Day - 01

Arrive Delhi

Delhi the capital of India, is a historical city, which attracts the tourists because of its historical past. This city is one of the oldest city with lots of monuments and temples that are a sight to watch. Any visitor’s visit to this city will go incomplete without a visit to these historical places. Delhi is a 1000 years old city with great market places which fancy of a lot of exquisite stuff which is worth having a glimpse of. When you arrive at the airport in Delhi, you will be received by the representatives of Nature Safari who will then take you to the hotel booked for you. Overnight in Delhi.

Day - 02

Delhi- Full day tour of the city.

Morning: Visit the Old City of Delhi to see the historic Red Fort and the Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque from the outside. See the colourful bazaar of Chandni Chowk and take a cycle rickshaw ride through the back streets of Old Delhi to get a first hand experience of the hustle and bustle of this traditional city. This ride through the small by-lanes will be most fascinating. Return to the hotel for lunch or eat at an interesting restaurant in town. Afternoon: Visit New Delhi, seeing the Qutab Minar, a tower of victory built in the 12th century and India Gate - the war memorial. Drive past the Rashtrapathi Bhawan, the residence of the President of India, the houses of Parliament and the Government Secretariat buildings. Overnight in Delhi.

Day - 03

Delhi – Ranthambore

Morning transfer to the Railway station to board the train for Sawai Madhopur. Leave Delhi for Sawai Madhopur by Golden Temple Mail (0755/ 1310 hrs). Meeting and assistance on arrival at Sawai Madhopur Railway station and transfer to the Lodge Ranthambore: With an area of 400 sq. km encompassing rocky hill crests which descend to open valleys between the Aravalli and Vindhya ranges, dotted with water pools and fruit trees, this park gets its name from the thousand year old fortress, which looms above the forest. Well known for the diurnal activity of tigers, Ranthambore is a very special and unusual area where a natural present meets a historical past. Sambar, cheetal, chinkara, nilgai and languor. The elusive leopard and tigers are found in this reserve with tourists standing a very good chance of seeing tigers during the day. (The Park is closed from 01 July till 30 September.) Dotted across the landscape are the crumbling ruins of its past glory, be it chatris or cupolas, like palaces or old guard posts, all of which reinforce the magical and ethereal quality of this great wilderness. Lunch at the lodge; visit the sanctuary by Jeep with an English-speaking Naturalist. Overnight in Resort.

Day - 04

Mysore

After a comfortable and relaxing breakfast we leave for excursion to Srirangapatnam. The name Srirangapatnam comes from the temple of Vishnu that predates the fort or the town. The town played a crucial part in the region since its origin in the 10th Century. The great Viashnavite philosopher and reformer settled here in 1133 and the site was frequently a focal point in South India's political development. Today the area is better known for the beautiful Daria Daulat Bagh which means the “Splendour of the Sea". It was Tipu Sultan's summer palace built in 1784 with lovely gardens, and colourful frescoes of battle scenes between the French, British and Mysore armies. The interior has ornamental arches and gilded painting on the teak walls and ceiling. Late afternoon we visit the tiny village of Somnathpur. It is one of the best preserved and only complete one of the 80 Hoysala temples in the Mysore region. This small Kesava Temple built in the late 13th century is a jewel. Excellent work on the ceiling shows distinctive features of the late Hoysala style. It has three sanctuaries and stands in the middle of a rectangular courtyard with cloisters containing 64 cells around it. A walk around the temple will allow you to admire the bands of the sculptured figures that are particularly fine. Overnight at Mysore

Day - 05

Mysore - Hassan via Belur & Halebid.

After breakfast at our hotel, we leave for Hassan, en route visiting the famous Belur & Halebid Temples. Belur, was the first capital of the Hoysala Empire. The temples are all clustered in a courtyard. The one of particular interest is the Chennakesava Temple dating to the early 12th century and took nearly a century to complete. It celebrates the Hoysala victory over the Cholas and is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The winged figures of the Garuda, the winged carrier of Lord Vishnu guards the entrance. The whole is unimpressive on first sight since the super structure has been lost. However, the exquisite sculptures that cover the exterior with friezes are amazing. 650 elephants, each unique, surrounds the base, with rows of figures and foliage. The detail of 38 female figures, young musicians and dancers are perfect. The unique Narasimha pillar at the center of the hall is particularly fine, and at one time could be rotated. The details of this temple are astounding. To the west of this temple is the Viranarayana Temple, which also has some fine sculptures and smaller shrines. The ancient capital of the Hoysala Empire, Halebid was founded in the 11th Century, It was destroyed twice by the armies of the Delhi Sultanate, first in 1311 and then in 1327, after which it was abandoned and later named Halebid, which means Old Capital. Fortunately the temples survived. It is worth visiting the 12th century Jain Bastis or temples. Several of these temples stand in a garden enclosure and have carved ceiling. These temples are quiet without the crowds that flock the Hoysalesvara Temple. The Hoysalesvara Temple also set in lawns has shrines both dedicated to Lord Shiva with Nandi Bull, the traditional vehicle of Shiva facing each. The largest of these temples was started in 1121 but remained incomplete for 86 years. There are extraordinary life size statues of Hindu deities with minute details surrounding the temple, whilst the six bands of sculpture below, show the attention to detail and skill of the artisans' craft. After the visit we continue our drive to Hassan and check in to our hotel. Overnight at Hassan

Day - 07-11

Yoga Retreat

Yoga restores balance into our lives, resolves our inner conflicts, enables total excellence and allows us to fulfill our potential to become complete human beings. According to Yoga, each living being has a nervous system, no matter how rudimentary, which acts as a localized reflector of an all pervading Consciousness, just as a mirror reflects light. Right understanding and practice of Yoga enables us to reach beyond our habitual thinking patterns and purify the nervous system, thereby allowing it to better express the qualities of this Consciousness - Intelligence, Creativity and Bliss. In the Indian tradition of Yoga, life is a journey of experiences that leads us to discover Shreyas ("all round excellence") inherent within us. As such, this yoga program is much more than the traditional physical postures, and the aim is to catalyze your thinking/living philosophy and harmonize it with the timeless wisdom enshrined within the Indian philosophical tradition. All programs & yoga classes are dedicated to applying the wisdom of the Vedas and Indian spiritual tradition to enrich your professional and personal life. You will spend time reflecting and connecting with your inner core. We provide a sacred space for you, and structure your stay with dedicated yoga classes, rejuvenation and relaxing massages, light, but wholesome vegetarian food, guided meditation sessions, mouna (silence) and karma yoga (working with a selfless attitude). These retreats are designed to help you achieve a better understanding of your self, and hopefully, the role and purpose of your life. Yoga classes are based on classical Hatha yoga & combined with Pranayama (breathing related) and Pratyahara (internalisation) processes drawn from the Yoga Sutras – an ancient yogic doctrine that aims to integrate our body, mind, heart and souls for complete living. There is no dogmatic religion practiced, and people of all faiths are welcome. Our 7 day stay will include 30 hours of Hatha yoga and Meditation classes & delicious vegetarian meals, and is designed for you to discover how this time tested science makes your body/mind energies stronger, and helps you find the right balance between the need for a fulfilling and successful material life, and the overall quest for peace and happiness.

Day - 12

Bangalore - Cochin (By Flight)

Assistance on departure after breakfast and transfer to the airport for flight to Cochin. Depart Bangalore IC 909 at 1230 Hrs Arrive Cochin at 1325 Hrs. Assistance on arrival and transfer to our hotel. Late afternoon we leave for a tour of Cochin. An ancient harbour town, Kochi (popularly known as Cochin), reflects the influence of many foreign traders who visited the city. The Jewish synagogue, one of the oldest in India, is set in the heart of the area known as " Jew Town" surrounded by an aromatic spice market, and interesting shops selling antiques. The synagogue is decorated with blue ceramic Chinese tiles, each distinct in their design. We spend time in the surrounding areas and walk to the Mattancherry Palace, which was commissioned by the Portuguese for the King of Kochi for trading rights. The Palace is two storeys high and is built in the traditional Kerala Style known as Nalukattu (four buildings).The palace exhibits memorabilia from the raja of Kochi's collection but it is best known for its outstanding wooden walls. Later we walk in the heritage zone, which has preserved the original architecture of the city. We visit the Chinese fishing nets, which line the mouth of the Cochin harbour. Overnight: Cochin (1 night)

Day - 13

Cochin - Alleppey. Overnight on Houseboat

After a comfortable and late breakfast at our hotel, we drive for an hour and a half to reach to Alleppey, to embark our houseboat for an overnight cruise on the backwaters of Kerala. A visit to Kerala is incomplete without a visit to its beautiful backwaters. A series of canals, which thread their way through the state to the sea, it allows you a glimpse of life in Kerala impossible to get from road transport. Along the way you will pass rice fields, tiny villages, boats transporting children to school and farmers transporting their produce to the market, and women completing their daily household tasks such as laundry and washing utensils. You will disembark from the boat to wander in the villages. At night the boat will anchor mid stream, and your meals will be specially prepared by the crew from freshly bought produce. Overnight: On Houseboat (1 night)

Day - 14

Houseboat - Kumarakom

After breakfast, we disembark from our houseboat and drive to Kumarakom. We spend the rest of the day at our hotel on the backwaters of Kerala. You can enjoy an ayurvedic massage at the resort. Overnight: Resort at Kumarakom (2 nights)

Day - 15

Kumarakom

AFull Day at leisure for Ayurvedic Massage & Treatments.

Day - 16

Kumarakom - Cochin - Chennai (by flight)

After breakfast at the hotel, we leave for Cochin airport to connect our flight for Chennai. Depart Cochin by 9W 492 at 1440 Hrs Arrive Chennai at 1540 Hrs Assistance on arrival and transfer to your hotel. Overnight: Chennai (1 night)

Day - 17

Depart Chennai

Breakfast at the hotel and morning at leisure. Check out at 1200 Hrs and enjoy a short city tour of Chennai. We will tour this city starting at Fort St George which marks the beginning of Madras (now known as Chennai) as an important trading center. Within the fort is St Mary's Church, the first English church in India and the oldest British building to survive. We will also spend some time in the Mylapore Temple area visiting the 16th century Kapleeswara Temple and the fruit and flower market. Late evening transfer to the airport for our International flight.