Splendor of the South - The Golden Chariot
Meandering through pictorial glens and glades of the Indian countryside in one of the luxury trains, while being treated with royal hospitality, is not too less a temptation indeed! Traveling in the Indian luxury trains help you traverse the royal terrains filled with legends and romantic sagas to have you enthralled till no end and plunge into the magic of the journey completely. There are several options of such trains in India and recently launched Splendor of the South - The Golden Chariot offers a true fairy tale experience to transport you to the wonderland of dreams and luxury.
A joint venture of State Government of Karnataka & Ministry of Railways, The Golden Chariot helps you delve into the trove of immense archaeological wealth, rich natural bounty and an interesting mix of culture. You can just choose to lie back & loosen up amid opulence and luxury as the picturesque vista unfurls outside your cabin window. Christened after the legendary Stone Chariot in Hampi, a world heritage site in Karnataka, the Golden Chariot travels through the ageless heritage sites, splendid palaces, varied cultural avenues and gorgeous backwaters.
Providing world class amenities, majestic ambience, royal cuisine and imperial hospitality, Splendor of the South - The Golden Chariot in Karnataka takes you through its 7 Nights / 8 Days journey starting every Monday from Bangalore and traveling through Bangalore, Chennai, Mamallapuram, Pondicherry, Tiruchirapalli & Thanjavur, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram & Poovar, and Kochi Backwaters. The entire tour lets you discover the mesmerizing beauty and grandeur of awe-inspiring historical monuments, plush palaces, natural flora, and emerald backwaters in India.
At 12.00 hrs meet at the Leela Palace in Bangalore and have lunch. After lunch you can go for sightseeing in the cyber city of Bangalore. Also known as the Garden City due to its pleasant climate and abundance of greens, Bangalore is perched 3,250 feet above sea level. Explore the business hotspots of India’s very own Silicon Valley.
In the evening you will be taken to the Bangalore Railway Station to board the train Golden Chariot.
Departure for Chennai at: 22:00 hrs.
Arrive at Chennai Railway Station early in the morning, have wholesome breakfast, and set off for an excursion trip to Mamallapuram, a world heritage site situated on the south of Chennai. Visit the famous Shore temple here. In earlier times it was the main trade harbor of the Pallava rulers of Kanchipuram.
It is wonderful to visit the renowned monolithic rock-cut temples at Mamallapuram, the main attractions being the Shore Temple, the Penance of Bhagirath, the temple Rathas, and the eight Mandapams.
Post lunch at Mamallapuram set off for a sightseeing tour of the Chennai city. The gateway to South India and the fourth biggest metropolitan city of the country, Chennai is residence to a huge variety of heritage attractions. Here you can choose to visit Kapaleeshwarar Temple, St. Mary’s Church, Saint Thomas Cathedral, Sri Parathasarathy Temple devoted to Lord Krishna, an ancient Shiva Temple and the National Art Gallery and Museum.
Return to the Golden Chariot and have onboard dinner.
Depart for Pondicherry, the administrative center of Pondicherry Union Territory.
At 08:00 hrs arrive at Pondicherry, the Union Territory of India, situated towards the north of Tamil Nadu. Due to the influence of French colonies in the past, Pondicherry has quite a few specimens of French heritage as well. Till today, French is commonly spoken and even the roadways have signposts written in French. Visit the Auroville village, founded by the great revolutionary Indian philosopher Aurobindo around 1920, is based on the concept of peace. The Aurobindo Ashram here is a yoga and meditation centre.
Have lunch at a restaurant in Pondicherry. Post all the sightseeing all passengers are expected to return to the Golden Chariot.
Post dinner, at 22:00 pm the train leaves for Tiruchirapalli.
Arrive at Tiruchirapalli in early morning. Once a fortress of the Cholas, Tiruchirapalli is home to the famous Rockfort temple, which was originally constructed by the Nayaks of Madurai. A major tourist attraction here, the Rockfort temple is sited on a rock outcrop, and raises above the city plains. The temple has three tiers, with the middle tier housing a Lord Shiva shrine and the top tier housing a Ganesha temple.
Then depart to Tanjore. The main tourist attraction here is the Brihadeshwara temple, again a world heritage site. It is quite an experience to explore the Thanjuvar paintings preserved in the museum of the Tanjore Palace constructed partly by the Nayaks and partly by the Marathas.
Post dinner, the Splendor of the South - The Golden Chariot will depart to Madurai.
At 08:00 hrs arrive at Madurai on the Golden Chariot train. An important pilgrimage spot and a major seat of learning for ages, this city has many attractions that deserve more than just one visit. After breakfast, visit the Meenakshi temple of Madurai. One of the finest works of art of Dravidian architecture, this temple is special for the heavenly beauty of the main Hall standing on a thousand pillars. It will also be interesting to explore the Thirumalai Nayak Palace & Thiruparangundram Temple.
After breakfast, you will set out for sightseeing in the city of Thiruvananthapuram. Tourist attractions that can be visited here include Padmanabhaswamy Temple for the Hindus only, Napier Museum, which preserves exclusive historical and modern bronze jewelry, ivory carvings, temple carts, and huge statues of Kathakali dancers fully dressed in their typical costumes. In the Sri Chitra Art Gallery you can also view the beautiful painting collection, comprising works of Mughal, Rajput and Tanjore schools of art.
Have lunch at Poovar Island. After that, explore the picturesque beauty of Poovar Island and the gorgeous beaches. Enjoy the evening with the Gala dinner which awaits you.
At 09:00 hrs Golden Chariot will reach Alleppey. After breakfast it is time to enjoy the thrill of a backwater cruise in the Vembanad Lake as you glide past the queer hamlets, the towering palms, Chinese fishing nets and the lush paddy fields.
Travel to Kumarakom, one of the most beautiful backwater destinations in the state of Kerala. Lunch at a backwater resort in Kumarakom will be thoroughly enjoying. Post lunch, travel to Kochi city, the Queen of Arabian Sea. Originally a fishing village, Kochi was developed into a modern city during the British era and today it is a thriving tourist destination. Here you can visit the tourist spots like, Dutch Palace, Jewish Synagogue and St. Francis Church.
The Kathakali dance show in the evening as you enjoy your dinner at a hotel in Kochi can be ultimately gratifying. Get back to the Golden Chariot and the train chugs on to Bangalore at 22:00 hrs.
After the scheduled tour of 8 days the Splendor of the South - Golden Chariot arrives at Bangalore in the morning. After breakfast, your trip ends.
• 10% of the prevelling tariff will be charged for the children below 05 years.
