TravelEscapades
BY MOUNTAIN TRAIL HOLIDAYS PVT LTD
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
After having a relaxing one night stay at Bangalore city, port of entry into India, we drive you to Mysore or Mysuru, as known today – A historical city in the state of Karnataka famous for the magnificent Mysore palace once home to the Wadiyar Dynasty. Our next destination is one of our favourites – Varkala – a coastal town in Southern Kerala with a 15 mtrs high cliff facing the Arabian sea. Famous for the shacks on it’s North Cliff which serve great seafood and there’s always music in the air as the sun sets.
ITINERARY DETAILS
Day 1-Stay at Bangalore. Meal included - Dinner
Arrival at Bangalore (Kempegowda International Airport) and transfer to a luxury, five star hotel so that you have a comfortable and relaxing first night.
Day2 –Stay at Mysore. Meal included – Breakfast & Dinner
Drive to Mysore City (5Hrs) with a pit stop or two en-route, enjoying some local food like Dosa, Idli Sambhar, Coconut Chutney & of course the famous filter coffee (Kappa) of Southern India. We plan the itinerary in a way that you land at Mysore on a Sunday so that you get to experience the lighting of the Mysore Palace which happens 07:00-08:00pm on Sundays and on public holidays only.
Day3-Stay at Mysore. Meal included – Breakfast & Dinner
Today explore the historic city on Tuk Tuks (the small, three wheeled, take you anywhere, rides). We’ll be accompanied with a guide who will tell you basics about the city, just to get some idea of where’s what and experience the Tuk Tuk ride. You can have lunch at an Indian Restaurant serving local delights. The RRR (a restaurant) comes recommended for their Biryani (Rice dish flavoured with Indian spices) served on a banana leaf with several condiments to enhance the culinary experience. Evening you have a guided walking tour of the Mysore city, starting at around 5pm which also includes a mix of local culinary experiences like Indian Samosa. The walk ends at about 08:30pm. Post the walk we return to the hotel.
Day4-Stay at Mysore. Meal included – Breakfast & Dinner
Early Morning (before breakfast) you head out, in tuk tuks or a mini coach, as preferred by you, to the famous Chamundi Hill to visit the Goddess Chamundeshwari Temple and the Nandi Bull statue. You have an option of climbing the whole 1000 steps or the last 300 or getting dropped all the way on top of the hill where the temple is. Same options on your way back. Return after the temple visit, should be in good time for breakfast which is usually at one of the most popular South Indian restaurants at Mysore. Return to the hotel and rest of the day at leisure. You can use the day to explore the local markets and indulge in some shopping. Some can also visit the sandalwood soap factory, silk weaving factory, the natural essential oils shop, the incense sticks shop and the bidi (mini cigars) making workshop. Separate Tuk tuks can be arranged on request for any/all transfers. Overnight stay at Mysore
Day5- Stay at Mysore. Meal included – Breakfast & Dinner
Visit the famous heritage site of Srirangapatna – Surrounded by river Kaveri, Srirangapatna is one of the most important Vaishnavite centers of pilgrimage in South India and the temple here was built by the Ganga Dynasty in the 9th century. Srirangapatna is where Tipu Sultan built his summer palace in 1784. Built mostly in teak wood, it is one of the main tourist attractions near Mysore.
Day6- Stay at Varkala. Meal included – Breakfast
Post breakfast we leave for the Bangalore airport by road (5Hrs) to board an internal flight (1Hr 20mins) to Trivandrum from where we’ll travel to Varkala by road (1.5Hrs). We should be at Varkala before sunset.
Day7- Stay at Varkala. Meal included – Breakfast
Post breakfast you have a full day excursion covering the Varkala Beach (also know as Papanasam beach), Kappil lake which merges into the Arabian sea through dense cocnut groves, Janardana Swamy temple and Sivagiri Mutt. If time permits, you also get to visit the Ponnumthuruthu (The Golden island), Anjengo Fort from where the East India company initiated their first trade settlement.
Day8- Stay at Varkala. Meal included – Breakfast
We keep this day open for you to self explore Varkala, especially the vibrant North Cliff. You may hire tuk tuks or hire two wheelers for your local transfers which are in the range of 3-5 Kms one way. It’s not a very big town and the routes aren’t very complicated.
Day9- Stay at Varkala. Meal included – Breakfast and Lunch.
Post breakfast we leave (by road, 1 Hr) for the backwaters. You enjoy a cruise and lunch on a house boat, a fabulous cruise on the Ashthmedu lake and the back waters. You visit the Munroe island – An island village which is a tourism destination where one can experience coir retting process, coir weaving, fishing, prawns feeding, lots of bird species both resident and migrant, canoe rides through narrow canals and waterways, coconut farms on the lake shore, lagoons, Mangrove plants and the beautiful tiny islands of Pathupara. The canoe rides through the smaller canals experiencing the local village life of Kerala is quite an experience. We return to resort by the evening.
Day 10- Stay at Bangalore – Meal included – Breakfast & Dinner.
Departure post breakfast for the Trivandrum airport (1.5Hrs by road). Board a flight (1Hr 20mins) to Bangalore. Get transferred (by road) to a luxury, five star hotel. You may want to enjoy the swimming pool, spa facilities, food and beverages and get ready to board the flight back home tomorrow.
Day 11- Departure – Tour ends - Meal included – Breakfast
Post breakfast get transferred to the international airport to board flight for onward journey
KNOW MORE
Mysore
State: Karnataka
A historical city in the state of Karnataka famous for the magnificent Mysore palace once home to the Wadiyar Dynasty. Also famous for it’s Mysore silk, incense and of course Yoga and Ayurveda. Enjoy temples, Chamundeshwari being on top of the list and there are so many more like the famous Somnathapura, feast on South Indian culinary delights, submerge in heritage and culture, enjoy guided walking tours, tuk tuk rides, if lucky get to experience some local festivities as well like the world famous, extravagant Mysore Dasara – Celebrating Indian Dussehra which signifies the victory of good over evil. While at Mysore a visit to the neighbouring town of Srirangapatna is a must with Hoysala style temples and Tipu Sultan’s fort. You can leave Mysore but Mysore will never leave you. It’s an incredible city.
Weather: Mysore enjoys a moderate climate with cool winters and warm summers. The summer in Mysore is from March to June. This season is the driest with May and June being the hottest months. Temperatures during this period range from a minimum of 21º Celsius and goes up to a maximum of 34º Celsius. Temperature range during winters which extends from December to February is 16-27 DegC.
Closest airport: Mysore or Mandakalli airport which is a domestic airport. The closest international airport is Bangalore (140Kms.)
Railway station: Mysore Junction
Best time to visit: October to March. October is best for the Mysore Dasara (Dussehra) festival.
Generally spoken language: Kannada is the official Language but people speak good English as the literacy rate is close to 90% and it’s a popular tourist destination. Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi are also spoken
Population: 1,185,000
Altitude: 760 Mtrs approx.
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Varkala
State: Kerala
A coastal town in Southern Kerala with a 15 mtrs high cliff facing the Arabian sea. Famous for the shacks on it’s North Cliff which serve great seafood and there’s always music in the air as the sun sets. Enjoy Ayurveda massages, shopping at the North Cliff with an array of shops selling clothes, teas, spices, handicrafts and more. Main attractions are – The pristine beaches, mineral water spring at the Papanasam or the Varkala beach, the Sivagiri Mutt – A famous ashram founded by Sree Narayana Guru who preached one caste, one religion, one god. Then there is the 2000-year- old Vishnu Temple called Janardana Swami Temple, also known as Dakshin Kashi (Banaras of the South). You get scooters / bikes on hire to explore the town on your own. One can experience house boat cruises with lunch and canoe rides through narrower canals. The adventurous few can try kayaking, surfing and paragliding. All in all, Varkala is an enjoyable little beach paradise.
Weather: Moderate humid climate with monsoons stretching from June to August with heavy rains. The winter season starts in December and ends in February with January receiving the least rainfall of the year. Temperatures range from 12 DegC to 31 DegC during winters. Summers (March-May) are extremely hot and humid with highs of 40 DegC.
Closest Airport: Trivandrum international airport.
Railway Station: Varkala railway station
Best time to visit: October to February
Language: Malayalam, Hindi and basic English as it’s a tourism destination.
Population: approx. 45,000-50,000
Altitude: 150Ft ASL