South India and Goa (20 days / 18 nights)
Come and discover the paradise-like islets of India's only former Portuguese colony: the state of Goa offers you stretches of fine sand and magnificent beaches of majestic blue-green. Further inland, you'll see tea plantations and fabulous exotic animals. On this tour, you'll visit three completely different regions of central India. You'll enjoy the warmth and smiles of a population living in the heart of a generous natural environment.
Itinerary: Bombay- Aurangabad- Ellora- Ajanta-Kolhapur-Bijapur-Badami-Pattadakal-Hampi-Hassan-Halebid
Mysore-Somnathpur-Bangalore-Goa
Day 1 France -> Bombay
Flight from France to Mumbai. Typical welcome with a flower necklace and transfer to the hotel. Dinner (depending on your arrival time) and overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 Bombay - Aurangabad
After breakfast, and depending on your flight time, early transfer to Bombay airport for a flight to Aurangabad. Arrival, transfer and check-in at the hotel. Lunch at the hotel. The rest of the day will be devoted to visiting the town. Aurangabad has preserved a large part of its Muslim past and various testimonies of its earlier history, when the city flourished at the crossroads of trade routes. You will discover the bazaar district, Gulmandi Square, the Shah Ganj Masjid mosque, the Mughal tombs and its famous rock-cut Buddhist caves, as well as the Bibi ka-Maqbara, a pale imitation of the Taj Mahal. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 Aurangabad - Ellora -Aurangabad
After breakfast, morning at leisure. In the late morning, you will leave for the Ellora caves, located 30km north-west of Aurangabad. As the caves face west, the afternoon is the best time to visit them. For centuries, this place was considered sacred by Buddhists, Jains and Hindus. In these caves dating from the 6th to 9th centuries, you can admire numerous motifs and sculptures. Cave 16, the Kailasa Temple, a monolithic temple dedicated to Shiva, is the most spectacular. Lunch during the visit. In the late afternoon, return to Aurangabad. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 4 Aurangabad - Ajanta -Aurangabad
After breakfast, you will set off on an excursion to the Ajanta site, located around 100 km north of Aurangabad and home to 30 exceptional caves in a splendid crescent-shaped gorge. Nestling in the heart of the rocky cliffs, you will discover miraculously preserved paintings and sculptures on the walls of these caves, bearing witness to India's earliest Buddhist artistic traditions. These works, dating from the 2nd and 1st centuries BC and the end of the 5th century, depict the life of the Buddha and stories from the Jakata, the previous lives of the Buddha. Lunch during the visit. Return to Aurangabad in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 5 Aurangabad - Kolhapur
After breakfast departure for Kholhapur. Arrive in Kolhapur and check into hotel. Lunch at the hotel. Then visit to the city of Kolhapur, mentioned in Hindu texts under the name of Karvir. During its heyday (3rd century), the city was an important Jain centre. The region was controlled by the Shilahara kings. Today, the city and its architecture are still marked by this glorious era. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 6 Kolhapur - Bijapur
After breakfast, departure for Bijapur. Arrive and check into hotel. Lunch at the hotel. Then visit of the city and its monuments. The city of Bijapur is known for its typically Muslim architectural style, which is quite rare in the Hindu-dominated region of southern India. In keeping with this Muslim style, you will discover the Gol Gumbaz and the Ibrahim Rauza mausoleum. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 7 Bijapur - Badami
After breakfast, departure for the quiet town of Badami. Arrive in Badami and check into your hotel. Lunch at the hotel. You will then set off to explore the surrounding area. Badami is a fairly remote village where many farmers live. It also has many wine cellars and the magnificent Banashankari temple, which you will visit. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 8 Badami - Pattadakal - Badami
After breakfast, you will drive to Pattadakal. The historic site of Pattadakal is a veritable complex made up of a multitude of temples characterised by a blend of architectural styles from central and northern India. During the day you will visit the most important temples, such as Virupaksha, Mallikarjuna and Papanatha. Return to Badami at the end of the day. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 9 Badami - Hampi
After breakfast departure for Hampi. Lunch en route. This long day's drive, punctuated by stops in villages, will give you the chance to discover a rural and profound India. Arrive in Hampi and check into hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 10 Hampi
After breakfast, the day will be devoted to discovering Hampi, which was the capital of one of the last great Hindu kingdoms, which disappeared in the 16th century under the Vijayanagara dynasty, which exacerbated its architectural style to the extreme of Baroque. The site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an austere and grandiose complex whose temples and palaces were admired by travellers in the 15th and 16th centuries. Lunch during the visits. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 11 Hampi - Hassan
After breakfast, departure for Hassam. Lunch en route. Arrive in Hassam and check into your hotel. In the afternoon, you will discover Belur. The former capital of the Hoysalas, Belur is a lively town with many markets. You will visit the Chennakeshava temple, built in the 12th century. Return to Hassan at the end of the day. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 12 Hassan - Halebid - Hassan
After breakfast, we set off to explore Halebid. On arrival, visit the Hoysaleshwara temple. Halebid is the city that succeeded Belur as the capital of the Hoysalas before being destroyed by the Muslims in the 14th century. Lunch during the visits. Return to Hassam in the afternoon. Free time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 13 Hassan - Mysore
After breakfast, departure for Mysore. On the way stop at Sravanabelagola. Sravanabelagola is a major Jain pilgrimage site. It is also home to India's most impressive statue: the 18-metre-high Gomeateshwara. Then lunch. Continue on to Mysore. Arrive in Mysore at the end of the day and check into your hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 14 Mysore - Somnathpur - Bangalore
After breakfast departure for Bangalore. On the way stop at Somnathpur. You will reach Somnathpur through the countryside with its fields and rice paddies. Here you will visit a temple dedicated to Vishnu dating from the time of the Hoysalas. The art of the Hoysalas, recognisable by its star-shaped plan, provides even more space for the fine, splendid sculptures, ringed columns and openwork windows. Lunch before returning to Bangalore. Arrival in Bangalore and check-in at the hotel. Visit to Bangalore, one of India's most modern and technologically advanced cities. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 15 Bangalore -> Goa (Flight)
After breakfast, and depending on your flight time, transfer to Bangalore airport to catch your flight to Goa. Arrival in Goa, welcome and transfer to hotel. Lunch at the hotel. End of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Days 16 - 19 Goa (Relaxation and Beach Stay)
Free time. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 20 Goa - Bangalore (Flight) (556 km) -> France
After breakfast, and depending on your flight time, transfer to Goa airport to catch your flight to Bangalore. Arrive in Bangalore and fly to France. End of our services. Arrival in France.
