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South India Tours
- - -› The Dravidian
The Dravidian
Duration: 14 Nights / 15 Days
Destinations: Madras - Covolong - Mahabalipuram - Kanchipuram - Tanjore
- Trichy - Madurai - Periyar - Kumrakarom - Cochin - Bombay
Day
01 : Arrival Madras - Covolong (45 KMS 01.20 HRS)
Welcome, assistance and transfer from Madras international airport to Covolong
Beach resort. Morning at leisure. Afternoon sightseeing of Mahabalipuram visiting
Shore Temple, Arjuna's Penance, Krishna Mandap, Mahishasura Mandap, Ganesh Mandap
and five Rathas.
Day 02 : Covolong - Kanchipuram - Covolong (100 KMS 02 HRS)
Full day sightseeing of Kanchipuram a town famous for its silk fabric and Temples
visiting Ekambareswara, Kailashnath, Varadaraja and vaikuntha Temples.
Day 03 : Covolong - Tanjore - Trichy (200 KMS 06 HRS)
Early morning depart for Trichy enroute visiting Brihadeshwara Temple and Museum,
continue drive to Trichy and check into hotel.
Day 04 : Trichy
Morning depart for sightseeing of Sirrangam island visiting shore of Cauvery
river, Ranganathanswami and Jambukeswara Temples. Afternoon walk through old
city particularly big bazar street and China bazar.
Day 05 : Trichy - Madurai (165 KMS 03.30 HRS)
Morning depart for Madurai. Upon arrival check into hotel. Afternoon sightseeing
of Meenakshi Temple and Thirumalai Nayak Palace and Vandiyur Mariammam Teepakulam
where annual float festival takes place.
Day
06 : Madurai - Periyar (125 KMS 03 HRS)
Morning depart for famous Periyar wildlife Sanctuary. Afternoon proceed on a
wildlife tour on a boat. The animals found here are Elephants, Bisons, Wild
Dogs, Hyenas, Monkeys, Deer, Wild Hen. Wild Elephants have been sighted often.
Day 07 : Periyar
Periyar is also famous for spices. Visit different farms to see how famous spices
are grown for which the French, Dutch, Portugese and British came to India.
The spices found here are pepper, tea, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, turmeric,
etc. Rest of the day at leisure.
Day 08 : Periyar - Kumrakarom (165 KMS 04.30 HRS)
Early morning depart for Kumrakoram, one of the most beautiful area of Kerala.
Upon arrival check into hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.
Day 09 : Kumrakoram
Day at leisure, in the evening a boat ride at the back waters of Kerala discovering
various villages and the life of the locals.
Day 10 : Kumrakarom - Cochin (07 HRS)
Embark on a full day cruise of the back waters enroute visit the spectacular
villages. Disembark at your hotel Jetty. Evening at leisure.
Day
11 : Cochin
Full day sightseeing of Cochin visiting market on the main land, Chinese nets,
St.Francis Church, Dutch Palace, Jew Synagogue, spice street. In the evening
view the demonstration and the Kathakali dance in a home theatre.
Day 12 : Cochin - Bombay (FLIGHT 02 HRS)
Departure and arrival assistance and transfers will be provided in Cochin and
Bombay respectively. Rest of the day at leisure.
Day 13 : Bombay
Full day sightseeing visiting Elephanta caves, Gateway of India, Queen's Necklace,
Hanging Gardens, Kamla Nehru Park, Mani Bhawan and Prince of Wales Museum.
Day 14 : Bombay - Back Home
Transfer will be provided in time for international flight back home.
Click
here for Booking / More Information
Option 1
Extension of Marari Beach
Day
12 : Cochin - Marari Beach Resort
Morning depart for mararai about two hours drive upon arrival check into Beach
resort with ayurevedic health message rest of the day at leisure. Overnight
at hotel.
Day 13 : Marari Beach Resort
Full day at leisure. Overnight at hotel.
Day 14 : Marari Beach Resort
Full day at leisure. Overnight at hotel.
Day 15 : Marari - Cochin -Bombay
Ealy morning depart for Cochin to connect domestic flight to Bombay. Upon arrival
assistance transfer to hotel. Afternoon short sightseeing of Bombay visiting
Hanging garden, Marine Drive and Prince of Wales Museum.
Day 16 : Bombay - Back Home
Kai representative will provide transfer in time to international airport to
connect flight back home.
Click
here for Booking / More Information
Option 2
Extension of Bangaram Island
Day
12 : Cochin - Agathi - Bangaram Island (FLIGHT 01.30 HRS)
Kai rep will provide transfer in time for flight to agathi Upon arrival transfer
will be provided by boat to bangaram island paradise in the Indian ocean 1.30
hrs boat ride to the resort. Accomodation is on full board basis.
Day 13 : Bangaram ( LAKSHADWEEP)
This island boast for its unspoilt beauty which is supposed to be discoved in
the 4th century by the ship wrecked sailors, a heaven for snorkelling, catamaran
sailing. Deep sea fishing, rafting, kayaKing or just take a boat and go to any
of close by island to be on your own for a day, to bask on the Beach Swim. Meals
and overnight in resort
Day 14 : Bangaram
A day at lesiure or try your hand on any of the water sports. Meals and overningh
in resort.
Day 15 : Bangaram
A day at lesiure or try your hand on any of the water sports. Meals and overningh
in resort
Day
16 : Bangaram - Cochin - Bombay / Madras
Transfer by boat will be provided to agathi in time for your Domestic flight
to Cochin, upon arrival assistance will be provided for further connection to
Madras/ Bombay for your International flight back home.
Day 17 : Bombay/Madras - Back Home
Kai representative will provide transfer in time to international airport to
connect flight back home.
Click
here for Booking / More Information
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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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