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South India Tours
- - -› South India Spice Coast
South India Spice Coast
Duration: 14 Nights / 15 Days
Destinations: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram - Trichy - Madurai
- Kanyakumari - Kovalam - Kumarakom - Cochin - Mysore - Hassan - Halebid - Belur
- Bangalore
Day
01 : International flight - Chennai
Upon arrival in Chennai International airport Kai representative will welcome,
assist and provide transfer to respective hotel for immediate occupancy.
Day 02 : Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mahaballipuram (165 Kms Approx. 07 Hrs)
Morning at leisure. Afternoon drive to Mahaballipuram via Kanchipuram enroute
visit memorial of Rajiv Gandhi at Sriperumbudur. In Kanchipuram visit Ekambareswara,
Kailashnath & Varadaraja Temple, after visit drive to Mahaballipuram.
Upon arrival check-into the respective hotel for overnight.
Day 03 : In Mahabalipuram
Morning sightseeing tour of Mahaballipuram visiting Five Rathas, Arjuna Penance,
Mahishasura Mandap, Krishna Mandap, Shore Temple & Ganesh Ratha, after
visit return to respective hotel. Afternoon on beach at leisure, overnight
in hotel.
Day 04 : Mahaballipuram - Trichy (via Tanjore) (200 Kms Approx. 06 Hrs)
After breakfast drive to Trichy enroute visit Brideshwara Temple at Tanjore,
after visit continue drive to Trichy. Upon arrival check-into the respective
hotel for overnight.
Day 05 : In Trichy
After breakfast - fullday sightseeing tour of Trichy visiting Ghats of river
Cauvery on Sirrangam Island, Jambukeswara Shiva Temple & Srirangam Vishnu
Temple. A town where life is centered rounds the temple. Afternoon visit the
old city of Trichy and a Rock Fort Ganapathi & Shiva Temple 434 steps.
Sunset from here is excellent. After visit return to respective hotel for
overnight.
Day
06 : Trichy - Madurai (150 Kms Approx. 04 Hrs)
After breakfast drive to Madurai. Upon arrival check-into the respective hotel.
Afternoon visit Meenakshi Temple & Thirumalai Nayak Palace built in the
17thcentury in the indo-sarascenic style. The temple is known for its gigantic
intricately carved gateways or gopurams, exquisite sculptures ornate pillars
and painted ceilings. After visit return to respective hotel for overnight.
Day 07 : Madurai - Kovalam (via Kanyakumari) 330 Kms Approx. 10 Hrs
After breakfast drive to Kovalam. A long and interesting day drive via Kanyakumari
the south most tip of mainland India, where the three seas Indian Ocean, Arabian
sea & Bay of Bengal meet. Continue your drive to Kovalam via Padmanabhapuram
an interesting palace of Travancore Kings. Upon arrival at Kovalam check into
respective hotel for overnight.
Day 08 : In Kovalam
Day at leisure for swimming at one of the most beaches in the World. Overnight
at respective hotel.
Day 09 : In Kovalam
Day at leisure for independent activities. Overnight at respective hotel.
Day
10 : Kovalam - Kumarakom (150 Kms Approx. 07 hrs)
After breakfast drive to kumrakoram an island on the backwaters of Kerala,
it is one of the most relaxing place. Upon arrival transfer will be provided
in a motorboat to hotel. Overnight at respective hotel.
Day 11 : Kumarakom - Cochin ( 85 Kms Approx. 02 Hrs)
Morning after breakfast depart by boat through the Lakes of Kerala approximately
four hours boat ride. Afternoon depart for Cochin. Upon arrival check into
respective hotel for overnight.
Day 12 : In Cochin
After breakfast depart for sightseeing tour of Cochin visiting market on the
main land, Mattancherry, Jewish Synagogue Church, St. Francis church, Dutch
Palace, Spice Street & Fort Cochin, from here one can see the Chinese
nets used for fishing, after visit return to respective hotel for overnight.
Day 13 : Cochin - Bangalore - Mysore (150 Kms Approx. 04 Hrs)
After breakfast Kai representative will provide transfer to Domestic airport
to connect flight to Bangalore. Upon arrival transfer from airport to Mysore.
Upon arrival check into hotel for overnight.
Day
14 : In Mysore
After breakfast depart for sightseeing of Chamundi Hill, Mysore Palace, Srirangapatnam
visiting summer palace of Tippu Sultan, Mosque, Dungon, Ranganathan Temple
& Grave of Tippu and his family. After visit return to hotel for overnight.
Day 15: Mysore - Hassan (125 Kms Approx. 03 Hrs)
After breakfast at leisure to walk around on your own in the market. Afternoon
depart for Hassan. Upon arrival check into respective hotel for overnight.
Day 16 : Hassan - Halebid - Belur - Hassan (80 kms Approx. 02 Hrs)
After breakfast depart for sightseeing tour of Halebid & Belur one of
the most beautiful temples an excellent example of architecture of Hosyala
dynasty. Return to the hotel. In case it is possible we organize magic show
for our valued clients. Overnight at respective hotel.
Day 17 : Hassan - Bangalore - International Flight (175 Kms Approx. 06
Hrs)
After breakfast depart for Bangalore enroute visit the famous statue of Mahavir
at Sravanbengola. After visiting continue your drive to Bangalore. Upon arrival
in Bangalore few rooms will be provided for wash & Change. No accomodation
only dinner, after meals Kai representative will provide transfer in time
for your international fight back home.
Day 18 : Bangalore - Back Home
On international flight Kai services terminate bon voyage.
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- - -› About
Himalayas - - -› People
& Tribes of Himalayas
People & Tribes of Himalayas
The
population, settlement, and economic patterns within the Himalayas have been
greatly influenced by the variations in topography and climate, which impose
harsh living conditions and tend to restrict movement and communication. People
living in remote, isolated valleys have generally preserved their cultural identities.
However, improvements in transportation and communication, particularly satellite
television programs from Europe and the United States, are bringing access from
the outside world to remote valleys. These outside influences are affecting
traditional social and cultural structure.
Nearly 40 million people inhabit the Himalayas. Generally, Hindus of Indian
heritage are dominant in the Sub-Himalayas and the Middle Himalayan valleys
from eastern Kashmir to Nepal. To the north Tibetan Buddhists inhabit the Great
Himalayas from Ladakh to northeast India.
In central Nepal, in an area between about 1830 and 2440 m (between about 6000
and 8000 ft), the Indian and Tibetan cultures have intermingled, producing a
combination of Indian and Tibetan traits. The eastern Himalayas in India and
nearby areas of eastern Bhutan are inhabited by animistic people whose culture
is similar to those living in northern Myanmar and Yunnan province in China.
People of western Kashmir are Muslims and have a culture similar to the inhabitants
of Afghanistan and Iran.
The economy of the Himalayas as a whole is poor with low per capita income.
Much of the Himalayas area is characterized by a very low economic growth rate
combined with a high rate of population growth, which contributes to stagnation
in the already low level of per capita gross national product. Most of the population
is dependent on agriculture, primarily subsistence agriculture; modern industries
are lacking.
Mineral resources are limited. The Himalayas has major hydroelectric potential,
but the development of hydroelectric resources requires outside capital investment.
The skilled labor needed to organize and manage development of natural resources
is also limited due to low literacy rates. Most of the Himalayan communities
face malnutrition, a shortage of safe drinking water, and poor health services
and education systems.
Agricultural land is concentrated in the Tarai plain and in the valleys of the
Middle Himalayas. Patches of agricultural land have also been carved out in
the mountainous forested areas. Rice is the principal crop in eastern Tarai
and the well-watered valleys. Corn is also an important rain-fed crop on the
hillsides.
Other cereal crops are wheat, millet, barley, and buckwheat. Sugarcane, tea,
oilseeds, and potatoes are other major crops. Food production in the Himalayas
has not kept up with the population growth.
The
major industries include processing food grains, making vegetable oil, refining
sugar, and brewing beer. Fruit processing is also important. A wide variety
of fruits are grown in each of the major zones of the Himalayas, and making
fruit juices is a major industry in Nepal, Bhutan, and in the Indian Himalayas.
Since 1950 tourism has emerged as a major growth industry in the Himalayas.
Nearly 1 million visitors come to the Himalayas each year for mountain trekking,
wildlife viewing, and pilgrimages to major Hindu and Buddhist sacred places.
The number of foreign visitors has increased in recent years, as organized treks
to the icy summits of the Great Himalayas have become popular. While tourism
is important to the local economy, it has had an adverse impact on regions where
tourist numbers exceed the capacity of recreational areas.
Historically, all transport in the Himalayas has been by porters and pack animals.
Porters and pack animals are still important, but the construction of major
roads and the development of air routes have changed the traditional transportation
pattern.
Major urban centers such as Kathmandu, Simla, and Srinagar, as well as important
tourist destinations, are served by airlines. Railways link Simla and Darjiling,
but in most of the Himalayas there are no railroads. The bulk of goods from
the Himalayas, as well as goods destined for places within the Himalayas, generally
come to Indian railheads, located in the Tarai, by road. The pack animals and
porters transport goods from road heads to the interior and back.
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