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DATE | ACTIVITY | NIGHT | |
Dec. 29 | S | Gather at Hotel Ambassador in Chennai | Chennai |
30 | S | After breakfast to Kanchipuram, one of India’s sacred cities. Early temple architecture, temples. After lunch: city tour, National Museum, Marina Beach. |
Chennai |
31 | M | By our coach to Pondicherry, founded by the French; many vestiges of their presence remains. Stop at Mamallapuram for the beautiful rock carvings and the Shore Temple. Afternoon city tour. | Pondicherry |
Jan. 1 | T | Our bus to (Tanjore) Thanjavur. Dravidian architecture in Chidambaram with the great temple of Nataraja and the dancing Shiva. The thousand pillared hall and other marvels. Interesting villages. Traditional dance program in the hotel. | Tanjore |
2 | W | Morning: tour of the city : Brihadishwara Temple and Fort, built in 1010 – a spectacular place. Also silk, pottery, copper, brass, silver. Later on to Trichy and Madurai. Rock Fort Temple in Trichy. | Madurai |
3 | Th | Morning: tour Meenakshi Temple, a riotously baroque example of Dravidian architecture. Attracts pilgrims from all over the world. Afternoon free: interesting markets, bookshops, museum, craft shops. |
Madurai |
4 | F | Short ride to Munnar. Beautiful landscapes, hill top villages, tea plantations, cardamom groves. After lunch to tea gardens, tea processing. | Munnar |
5 | S | A short ride in our coach down the mountains to Kochi (Cochin) on the Kerala coast. After lunch we tour the city. Oldest churches and synagogues in India. Dutch, English and Portuguese architecture. Mattancherry Palace and murals. | Kochi |
6 | S | After breakfast to Alappuzha (Alleppey) for a boat cruise through the backwaters of Kerala. Small farms, fishing villages, cashews, copra, coir. Evening: Kathakali dance performance in town. |
Kochi |
7 | M | To Udhagamandalam (Ooty), through beautiful countryside, mountains, and tribal villages. Previously a British hill station. Visit Tribal Research Center, museum. | Udhagamandalam |
8 | T | Short ride to Mysore. City tour, Chamundeswari Temple, the Devaraja fruit and vegetable market, perhaps the most colorful market in India. | Mysore |
9 | W | Tour in and south of town. Maharaja’s palace, villages south of town, to Chamundi Hill and it’s Durga (Kali temple). Folklore Museum. Late afternoon: free. Evening: barbeque at hotel. |
Mysore |
10 | Th | To Srirangapatnam (Port of the Lord of the World) on an island in the Cauvery River, then on to Hassan. After lunch a city tour and the gothic carvings in two Hindu temples. | Hassan |
11 | F | Travel through varied countryside, stop at villages, lunch at Chitradurga. Walking tour of Hospet. | Hospet |
12 | S | Day tour of nearby Hampi. Once a great city and capital of a large empire. Hampi was involved in an unfortunate was in 1565 and was destroyed. Spectacular ruins and monuments… but only 1000 or so residents. | Hospet |
13 | S | After breakfast by road to Aihole : rock carvings and an interesting village. At Pattadakal see carved renditions of the Ramayana. Afternoon: to the stunning cave temples of Badami. |
Badami |
14 | M | By coach to Goa. Mountains, villages, and then the coastal area. Portuguese settlements. | Goa |
15 | T | Tour of city, beaches, fishing village. Afternoon free: craft shops, swimming, etc. |
Goa |
16 | W | After lunch fly to Mumbai (Bombay). City tour, dinner at hotel near airport. End of tour. (SEE BELOW) | Depart |
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