Day 01 Arrive Bangalore
Arrive Bangalore. You will be met on arrival at airport & our representative will escort you till check in at hotel.
Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka. A city of gardens founded in 1537 by Kempe Gowda, a chieftain who constructed a mud fort at this site, later rebuilt in stone in the 18th century by Hyder Ali, it is in ruins today and is situated at an altitude of 1914 m, it has a salubrious clime throughout the year. It is one of India’s main commercial and industrial centers.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 02 In Bangalore
Morning proceed for full day city tour of Bangalore.
Visit the Bull Temple, the monolithic deity being the Nandi or celestial bull, a marvellous work on granite. The Mysore Arts & Crafts Centre, and drive through Commercial Street past the magnificent Neo-Dravidian structure, Vidhana Soudha, the government secretariat. Time & interest permitting, visit the Lal Bagh gardens developed with lavish care since the Muslim era and which now offer a variety of century-old trees, fountains, lotus pools, terraces and an assortment of herbs and plants spread out over several acres. In the center of the park is the Glass House where thousands of colourful fragrant flowers go on show ever year in January and August.
Overnight at Hotel
Day 03 Bangalore to Mysore
Post breakfast drive to Mysore enroute visit Srirangapatnam.
Visit the ruins of Tipu’s fort, the summer pleasure palace and the Gumbaz, his mausoleum. The inside of the Palace is handsomely carved with ornate arches and ceilings, liberally gilded wall panels and charming frescoes. The cream-colored Gumbaz standing on its black marble pillars in the centre of a garden is an unforgettable sight. The interior is lacquered with Tipu’s tiger stripe emblem and the doors are of ebony inlaid with ivory.
After visit continue drive to Mysore.
This ‘Garden City’ stands by a rocky hill named after the goddess Chamundi. It is a city of palaces and museums. The palace of the Maharaja within the Old Fort is admittedly one of the most beautiful buildings in India. The best time to visit Mysore is during the Dussehra festival, which is observed with pomp and pageantry for ten days in the month of September/October. Sightseeing of Mysore City includes a visit to the Zoological Gardens, Mysore Arts and Crafts Centre, the beautiful Brindavan Gardens illuminated during the weekends, and the Chamundi Temple overlooking the city.
Checkin to hotel.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 04 In Mysore
Full day tour of Mysore.
Visit the Maharajas’s Palace – a synthesis of Hindu and Muslim architectural styles. Gateways, domes, arches, turrets, colonnades, sculpture – all are here in great profusion. Visit Chamundi Hill named after the Royal Family’s patron goddess and the site of summer palaces, an ancient temple and the 16-foot Nandi (Siva’s bull) carved out of a single huge boulder. The view from the hill offers a beautiful panorama of not only all Mysore, but also ranges of hills, lakes and the turrets of temples and churches.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 05 Mysore – Hassan
Morning drive to Hassan enroute visiting Belur & Halebid
Belur is 39 km from Hassan, Belur was a flourishing city some 800 years ago under the Hoysala kings. The Belur Temple, also called the Chennakeswara Temple, has typical Hoysala architectural features. Its stone walls are covered with a profusion of intricate carvings, enough to take one’s breath away.
Helebid 16 km from Belur, it is a double-shrine, more impressive than the temple at Belur constructed a decade after it. The temple here gives one the impression that it was created out of lace rather than of sandstone.
Continue drive to Hassan.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 06 Hassan to Hospet Approx. (337 Kms / 7 Hrs drive)
Morning proceed to Hospet
Hospet, a small dusty town in Northern Karnataka, was once the seat of the powerful Vijayanagar Empire. Though the town does not have much to offer the visitors, its importance lies in its nearness to Hampi, the erstwhile capital of the Vijayanagar rulers. There was a time when Hampi was the epitome of architectural wonders. Most of the great buildings of this place are now in ruins, though UNESCO and the Archaeological Survey of India have tried their best to recreate the original charm of the place.
Rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 07 In Hospet
Morning proceed for full day excursion to Hampi one of World Heritage Centre
The excavations at Hampi carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India in collaboration with the Karnataka Government in 1976 have revealed the ruins of a rich and flourishing empire.
The ruins of Hampi of the 14th Century lies scattered in about 26 sq. km area, amidst giant boulders and vegetation. Protected by the tempestuous river Tungabhadra in the north and rocky granite ridges on the other three sides, the ruins silently narrate the story of grandeur splendor and fabulous wealth. The splendid remains of palaces and gateways of the broken city tells a tale of men infinite talent and power of creativity together with his capacity for senseless destruction .
Late afternoon return to Hospet
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 08 : Hospet to Badani enroute visiting Aihole & Pattadakal (Approx. 214 km / 8 hrs drive.
Morning proceed to Badami enroute visiting Aihole & Pattadakal
Aihole is situated at a height of around 590 mt. and about 480 km from Bangalore.It was the first capital of the early Chalukyas.It is situated on the banks of the river Malaprabha and has over a hundred temples scattered around the village.It is located in bagalkot district of Karnataka. The sculptures of Ailhole temples have superb architecture.Famous as the “Cradle of Indian Architecture.The oldest temple here is, perhaps, the Lad Khan temple dating back to the 5th Century. On the roof of the temple is another shrine-like Vimana.
Pattadakal is one of the unique places to see that many temples of the early Chalukyan architecture. Also it is a rare place where the south Indian & north Indian style temples share the same landscape.
The oldest of them all is the Sangamesvara Temple built by king Vijayaditya during the 8 century AD. Though not the biggest of the temples in Paddatdakal this temple dedicated to lord Siva is one of the fine examples of the high architectural standards maintained by the Chaluykan architecture.
Proceed to Badani
The capital of the Early Chalukyas, Badami is picturesquely situated at the mouth of a ravine between two rocky hills. Badami is famous for its four cave temples – all hewn out of sand stone on the precipice of a hill.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 09: Badani to Bijapur( Approx. 185 kms / 4 hrs drive)
Morning proceed for half day tour of Badami visiting the caves, the first cave temple – past Shiva’s door keepers – and the eighteen-armed Nataraja striking 81 dance poses. The largest and most ornamental is the third cave temple dedicated to Vishnu. Overlooking the cave temples is a reservoir dotted with temples dedicated to Vishnu and Shiva.
Later drive to Bijapur.
Bijapur was the capital of the Adil Shahi kings (1489-1686), one of the five splinter states formed when the Bahmani Muslim kingdom broke up in 1482. Bijapur is still strongly Muslim in character and it has many important monuments and historical ruins.
Afternoon city tour of Bijapur
Bijapur’s greatest attractions are architectural, especially Islamic architecture. Minarets, domes and echoing burial chambers all conjure up images of the Arabian Nights. Few of the major monuments are Golgumbaz Ibrahim Rauza Malik-e-Maidan Bara Kamaan Jumma Masjid Mehtar Mahal Taj Bawdi Asaar Mahal Gagan Mahal
Overnight at hotel.
Day 10 Bijapur to Gulbarga (Approx. 145 kms / 4 hrs drive
Morning drive to Gulbarga.
Gulbarga, the district and divisional head-quarters was formely in the Nizam’s state, and was the first capital of the Bahmanis from 1347.
On arrival transfer to Hotel.
Overnight at Hotel
Day 11 Gulbarga to Hyderabad (Approx. 241 km/ 7 Hrs drive
Morning proceed for half day city tour of Gulbarga
Gulbarga fort which was originally built by one Raja Gulchand, a feudatory of the Orangal Kakatiyas, and was rebuilt by Allah-ud-din Bahmani with 15 majestic towers. Inside the fort is the huge wonderful mosque built by Muhammed Bahmani in 1367 and it covers 38,000 sq. feet area..
The Khandar Khan’s mosque and Hirapur mosque (1585) built by Chandbibi are some other monuments, and the tomb of Sultan Hassan and Firoze Shah are imposing structures.
Afternoon drive to Hyderabad
Overnight at Hotel
Day 12 In Hyderabad
Morning proceed for full day city tour of Hyderabad.
Start the day by visiting the Golkonda fort just outside the city which has a long and chequered history. It was the capital of the kingdom by that name over four centuaries ago. One of the rullers Mohamad Qutab Shah built the modern city of Hyderabad with the Charminar as its center in 1592. The Charminar is another protected monument and has after a gap of 17 years been thrown open to the public recently & the Falakkuma Palace.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 13 Leave Hyderabad
Morning in time transfer to international airport to connect flight for onwards destination
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