Day 1 Depart UKToday depart the UK and fly with British Airways to Hyderabad. (N)
Day 2 Arrive HyderabadArrive into Hyderabad where you will be met and transferred to
your hotel for a two night stay. Regal Hyderabad is one of southern India’s grandest
cities. Capital of Telangana, for centuries the city and wider region were ruled by a
series of Muslim Nizams who were amongst some of the richest men in the world.
Hyderabad’s wealth is evident in the city’s numerous majestic monuments which are
some of the finest in the country. (B)
Accommodation in Hyderabad: Taj Deccan Hotel
Upgrade option: Taj Krishna Hotel
Alternative upgrade option: Taj Falaknuma Palace
Day 3 HyderabadToday plan your sightseeing of Hyderabad with your guide. Highlights
include Golconda Fort, the beautiful Qutb Shahi Tombs, Mecca Masjid Mosque, bustling
Lad Bazaar, the Chow mahalla Palace and the perfectly proportioned Char Minar which
is over 350 years old and one of the most recognisable symbols of the city. For those
interested in textiles and traditional weaving, a visit can be arranged to Suraiya Hasan’s
Weaving Centre which was established to revive the region’s textile heritage. (B)
Accommodation in Hyderabad: Taj Deccan Hotel
Upgrade option: Taj Krishna Hotel
Alternative upgrade option: Taj Falaknuma Palace
Day 4 Hyderabad to Bellary – by air / Bellary to Hampi – 40kmsAfter breakfast you will
be met and transferred to Hyderabad Airport in good time for your flight to Bellary. On
arrival continue by road to Hampi which will be your base for the next three nights.
Capital of the powerful Vijayanagara Empire, the ruins at Hampi stand testament to the
influence and dominance of one of southern India’s most significant ancient realms. In
the evening enter the archaeological site and enjoy sunset from Hemakuta Hill. (B/D)
Accommodation in Hospet: Heritage Resort Hampi
Upgrade option: Hampi's Boulders Resort
Alternative upgrade option: Evolve Back, Kamalapura Palace Hampi

Days 5 & 6 HampiOver the next two days join your guide and explore the exceptional
ruins of Hampi. This extraordinary site, which was once home to one of the grandest
Hindu empires to have existed in Indian history, is UNESCO protected and covers a
vast area so there are plenty of palace and temple remains to see today. Established in
1336 AD, highlights include the Vitthala Temple, the famous Stone Chariot, Lotus Mahal
and Queen's Bath and Elephant Stables. (B/D)
Accommodation in Hospet: Heritage Resort Hampi
Upgrade option: Hampi's Boulders Resort
Alternative upgrade option: Evolve Back, Kamalapura Palace Hampi
Day 7 Hampi to Bellary – 40kms / Bellary to Bangalore – by air / Bangalore to Mysore –
150kmsThis morning return by road to Bellary and fly to Bangalore. On arrival you will
be met and driven through the countryside of southern Karnataka to Mysore which will
be your base for the next two nights. Charming Mysore was once one of India’s most
powerful kingdoms and served as the epicentre of a wealthy region that, until the British
Raj, was ruled by Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan. Much of this stately heritage remains and
this afternoon enjoy a two-hour heritage walk through the old city incorporating the
Town Hall, Devaraja Market and Jagan Mohan Palace. (B/D)
Accommodation in Mysore: Gitanjali Homestay
Upgrade option: Royal Orchid Metropole Hotel
Day 8 MysoreExplore Mysore with your guide. There is a lot to see and do in Mysore,
as well as the surrounding region, so in the morning you can plan your day with the
guide. In the city places of interest include Chamundi Hill, site of Chamundeswari
Temple and Nandi Bull, and the grand City Palace which was once the seat of the
Kingdom of Mysore. Also travel outside of the city to see the fine temples at
Somnathpur and Srirangapatnam where Tipu Sultan was defeated in battle by an East
India Company army including Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington. (B/D)
Accommodation in Mysore: Gitanjali Homestay
Upgrade option: Royal Orchid Metropole Hotel
Day 9 Mysore to Nagarhole – 90kmsAfter breakfast leave Mysore and drive to
Nagarhole National Park where you will stay in a lodge for the next two nights.
Nagarhole is arguably southern India's finest reserve and covers a sizable area of
protected land. The park is home to tiger, bison, elephant, leopard, a number of different
deer species and sloth bear. Over 250 different bird species have also been recorded.
(B/L/D)
Accommodation in Nagarhole: KAAV Safari Lodge
Upgrade option: The Bison
Alternative upgrade option: Evolve Back, Kuruba Safari Lodge, Kabini
Day 10 Nagarhole National ParkToday visit Nagarhole National Park on sunrise and
sunset safaris in the company of an expert naturalist. Established in 1950s, and once
owned by the local Maharaja, Nagarhole is a beautiful reserve with a number of different
habitats and environments which, in turn, support great diversity of animal life.

Predominately deciduous forest, there are also bamboo groves and areas of swamp
that adjoin the Kabini River. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Nagarhole: KAAV Safari Lodge
Upgrade option: The Bison
Alternative upgrade option: Evolve Back, Kuruba Safari Lodge, Kabini
Day 11 Nagarhole to Madikeri – 120kmsThis morning leave Nagarhole and drive to
Madikeri. Located in Karnataka’s lush countryside in the beautiful region of Coorg, this
is where the Western Ghats meet the eastern fringes of the Mysore plateau. Coorg has
a rich and varied history and the area around Madikeri is home to several smaller ethnic
communities and local tribes, including the Kodavas, who have inhabited this
predominantly rural region for centuries. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Madikeri: School Estate
Upgrade option: Vivanta by Taj – Madikeri
Alternative upgrade option: Evolve Back, Chikkana Halli Estate, Coorg
Day 12 MadikeriToday explore Coorg with your driver. Visit a selection of the many
charming rural settlements around Madikeri including Najarayapatna and the interesting
Tibetan Buddhist settlement of Bylakuppe. In Madikeri itself a visit to the imposing fort
and Nalkanad Palace is also well worthwhile. With its rugged mountain scenery,
cardamom and coffee plantations, paddy fields and jungle, Coorg is one of south India's
most beautiful regions. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Madikeri: School Estate
Upgrade option: Vivanta by Taj – Madikeri
Alternative upgrade option: Evolve Back, Chikkana Halli Estate, Coorg
Day 13 Madikeri to Neeleshwar – 120kmsAfter breakfast leave Madikeri and drive west
towards the Malabar Coast. Here you will stay for three nights at the comfortable
Neeleshwar Hermitage – a heavenly hideaway set in a palm grove close to a pristine
beach. Neeleshwar Hermitage has been designed to reflect local architectural styles
and the thatched buildings house sixteen well-appointed cottages that are large, airy
and inviting. Each of the cottages has its own veranda and most have sea views. (B)
Accommodation in Neeleshwar: Neeleshwar Hermitage
Days 14 & 15 NeeleshwarOver the next two days you are at leisure to enjoy
Neeleshwar Hermitage. There is a lovely swimming pool, an excellent spa and well-
respected Ayurvedic centre, frequent evening talks are held and cookery classes can be
arranged. It is also possible to take a backwater cruise for the day or visit nearby
temples and some neighbouring villages. (B)
Accommodation in Neeleshwar: Neeleshwar Hermitage
Day 16 Neeleshwar to Kannur – 80kms / Mangalore to Mumbai – by airToday transfer
by road to Kannur Airport and fly to Mumbai. Here stay overnight at a hotel conveniently
located close to the international airport. The remainder of the day will be at leisure. (B)
Accommodation in Mumbai: Hilton Airport Hotel (or similar)

Day 17 Mumbai to UKToday transfer back to Mumbai Airport in good time to catch your
British Airways flight to the UK. (B)