2018 south india itinerary web · pdf filejanuary 3 mumbai please arrive by 12:00 pm (noon)....
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South India WithFranGallo,ArvindSingh&KelleyMcHenry
January2–18,2018
Meetthenaturalbeauty,stunningarchitecture,andtheintriguingcultureofSouthIndia.ThisjourneycombinesdailyyogaandafabuloustourincludinghistoricalMumbai,colorfulculture,acookingclass,andwildelephants!Explorethe2,000year-oldcavesatElloraandAjantathatfeaturemonasteriesandtempleshewnoutofrock.MarvelattheintricatelycarvedtemplesofMadurai,coveredinvividlypaintedfiguresofdeities,mythicalcreaturesandmonsters.CruiseonawoodenriceboatthroughKochi’smazeofbackwaterstoobservevillagelifealongtheshore.CrossovertheWesternGhatstoPeriyarNationalPark,India’searliestwildlifesanctuaryandoneofthebestplacestoseetheAsianelephant.Walkinaspiceplantationandlearnaboutthemanydifferentusesofspices,bothinmedicineandfoodandthenusethemtocookadeliciousmeal.
January2Beginyourjourneytothe“landofwonder”January3Mumbai
Pleasearriveby12:00pm(noon).Meetingandassistanceonarrivalandtransfertothehotel(Hotelcheckintimewouldbe12noononthisdaysoletusknowifyourequireearliercheckin).WelcomedinnerandorientationtoIndia.Overnightatthehotel.
WELCOMETOINDIA!
January4MumbaiEarlymorningenjoyyogafrom7:00-8:15.Breakfastatthehotelfrom8:45-9:30.Laterat9:45proceedforthecitysightseeingtourofMumbaiwhichincludesacombinationwalkingtourofthe‘reallife’ofthecityaswellasadrivepastmanyofitsfamoussights.WewillvisitHangingGardenswhichoffersasplendidviewofthecity,ChowpattyBeach,KamalaNehruParkandalsoManiBhavanwhereMahatmaGandhistayedduringhisvisitstoMumbai.Walkthroughtheamazing'DhobiGhat'whereMumbai'slaundryisscrubbed,bashed,dyedandhungouttodry.Watchthelocaltrainpassingclosebyonwhichthecitycommutersliterally'hangoutlikelaundry'-anicephotographystop.ContinuetothecolorfulCrawfordmarketandtheFlorafountaininthelargebustlingsquare,intheheartofthecity.DrivepasttheAfghanChurch,SecretariatofMaharashtraGovernmentandalongtheMarineDrivewhichisfondlyknownasthe'Queen'sNecklace’,andvisitGatewayofIndia,Mumbai'sprinciplelandmark.Thisarchofyellowbasaltwaserectedonthewaterfrontin1924tocommemorateKingGeorgeV'svisittothiscolonyin1911.Afternoonatleisure.Dinneratthehotel.
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January5Mumbai–AurangabadEarlymorningenjoyyogafrom7:45till9:00.Breakfastatthehotel.IntimetransferfromhoteltotheairporttoconnectflightforAurangabadandonarrivalcheckinatthehotel.Departforairportat12:00pmforflighttoAurangabad.Meetingandassistanceonarrivalandtransfertothehotel.Dinnerandovernightatthehotel.
January6AurangabadEarlymorningyogafrom7:00till8:00.MorningexcursiontotheUNESCOWorldHeritagesite,ElloraCaves15kmsfromAurangabad.ThefamousrockcutcavetemplesofElloradepicttheHindu,BuddhistandJainfaiths,andwereconstructedbetweenthe5thand8thcenturiesAD.OfparticularinterestisthearchitecturalmarvelofthemonolithicKailasatemple,theBuddhistVishvakarmachaityaandVihara,theJaincavenumber32,famousforamagnificentYakshistatueandceilingpaintings.Dinnerandovernightatthehotel.
January7AurangabadMorningyogafrom7:00till8:15,laterproceedforthefulldayexcursiontoUNESCOWorldHeritagesite,AjantaCaves.Ajanta’swondrouscavetemplesarecutintotherockysidesofadramaticcrescent-shapedgorge,attheheadofwhichisawaterfallthatdropsoverthemountainriminaseriesofsevenstepstoapoolfarbelow.Datingbacktothe2ndcenturyBC,deepinsidethemountainaretheBuddhistchaitya,viharaprayerandmonasterycaves.Theycoveraspanof800yearswhere,undertheroyalpatronageofrulingdynasties,professionalartistshelpedBuddhistmonkstocreatemagnificentmuralsnarratingthestoryofBuddhainhiscycleofincarnations,whilesimultaneouslycreatingapaintedrecordofthepanoramaoflifeinancientIndia.Etchedandpaintedinmineraldyes,thepaintingshavealanguorousstylizedbeautyandmagicaleloquence.Later,drivebacktoAurangabadandcheckinatthehotel.Dinnerandovernightatthehotel.Eveningfree.January8Aurangabad–Chennai–MahabalipuramIntimetransferfromhoteltotheairporttoconnectflightforChennai(Wewillrequestthehotelforapackedbreakfast,dependingontheoperationoftherestaurant/coffeeshop).MeetingandassistanceonarrivalandtransferreddirectlytoyourhotelinMamallapuram,whichislocatedonthecoastontheBayofBengal.Afteryoucheckin,youwillhavesomefreetimeonyourown.EnjoyYogafrom4:00pmtill5:00pm.Dinnerandovernightatthehotel.
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January9MahabalipuramEarlymorningenjoyyogafrom7:00till8:15,laterproceedforbreakfastfrom8:45till9:30,AfterbreakfaststartyourdayatMamallapuramwithavisittothebeautiful7th-centuryShoreTemplewhichissurroundedbylushgardens,followedbyanexplorationofthecelebratedbas-reliefatArjuna’sPenanceandtheFiveRathas.Theafternoonisatleisureonthebeach,shopping,walkingaroundthetown.Dinnerandovernightatthehotel.
January10Mahabalipuram--TrichyEarlymorningenjoyyogafrom7:00till8:15;laterproceedforbreakfastfrom8:45till9:30.TodayyoucontinuetoTrichy,theoldcitadeloftheCholaDynastyinthemedievalperiod,whereyouvisittheRockFort.Aclimbof434stepsleadstotheancienttempleofGanapationtopandafurtherclimbtoaShivatemple.Dinneratthehotelandeveningrestandrelax.
January11Trichy–MaduraiEarlymorningyogafrom7:00till8:15;laterproceedforbreakfastfrom8:45till9:30.ContinueyourjourneytoMadurai,theoldestcityinTamilNaduandSouthIndia’sgreatesttempletown.Assuch,itisasignificantpilgrimsite.OverthefivehourdrivewewillgetasenseofhowpeopleliveinTamilNaduvillages.Stopforlunch.RestandrelaxuponreachingMadurai.Dinnerandovernightatthehotel.
January12MaduraiEarlymorningenjoyyogafrom7:00till8:15;laterproceedforbreakfastfrom8:45till9:30.Todayyouwillvisitthethousand-year-oldMeenakshiTemple,oneofIndia’slargestpilgrimsiteswithits12toweringgopurams.ItisanunforgettableexperiencetoobservetheritualsandcelebrationduringtheeveningpujaceremonyinsidetheMeenakshiTemple.Later,visittheTirumalaNayakPalace-agraciousbuildingrevealingthepowerandwealthoftheNayakaswhomadeMaduraitheircapitalinthe16thand17thcenturies.ContinuetotheAlagarHillsandTiruparaKundranRocktemple.Dinnerandovernightatthehotel.
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January13Madurai–PeriyarEarlymorningenjoyyogafrom7:00till8:15,thenbreakfastfrom8:45till9:30.AfterbreakfastdrivethroughtheWesternGhatstoPeriyarNationalPark,India’searliestsanctuaryandoneofthebestplacestoseetheAsianElephant.Aftercheckingintoyourhotel,youvisitoneofthespiceplantationsthisareaisfamousforandlearnaboutthemanydifferentusesofspices,bothinmedicineandfood.Dinnerandovernightatthehotel.
January14PeriyarEarlybreakfast.Intheearlymorning(around7am),you'llenjoyaforesttrekinsidetheNationalParkwhichtakes1-3hoursdependingonthegroup’sinterest.Afterthetrekking,drivebacktohotelandtakefreetimeuntillateafternoonwhenyouwilltakeboatrideonthePeriyarRiver.Periyar,meaningbigriver,isthelongestriverintheIndianstateofKerala.Earlyeveningisanicetimeofdaytoseemanyanimalscometothewatertodrink.Lookforriverotters,elephants,Indianbison(gaur),Nilgiriibex,junglecat,slothbear,Indiangiantsquirrel,sambar,andwildpig,tonameafew.
January15Periyar–Kumarakom--HouseboatEarlyinthemorningat7:30amweleavePeriyarforKumarakom,whereyouembarkonyourhouseboatandstartanenchantingcruisealongthebeautifulbackwatersofKerala;justrelaxandlaybackwhileyounavigateslowlythroughthetranquilwaterways.ItisawonderfulopportunitytodiscoverKerala’srurallifestyle.You’llseethatKeralaisknownforitscashewnuts,coirtrade,rice,peppercrops&coconuts.YourchefonhouseboatwillpreparedeliciousKeralaspecialtiesonboard.EnjoyYogaonboard4:00till5:15pm.Dinnerandovernightonboard.
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January16Houseboat–Alleppey–CochinAfterabreakfastonthehouseboat,disembark,saygoodbyetothebackwatersandheadforCochin,Kerala’smostcosmopolitancityandanimportanttradingcenterforspices.Theafternoonisyours,untilyogafrom3:00-4:15.EarlyintheeveningyouwillenjoyKerala’ssignatureperformanceofKathakali,aclassicalformofdance,dramaandmusicthatismorethan400yearsold.ThenheadtothehomeofMariaGeorgeforaSouthIndiancookingdemonstrationanddelicioushome-cookedSouthIndiandinner!Overnightatthehotel.
January17CochinEarlymorningenjoyyogafrom7:00till8:15;laterproceedforbreakfastfrom8:45till9:30.AfterbreakfastyoustartyourexplorationofFortCochin.FollowthefootprintleftcenturiesagobyDutch,Portuguese,British,ArabandChineseandsoakuptheculturalatmosphereasyoustrollalongthequaintnarrowlanesofFortCochintovisittheDutchPalace,StFrancisChurchandIndia’soldestJewishSynagogueinJewTown.LaterheadtotheharborwherelocalfishermenusetheoldChinesefishingnets,introducedanderectedcenturiesago.Dinnerandovernightatthehotel.January18DepartCochinEarlymorningyogaandbreakfast,thencheckoutandheadtotheairporttoconnecttoyourflighthome,takingwithyoumanywonderfulmemoriesandfabulousphotographs!Namaste!
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Tripcost:$4750.Includes:yoga,guidefees,allflightsandothertransportationwithinIndia,5starhotels,breakfastsanddinners,hotelanddrivertips,entrancefees,andguestexpertsonIndianculture.Costdoesnotincludetipforguide,drinks,roomservice,non-groupactivities,personalexpenses,orinternationalairfare.Itineraryissubjecttochangeasneeded.
Adepositof$500willreserveyourspot(fullyrefundablebeforeJune30,2017).50%ofthetotalcostofthetourisduebyJuly30.Iftheretreat/touriscanceledduetolackofparticipants,youwillbegrantedafullrefund.Aminimumof10peopleisrequiredforthetriptooccur.Wedoanticipatemeetingourgoalof10participants.WewillcontactyouafterJuly30toletyouknowifwehavemetourminimumsothatyoucangoaheadandpurchaseyourflight.Pleasesendinyourcheckwiththeregistrationformassoonaspossibletoguaranteeyourplaceandhelpusmakeallthetrainandhotelbookingsinatimelyway.
KelleyMcHenry,triporganizer,isalibrarianatSeattleCentralCollegeandholdsanMAinInternationalStudies,SouthAsiafromtheJacksonSchoolofInternationalStudies,UniversityofWashington.ShehaslivedandworkedinKenyaandtheNetherlandsandtraveledwidelyinAsiaandEurope,butIndiaisherpassion.Inadditiontoacademicstudies,KelleyhasbeentoIndiamanytimes,livedwithIndianfamilies,studiedHindi,andbeenleadingtourgroupstoIndiaforthepast12years.Dr.ArvindSingh,guideandtriporganizer,holdsanMAinIndianHistory&Culture,MAinIndianPhilosophy&Religion,andaPhDinIndianArchaeology.Hehaspublishedthreebooksand16researcharticlesondifferentaspectsofIndianculture,ecology,numismaticsandarchaeology.HewasaSeniorFellowoftheIndianCouncilofHistoricalResearch,NewDelhiandtaughtforseveralyearsatBanarasHinduUniversity.FranGallohasledseveraltripstoIndiaforKnowIndiaTravelandSpiritualIndiaJourneys.ShewasformerlyanEnglishinstructoratGreenRiverCommunityCollegeandnowdevotesherselftoteachinghathayogatoshareitshealingandempoweringeffects.ShestudiedhathayogaatAnandaYogaCentreinNepalandfurtheredherstudiesatVedNiketanYogaAshraminRishikesh,India.ForFran,yoga'smagicisindiscoveringhowtogobeyondwhatweperceiveasourlimitsandintheprofoundsenseofwholeness,peace,andbalanceoneobtainsfromcultivatingayogapractice.www.FranGallo.com.
Formoreinformation,pleasecontactKelleyMcHenryPhone:206-546-2599
Email:[email protected]