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ITINERARY


Day 1, (Wednesday) Mumbai
Your grand Deccan Odyssey begins in Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, the capital of Maharashtra and the commercial hub of India. An ancient port and trading center steeped in tradition, Mumbai is also the country’s most cosmopolitan city. Apart from being renowned as the country’s financial nerve center, Mumbai is also an important center for theater, art, music and classical dance. This evening, as the sun sets, you will board the Deccan Odyssey for dinner and begin your journey.

DAY 2 - (Thursday) Jaigadh, Gan-apatipule, Ratnagiri and Bhatye Beach.
Today you will stop at Bhoke Station and head to historic Jaigad Fort. Perched on a cliff overlooking the convergence of the Sangameshwar River and the Arabian Sea, the ruins of this famous seventeenth-century fort offer spectacular views.

Next you will travel to Ganapatipule, a sleepy hamlet on the Western coast of India. This tiny resort village, untarnished by commercialization, boasts almost four miles of unspoiled white-sand beach. After a sumptuous lunch in Ganapatipule, you will head to Ratnagiri, the land of Alphonso mangoes, home of some of the world’s finest mangoes. While in Ratnagiri you will visit Lokmanya Tilak Smarak, the birthplace of Lokmanya Tilak, a famous activist for Indian independence. You will also visit Ratnadurg Fort, a once-sprawling palace that is now in ruins. As you walk through what is left of the structure, you will get a glimpse of its grand scale and appreciate the magnificent views its inhabitants must have enjoyed.

Finally, you will return to the lap of luxury on the Deccan Odyssey where you will enjoy a delicious dinner and a peaceful night’s sleep.

DAY 3 - (Friday) Sindhudurg. Tarkarli. Sawantwadi.
Today you will travel to the tip of the Konkan coast, stopping at the Sindhudurg Nagari Station. From the station, a luxury bus will transfer you to Malvan Jetty. From there you will take a boat ride to the unconquered ocean fort of Sindhudurg. The fort is now a mere shell of its former glory, but still provides a unique glimpse into the area’s past. You will tour the fort which was once filled with buildings, but now contains only a few temples dedicated to Mahadeo, Jarimai, Mahapursh, Bhavani and Shivaji.

From the fort you will move on to the beautiful beaches and pristine waters of Tarkarli, which is situated at the convergence of the Karli River and the Arabian Sea. While there you will have a chance to rest in one of Tarkarli Beach Resort’s Konkani-style cottages and you will enjoy some mouth-watering Konkani food.

From the beach you will move on to Tarkarli Jetty for a romantic boat ride to Kalse Jetty. From there a luxury bus will take you to Sawantwadi, which is nestled in the Sahyadri Mountains and is surrounded by thick forests and verdant hills and valleys. From there you will return to the Deccan Odyssey for a royal meal.

Day 4 - (Saturday) Goa
Today you will stop in Goa, known for its many beautiful beaches. Goa was ruled by the Portuguese for almost 500 years and still retains much of its Portuguese heritage. It is dotted with Roman Catholic churches and chapels and holds a special historic and social niche in India.

As the city of Goa grew, numerous churches began to spring up. The Franciscans were first to make inroads into the city and were soon followed by many other orders. They all erected churches and monasteries, many of which are still functioning to this day. Today you will visit the Se Cathedral, the largest of all the churches in Goa. Its construction was begun in 1562 during the reign of King Dom Sebastiao, but was not completed until 1652. The cathedral was built in the Portuguese Gothic style, and displays a Tuscan exterior and a Corinthian interior.

From the Se Cathedral you will proceed to the Basilica of Bom Jesus, where the body of St. Francis Xavier is enshrined. The structure is made from laterite and displays Ionic, Doric and Corinthian orders. Its main entrance is flanked by two smaller entrances, each with Corinthian columns supporting a pediment. Within the church are two chapels, a main altar, a choir and a sacristy. You will also visit the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, which was built in the seventeenth century. It is a beautiful, octagonal tabernacle which is ornately decorated with two statues, one of St. Francis and the other of Jesus on the cross. St. Francis’s vows of poverty, humility and obedience are engraved right below the two statues.

You will also walk through Fontanhas, the Latin quarter of Panjim. You will enjoy a typical Goan-styled lunch and then you will have an opportunity to explore some of Goa on your own. As the day ends, you will return to the Deccan Odyssey where you will enjoy a splendid dinner.

Day 5 - (Sunday) Pune
This morning your train will pull into Pune, which is known as the “culture capital” of the state of Marathas. It is the traditional center of Maharashtran culture—many famous poets, writers, singers and artists were either born or took up residence there.

Today’s tour will start off with a visit to the Raja Kelkar Museum, a treasure trove filled with antiquities from the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Next you will visit the magnificent Shaniwarwada, which was the unproclaimed power center of Hindustan in the nineteenth century. Although only parts of the structure remain, such as the massive rampart with its gateway and bastions, it will be easy to see why it was considered the most magnificent and stately mansion built in Pune.

After a splendid lunch you will visit the imposing Aga Khan Palace, which is also known as Kasturba Gandhi Memorial or Kasturba Samadhi. The palace was built in 1892 and was donated to India in 1969 by Aga Khan IV, hence the change of name to Aga Khan Palace. The palace served as quarters for the imprisonment of Gandhi and his wife, Kasturba, toward the end of British rule in India. It serves as a simple memorial to Gandhi and his life and times. A special cenotaph located within the palace honors Kasturba, who died there. There is a shop attached to the palace that sells khadi, or handloomed garments and textiles.

From Aga Khan Palace you will move on to the world-famous Rajneesh (Osho) Ashram. The ashram (temple), which was founded by Bhagwan Rajneesh, attracts a number of devotees each year. Rajneesh developed a unique system of dynamic meditation, which appealed to many.

Finally, you will visit David Sassoon Synagogue. Built by Sir David Sassoon in 1867, the synagogue is believed to be one of the largest and finest in the world.

Your day will end with another sumptuous dinner aboard the Deccan Odyssey.

Day 6 - (Monday) Aurangabad
This morning you will stop in Aurangabad. The city, founded in the early sixteenth century in a broad valley, has a long artistic and cultural history. Many of the mosques and palaces erected in the early years of the city still remain, albeit in ruins. It is a beautiful city, and is one of India’s fastest growing commercial and industrial centers.

After a scrumptious breakfast on the train, a luxury bus will take you to the majestic fortress of Daulatabad. In its day the fortress presented an impregnable defense against all attacks, and still stands tall and proud today. From there you will move on to the world-famous Ellora group of rock-cut caves. These caves, which lie in the lap of the Chamadari hills, extend north and south for over a mile and a quarter. This group of thirty-four caves house elaborate façades and exquisitely adorned interiors. The most magnificent of these caves is the Kailashanatha Temple (cave sixteen), a UNESCO World Heritage site. The temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, has actually been sculpted out of a single mountain, and it depicts Mount Kailasa, the sacred abode of Lord Shiva.

After touring the caves you will return to Aurangabad for lunch, enlivened by cultural entertainment. After lunch you will visit Bibi Ka Maqbara, a mosque which was built in 1678 by Prince Azam Shah in memory of his mother, Begum Rabia Durani. The mosque is a replica of the famous Taj Mahal. Although it follows much of the same layout as the Taj, it fails to produce the magic of the magnificent landmark. However, the mosque is still considered a fine piece of Mughal architecture.

You will also have some time to search for the perfect souvenir in Aurangabad before you return to the Deccan Odyssey.

Day 7 - (Tuesday) Ajanta & Nashik
After a royal breakfast aboard the train, you will board a MSRTC bus from which you will see dramatic views of the Waghora Valley, the hiding place of the Ajanta Caves. These caves, older than the Ellora Caves, were once lost to the world. They were accidentally discovered by a party of British officers while they were on a hunting trip. At Ajanta, thirty temple caves were carved out of the sides of a rocky, crescent-shaped gorge during the second through sixth centuries. It is a pristine area that was chosen not only for the solitude it provided for meditating Buddhist monks, but also because of its proximity to the main trade routes. The caves are filled with ornate façades, frescoes and wall paintings. The paintings are highly unusual, particularly in the wide range of subject matter they represent. A large number of incidents from the life of Buddha are depicted, as well as tales from the Jakata legends. The interior chambers are illuminated by a flood of natural light, enhancing the color and vibrancy of the images.

You will enjoy a mouth-watering lunch aboard the Deccan Odyssey as you head for Nashik. From Nashik you will travel by luxury bus to the vineyards at Govardhan Park. On the way to the park, you will visit the Old Ghat and see some great views of the Gangapur Dam, which supplies water to Nashik.

This evening you will enjoy a lavish meal at the vineyard before you head back to the Deccan Odyssey for another restful night’s sleep.

Day 8 - (Wednesday) Mumbai
You will enjoy breakfast aboard the train as the sun rises over beautiful Mumbai. Your week-long journey aboard the magnificent Deccan Odyssey ends at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

Please note that this itinerary is subject to change due to flight schedule changes and other circumstances beyond our control.

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