Day 1London
Today you will fly to Mumbai, arriving the following day.
You will be met on arrival in Bombay and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon you will be accompanied by your guide and make a leisurely excursion in a shared boat across to Elephanta Island. Reached by a path up 100 steps the impressive caves here were carved out of the solid rock in the 8th century and feature Shiva in different forms.
Your private tour of Bombay today includes some of the many buildings constructed during the British period in Indo-Saracenic style. Continuing along Marine Drive, you can stop to visit the Hanging Gardens from where there are far-reaching views of the city. Afternoon at leisure.
Early morning transfer to the airport for the daily flight from Bombay to Aurangabad.
You will make an excursion to the caves at Ajanta. Hidden for centuries by the jungle, it is now possible to marvel again at the beautiful murals painted between 200BC and 650AD.
This morning you have an excursion to the commanding fortress at Daulatabad and Aurangzeb`s simple tomb, Before visiting Ellora Caves in the afternoon.
Transfer from your hotel to the airport and fly to Hyderabad. On arrival you will visit the huge Golconda Fort, once home to the Koh-i-Noor diamond, and the Qutb Shahi tombs with your guide. The afternoon is at leisure.
Your guided tour of this planned city includes the Char Minar, its surrounding bazaars and the fascinating Salar Jung museum. The afternoon is at leisure.
The remainder of the journey takes you quite off the beaten track and so you are accompanied by a tour escort. Drive from Hyderabad to Gulbarga. En route you might like to stop to visit the fort at Bidar.
Visit the striking Gulbarga fort ruins. Drive from Gulbarga to Bijapur.
Rise early to visit the Gol Gumbaz, the huge domed mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah, to enjoy and appreciate its wonderful whispering gallery before many other visitors arrive.Your guide will then accompany you on a tour of the small town of Bijapur which has an interesting market and some of the finest Muslim monuments in central India.
Drive from Bijapur to Badami. In the afternoon you will visit the beautifully carved 6th century cave temples above the small town.
Discover the Chalukya capitals of
Pattadakal and Aihole en route to
Hampi. The journey will take most of the day,
Pattadakal and Aihole en route to
Full day visit to the ruins of
Vijayanagar at Hampi.
Drive over the Western Ghats to
Goa and the coast.
Day to relax on the beach or explore
historic Old Goa.
An early start, you will be transferred to the airport and fly back to the UK, via Mumbai.