South India Tours
Duration: 4 Nights / 5 Days
Places Covered: Cochin - Ooty - Mysore - Hassan
- Bangalore - Bombay
Day
1: Cochin - Ooty
After breakfast, drive to Ooty (281 kms / 8 hrs).
Upon arrival at Ooty - check into hotel.
Ooty was first discovered by the Collector of Coimbatore John Sullivan who built
a residence and then the Lake. With its green downs, gentle rains and mild temperatures
all year round, it was adopted as their summer home by British officials and
planters in South India. The downs of Ooty might well be in Devon of Yorshire-there
are 80 kms of them offering golf, hunting or pleasant walks & hikes. Ooty
still maintains its definite air of elegance and there are British Raj reminders
everywhere-notably in the stone cottages with flower gardens, the beautiful
Botanical gardens (1840), the Churches, tea gardens and eucalyptus plantations.
Ootacamund derives its name from "Toda" term meaning village of huts".
The Todas, the original settlers here before the British were an aboriginal
tribe and lived in barrel-shaped huts.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day
2: Ooty - Mysore
Morning drive to the Botanical gardens - 51 acres of terraced gardens and lawns
housing 650 varieties of plants created by the Marquis of Twerdale. Ascending
through gardens of ornamental plants, orchards, ferns, conifers and rockplants,
keep an eye out for the local Toda community on the top levels. About 2000 of
them lived up here, almost exclusively engaged in the cultivation of potatoes
and weaving. Nearby is the Raj Bhawan (Government House). Out of the gardens
make a hairpin bend to the St. Stephens Church. Just below is the select Ooty
club famous for its amazing Raj memorable and as the place where snooker was
invented. A straight walk leads to the picturesque Ooty Lake (4 km circumference).
Also visit Wedlock Downs, offering spectacular views down over the Coimbatore
plains, Ketti Valley, the Mysore plateau and tea-estates.
After lunch, drive to Mysore (158 kms/5 hrs).
Upon arrival at Mysore - check into hotel.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 3: Mysore - Hassan
Visit the beautiful city of Mysore, that is known for its fine craftsmenship
in wood, ivory, sandal-wood and for its silk. Visit the Maharaja's Palace, which
is lavishly decorated in a mixture of styles. Also visit the Zoological Garden,
Mysore Arts & Crafts centre and then proceed to the Chamundi Temple on a
hill above the city.
After lunch, drive to Hassan (115 kms/4½ hrs) enroute visiting Srirangapatnam
and Sravanbelgola.
Sriringapatnam
- from this small island fortress town straddling the river Cauvery, came the
two brilliant Muslim leaders Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan, who rulled a
powerful empire comprising much of Southern India for 40 years. Tipu Sultan
"The Tiger of Mysore" became the most dreaded foe of the British in
the south, and inflicted two punishing defeats on the forces of East India Company
before at last being overcome in 1799. Tipu was killed and his town razed, but
his elegant Summer Palace, or Daria Daulat Bagh remains intact; the British
kept it for their own use. Later Duke of Wellington, lived here for a spell
while serving as governor of Mysore.
Sravanbelgola - famous for its colossal statue of the Jain Saint Gomateshwara.
614 steps lead to his monolithic statue, 18 meters tall and standing atop the
hill of Indragiri. Every 12 years Jains from all over India gather here for
the spectacular bathing festival of the statue.
Upon arrival at Hassan - check into hotel.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day
4: Hassan - Bangalore - Bombay
After breakfast drive to Bangalore enroute visit Halebid & Belur. Built
in the 12th & 13th Century in the superbaroque style, these temples are
carved of stone and are truly magnificent. As one architect and critic said
"These friezes carved with a minute elaboration of detail are one of the
most marvellous exhibitions of human labor to be found even in the patient East".
The temple at Belur is famed for its profusely ornamented exterior, and the
one at Halebid for its sculptured figures and open air museum. Also visit the
colossal monolithic Jain statue, 57-ft high, which stands on top of a steep
bare hill.
Thereafter continue drive to Bangalore airport (180 kms/ 5 hrs) to connect flight
Bangalore / Bombay (2000 / 2130 hrs).
Upon arrival the guests will be met & transferred to the hotel where rooms
will be provided for wash and change.
Dinner at the hotel.
Later transfer to the International airport for onward flight.
Day 5: Abroad - Bombay
Leave Bombay.
