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South India Wildlife & Scenic Tour
Duration: 15 Nights / 16 Days
Destinations: Bangalore - Mysore - Nagarhole -
Bandipur - Madumalai - Coonoor - Ooty - Coimbatore - Madurai - Periyar - Kumarokom
- Aleppey - Cochin - Bangalore.
 Day
01 : Arrival at Bangalore:
Compass Representative will meet and assist you upon your arrival
at the Bangalore airport. Transfer to your hotel and relax for the
day. Overnight will be at Hotel.
Day 02 : Bangalore - Mysore:
By Road 150 km in 03hr
Breakfast will be at the resort. Drive to Mysore.
On the way visit Srirangapatnam - 16 km before Mysore, this fort was
the stronghold of Tipu Sultan, son of Haider Ali. Tipu made a last
minute ditch against the British in 1799 before surrendering his kingdom.
Among the many fort buildings still intact, are Tipu's airy Summer
Palace and his tomb at the Darya Daulat Bagh (garden). Here, is also
the celebrated Sri Ranganatha Temple.
Reach Mysore and check in at hotel.
Mysore city was the capital of the old royal Mysore province. The
word Mysore expands to "Mahishasurana Ooru" which means
the town of Mahishasura. The story goes that the demon Mahishasura
was killed by goddess Chamundeshwari atop the Chamundi hill near Mysore,
and hence the name. Ever since, the Mysore royal family has worshipped
Chamundeshwari as the palace deity. Hills dedicated to her stand at
the eastern end of Mysore town today.
To the people of India the word Mysore is synonymous with Sandalwood,
silk and fine inlay-work using ivory. It is the home of incense sticks
dipped in sandalwood oil perfume base and has two well known incense
factories - the Aravinda Parimala and the Vasu and Cycle brand (together
these two account for 70% of the incense stick export from India).
Mysore is also the home of many well regarded musicians and artists.
It is even today the hub of the tourist map of Karnataka. Nearby are
several places of interest to visitors, some of these are Brindavan
Gardens, Srirangapattana, Rangana Tittu bird sanctuary, Chamundi Hills,
Nanjanagudu, Bandipur forest reserve, Shivanasamudra falls, and Talakaadu.
Within the town are several places of interest. The grand palace with
its four arched entrances stands at the centre of the town. Liberally
covered with golden domes and home to the most expensive royal chair
(Simhasana), made of gold and studded with diamond and precious stones,
this palace rivals the best in the world. During weekends the whole
palace is lit with thousands of lights, a great sight. Saint Philomina's
church is a fine cathedral dating back to the 18th century. The Venkatappa
art gallary has inspired many an artist and conducts courses in traditional
painting, drawing and woodwork. It is also the birth-place for the
Mysore wooden toys, which are exported worldwide.
Enjoy the palace sightseeing.
Visit Chamundi Hills - Towering over the city, these hills
are 13 km away from Mysore. Halfway-up is the Nandi Bull, a 4.8 m
monolith. Right on top is the 2000-year-old Brindavan Gardens 19 km
northwest of Mysore is the KRS Dam and the ornamental Brindavan Gardens.
The musical fountains and colorful lights transform this palace into
fairy land in the evenings.
Visit Sir Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery - Housed in the Jaganmohan
Palace, this gallery has a collection of exquisite paintings dating
back to 1875, the Russian Svetoslav Roerich and the traditional Mysore
gold leaf style of painting.
Overnight will be at Mysore.
Day 03 : Mysore - Nagarhole - Bandipur:
By Road 150 km in 02 + 02 = 04hr
Drive to Nagarhole after a leisurely breakfast.
Established in 1955 as a wildlife sanctuary, Nagarhole was designated
a national park twenty years later. The park today stretches in a
series of gentle hills and valleys, over an expanse of 640 sq km,
north of the river Kabini. The park came up around a perennial water
reservoir formed in 1974, when the Kabini River was dammed.
Nagarhole's vegetation is refreshingly different from Bandipur's dry
scrub - moist deciduous forests, including bamboo, teak, eucalyptus
and cassia, cover much of the sanctuary, providing a refuge for a
wide range of animals and birds. Nagarhole has all the resident wildlife
of the Nilgiri hills: Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri langur, bison, leopard,
Asian elephant, wild boar, deer, dhole (wild dog) and porcupine, besides
tigers. A high canopy of trees- up to thirty metres tall in some places-
harbours rare birds such as the endangered Malabar trogon, the Malabar
pied hornbill and the crested hawk-eagle.
Nagarhole saw some upheavals in 1992, when quarrelling between the
wardens of the park and the local villagers resulted in arson which
had an enormously adverse impact on the park and its wildlife. It
will still take a few years for Nagarhole's forest and animal count
to get back to normal butthere has already been a resurrection of
sorts and things get better every year.
Drive to bandipur after the safari.
Bandipur National park is one the many reserves located within the
forest belt between the Western Ghats and the Nilgiri Mountains. Most
of these reserves are demarcated more by political boundaries than
by truly physical ones. Bandipur lies in the southern state of Karnataka
and covers a forest area of 865 square kilometers. It was declared
a National Park in 1974 and is one of the original 9 tiger reserves
under the watchful eye of "Project Tiger".
The park is situated on the border with Kerala to the south and Tamil
Nadu to the west. The national park lies at the heart of an extensive
forest at the confluence of the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills. Bandipur
was made a national park in 1974. The sanctuary was elevated in status
and enlarged to 80,300 hectares in 1941 and renamed Venugopal Wildlife
Park after a temple. The national park is included in the proposed
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
The terrain is undulating and broken by chains of hills, flat-topped
hillocks and water-courses. The reserve is drained by the Kubini,
Nugu and Moyar rivers and by the Bavali, Moolehole, Kekkanalla, and
Marandi streams. The River Moyar has cut a picturesque gorge, known
as Mysore Ditch, which is 260m deep.
Underlying rocks are mainly metamorphic: gneiss, quartzite, mica,
and hornblende schists are generally widespread. Igneous intrusions
of granite and charnokite appear as out crops at high levels and in
the beds of water courses (Neginhal, 1974). The soil is usually a
mixture of red laterites and black cotton soil, but the latter does
not show a higher concentration of salt. In some places sandstones,
semi-quartz and shales are present.
Cold, dry and wet seasons are distinguished. The cold season lasts
from November to mid-February, and is followed by a dry season lasting
until June. The wet season starts mid-June, though heavy pre-monsoon
showers fall in April and May. Temperatures range between 18 - 24
degrees celcius in November and 21 - 33 degrees celcius in June.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 04 : Bandipur:
Breakfast will be at the resort.
Spend a day in the wild.
All meals will be at the resort. Enjoy the elephant ride and spend
time with the cubs.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 05 : Bandipur - Madumalai:
By Road 90 km in 02hr
Breakfast will be at the resort.
Drive to MADUMALAI NATIONAL PARK.
Madumalai is a paradise in the wild. The name itself suggests visions
of bees and honey. However, it is much more than that. It is a virgin
valley of fresh, crisp foliage and loafing tigers, gaurs, deer and
elephants over acres of jungle. Tiny brooks and streams along with
the Kabini River form the nerve system of the sanctuary. Surrounded
by the three ghats with the Niligiris forming a sort of gulf below,
bordering the Kannads above, one finds here a potpourri of deciduous
trees and shrubs of several rare species. Madumalai is an invigorating
experience for those tired of the bustle of cities.
 Enjoy
the safari of the park and stay at the tree house. It is more than
100 feet above the ground with attached bathroom and all amenities.
This is a thrilling experience enjoying the animals from the top and
is definitely not for the weak-hearted.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 06 : Madumalai:
Enjoy the day at the park.
All meals will be in the park.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 07 : Madumalai - Coonoor:
By Road 50 km in 02hr
Drive to Coonoor after breakfast and the morning safari.
Coonoor is the second largest hill station in the Nilgiris. It stands
on a lower ridge of the main plateau at an altitude of 1839 metres.
Its climate is milder than Ooty. Surrounding the town are many picnic
spots. In the heart of Coonoor is "Sims Park". It is a park
cum botanical garden. Many species of trees and shrubs not found in
Ooty are grown here. It is at an elevation of 1880 metres and occupies
12 hectares of land.
Enjoy the evening at the beautiful heritage resort.
Overnight will be at Coonoor.
Day 08 : Blue train to Ooty:
Enjoy breakfast at the resort.
Visit the following places:
Sim's Park The Park is situated in a deep ravine on the Northern side
of Coonoor Railway Station at an elevation of 1768 to 1798 mts. The
park can be divided into eight major sections. The natural shola with
winding footpaths all over the higher slopes of the park is the most
distinctive and picturesque feature of this park. This apart a number
of individual tree specimens planted in a scattered fashion all over
the place, lend a special charm to the park specially when they bloom
in different seasons throughout the year.
Pomological Station This is one of the three experimental fruit gardens
in the Nilgiris maintained by the Horticultural Department. The other
two are Burliar and Kallar on the Coonoor - Mettupalayam ghat road.
Apples, Plums, Peaches, Lemons, Apricots and Pomegranates are grown
here for the purpose of research. Surplus fruits and fruit based jams
are sold to the public.
Take the TOY TRAIN (blue train) to OOTY.
 Ootacamund,
Ooty or more recently Udhagamandalam, call it what you like, still
translates to a little town set on the stepped slopes of the Nilgiris,
the oldest mountain range in India. Located 2240 meters, above sea
level, the soothing clime and rustic setting gift Ooty a charm of
its own. The verdant tea gardens and the rolling hills exude a pleasantness
that will calm the high-strung city dweller and soothe his senses
with the fragrance of eucalyptus and sandalwood that hangs in the
air. What's more, the superb 300km drive from Bangalore to the hill
station takes the motorist through two dense wildlife sanctuaries.
We've been there and done that and we're about to tempt you to do
the same.
Relax during the day and in the evening explore the small town.
Overnight will be in Ooty.
Day 09 : Ooty - Coimbatore:
By Train & Road 80 km in 04hr (3 hr by train & 1 hr by surface)
Breakfast will be at the resort.
Visit the beautiful botanical gardens.
Drive to DODABETTA PEAK and enjoy the day among nature.
In the evening take the train to METTUPALIYAM (toy train) and then
drive to Coimbatore.
Check in at hotel and spend night at Coimbatore.
 Day
10 : Coimbatore - Madurai:
By Road 250 km in 05hr
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and drive to Madurai.
Reach and check in at hotel.
Madurai's Main attraction is the Famous Sri Meenakshi Amman temple
a riotously baroque example of Dravidian architecture with Gopurams
carved from top to bottom in a breathtaking profusion of multicolored
images of Gods. Tamil & Greek documents record the existence of
Madurai from the 4th Century BC the city was known to the Greeks via
Magathenes their ambassador to the court of Chandraguptha Muriya this
city was popular in trade especially in spices. It was also the site
the Sangam the academy of the Tamil Poets. And Madurai is the centre
of all the cities and Madurai is famous for the cotton Sungudi Saris.
Visit the temple in the evening.
Sri Meenakshi Amman temple: dated back to 2000 Years back and
designed in 1560 by Vishwanatha Nayaka and built during the reign
of Tirumalai Nayaka. The Temple occupies an area of six hectares.
There are 12 temple towers (Gopurams). The outer towers are the landmarks
of Madurai.
Overnight will be at Madurai.
Day 11: Madurai:
After breakfast go for city tour of Madurai.
 Vandiyur
Mariamman Teppakulam: Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam is a huge
temple tank about 5 km east of the Meenakshi temple. The mandapam
in the centre has an idol of Vigneshwara (Vinayaka). It is said to
have been found when the earth was being dug out from here to build
the Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal. So, the place attained sanctity and
was converted into a teppakulam (tank). This enormous temple tank
is fed by water brought from the Vagai through an ingenious system
of underground Channels. King Thirumalai Nayak was born in 'Poosa'
Star. In commemorating the birth of the king "Float Festival"
is conducted in Tamil Month 'Thai' (Jan/Feb) in the tank in a colourful
way, which attracts thousands of tourists.
Gandhi Museum: The Gandhi Memorial Museum is one of the distinct
places to be visited in Madurai. This Museum is one of the rare living
memorials of "The Father of India". The Museum is set in
relaxing grounds and has a clear historical account of India's struggle
for Independence.
Thirumalai Nayak Palace: This Palace was built in 1636 by King
Thirumalai Nayak with the help of an Italian Architect. The building
we see today was the main Palace where the King lived. The original
Palace Complex was four times bigger than the present structure. This
palace consisted mainly of two parts, namely Swargavilasa and Rangavilasa.
In these two parts, there are royal residence, theatre, shrine, apartments,
armoury, palanquin place, royal bandstand, quarters, pond and garden.
King Thirumalai Nayak celebrated festivals like Scepter festival,
Navarathri, Chithirai festival, Masi festival and the Float festival.
He conducted daily dance and music performances in the palace. This
palace was destroyed by his grandson Chokkanatha Nayak and the valuables
were transferred to other places. During the British rule, in 1822,
Lord Napier made several renovation works. Then the palace was utilized
to house some officials of the judiciary and district administration.
After independence, this palace was declared as a national monument
and is now under the care of the Tamilnadu Archaeological Department.
Overnight will be at Madurai.
Day 12 : Madurai - Periyar:
By Road 133km in 04hr
Proceed for Periyar after breakfast.
The river Periyar is the longest river in Kerala. This is the only
perennial river in South India with clean water. The river occupies
an important place in the history of Kerala. In the Sangam age Tamil
epics such as Chilapathikaram, 'Akananuru', 'Purananuru' etc much
has been said about this mighty river, formerly known as the 'Choorni
Nadi' or 'Thamraparni Nadi' (Sukasandesam -stanza 66). A land route
existed in the Sangam age from Mussuris (present-day Kodungalloor)
to Madurai, which passed near the banks of the river Periyar. The
capital of the old Chera Empire presumably existed on the banks of
the river Periyar. It is believed that there was a flood in the 4th
century AD that severely damaged the areas along the Periyar and the
people living there had to escape to safer locations, abandoning their
homes and livelihoods. The flood of AD 1341 resulted in the closing
of Kodungalloor port and the opening of a new port at Kochi. The huge
landslide that began in the high ranges as a result of the heavy downpours
sent massive flows of mud and sand which created an Island at the
'Azhimugham' of the Periyar which is now known as the Vyppin Islands.
Proceed for a JUNGLE WALK in the national park with your guide.
In the evening visit the SPICE MARKETS.
Overnight will be at hotel in Periyar.
Day 13 : Periyar:
 Leave
the resort early in the morning (7 AM) for a bamboo rafting excursion
in the river Periyar running through the National Park.
Breakfast and lunch will be during the excursion. From the safety
of the raft you can witness herds of wild elephants coming down to
water and swim. The other prominent fauna to be seen are Tiger, Sambar,
Barking deer, Mouse deer, Nilgiri Tahr, Wild Pigs, Wild dogs, Porcupine,
Lion-tailed macaque, Malabar Squirrel, Flying Squirrel, Sloth Bear,
Gaur and Black Langur (Monkey). Tigers and Leopards seldom come to
the lakeside by day.
Return in the evening and visit the Spice plantations.
Overnight will be at Periyar.
Day 14 : Periyar - Kumarokom:
By Road 175km in 04hr
Breakfast will be at resort.
Proceed towards Kumarakom enjoying the beauty of the traditional Kerala
houses. You will also pass through rolling tea gardens and rubber
plantations. Stop at a tea factory to see the tea - making process.
Reach Kumarokom and check in at hotel. An enchanting backwater destination,
Kumarokom offers visitors many other leisure options.
 An
unbelievably beautiful paradise of mangrove forests, emerald green
paddy fields and coconut groves interspersed with enchanting waterways
and canals adorned with while lilies - this is Kumarokom.
Enjoy a visit to the BIRD PARK.
Check into a traditional houseboat of Kerala Style and go on a leisurely
backwater cruise along the lake on a thatched houseboat.
The backwaters act as a vital waterway for the transport of goods,
people and their produce are often the only link between isolated
villages and crowded towns. In Kerala, the total expanse of backwater
stretches over 1500 km, with a network of 44 rivers, lagoons and lakes
from north to south. Alleppey which forms the main part of this network
has the peculiar geographical feature of having the water in level
with the land. This gives the advantage of getting a closer look at
the village life on shore while on a backwater ride.
Talk to the crew and sip your tea while enjoying the backwaters and
seeing life pass by. The meals and refreshments will be served on
the boat.
Overnight will be at Houseboat.
Day 15 : Aleppey - Cochin:
By Road 60 km in 01hr
Cruise through the villages after breakfast.
Disembark the boat at Alleppey.
 Aleppey
is one of the most important tourist centers in the state, with a
large network of inland canals earning it the sobriquet "Venice
of the east". These large networks of canals provide Alleppey
its lifeline. Alleppey was one of the busiest centers of trade in
the past with one of the best known ports along the Malabar Coast.
Even today it retains its charm as the centre for Coir carpet industries
and prawn farming. Alleppey the ideal headquarters for backwater tourism
as well as for visits to the lovely church filled town of Kottayam,
and the town of Aranmula, famous for its historic Aranmula Snake Boat
Race which is an annual event.
Drive to Cochin.
The eventful history of this city began when a major flood in AD 1341
threw open the estuary at Kochi, till then a land locked region, turning
it into one of the finest natural harbors in the world. Kochi thus
became a haven for seafaring visitors from all over the world and
became the first European town-ship in India when the Portuguese settled
here in the 15th century.
Enjoy the boat ride in the harbour watching the dolphins playing and
enjoying the city from the water.
Overnight will be in hotel.
Day 16 : Cochin - Bangalore:
(By flight to be announced)
Breakfast will be at the resort.
 Proceed
for a sightseeing tour of FORT COCHIN. A few interesting sites included
in the tour are the Chinese fishing nets along the Vasco Da Gama Square,
Santa Cruz Basilica, St. Francis Church, VOC Gate, Bastion Bungalow,
Jewish Synagogue, Mattancherry Palace, etc. Learn the operation of
the interesting Chinese fishing nets erected on teak wood and bamboo
poles which work on the principle of balance. Records say they were
first set up here between AD 1350 and 1450. Vasco Da Gama Square,
the narrow promenade that parallels the beach, is the best place to
watch the nets being lowered and pulled out of the sea.
Take flight to Bangalore and freshen up at a hotel close to the airport.
Fly out late in the night with sweet memories of India.
TOUR ENDS
SERVICES INCLUDE:
- ACCOMMODATION AT SUGGESTED HOTELS,
- SIGHTSEEING TOURS AS MENTIONED IN THE ITINERARY,
- ALL TOURS AND TRANSFERS IN AIR-CONDITIONED SUV,
- DAILY DINNERS AT THE HOTELS / RESORTS,
- ALL MEALS AT BANDIPUR & MADUMALAI,
- ENGLISH SPEAKING DRIVER ALL THROUGH,
- ASSISTANCE AT THE AIRPORTS & STATIONS ON ARRIVAL / DEPARTURE,
- OVERNIGHT AC HOUSEBOAT CRUISE IN BACKWATERS,
- TOY TRAIN RIDE AT OOTY & COONOOR,
- HARBOUR CRUISE AT COCHIN,
- AIRFARE FROM COCHIN TO BANGALORE,
- KATHAKALI DANCE PRESENTATION AT COCHIN,
- ALL MEALS ON HOUSEBOAT,
- SPICE PLANTATION TOUR IN PERIYAR,
- AARTI CEREMONY AT MADURAI,
- ALL APPLICABLE TAXES AND SERVICE CHARGES,
- ALL MONUMENT ENTRANCES AND
- ALL ROAD TAXES, GOVERNMENT TAXES AND DRIVER ALLOWANCES
Hotels:
| CITY |
SUGGESTED DELUXE / HERITAGE HOTELS & LODGES |
NIGHTS |
| BANGALORE |
THE PARK |
01 |
| MYSORE |
METROPOLE |
01 |
| BANDIPUR |
TUSKER TRAILS |
02 |
| MADUMALAI |
WILD CANOPY (TREE HOUSE) |
02 |
| COONOOR |
TAJ GARDEN RETREAT |
01 |
| OOTY |
TAJ SAVOY |
01 |
| COIMBATORE |
RESIDENCY |
01 |
| MADURAI |
TAJ GARDEN RETREAT |
02 |
| PERIYAR |
SPICE VILLAGE |
02 |
| BACKWATERS |
PRIVATE 1 BR AC HOUSEBOAT |
01 |
| COCHIN |
BRUNTON BOATYARD |
01 |
| BANGALORE |
THE PARK |
DAY USE |
PRICE: (PER PERSON IN US$)
| Occupancy |
Per person price |
| In double room |
2999 |
NOTE:
Please note that only lunches and dinners are not included along with
personal expenses and camera, etc. fees, tips, (if any) at places
where applicable. All cruises, rides, etc. are private. All hotels
and flights at the time of quotation are subject to availability.
South India Wildlife & Scenic
Tour, Reservation Form
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