There are many Indias.  The Rajasthan always comes first to mind.  However, the South holds beauty and surprises unlike anything to be seen in the North.  It is even more exotic, if that is possible.  It is lush, green and more carefree. Temples, palaces and wildlife strew the surface of its land- scape.  The food is varied and delicious with influences from the world over.

There is also poverty and disease; there are traditions and customs that seem strange and awful to us; there is heart-wrenching beauty and heart-breaking sadness; there are the warm and friendly people; there is the exotic air lent by a rich and intricate cultural and religious tapestry.

We visit Calcutta, a dark hole no more, and a fascinating compendium of colonialism, population, and progress.  As we move deep and then deeper into the South to experience its variety and richness close at hand, we are often within view of one coast or the other (the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean), or traveling upon the very waters themselves (the "backwaters" of Kerala).  Even the game viewing in the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is done by boat.  And for our grand finale we partake of a sumptuous barbeque at the edge of the beach in exotic Goa.

There is much to learn and a very great deal to enjoy.  Please join me in the magical discovery of "the other" India.

  Tour Overview

One night at the Taj Mahal Hotel Delhi in superior rooms with a welcome dinner at Bukhara. 

Fly to Varanasi for one night at the Taj Ganges Hotel.   Our sightseeing will include an evening visit to the River Ganges waterfront to witness the Aarti ceremony, the festival of lights.  The next morning, after an early morning boat ride visit the Vishwanath Temple and the old bazaars.  Later drive to Sarnath, the site of the Buddha's first sermon.

Fly to Calcutta, the showpiece capital of the Raj, for three nights at the Taj Bengal Hotel.  A full day of sightseeing is followed by a day at leisure to rest, explore and shop.  The following morning visit Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, St. Paul's cathedral and much more.

Fly to Bhubaneswar for two nights at the Oberoi Trident Hotel.  Two days of sightseeing here include a visit to Puri and the famous Jagannath Temple, the village of Pipili, the Sun Temple at Konark, and the distinctive temples of Bhubaneswar.

Fly to Madras for two nights at Fisherman's Cove .  See Mamallapuram, the 7th century city known as a sculptor's delight, followed by an afternoon exploration of Madras, home of the ancient Dravidian civilization. 

Fly to Madurai for one night at the Taj Garden Retreat.   Here we will visit one of the largest temple complexes in India.

Drive to Thekkady where we spend one night at the Taj Garden Retreat, situated close to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary which we will explore.

Drive on to Kumarakom for one night at the Taj Garden Retreat, our departure point for the back waters.

Nest day we take a houseboat along the back waters of Kerala to Cochin where we stay two nights at the Taj Malabar .  A full day of sightseeing ends with cocktails and dinner on a private boat.

Fly to Goa where we luxuriate for two nights at the Taj Exotica.  After a day of leisure the next morning we visit Velha Goa, now a world heritage site, with its extraordinary churches and convents.  An afternoon at leisure is followed by cocktails and a seafood dinner by the beach.

Fly to Bombay for a day of sightseeing and one night at the  historic Taj Mahal Hotel, where we end the trip with an evening of cocktails and dinner at the Tanjore Restaurant with entertainment by Indian classical dancers.

This itinerary may be reserved as a private departure with a date of your choosing.

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tours@connoisseurstravel.com