Tour to Central India and Goa

Flight from France to Mumbai. Typical welcome with a flower necklace and transfer to the hotel. Visit of Mumbai. Dinner (depending on your arrival time) and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, and depending on the time of your flight, morning transfer to Mumbai airport for a flight to Aurangabad. Arrival, transfer and installation at the hotel. Then the rest of the day will be spent visiting the city. Aurangabad has preserved much of its Muslim past and various testimonies of its earlier history, from the time when the city flourished at the crossroads of trade routes. You will discover the bazaar district, Gulmandi Square, the Shah Ganj Masjid Mosque, the Mughal tombs and its famous Buddhist caves cut in the rock as well as the pale imitation of the Taj Mahal, the Bibi ka-Maqbara. for the Ellora caves located 30km north-west of Aurangabad. The caves opening towards the west, the afternoon is the best time to visit them. This place was considered sacred for centuries by Buddhists, Jains and Hindus. In these caves dating from the sixth to the ninth century, you can admire many motifs and sculptures. Cave 16, the Kailasa Temple, monolithic temple dedicated to Shiva is the most spectacular. Lunch during the visits. Back to Aurangabad. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, you will go on an excursion to the Ajanta site located about 100 kilometers north of Aurangabad and home to 30 exceptional caves in a splendid crescent-shaped gorge. Nestled in the heart of the rocky cliffs, you will discover on the walls of these caves miraculously preserved paintings and sculptures, testimony of the first Buddhist artistic traditions of India. These works dating from the 2nd and 1st century BC. JC and the end of the 5th century describe the life of the Buddha and the stories from Jakata, Buddha’s previous lives. Lunch during the visit. Late afternoon return to Aurangabad. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast depart for Kholhapur. Arrival in Kolhapur and check in at the hotel. Lunch. Then visit the city of Kolhapur, mentioned in the Hindu texts under the name of Karvir. The city was, at the time of its apogee (third century), an important center Jaina. The area was then controlled by Shilahara kings. Today the city and its architecture are still marked by this glorious time. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast departure for Bijapur. Arrival and installation at the hotel. Lunch. Then visit the city and its monuments. The city of Bijapur is known for its typically Muslim architectural style which is quite rare in the region of southern India where Hinduism predominates. Like this Muslim style you will discover the Gol Gumbaz and the mausoleum Ibrahim Rauza. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast depart for the quiet little town of Badami. Arrival in Badami and check in at the hotel. Lunch. Then you will leave to discover the surroundings. Badami is a remote village where many peasants live. This place also has many wineries and the magnificent Banashankari temple which you will visit. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast you will drive to Pattadakal. The historic site of Pattadakal is a real complex consisting of a multitude of temples that are characterized by a mix of architectural styles from central and northern India. During this day you will visit the most important temples such as Virupaksha, Mallikarjuna and Papanatha. At the end of the day return to Badami. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast depart for Hampi. Lunch along the way. This long day of road, punctuated by stops in villages, you will discover a rural India and deep. Arrive in Hampi and check in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast the day will be devoted to the discovery of Hampi, which was the capital of one of the last great Hindu kingdoms, disappeared in the 16th century, that of the Vijayanagara dynasty, which exacerbated to the extreme of Baroque, its architectural style. The UNESCO World Heritage site is an austere and grandiose complex whose temples and palaces were admired by travelers in the 15th and 16th centuries. Lunch during the visits. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After your breakfast, transfer to Goa. Arrival in Goa, welcome and transfer to the hotel. Free stay. Night at the hotel.

After your breakfast, and depending on the time of your flight, transfer to Goa airport to catch your flight to Mumbai. Arrival in Mumbai and flight to France. End of our services.