Golden Chariot Luxury Train Tour

Since October,2010 -The Golden Chariot Train is operating on two different 7 nights train tour circuits,both departing from Bangalore, on alternate Mondays

• 7 Nights Golden Chariot-Pride Of South Train tour offers unique combination of Palaces,Wild life reserve,beaches 7 UNESCO World Heritage Temple sites
• 7 Nights Southern Splendour Train Tour mostly covers temples in Tamil Nadu with unique flavour of Pondicherry beach town & Kerala backwaters.

Day 1: Mon: BANGALORE Depart
Report by 430 p.m. at hotel Taj Westend,Bangalore for check-in formalities of Train tour & brief introduction.
After High Tea ,Proceed for cultural program and arrive at Yashwantpura Railway station by 8 p.m. for traditional welcome & be escorted to respective cabins.
Train departs by 9 p.m.dinner on board

Day 2: Tue: KABINI Forest Reserve (overnight stay)
Train arrives early morning at Mysore Railway Station & stabled at Platform for 2 days.
After breakfast,pack overnight clothes & drive 2.5 hrs to Forest Lodge at Kabini.
Later proceed for Excursion to Bandipur Tiger Reserve,home to large herds Elephants,Significant numbers of Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Chevrotain, Dhole and Hyena. ,Gaur, Sambar (deer), Chital, Wild boar, Barking deer and Four-horned Antelope.

Day 3:Wed: MYSORE
After early morning boat ride in Kabi river,drive back to Mysore railway to board the train & for brief rest
In the afternoon ,visit late 19th century built Mysore Palace with unique collection of artefacts; & excursion to Srirangapatna Fort,where the British Army lost a battle to Tipu Sultan

Day 4: Thurs: BELUR & HALEBID
Visit the intricately carved temples at Halebid & Belur,built under Royal Patronage of Hosalaya Kings during 12th to 14th century.
Option to climb steep hill at Shravanabelagola.,to gaze at 17 Metres tall Naked Stone Monolith of Gomateshwara,a jain monk.

Day 5: Fri: HAMPI
This UNESCO World Heritage site,was once the capital of mighty South Indian Vijayanagara empire.Hampi is full of delightful surprises like the Queen's Baths,Huge Elephant stables ,Splendid Vittala temple with musical pillars & The Stone chariot

Day 6: Sat: BADAMI & PATTADAKAL
The Rock Cut Cave temples of Badami in Sand Stone Cliff date back to 7th century and classified as UNESCO World Heritage site.
Nearby located Pattadakal temple complex ,also an UNESCO World heritage site,offer an unique amalgamation of both North India(Indo-Aryan) & South India(Dravidian) style of temple architecture 7 date back to 10th Century.

Day 7: Sun; GOA
Morning visit the UNESCO World heritage site of Portuguese churches in Old Goa
Afternoon enjoy the Golden Beaches of Goa

Day 8: Mon: BANGALORE Return
The train arrives at Yashwantpura Railway Station by 11 a.m. Check out on arrival.
Tour ends.



Day 1: Mon; BANGALORE Depart
Report by 430 p.m. at hotel Taj Westend,Bangalore for check-in formalities of Train tour & brief introduction.
After High Tea ,Proceed for cultural program and arrive at Yashwantpura Railway station by 8 p.m. for traditional welcome & be escorted to respective cabins.
Train departs by 9 p.m.dinner on board

Day 2: Tue: MAHABALIPURAM
Train arrives early morning at Chennai.Proceed for 2 hrs drive to Mahabalipuram Beach,home to Sea Shore Temples,dating back to 8th century & now declared an UNESCO World heritage site

Day 3: Wed: PONDICHERRY
Morning excursion to Auroville commune,with philosophy of Unity of all religions in the world
Afternoon discover the former French colony of Pondicherry beach town & enjoy walk through it's French quarters

Day 4: Thurs: TRICHY & TANJORE
In Trichy,you visit the ancient Jambukershwara Temple,with it's main deity representing the natural element of water.The massive outer wall, stretches over a mile long, and is two feet thick and over 25 feet in height.

Later drive 1.5 hrs to Tanjore & visit 10th century built Brihadeshwara Temple ,classified as an UNESCO World Heritage site due to a 63 Metre High Dome, said to have been constructed from a single Piece of Granite. Nearby locate The raja Chola Gallery ,offers some fine pieces of stone & Bronze sculptures ,dating back to 9th Century

Day 5: Fri: MADURAI
The 2000 years Old Meenakshi temple is a splendid example of Dravidian Architecture ,with Four entrances & spread in an area of Six Hectares .The temple museum has 985 richly carved Pillars,each one surpasses the other in beauty

Day 6: Sat: KANYAKUMARI & KOVALLAM
An early morning 430 am wake-up call awaits you for 1 hr drive to Kanyakumari,for admiring the Sunrise over three oceans.
Later return to train & depart.
Late afternoon excursion to famous Kovallam Beach.

Day 7: Sun: ALLEPPEY Backwaters & KOCHI
Morning enjoy boat ride in Kerala Backwaters & enjoy lunch in lakeside Resort.
Afternoon visit the ancient port town of Kochi,now a bustling modern city.

Day 8: Mon: BANGALORE Return
The train arrives at Yashwantpura Railway Station by 930 a.m. Check out on arrival.
Tour ends

Important: The day to day program may change,to suit local logistics