Karnataka Heritage & Beach Bliss

Welcomed by our representative upon arrival at Bangalore airport and transfer to your hotel. Check in, relax and unwind. Once called the "Garden City of India" and the "Pensioner's Paradise", these epithets don't apply to modern Bangalore. Bangalore is nearly covered by hills all around and this makes its weather very pleasant except for the peak summer. From the late 20th century the city became a centre of high-technology industry, and a number of large multinational technology corporations opened offices here. Today Bangalore is more famous as the Silicon valley of India and is arguably the most attractive city for youngsters from all over India.

Afternoon go for a sightseeing of the city.  You will drive past the impressive Vidhana Soudha and the Cubbon park. You will visit the Lal Bagh Botanical garden which is spread over 240 acres in the city.   Lalbagh houses India’s largest collection of tropical plants and sub-tropical plants, including trees that are several centuries old. Near to the park you have the VV Puram Food street which is an excellent visit especially later in the evening, if at all you like to try local dishes and snacks. Visit the KR flower market, the largest flower wholesale market in Asia and is quite a visit, especially if you are there at sunrise. Time permitting you could also visit the Basavanagudi bull temple.Overnight at hotel

Morning, drive to Hampi. Enroute visit Chitradurga Fort, which dates back to the 3rd century BC. The fort originally had to have had 19 gateways, 38 postern-gates, 35 secret entrances and 4 ‘invisible’ entrances. The doors were made of strong and thick wooden beams fastened with iron plates. The soaring ramparts are hewn from rock complement the craggy landscape and were designed so that each line of fortification overlooks others below. Chitradurga fort is famed for its sophisticated water harvesting system with interconnected reservoirs.  

Continue your drive to Hampi. Upon arrival check-in at the hotel. The austere and grandiose site of Hampi comprise mainly the remnants of the Capital City of Vijayanagara Empire (14th-16th C AD). The property encompasses an area of 4187, 24 hectares, in a spectacular setting dominated by river Tungabhadra, craggy hill ranges and open plains, with widespread physical remains. The sophistication of the varied urban, royal and sacred systems is evident from the more than 1600 surviving remains that include forts, riverside features, royal and sacred complexes, temples, shrines, pillared halls etc. Most of the structures at Hampi are constructed from local granite, burnt bricks and lime mortar. Hampi is also known for its adoption of elements of Indo Islamic Architecture in secular buildings like the Queen’s Bath and the Elephant Stables, representing a highly evolved multi-religious and multi-ethnic society. Overnight at hotel.

Today go on a Sightseeing tour of Hampi, visiting the Virupaksha Temple, Hampi Bazaar, Manmatha  Tank,Kampilaraya Temple, Sasivekalu Ganesha, Kadalekalu Ganesha, Krishna Temple, Lakshmi Narasimha, Badavi Linga, Devaraya’s Palace, Royal Mint, Audience Hall, Secret Chamber, Stepped Tank, Mahanavami Dibba, Hazara Rama Temple, Queen‘s Bath & Palaces, and Elephant Stables. Overnight at hotel.

Continue with your sightseeing tour visiting more monuments including the Vithala temple, Sugriva’s cave, Sita Sarovar etc. Afternoon at leisure. Evening, go for a 30 minute Coracle ride in the Tungabhadra river at sunset.

Morning drive to Bijapur. Officially called Vijayapura now, Bijapur was an important community under the Yadava dynasty for more than a century until 1294, when it became a provincial capital of the Bahmanī sultanate. In 1489—with the advent of Yūsuf ʿĀdil Shah, the first ʿĀdil Shāhī sultan—its dominions grew to include Goa, where a navy was maintained. Ādil Shāhī dynasty left a legacy of outstanding Islamic buildings, aesthetically the most satisfactory of the Deccan styles, including the domed tomb of Gol Gumbaz and the mausoleum of Ibrahim Rawza. After lunch, go on a sightseeing trip of Bijapur visiting the Gol Gumbaz, Gagan Mahal Palace, Bijapur Fort and the very special Bara Kaman, the unfinished mausoleum of Sultan Adil Shah.

After breakfast, check out from hotel and drive to Badami. Upon arrival, check-in at hotel.

Badami used to be the capital city of the Chalukya dynasty. Under them Badami emerged as one of the regional centres of art in the Malprabha valley – a cradle of Hindu and Jain temple architecture schools. Both Dravida and Nagara styles of temples are found in Badami, along with those in Aihole, Pattadakal and Mahakuta.

After lunch proceed on a half day sightseeing of Aihole Temple and Pattadakal Group of monuments. Heralded as the ‘cradle of Hindu/ Dravidian temple architecture’, Aihole is a tranquil village on the banks of Malaprabha River checkered with hundreds of temples in the villages and fields nearby. Pattadakal, located on the banks of the Malaprabha River, is an UNESCO World Heritage with a cluster of 10 major temples. Pattadakal has temple architecture from Dravidian, Aryan and a mixture of both styles in its temple complex, probably the only one of its kind in India. Overnight at Badami.

Morning visit the caves of Badami. Four rock-cut caves adorned with ancient carved pillars and bracket figures cut out of red sandstone is just a flight of steps away. The caves overlook the Agastya Theertha Lake and you will have a walk down to the lake and also visit the Banashankari temple. After lunch, drive to Hubli. Upon arrival check in to the hotel.

Morning drive to Goa. Goa is arguably the most famous Indian attraction, after  the Taj Mahal. Sandy beaches, estuaries, and promontories characterize the 105 km coastline of mainland Goa. In the interior, low, forested plateaus merge with the wooded slopes of the Western Ghats. No wonder, it is among the most chosen destination for those who are looking for leisure. Afternoon at leisure.

Day at leisure on the beach. Overnight at hotel.

In time, transfer to airport for your return flight.