above a lovely reservoir. Pattadakal has 10 major temples representing early Chalukyan architecture. Lunch is onboard. Depart for Goa. Dinner is on board. FULL BOARD

Day 08 - Goa

After breakfast, depart for sightseeing tour of churches of Old Goa. Visit an old Portuguese house: Sola Souto Maior for Tea/Coffee along with cookies and shopping at the emporium. Lunch at Majorda Beach Resort, then later you will be transferred to your hotel in Goa. Rest of the day is at leisure.

Day 09 - Goa

After breakfast day is at leisure to relax at the hotel

Day 10 - Goa

After breakfast day is at leisure to relax at the hotel

Day 11 - Goa

After breakfast day is at leisure to relax at the hotel

Day 12 - Goa

After breakfast day is at leisure to relax at the hotel

Day 13 - Goa

After breakfast day is at leisure to relax at the hotel

Day 14 - Goa

After breakfast day is at leisure to relax at the hotel

Day 15 - Mumbai

Breakfast is at the Hotel. Today at an appropriate time, you will be met and transferred to Goa airport for your flight to Mumbai 0715-0815. From Mumbai check in for your homebound or onwards flight... or travel to your next destination if you would like to add to this tour.

All our tours and holidays are tailor made so can be amended to suite your budget. Click on our from prices below to see what hotels you can expect based on the cheapest time to travel in High Season per person based on two people sharing a room. We can design this tour for you at a lower or higher price, basically to suite your budget, style and comfort. Contact a specialist to discuss your requirements. International flights are not included.