DAY 1 -Join trip in Mumbai; late afternoon visit to Colaba area.

Arrive in Mumbai; traditionally known as Bombay, the city isthe capital of the Indian state of
Maharashtra. An exciting place to start our journey, it isthe most populated, richest and one of the most
vibrant citiesin India.
For those arriving on time today our Leader plansto meet you in the hotel reception at 5pm for the
welcome meeting and to give us our first taste of the colour and chaos of the Mumbai with a have a late
afternoon orientation of the Colaba area on foot. The Colaba isthe gateway of Mumbai so wewill start
by visiting the honey-coloured Gateway of India arch. This arch was built to commemorate the visit of
King George V and Queen Mary in 1911 but it was not completed until 1924. Asthis arch was built for a
British King it was appropriately the placewhere the last British troopsleft India.
If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Mumbai's
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM), which is 1.5 hours/20 km from the airport.
Please note that if you wish to join the Colaba tour today, you must arrive at the hotel by 5pm. If you are
booking your own flights, we recommend giving yourself at least 1 hour to clear the airport. From the
airport to the hotel is around 1.5 hour's drive,so therefore the latest your flight can arrive is 3.30pm.
Should you missthewelcome meeting, your Leader will inform you of any essential information assoon
as you catch up.

DAY 2 - Sightseeing in Mumbai .

Today we spend a full day sightseeing with our local guide. A highlight of the day will be our visit to the
area where the film 'Slumdog Millionaire' wasset, a thriving and industrious quarter called Dharavi. We
also visit the Mahatma Gandhi Museum wherewe learn a little about the great man'slife and ideas,
through an impressive collection of books, photographs and letters. On Malabor Hill we drive past the
Towers of Silence. Built by the Parsisfleeing persecution in Persia during the 17th century, the Towers
were a mortuary for the dead. Being traditionally Zoroastriansthey were deposited in these towersto
allow nature to dispose of them. We also visit the municipal dhobi ghats and the Prince of Wales
Museum, which has an excellent collection of Indian miniaturesfrom the Mughal and Rajasthan schools.

DAY 3 - Train to Aurangabad

This morning will be left free for you to explore Mumbai on your own. After lunch we transfer to the
station to catch a train to Aurangabad. The journey is around seven hours and is a great opportunity to
mix with the locals as we leave Mumbai behind and passthrough countryside, towns and villages.

DAY 4 - Excursion to Ajanta

This morning we make an excursion to the Ajanta Caves,spectacularly located in a passin the Vindhya
Hills. In 1819 a British soldier John Smith, on a tiger huntstumbled on thisseries of remarkable caves,
which have become a treasure trove of Buddhist art (2nd century BC to 7th century AD). Aslate asthe
1920s Murray's Handbook declared them quite out of the range of the ordinary tourist. Today, when we
come upon thislost world, itseems assecluded and restful as a Cistercian monastery. Thewall paintings
lovingly illuminate the Buddhiststoriesin flowing colours: real, live,sensuous characterisations, without
the rigid hieratic postures one normally expects- an art form sanctioned by a transcendental philosophy,
where lovers drinkwine together and handsome kings and beautiful princessessitserenely on their
thrones attended by adoring handmaidens.

DAY 5 - Visit Daulatabad Fort and Ellora Caves; overnight train to Hyderabad

This morning we visit the impressiveDaulatabad fort - towering 250m above the surrounding
countryside on a volcanic lava rock. Itsthree main walls have ingenious defences against elephant
charges consisting of multiple,spike-studded doorways. Nearby are the World Heritage listed Buddhist
group of caves, the Temples of Ellora. Dating from the 6th-8th century AD, they contain elaborate
sculptures of intricate detail. These caves are not naturally formed, but have been painstakingly hewn out
of the hillside over a period of five centuries. They consist of over thirty monastic chambers and shrines
and are a triple record of the aspirations of Buddhism,Jainism and Brahmanism. AsIndian Buddhism
entered itsfatal decline, Hinduism reasserted itself once more and Siva issculpted in his eternal dance of
life and death. Here standsthe amazing rock-cut masterpiece, the Kailasa, a replica of the mountain
abode of Siva, probably theworld's biggest monolithic structure: it measures 33m deep by 81m long and
47m wide, and the stonemasonsremoved some three million cubic metres of rock to create it. In spite of
its massive proportions, the temple is carved all over in the most intricate detail asif it were an ivory
miniature - except for the inner sanctum, the holy of holies, where Siva appears quite simply as a lingam
or phallus, the symbol of regeneration. On our route back to Aurangabad we stop at Bibi-ka Maqbara (an
imitation of the Taj Mahal built as a mausoleum for Aurangzeb's wife). Oncewe arrive back in
Aurangabad we board an overnight train to Hyderabad. Indian sleeper trains are a fantastic experience
and a great way to meet people as we travel. We make our bookingsin second class air-conditioned
sleepers, which have four bedsin each compartment and all bedding provided. Whilst we try to ensure
the group is all together, due to overwhelming demand and the system for booking train ticketsin India, it
may not always be possible to have everyone in the same carriage and some reservations may be in 3rd
class. In such cases our Tour Leaders will help everyone to find their seats and ensure you get the most
out of your journey. For overnight trains, each berth isseparated by curtains and has 4/6 bunk beds.
Bedding (sheet, blanket and pillow) is provided but you may wish to bring your own sleeping liner for
added comfort. Train travel in India issafe and civilised but for added security whilst you sleep it may be
a good idea to bring a bike lock for your bags. If you do not wish to carry onewith you, your tour leader
can help you to purchase one locally before your train journey.

DAY 6 - Arrive in Hyderabad; tour of Hyderabad

We arrive in Hyderabad and transfer to the hotel before our guided tour. Founded in 1589, the city went
on to father some of the richest men in India, due in no small part to the diamond mines around nearby
Golconda. In the late morning we plan to explore the lively bazaars and colourful Islamic monuments of
this bustling capital. Most of the city's historical sites are found in the Old City, close to the bazaars, and
are best explored on foot. We visit the Birla Temple and the Charminar, or 'Four Towers', built to
celebrate the end of a plague in 1591. This magnificent cream square archway stands on four 56 metre

towers near to the colossal black granite Mecca Masjid Mosque, the sixth largest mosque in India, made
of huge slabs and accommodating up to 10,000 worshippers. In the afternoon we drive to visit the
extensive ruins of theGolconda Fort, its citadel towering 120m above the 16th century battlements.
Intriguing elementsto the fort are the excellent acoustics, hot and cold water system, natural air
conditioning and Turkish Baths. Built by the Qutb Shahi dynasty, the fort was once considered
impregnable and even its massive gates were equipped with elephant proof spikes! Battlesfought here
were significant in the struggle between the Moghuls and Qutb Shahi kings, who once dominated the
area. We also visit the nearby Qutb Shahi tombs. There are 10 tombsin the area, all made of black granite
or greenstone and housed beneath an onion dome. The most impressive isthat of King Muhammad Quli
Qutb Shah, the founder of Hyderabad who ruled until 1612.

DAY 7 - Drive to Bidar; Afternoon visit palaces and tombs

We start our day by driving to the town of Bidar, the roads are poor in thisregion and it will take us
around 4 to 5 hoursto complete the journey. On arrival wewill will vist Bidar'sfort with itsruined
palaces and tombs of the Bahamani kings. Large parts of the fort are now in ruins but thewallsremain in
good condition which gives us a good idea on how vast the fort would have been. We'll walk through the
formal gardens and view the large mosquewhich unfortunately is no longer in use. We'll also make a
shortstop at cannon point to see one of the larger bastions used to protect the city against invaders.

DAY 8 - Drive to Gulbarga, drive on to Bijapur

This morning we leave Bidar and drive to Gulbarga, the founding capital of the Bahmani dynasty. We take
an orientation tour of the city, taking in the major sights, including the Bala Hissar Citadel, the elegant
domed Jami Masjid and the Tomb of Bahmani Sultans. We depart Gulbarga and continue our journey on
to Bijapur.

DAY 9 - Bijapur; visit mosque and bazaar. Drive to Badami

Before leaving Bijapur today we visit theGol Gumbaz, the vast mausoleum of its 17th century ruler
Mohammed Adil Shah. The mausoleum's unsupported dome issecond in size only to St Peter'sin Rome,
an astounding 38 metresin diameter. It is not cast in the florid architectural style of the East, but is more
Turkish in character - severely bare and restrained, with a remarkablewhispering gallery. We'll test out
the dome by standing on opposite sides and whispering in to thewalls, the effect isincredible. We also
visit the Jami Masjid Mosque, acclaimed by many as one of the finest in India, remarkable for the harmony
and grace of itsslender minarets and stroll through the colourful and bustling daily market in the middle
of Bijapur. We depart from Bijapur and drive to Badami.

DAY 10 - Morning in Badami and drive to Hospet

Wewake up in Badami this morning. Once the capital of the Chalukyan, but now a small villagewith a
busy bazaar nestling between sandstone hills. Wewill take a short drive to the famous Cave Temples of
Badami. Now a World Heritage Site, the temples were hewn out of solid rock as early as 550AD and their
interiors are lavishly adorned with reliefs and statues, one even containing an 18-armed Shiva. Later on
this morning we drive to Pattadakal,situated on the banks of the Malaprabha River. Another World
Heritage Site, its pink-tinged sandstone temples date back to the 7th century and represent a mixture of
South and North Indian temple styles, confirming itsimportance as a meeting point of both traditions.
After a guided tour here, we then stop at the temples of Aihole. The sheer number of Aihole's 70 temples
vividly bringsto life the glories of the post-Gupta period and revealsthe genesis of Hindu medieval art
(c.600). It is easy to imaginewhat this placewould have been like in those heady days of creative
construction; here is Hindu temple architecture in its most embryonic form. Stopping to visit a number of
the temples, we then continue to our destination for today, the town of Hospet, our base from which we
explore the astonishing archaeological site of Hampi.

DAY 11 - Day in Hampi

Hampi was once the flourishing capital of the Vijayanagar Kings(14th to 16th centuries), who ruled one
of the largest Hindu empiresin Indian history. Suddenly destroyed in 1565 after the battle of Talikota, the
ancientruins are almost ethereal, a place of departed spirits. We aim to visit the temples of Virupaksha
and Vittala, with itsremarkable carvings, and amid the desolate and fantastic boulder-heaped landscape
we come upon the Queen's Bath and the richly carved King's Throne, the finely sculptured pillars of the
Ramachandra Swami Shrine, the vaulted Elephant Stables, the two-storied Lotus Pavilion and the huge
granite image of Narasimha, one of Vishnu'sincarnations. The city wasreputedly the size of Rome at its
peak, with a population of half a million people and with numeroustemples and monumentsin the South
Indian Dravidian style of architecture, the site is one of the mostremarkable in all India. Wewill have a

full day therewith a local guide and return to our hotel in Hospet at the end of the day.

DAY 12 - Train to Goa

Leaving Hospet behind, we take the early Amaravati Expresstrain to Madgaon, arriving at the palm-
fringed shores of Goa in the late afternoon, the one time Portuguese colony on the Arabian Sea. Under

Alfonso de Albuquerque, the Portuguese landed here in the 16th century, captured the original Arab
trade settlement and began building a city with houses, gardens and fountains, monasteries, chapels and
churches(most of them gone), including thewhite, 17th century cathedral of St Catherine, which still
stands. Goa eventually became the entrepôt for East and West, where merchants could buy pearls, coral,
rubies, golden jewellery,silks, China porcelain, lacquered furniture, ambergris and exotic spices. The
Portuguese influence isstill very much apparent - the main religion isstill Roman Catholic and siestas are
still widely practised in the hot afternoons. Like most areasin India, Goa hasits own food specialities, you
may also want to sample the locally brewed spirit feni - a spine-tingling drink made from coconut or
cashews.

DAY 13 - Morning visit to Old Goa and then free afternoon

This morning wewill visit Old Goa where your tour leader will take you on an orientation tour. The
afternoon isthen free for you to discover Goa yourself. We are based in Panaji, Goa's easy going capital;
a friendly,sleepy town of narrow winding streets and whitewashed shuttered houses. Close by the
capital are the superb beaches of Gaspar Dias and Dona Paula. The Malabar beaches here are very long
and very white against the turquoisewaters of the Arabian Sea, but be careful, as bathing in some areas
can be marred by a strong undertow.

DAY 14 - Trip endsin Goa

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Goa.
There are no activities planned today,so you are free to depart from Goa at any time. If your flight is
departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like to receive
a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Goa's Dabolim Airport (GOI), which is
around one and a half hoursfrom the hotel.