b"INDIA INDIAN SUBCONTINENTKERALA YOUR ITINERARY Bengaluru 1 ChennaiMysuru 2Days 1-3London, Bengaluru and Mysuru Ooty 2After meeting at London Heathrow, we depart on our overnight flight toCoimbatore 1Bengaluru, travelling via Dubai. Arriving on Day 2, we transfer to Mysuru,2 Maduraienjoying a full-days guided tour on Day 3. We visit St PhilomenasKochi 2 2Church, a large neo-Gothic cathedral inspired by Cologne CathedralKumarakom 1 Thekkladyin Germany, and Mysuru Palace, a beautiful and intricately decorated building that boasts Hindu, Muslim, Gothic and Rajput influences. We continue to Srirangapatna, known for its temples and forts, beforeNights in hotel Rail Coach Flymaking our way to the local market of Chamundi Hills.UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES Days 4-6Ooty and the Nilgiri Mountain RailwayWe travel to Ooty, where your afternoon is free. Our first excursion onJourney on the UNESCO-listed Day 5 is to Ootys popular botanical gardens. Alongside beautiful nativeNilgiri Mountain Railway. flowers, there are a number of water features and sculptures to admire.Attend a Kathakali performance Continuing to Doddabetta Peak, the highest peak in the Nilgiris, wein Kochi. enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding mountains before stopping for lunch at a local restaurant and making a visit to St Stephens Church.Take a scenic backwaters cruise Taking the local toy train to Conoor on Day 6, we enjoy a tour and a visitin Kerala.to a local tea factory. We sit down to lunch together ahead of anotherEnjoy a traditional Indian trip aboard the UNESCO-listed Nilgiri Mountain Railway. tea tasting amid the tiered plantations of Ooty.DISCOVER SOUTHERN INDIADays 7-9Kochi and Kerala Learn about local crafting Following a free morning, we catch the train to Kochi. Sometimes known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Day 8s tour introduces us AND KERALA to the St Francis Church in Fort Kochi and the Dutch Palace - built bytraditions in Madurai.the Portuguese in 1555. We also get an insight into the daily life ofWHAT'S INCLUDEDlocal people at the Dhobi Khana, a sprawling open-air laundry where 16 DAYS FROM 2,295 hundreds of clothes are washed every day and hung out to dry. In theUK Tour Manager throughoutevening, were treated to a Kathakali dance performance, traditional During this unforgettable tour of Southern India, visit the cities, temples and teadance-drama of Kerala which combines bright colourful costumesFlights from London Heathrow and ornate headdresses with ritualistic dance movement, all set to ato Bengaluru, via Dubai, and from plantations of the Tamil Nadu region before heading to Kerala. Here, we exploresoundtrack of traditional music played by local musicians. We enjoyChennai to London Heathrow via Kochi, relax on stunning beaches and cruising the backwaters of Vambanad Lake. a guided tour of the Jewish Synagogue on Day 9, home to an array ofDubaitreasures including The Great Scrolls of the Old Testament, before transferring to Alleppey. Here, we board a houseboat, or kettuvallam, forAll internal flights, rail and a scenic cruise through Keralas naturally idyllic backwaters.coach transfersDays 10-13Thekkady and Madurai 13 nights 3, 4 and 5-Star hotel We transfer to Thekkady, enjoying a relaxed afternoon on arrival. DayaccommodationNILGIRI MOUNTAIN RAILWAY11s excursion takes us to an aromatic spice plantation, where we enjoy31 meals including 13 breakfasts, a guided walking tour that helps us uncover the secrets of Southern5 lunches and 13 dinners Tamil Nadus Nilgiri Mountain Railway is one of theIndias flavoursome spices. In the afternoon, we head to Lake Periyar,All tour excursionsworlds steepest rack-and-pinion railways and wasa stunning body of water set in a large wildlife sanctuary, for a cruise. established over a century ago. Offering a steam- Travelling to Madurai on Day 12, we stop en route at a nearby village hauled journey through rocky, jungle terrain, weinhabited by artisans who specialise in sculpting aesthetic idols and relax in the charming and traditional blue andpuppets out of clay. We take a guided tour of Madurai on Day 13, seeing cream wooden carriages as we enjoy striking viewsthe 17th-century Thirumalai Nayak Palace and the Gandhi Memorial across verdant forested hills and picturesque teaMuseum. Next, we make our way to the Meenakshi Temple to watch the2022 TOUR DATESplantations from the large windows.puja - a traditional Hindu ritual of offering prayers.The cogwheel-driven Blue Mountain ExpressDays 14-16Chennai, Mamallapuram and London Oct 1 2,445 Nov 5 2,345boasts UNESCO status and offers us a wonderfullyWe take an internal flight to Chennai, a city once known as Madras nostalgic journey through the Nilgiri mountainand a metropolis within the Bay of Bengal. We explore the San Thome2023 TOUR DATESranges. Along the way, our toy train forges a pathCathedral Basilica, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century, the through valleys, past waterfalls and beside isolatedKapaleeshwarar Temple, and the Madras War Cemetery on MarinaJan 21 2,295 Oct 7 2,395mountain towns, the whistle of the steam engine Beach. We also pay a visit to the citys flower market in George Town,Feb 4 2,395 Nov 4 2,295letting us know when were going to ascend eversoaking up a myriad of colours and fragrances. Theres an optionalTour Code: GCJ| per person based on 2 higher into the cloud-fringed canopy. excursion on Day 15 to Mamallapuram, known for its UNESCO-listedsharing. Deposit from 400 per person. temples and monuments built by the Pallava dynasty in the 7th and 8thSupplement for solo travellers from 795. Please centuries. Otherwise, enjoy a free day before we transfer to the airportnote the itinerary for 2022 departures may for our flight, via Dubai, to London Heathrow. We land on Day 16. differ, please call for more details. For the latest guidance on entry requirements, please visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice84 INDIAN SUBCONTINENT Call us on 01904 527194 or visit GreatRail.com for more details 85"