The Golden Chariot Train India - Pride of the South  :

Journeying abroad the Golden Chariot train is a fascinating experience. The train is one of the best amongst the Indian luxury trains. It takes you through a magical journey through the cradle of stone architecture. The golden Chariot-Prided of The South-is named after the famous Stone Chariot in Hampi which is a World Heritage site.

The train travels through various famous destinations of Karnataka. Abroad the train, you would get to visit the famous World Heritage sites, Regal Palaces and Golden Goa Beaches. The train is inspired by the lifestyle of former Maharajas of Mysore. This wonderful journey of 7 Nights and 8 Days starts every Monday from Bangalore and goes through Srirangapatnam, Mysore palace; Belur- the center of Hoysala architecture, the Nagarhole National Park( Kabini), Shravanabelagola, Halebidu, Hampi and then the trinity of historical sites of Badami, Pattadakal and  Aihole.

You would finally visit the Golden Beaches of Goa before returning back to Bangalore.

Places Covered: Bangalore - Chennai - Mamallapuram - Pondicherry - Tiruchirapalli & Thanjavur - Madurai - Thiruvananthapuram & Poovar - Backwaters & Kochi - Bangalore

Detailed Itinerary:

This wonderful journey starts from Bangalore and takes you through exciting destinations of Mamallapuram, Kanchipuram, Tiruchirapalli, Thanjavur and Madurai. You would relish the exotic backwaters of Kochi and exquisite temple architecture of Madurai. After a great journey, you would come back to the starting point of the journey, Bangalore.

Day 1 - Bangalore - Chennai (Monday)

•  You would reach at Leela Palace in Bangalore at 12.00 hrs. After having lunch, depart for sight-seeing tour of the Bangalore city. In the evening, you come back to the Bangalore railway station to board the Golden Chariot for an exciting journey ahead. For 7 days, you .would get to see the rich heritage of the South. Dinner and overnight stay on-board the train.
  Departure for Chennai at: 22.00 hrs

Day 2 - Mamallapuram & Chennai (Tuesday)

• 06.00 hrs: Golden Chariot train would arrive at Chennai in the morning. You would visit Mamallapuram which is famous for Shore Temple. It was the 2nd capital of the Pallava Kings of Kanchipuram, the 1st Tamil dynasty after the fall of the Gupta Empire. There are numerous other temples like the Rathas, the Penance of Bhagirath and the eight Mandapams.  There are many shallow rock-cut halls situated on the beech.
• You would take your lunch at Mamallapuram. Thereafter, you would visit the city of Chennai. It is a thriving metropolis of modern India. You would visit the St. Mary’s Church built in 1678-80. It was the first English church in India. Visit the ST. Thomas cathedral built in 1504 and rebuilt in 1893. It was done in neo-Gothic style. Then, there is Kapaleeshwarar Temple which is an ancient Shiva temple done in Dravidian style. The Sri Parathasarathy Temple was built during the reign of Pallavas during the 8th century. Afterwards, you would visit National Art Gallery and Museum, Fort St. George and the famous film studios. In the evening return back to the train. Dinner and overnight on-board the Golden Chariot train. 

Day 3 - Pondicherry (Wednesday)

• 08:00 hrs: The Golden Chariot train reaches Pondicherry in the morning.
• Pondicherry is a former French settlement. It still exudes French aura as French is still widely spoken and villas and the cobbled streets reflect the French influence. While traveling through Pondicherry, you must visit the Auroville which was founded by Shri Aurobindo in the 1920s. Auroville is famous as a Center of   Integral Yoga. After taking your dinner, the train would depart for Tiruchirapalli around: 22:00 p.m.

Day 4 - Tiruchirapalli & Thanjavur (Thursday)

•  Golden Chariot would arrive at Tiruchirapalli early in the morning. It was under Cholas during the time when the region was under the way of Pandyas and Pallavas intermittently. The Nayaks of Madurai built the town and the historic Rock Fort. The Rock Fort Temple is a grand monument located on a hillock towering over the city. There is Mathrubhuteshwar Shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Then, there is Ucchi Pillayar Koil which is a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh.   
• Afterwards, you would depart for Tanjore. Here, you would get to see temple built during the 10th and 14th centuries. Later, Tanjore was incorporated in the Vijayanagar Kingdom. The most famous attraction of the place is the Brihadeshwara temple. It has now been converted into a World Heritage site.

Day 5 - Madurai (Friday)

• 08:00 hrs: The Golden Chariot reaches Madurai in the morning. It is one of the major pilgrim centers for Hindus. Famous as it is for numerous beautiful temples. It has long been a center of learning and pilgrimage down in the South. Meenakshi Temple is the most famous attraction of Madurai. It can be said to be the zenith of Dravidian Temple architecture. The stunning Hall of Thousand pillars is always thronging with visitors. You would also visit Thirumalai Nayak Palace & Thiruparangundram temple.

Day 6 - Thiruvananthapuram and Poovar (Saturday)

• Thiruvananthapuram is famous for the Padmanabhaswamy Temple which was built by the Maharaja of Travancore in 1733. The temple restricts entry only to Hindus. The temple has seven story tower which is shaped like a pagoda. Visit the Napier Museum done in Indo-Saracenic style. It has great collection of bronze ornaments, temple carts, ivory carvings and life size figures of Kathakali dancers.
• You would also visit the Sri Chitra Art Gallery which has nice collection of paintings of the Rajput, Mughal and Tanjore schools.  The gallery has also collection of art from Tibet, China and Japan.
• Afterwards, we would visit Poovar a beautiful island just off the coast of the Arabian Sea.  The lunch would be arranged at a nice hotel. There would be nice dinner followed by music and dance.

Day 7 - Backwaters & Kochi (Sunday)

• 09:00 hrs: The Golden Chariot would arrive into Alleppey. Explore the fantastic Vembanad Lake. It is a longest backwater expanse in Kerala. Cruising along the backwaters in a traditional boat, you would reach Kumarakom which is a famous attraction of Kerala. It is sub-tropical greenery would awaken in you a new sense of natural beauty. After reaching Kumarakom, you would feel like you have entered into another world. This village is a little archipelago of small islands. The village has a very relaxed and rhythmic life. After having lunch at Kumarakom, we drive to Kochi.
• Kochi has been a trading port in ancient times. It is famous for The Dutch Palace also known as Mattancherry Palace which was built by the Portuguese in 1555. Also visit the Jewish Synagogue (closed on Fridays & Saturdays) built in 1568. St. Francis Church (closed on Sundays)   was built by the Portuguese Franciscan friars in 1503.  Vasco Da-Gama was buried in this church. You would also visit the tradition fishing hamlets. In the evening, you would be treated to a Kathakali dance and dinner.
  
• 22:00 hrs: The Golden Chariot would depart for Bangalore

Day 8 - Bangalore (Monday)

•  The Golden Chariot would arrive at Bangalore in the morning. After having your breakfast, you would leave for your onward destination as this the end of wonderful journey abroad the luxury train.
  

Note: 10% Surcharge shall be levied on departures during Christmas / New Year.
Tour Cost Includes:

1. Drive with the hotel train "The Golden Chariot - Splendor of The South“ in a deluxe cabin with attached bathroom
2. All meals, including tea, coffee and mineral water
3. Gala Dinner in Poovar
4. Kathakali dance show in Kochi
5. Transport for sightseeing’s with an air-conditioned deluxe bus
6. Entrance fees to monuments and museums
7. Accompanying German and English speaking guides
8. Local Taxes and fees
9. Travel documents

Tour Cost Does Not Include:

1. Alcoholic beverages
2. Personal expenditures like tips, Spa Wagon, Business - centre, etc.
3. Visa for India
4. Flights

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• Akshardham Temple
• Bahai Lotus Temple
• Iskon Temple  
• Red Fort  
• Qutub Minar
• India Gate
• Humayun’s Tomb
• Rashtrapati Bhavan or the President’s House
• Birla Mandir or Lakshminarayan Temple
• Jantar Mantar
• Raj Ghat and other Memorials
• Jama Masjid
• National Museum