Meeting point at the Taj West End in Bangalore at 15.00 hrs. After High Tea depart for sightseeing at 16.00 hrs. Towards the evening check In at the Bangalore Railway Station on your hotel train “The Golden Chariot ? Splendor of The South“ you comfortable home for the next week. Departure for Chennai at: 22.00 hrs.
Day 1 (Monday) – Bangalore – Chennai
Meeting point at the Taj West End in Bangalore at 15.00 hrs
After High Tea depart for sightseeing at 16.00 hrs. Towards the evening check In at the Bangalore Railway Station on your hotel train “The Golden Chariot ? Splendor of The South“ you comfortable home for the next week.
Departure for Chennai at: 22.00 hrs.
Day 2 (Tuesday) – Mamallapuram & Chennai
Arrival at Chennai: 06.00 hrs
Excursion to Mamallapuram, an ancient coastal port, south of Chennai, world famous for its shore temple, Mamallapuram was the second capital and sea port of the Pallava Kings of Kanchipuram, the first Tamil dynasty after the fall of the Gupta Empire.
The whole of Mamallapuram is a fabulous open-air museum of sculptures in living rock, Monolithic shrines scooped out caverns magnificently sculpted within and the world’s biggest Bas relief in rock, are truly wondrous examples of the sculptor’s art. The famous temples of the Rathas, the Penance of Bhagirath, the Shore Temple and the eight Mandapams. (Shallow, rock cut halls) are also located at the beach.
Lunch at Mamallapuram. After lunch we proceed to visit the city of Chennai.
Chennai – India’s fourth largest city, Chennai is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai was the site of the East India Company’s first settlement founded in 1639 on land given by the Raja of Chandragiri, the last representative of the Vijaynagar rulers of Hampi. The East India Company was an English trading establishment and thus was the forerunner to the British Empire, which, came into political prominence towards the end of the 17th Century. Chennai is a conglomerate of over grown villages, and being a major port, today it is also known as the gateway to the South.
Proceed for a sightseeing tour of Chennai. The tour begins from the ‘St. Mary’s Church’, built in 1678 ? 80, was the first English Church in Chennai. The Saint Thomas Cathedral, built in 1504, and then re-built in neo – gothic style in 1893, this Roman Catholic Church is said to house the remains of St. Thomas the Apostle. Also visit the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, an ancient Shiva Temple, constructed in pure Dravidian style. The Sri Parathasarathy Temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna, built in 8th century during the reign of the Pallavas. Other attractions include the National Art Gallery and Museum, which house some beautiful temple friezes, the bronze gallery, and archeological section. Drive past the High Court Building, Fort St. George and the famous film studios. Towards the evening return to the train and dinner onboard.
Departure for Pondicherry after the dinner.
Day 3 (Wednesday) – Pondicherry
Arrival at Pondicherry: 08:00 hrs
Pondicherry: In the Northern Tamil Nadu region, quite a contrast to the temple heritage, is located Pondicherry. Formerly a French colony settled early in the 18th century, Pondicherry became part of the Indian Union in the early 50’s when the French voluntarily relinquished control. French is still widely spoken, and seaside villas and cobbled streets are more reminiscent of the South of France than the South of India!
Sightseeing tour of Pondicherry, visiting Auroville. Conceived as a tribute to Sri Aurobindo, Auroville is an entirely new concept in education and urban living. The Aurobindo Ashram is known to the world over as the “Centre of Integral Yoga”. Sri Aurobindo, India’s philosopher around 1920 founded it.
After diner the train continuous to Tiruchirapalli at around: 22:00 p.m.
Day 4 (Thursday) – Tiruchirapalli & Thanjavur
Arrival in Tiruchirapalli early in the morning
Trichy (Tiruchirapalli) – Situated on the banks of the River Kaveri, just 320 kms from Chennai, Trichy was a Chola Citadel during the Sangam Age when the Pandyas and Pallavas held sway over this region for short periods. The Nayaks of Madurai built the town and the historic Rock Fort, which played a vital role in the Carnatic wars in the 18th century. The most famous landmark is ‘The Rock Fort Temple’, a spectacular monument perched on a rock outcrop which rises abruptly from the plain to tower over the old city. At the first level are the remnants of a huge hall blasted into ruins in 1772. The next storey is the Mathrubhuteshwar Shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Finally at the top of the hill, is the Ucchi Pillayar Koil ? A Lord Ganesh Temple, offering a commanding view of the city.
Proceed for a sightseeing tour of Tanjore where you will visit temples built during the 10th and 14th centuries. These later became a part of the Vijaynagar Kingdom, which subsequently passed into the hands of the Marathas and went to the British.
The most famous landmark is the Brihadeshwara temple, which is now a world heritage site.
Day 5 (Friday) – Madurai
Arrival in Madurai: 08:00 hrs
Madurai ? is an animated city packed with pilgrims, vendors, business people, bullock carts and legions of under employed rickshaw pullers. It is one of the Southern India’s oldest cities and has been a center of learning and pilgrimage for centuries.
Proceed for a sightseeing tour of Madurai ? The primary interest is the Meenakshi Temple, where Dravidian temple architecture may be considered to be at its best. Its Hall of a thousand Pillars is fabulous and is filled with worshippers at all hours of the day. The tour also includes a visit to the ? Thirumalai Nayak Palace & Thiruparangundram temple.
Day 6 (Saturday) – Kanyakumari / Thiruvananthapuram
The tour begins in the morning with Sunrise at Kanyakumari. Kanyakumari is southern most district of Tamilnadu state. It is bound by Tirunelveli district on the North and the East. The South Eastern boundary of this district is formed by the Gulf of Mannar. The district of Kanyakumari was a part of the erstwhile Travancore state. The South and Southwest boundaries are formed by Indian Ocean and The Arabian Sea. The Western and and Northwestern boundaries are formed by Kerala.
Breakfast and Lunch will be served on board and in the afternoon depart to Thiruvananthapuram. Visit Palace of Thiruvananthpuram and stroll through Kovalam Beach. In the evening there will be a Gala Dinner and Cultural Show at The Leela Kovalam.
Overnight in train while it departs for Alleppey.
Day 7 (Sunday) – Backwaters & Kochi / Allepey
Arrival in Allepey: 09:00 hrs
From Alappuzha enjoy the bewitching Vembanad lake, the largest backwater stretch in Kerala, cruising along in a traditional boat. We will take you to Kumarakom, one of the prime tourist attractions of Kerala. The green shores throbbing with vigour and pure beauty will never tire you. The soft sunlight lends the calm water a new enchantment as the palms on both shores welcome you with a gentle whisper in the wind. Your mind will assure you that this scene will remain within you, to relieve you during all your busiest hours.
On reaching Kumarakom, you enter another world of wonders. This small backwater village, which is a cluster of islands, has a life of its own, with a slow, serene rhythm. The sights, sounds and fragrances will simply captivate you.
Lunch at kumarakom and afterwards drive to Kochi.
The tour of Kochi begins from “The Dutch Palace also known as Mattancherry Palace, built by Portugues in 1555, which is famous for its murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana and the puranic legends. Adjacent to the palace is the Jewish Synagogue (closed on Fridays & Saturdays) built in 1568. Also visit the St. Francis Church (closed on Sundays), established by the Portuguese Franciscan friars in 1503. Vasco Da-Gama was buried in the courtyard of this European church built in India. Other attractions include the traditional fishing hamlets and the fisher folk in their colorful costumes. The tour also includes a visit to the seaside where one can still see the, nearly a century old Chinese fishing nets, which, are still in use.
In the evening Kathakali dance and dinner
Departure at 22:00 hrs for Bangalore
Day 8 (Monday) – Bangalore
Arrival at Bangalore in the Morning.
After breakfast departure to your next destination.
Note: Itinerary, Destination & Scheduled Time are liable to change without prior notice due to unforeseen circumstances.
Accommodation
The Golden Chariot offers excellent accommodation units, which are known for the intricate carvings, finest interiors, ancient paintings, royal feel and luxury. The Cabin Coaches of the train come up with a range of rooms, which are categorized into 26 twin beds, 17 double bed cabins and 1 cabin for physically challenged.
These rooms are named after all the dynasties that ruled Karnataka like Kadamba, Rastrakota, Ganga, Hoysala, Chalukya, Adhilshahi, Bhahamani, Sangama, Yudukula, Shathavashna and Vijayanagar. These fully air-conditioned cabins are also equipped with writing desk, LCD television, Wi-Fi, wardrobe, DVD with 6 satellite channels and private bathroom with all the modern amenities and accessories.
Restaurants
The train has two restaurants – Nala and Ruchi to serve you the authentic varieties of vegetarian and non-vegetarian culinary delights. The interior of these restaurants is inspired by the timeless aesthetics of Hampi and Halebid. There are 4-seater and 2-seater dining cabins with the sofas and chairs for your comfort. Nala was named after a king, the legendary chef from the times of the Mahabharata. On the other hand, Ruchi is a Sanskrit word, which means ‘fine tastes’.
Lounge Bar
A well-stocked bar named ‘Madira’ is available on the train to cater to your needs. It is a relaxing and elegant seating place. The bar boasts of royal interiors that are modeled after the Mysore Palace.
Conference Coach
It is an ideal place where your can conduct conferences as well as business meetings. With an accommodation capacity of about 30 people, the conference coach is equipped with 42 inch LCD television as well as high-speed Internet surfing.
Gym Coach
The train has a separate health center that serves all the modern facilities for Ayurveda, Spa and Gym. Following all the ancient traditions, it also has 2 massage rooms for a unique rejuvenation experience. The gymnasium is also facilitated with all the modern equipment for exercise.
Hospitality
All the amenities at the Golden Chariot are provided by ‘The Mapple Group’ which is a leading Hotel & Resort Chain in India. Mapple Group gained prominence with its first hotel Mapple Inn at Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, in November 2006. After that, many other units established under the same banner ? like Mapple Whitefield (Bangalore, January 2007), Mapple Abhay (Jodhpur, April 2007) and Mapple Viva (Goa, April 2007). The group is now also focusing on other prominent cities like Pune, Mysore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Katra, Jammu, Badi, Kochi, Pondicherry and Coimbatore.
The Golden Chariort passes through various states of South India and thus, providing its passengers the opportunity to see the lifestyle and culture of the culturally rich states like Tamilnadu and Kerela.
Season 2018-19
| MONTHS | PRIDE OF SOUTH DEPARTURE DATES | SOUTHERN SPLENDOUR DEPARTURE DATES |
| October, 2018 | Monday, 8 | Monday, 22 |
| November, 2018 | Monday, 19 | Monday, 5, 26 |
| December, 2018 | Monday, 10, 24 | Monday, 31 |
| January, 2019 | Monday, 7 | Monday, 21 |
| February, 2019 | Monday, 11 | Monday, 4, 25 |
| March, 2019 | Tuesday, 19 |
The Golden Chariot: Southern Splendour
Season 2018-19
| OCCUPANCY | (OCT 2018 TO MARCH 2019) IN INR (FOR INDIAN NATIONAL) | (OCT 2018 TO MARCH 2019) IN INR (FOR FOREIGN NATIONAL) | DESCRIPTION | |
| Single | INR 37000 per night | INR 62000 Per night | Single Cabin | |
| Double/Twin | INR 27000 per person per night | INR 47560 per person per night | TWN Sharing Cabin | |
| Triple | INR 20000 per person per night | INR 40000 per person per night | Triple Sharing Cabin | |
* Triple cabins for Indian National only.
# 10% extra surcharge during Christmas and New Year departures.
# 5% GST will be extra as applicable.
# 50% of the prevailing tariff will be charged for the children between 05-12 years of age
# 5% TDS on commission will be charged
# The tariff structure for the guests having Indian Identity proof (Passport/Voter ID/Aadhaar/ will be applicable.
# The tariff is inclusive of cost of travel, accommodation, all meals, sightseeing tours, entrance fee
(excluding video camera fee) for monuments & palaces and entertainment.
# Tariff does not include liquor, laundry and other items of personal nature.
The above Tariff is subject to change without notice.
Service Tax are subject to change as per the government of India directives.
Reservation / Cancellation – Terms & Conditions
Booking Policy:
- 20% of ticket value at the time of confirming the booking.
- Remaining 80% of ticket value 45 days prior to departure.
- For USD bookings: The payable amount in INR should be credited in our account as per the rate of exchange (ROE) of the previous day of the date (www.rbi.org.in) of transferring the amount by the agent.
Cancellation Policy:
- 5% of ticket value 60 days or more prior to departure.
- 20% of ticket value between 59 to 15 days prior to departure.
- 100% of ticket value 14 days prior to departure.
No show/ En route termination of tour/amendment:
# No Show – In case of No Show / Non-arrival of the guest, no refund or adjustment in future travel will be possible. The whole amount shall be treated as forfeited.
# En route termination of tour – In case of termination of tour by the guest, for any reasons, no refund or adjustment for future travel will be possible. The amount for unused portion of the tour shall be treated as forfeited.
# Amendment – Is only possible under the circumstances like Natural Disaster / Natural Calamity or Serious Health Problem’s (this needs to be supported by doctor’s certificate) and is subject to availability. No refunds are possible and every case will be decided on merits on a case to case basis. No amendment will be permissible in case of booking of groups or complete train.