South India Cultural Tour

Day 01: Arrive in Bangalore
Once you arrive at the Bangalore airport, meet an IHPL representative who helps in an assisted transfer to your pre-booked hotel. The rest of the day is free for leisure activities- interact with the locals, explore the surroundings on foot, relish the local delicacies, visit the popular markets etc. Overnight stay in Bangalore.

Day 02: Bangalore
After breakfast on the second day, begin sightseeing. Visit the major tourist attractions of the city including Vidhana Soudha, Nandi Temple, Lal Bagh or Botanical Garden etc. Overnight in Bangalore

Day 03: Bangalore - Srirangapatna - Mysore
On the 3rd day of the tour, post breakfast, begin driving towards Mysore. On the way, visit Srirangapatna- the capital of Tipu Sultan to explore its popular attractions including the Srirangapatna Fort, Dariya Daulat Bagh etc.
On reaching Mysore, complete the check-in formalities at your hotel. The rest of the day is free for leisure activities- interacting with the locals, exploring the surroundings on foot etc. Stay overnight.

Day 04: Mysore - Madikeri
Next morning after breakfast, hit the road to Madikeri, also known as Mercara, a beautiful hill town of Karnataka. After reaching, complete the check-in formalities at your hotel. Later, get ready for visiting Madikeri Fort – erected by Mudduraja in the second half of the 17th century, Abbey Falls (Abbi falls or Abbe falls) and Nisargadhama – an island in River Kaveri that is often visited as a picnic spot. Overnight stay.

Day 05: Madikeri - Hassan
On day 5, after breakfast, begin driving to Hassan. On arrival, check- in your hotel and take rest. The evening is free for leisure activities- explore the surroundings on foot or visit the famous Jain and Hindu temples. Overnight in Hassan

Day 06: Hassan - Shravanabelagola - Hassan
After breakfast, leave for a day-trip to Shravanabelagola. It is one of the most well-known religious sites of Jain devotees. There is a 57-feet tall monolithic statue of Bhagwan Gommateshvara Bahubali who is considered to be the protector of Shravanabelagola. It is here that King Chandragupta died in 298 BC after he had become a Jain monk. Back to Hassan for an overnight stay.

Day 07: Hassan - Hospet
On the 7th day of the tour, hit the road to Hospet, a small but a beautiful town. On reaching, check-in your hotel. Post lunch, the day is free. Explore its picturesque beauty, relish the local delicacy or interact with the locals. Stay overnight

Day 08: Hospet- Belur and Halebid- Hospet
Day 8th of the tour is for visiting a proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site of Belur and Halebid temples. The temples are quite popular for their South Indian architecture and were constructed during the 12thcentury. These temples have carvings from Puranas, Upnishads and characters from the Ramayana as well as the Mahabharata. Back to Hospet for an overnight stay.

Day 09: Hospet - Pattadakal - Aihole - Badami
In the morning, after breakfast, begin driving to Badami, formerly known as Vatapi that was once a royal capital of the Chalukyas. On the way, halt at Aihole and Pattadakal. Aihole is a beautiful temple complex constructed by the rulers of Chalukya Dynasty.
Pattadakal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with around 10 temples that are a mix of Indian architectural styles. On arrival at Badami, check-in your hotel. The rest of the day is free- explore the surroundings on foot or simply relax. Stay overnight.

Day 10: Badami
Day 10, post breakfast, is scheduled for sightseeing in Badami where you cover attractions such as Rock-Cut cave temples – carved between 6th and 8th centuries, Badami Fort – erected by King Pulakeshi II during the 5th century, Tipu’s Fort – erected by Tipu Sultan during the 18th century and Bhutanatha Temples - a temple complex constructed between the 7th and 11th centuries with sandstone shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva. Stay overnight.

Day 11: Badami-Belgaum-Goa
Today, post breakfast, begin driving towards Goa. En-route visit Belgaum. It features some great tourist attractions, such as Kamal Basati- a Jain temple located within Belgaum Fort, Jama Masjid – a beautiful mosque, The Kapileshwar Temple – consisting of Shiv Murt, Ganesha Temple, Guru Datt Mandir, Shri Sai Mandir as well as Navagraha temple. The last visit here is to the Ananthashayana temple – erected by King Krishnadeva Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire.
On arriving in Goa, complete the check-in formalities to your pre-booked hotel. If time and energy permit, you can take a leisure walk at the beach or shop at the flea markets. You can also visit the beach shacks or popular nightclubs to get a feel of the rocking nightlife of Goa. Stay overnight.

Day 12, 13, 14: Goa
Days 12, 13 and 14 in Goa are going to be action-packed. Enjoy fun activities such as a leisure walk, sunbathing, swimming at the popular beaches like Baga, Calangute, Vagator, Dona Paula, Anjuna and so on. If you are one of those who loves adventure then you can try your hand at para-sailing, banana ride, jet skiing, water scooter, wind surfing etc.
The Portuguese churches of Goa including St Francis Xavier Church, Church of St Catejan, Se Cathedral, Basilica of Bom Jesus etc are the prime attractions. Do not miss visiting Aguada Fort, Chapora Fort and Mangueshi (Mangeshi) temple. If you love wildlife then explore the wildlife around Goa by visiting Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary or Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary.

Day 15: Goa-Departure from Mumbai
After breakfast, drive to the airport to board a flight to Mumbai. From here, board the flight for your onward destination.