Deccan Odyssey - Experience the history of India

Welcome aboard the Deccan Odyssey. In the early evening, assemble at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai's train station. At 3:30 pm, your check-in formalities and registration process for your India adventure will be handled. Following this, you will receive a traditional Indian welcome and a refreshing welcome drink and be shown to your wonderful cabins. As you make yourself comfortable and settle into your rooms, the train slowly sets off from Mumbai towards Nashik and the exciting adventure begins.

In the evening, you'll have dinner at the board restaurant, where you can watch the passing scenery and look forward to the days ahead.

7 nights on the Deccan Odyssey with full board in a Deluxe Double Cabin, India

When you wake up the next morning, you will already be a few kilometers further inland and Nashik will welcome you. The holy city of Nashik is gaining notoriety as the wine capital of the country and has some interesting sights in store for you.

Fortify yourself for the day with a hearty breakfast and disembark to walk along the ghats, the embankments on the Godavari River. Here you will have the opportunity to observe numerous important Hindu rituals that you would not otherwise get to see. Don't miss the markets at the ghats, where everything from vegetables to lentils, dried seafood to cow dung cakes and many other things are sold.

Afterwards, head to Grover Zampa Vineyards for an exclusive tour of one of India's finest wineries. Walk through the vines dotted with Chenin, Chardonney and Shiraz grapes. Be shown the several-year-old "method traditional" used to produce the most famous brand of sparkling wine in India. Allow the sommelier to spoil your taste buds as you sample the finest creations of white, red, rosé and sparkling wines that will be served with your meal at the winery.

After the delicious lunch, return to the Deccan Odyssey, which slowly and gently makes its way along the tracks to Aurangabad.

Good morning in Aurangabad! While you have breakfast, the train rolls the last meters through the city to the train station. Afterwards, you will be taken on a ride through the extraordinary landscape to the Ellora Caves, which are carved into the basalt hillside, 30 kilometers from the city.

Aurangabad, named after the last great Mughal Aurangzeb, is an industrial city in Maharashtra and a stop from where you will visit the extraordinary Ellora Caves, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city itself has deep Mughal influences and numerous monuments not to be missed, which you may catch your first glimpse of during your drive to the Ellora Caves: the Daulatabad Fort with its 4.5 kilometer long ramparts, the Bibi-ka Makbara, an impressive burial site, and the city's 52 gates, each with its own story.

Arriving at the Ellora Caves, you can visit the best example of cave temple architecture in India. The caves include 34 stone carved shrines that represent Buddhist, Jain and Hindu art from the 4th to 5th centuries AD. The 12 stunning caves on the south side are Buddhist in nature, the 17 in the center are Hindu, and the five on the north side are Jain. You will be most amazed by the Kailash Temple, which is a replica of Shiva's heavenly seat on Mount Kailash. Marvel at this unprecedented stone-carved architecture and breathtaking wonder of history, and witness the history of ancient India come back to life.

Enjoy your lunch on board as the hinterland of Maharashtra passes by your train windows, mesmerizing you with its ever-changing colors and unique landscape.

In the evening, sit back and enjoy cocktails from our onboard bartender and take a well-deserved rest during dinner. Meanwhile, the train makes its way more and more to Jalagon and the next highlight of your trip.

The Deccan Odyssey arrives in Jalgon early in the morning. After breakfast, disembark and drive to Ajanta Caves, another UNESCO World Heritage Site and heritage from the past worth seeing. The 30 stone-carved Buddhist caves at Ajanta have been masterfully crafted and are decorated with sculptures and images from the Buddhist religion. They form the link between the Buddhist and Hindu faiths.

The entrance to the caves usually consists of only a narrow crack or door. The rooms are often wider than they are deep, and as soon as you enter the caves you glimpse an opposite niche with a Buddha figure carved out of the rock. Many of the paintings and drawings on the walls are still well preserved today, but many have been irrevocably destroyed.

After visiting the caves, return to the train and enjoy lunch as the train heads for the eclectic town of Kolhapur.

From now on, the rest of the day is at your leisure, so you can either relax or participate in one of the many activities on board. Watch a movie, learn the rules of "Carrom", a traditional Indian board game by one of the team members, or book a relaxing massage at the onboard spa.

Watch rural India pass you by and new panoramas keep opening up as you enjoy a sundowner before dinner.

Observe the surrounding countryside of Maharashtra, which, as you enjoy your breakfast, continues to take on new forms. Enjoy free time on board and the view as the train enters Kolhapur, the city with numerous hidden treasures just waiting for you to discover and explore.

After an early lunch on board, you will embark on an exciting tour of the city. Visit the New Palace Museum, a 19th-century octagonal palace built of ornate basalt and sandstone. View the beautiful architecture and memorabilia of the rulers of Kolhapur. Further exploration takes you to the Town Hall Museum, a somber neo-Gothic building whose terrace is flanked by two towers, each with pointed, pyramid-shaped metal roofs. Inside, discover historic paintings and sculptures that give you further insight into this country's past.

Explore the local market to buy some beautiful handmade Kolhapuri Chappals, traditional sandals, to take home as souvenirs. Continue to a place that specifically sells tea until you can experience Lavanya Sandhya, a lively folk performance.

You will then visit the 1300 year old Mahalakshmi Temple, also called Shakti Pethas or place associated with the deity Shakti. Shakti, according to tales, is the consort of Lord Vishnu, one of the most important deities of Hinduism. After the temple visit, you can watch live a traditional martial arts performance called Mardani Khel and admire how the skilled fighters dodge the attacks of the opponents.

According to a legend, the city was once built by a demon, who was later killed by the god Mahalakshmi, saving the people of Kolhapur.

After your stay, return to the Deccan Odyssey to enjoy your dinner and continue the journey to Goa, the most fashionable city in India.

Today you will reach Goa, India's smallest state which is characterized by strong Portuguese influences, as it was a colony of Portugal until 1961.

After breakfast, disembark and drive to Fontainhas, a Latin neighborhood in Panjim where you'll find well-preserved houses with Portuguese architecture. Experience a UNESCO World Heritage walk through Fontainhas with its winding streets lined with houses with tiled roofs that glow in colorful shades of blue and red.

Continue to Ribandar, the former capital of Goa, for a walk to the ancient churches and the ruins of the once lofty St Augustine Towers, which still stand valiantly against the vagaries of nature.

Then head to Sahakari Spice Plantation for a typical traditional Goan meal, a dish that has Hindu roots but has been heavily influenced by over 400 years of Portuguese leadership and emphasizes Arabian Sea seafood - shrimp, king cod and mackerel are washed down with some feni, strong liquor made from cashews. After lunch, enjoy a country-style performance and a tour of the plantation with explanations of the crops.

End your day in Goa with a visit to a Portuguese home for further insight into Goan life.

Return to the Deccan Odyssey for dinner as the train departs for Ratnagiti and winds through Konkan. Today you will travel through one of the most scenic train routes in the country. Travel along the Arabian Sea and to Sahyadri Hill in the east, which you can easily pass through thanks to a tunnel. Enjoy the extraordinary landscape that passes ceaselessly by the windows.

The Deccan Odyssey will take you to Sindhudurg this morning. Are you in the mood for more culture and traditions? After a hearty breakfast on board, you will head to the village of Pinguli, where you will get a brief glimpse of traditional Thakar folk and handicrafts.

From here it is also not far to Sawantwadi Palace, where a freshly prepared lunch awaits you.

During the afternoon you will return to the Deccan Osyssey. Recharge your batteries and take in the fresh impressions. In the evening you will enjoy your dinner on board after this relaxing last day.

For the last time, admire the scenery from the train and sit back. Early in the morning, you will reach Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus main station in Mumbai and your journey will come to an end after breakfast. Say goodbye to the train that has taken you to the historical and cultural highlights of this colorful country. Rich in countless impressions and new impressions, you will now return home.

The Deccan Odyssey is a train with 21 spacious, royal carriages that snakes its way along the tracks. Eleven of these carriages are equipped with rooms for guests and bear the names of the most important regions of Maharashtra. Each of the cabins is generously furnished with modern furniture, making your journey as pleasant and comfortable as possible. The cabins are elegantly designed to reflect the numerous eras of the Deccan dynasties. Each carriage has four cabins and a common room.

On board, you will find two gourmet restaurants offering local specialties and continental dishes to suit all tastes. Also, the well-stocked Mumbai-Hi bar offers a selection of cocktails and sundowners to end the evening with.

Other amenities include a library, an Ayurvedic massage center, telephone, TV in each wagon and a plasma TV in the lounge wagon.

Duration of the trip: 8 days / 7 nights

Included

• 7 nights including full board in a Deluxe Double Cabin with bathroom
• Soft drinks during meals
• Travel in Deccan Odyssey from / to Mumbai
• Guided excursions as mentioned in the program
• Entrance fees to the sights
• English-speaking guide

Not included

• International flights
• Taxes, insurances
• Optional tours
• Meals and drinks that are not included in the tour package
• Personal expenses, like tips or minibar
• Visa
• Entrance fees that are not included in the tour package

Services & Notes

Please note the separate cancellation policy, as follows:

• Cancellation 59 to 45 days prior to arrival 20% of the tour price.
• Cancellation 44 to 33 days prior to arrival 50% of the tour price
• Cancellation 29 to 0 days prior to arrival 100% of the tour price