Kingdoms of Deccan

Afternoon flight with Emirates Airline to Chennai via Dubai.
Day 2   Chennai Arrive Chennai in the morning. Meet & assist on arrival and transfer to your hotel. Afternoon city tour visiting the Fort St George, built by the East India company in 1653, St Mary s church, the first Anglican church in India and the Kapaleeshwara temple which was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1566 and rebuilt 300 years ago. Overnight stay in Chennai.

Morning train Shatabadi Express to Bangalore, noted for its gardens, tree-line avenues and Gothic churches. Afternoon tour of the city visiting the Tipu Sultan s palace & Fort, Bull temple, Botanical garden and impressive Vidhan Sabha. Overnight stay in Bangalore.

Drive to Srirangapatnam and visit the summer palace and fort of Tipu Sultan who was defeated by the British in 1799. Also visit Sriranganathswamy temple. Continue onto to Mysore, renowned for sandalwood, teak and incense. Two nights stay in Mysore. Day 5   Mysore

City tour of Mysore visiting the City Palace of the Maharaja of Mysore built in Indo- Saracenic style and the museum. Drive to visit Chamundi hill where a huge statue of Nandi Bull overlooks the city. Explore the colourful Devraja fruit and Vegetable market.

After breakfast leave for Hassan en- route visit Sravanabelagola, with its huge monolithic statue of Gomatheshwara (17- meter tall). Visit the Hoysala temples at Belur and Halebid renowned for their fine sculptures and design. Overnight stay in Hassan.

After breakfast a long drive to Hospet. Two nights stay in Hospet.

Full day sightseeing of Vijayanagar and Hempi ruins that date back to 14th century. Vijayanagar was one of the largest Hindu Empires in the Indian History spread from Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal & covered all the Deccan Plateau (Peninsular India). The greatness of the city is still evident from the Vitala & the Hazara temples, the stone chariot, Lotus Mahal & Queen’s bath etc. In 1565, the Muslim rulers attacked it, giving it the name, the Pompeii of India.

Drive to Aihole, the cradle of stone temple architecture of the southern Dravidian school, the temples date back to early Chalukya period 5th century A.D. Continue on to Badami visiting en- route the temples at Pattadakal, referred by Ptolemy in the 1st century A.D as Petrigal. Two nights stay in Badami.

Morning visit the hilltop temples with rock-cut shrines and the splendid cave temples adorned with carvings.

Depart for Bijapur. Afternoon tour visiting the magnificent Gol Gombaz and the beautiful tomb of Ibraham Raza. Overnight stay in Bijapur.

Drive to Gulbarga. Afternoon sightseeing includes visit to the Jama Masjid with its huge dome. Overnight stay in Gulbarga.

After breakfast leave for Hyderabad visiting en -route the monuments at Bider. Two nights stay in Hyderabad.

Hyderabad is the capital of India’s fifth largest state of Andra Pradesh and dates back to 16h century. Today visit Golconda, once famed for its diamond mines (the famous Kohinoor diamond of the British Crown was mined here), with its imposing 13th century fort. Also visit the Charminar, Mecca Masjid and the Salarjung Museum.

Day at leisure to relax by the pool of your hotel or for independent exploration. In the evening depart with an overnight Emirates flight to London via Dubai.

Arrive London early in the morning.