Deccan Odyssey

Deccan Odyssey is an example of grandeur and opulence of India's royalty. Through it you can experience the beauty of various parts of India. A journey in the Deccan Odyssey allows an added advantage of visiting the magnificent Goa. The Deccan Odyssey tour should be for a week and between the months of September and April. It includes stops at Mumbai, Ganpatipule, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Goa, Pune, Aurangabad, Ajanta and Ellora. This journey takes one back to the days of history and the rich legacy of ancient civilizations. The Deccan Odyssey can offer you the best of your train tour itineraries.

The Deccan Odyssey has 21 coaches. Of this 11 are passenger cars with 4 coupes each. There are two Presidential Suites with two coupes in each car. The train also has a conference hall. It is this hall that transforms itself into a dance floor at night. There are two restaurants in this train that serve a variety of Indian, Chinese, Continental, Maharashtrian and Goan cuisines. The menus are changed seasonally every year. There is also a lounge/bar and a Spa compartment. The Deccan Odyssey also has a Conference Room with a capacity of 50 guests. It affords satellite communication, Internet, computer with printer and fax and telephones. You can get a library, channel music, an Ayurvedic Massage Center, steam bath, gym, a beauty parlor, a special suite for the physically challenged, mini pantry in each coach, telephone in each saloon, television in each coach and a lounge in each passenger car. Besides, a doctor is always available. Money exchange and credit card facilities are also available on board.

Deccan Odyssey Tour is a tour of 07 Nights / 08 Days

Start your Deccan Odyssey tour from the capital city of Maharashtra that is Mumbai. In this commercial hub and cosmopolitan city of India, you will get to relish the traditional flavor of the ancient port city and trading center. The city is also popular for its excellence in performing arts, theatre and music. In the evening, you would embark upon Deccan Odyssey to bask in dinner and start your journey.

On this day, you will reach Bhoke Station to give a visit to the ancient Jaigad Fort. Jaigad Fort is a 17th century fort. Set atop a cliff facing the meeting point of the Sangameshwar River and the Arabian Sea, the fort offers a nice view of the entire region. From here, you will be taken to Ganapatipule, a languorous yet attractive hamlet. The white sand beach of this resort village is a must visit. A lunch will be organized after this visit and then you will head for your next destination Ratnagiri. In this land of Alphonso mango, you will come across Lokmanya Tilak Smarak dedicated to Lokmanya Tilak, the noted Indian activist, who gave his life to set this nation free from colonial rule. The next spot to visit includes Ratnadurg Fort. This ruined fort ranks high in architectural values. From here, you will return to Deccan Odyssey to have a sumptuous dinner overboard and overnight stay.

Today, you will find yourself heading towards the picturesque Konkan coast. Get down at Sindhudurg Nagari station to board a luxury bus waiting outside the station. You will be taken to Malvan Jetty to embark on a boat ride to explore the beauty of Sindhudurg fort. In the fort complex, you will come across various temples consecrated to Jarimai, Mahadeo, Bhavani, Mahapursh, and Shivaji.

After visiting this fort, you will be taken to the elegant beaches and tranquil waters of Tarkarli. You will spend some quality time at one of the attractive Konkani-style cottages of the Tarkarli Beach. Relish the Konkani preparation here.

Now, you will be transported to Tarkarli Jetty to experience a romantic ride on boat till Kalse Jetty. At Kalse Jetty, you will be transferred to Sawantwadi by luxury bus. Sawantwadi is cozily tucked amidst the Sahyadri Mountains and flaunts dense forests, hills and valleys in the surroundings. From here, you will again go back to Deccan Odyssey for dinner and overnight stay.

Today, you will reach Goa, the beach city of India. Reined by Portuguese for about 500 years, Goa attracts everybody's attention to its royal Portuguese heritage. Here, you will be paying visits to many Roman Catholic churches and chapels. First, you will be taken to Se Cathedral. It is the biggest church in Goa. Built in the year 1562 under the rule of King Dom Sebastiao, this Portuguese Gothic style structure is famous for its impressive Tuscan exteriors and Corinthian interiors.

After this, you will be transferred to the Basilica of Bom Jesus. It is the place where the body of St. Francis Xavier was entombed. You will be impressed by its Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian architectural patterns. The next spot to be visited includes 17th century old Church of St. Francis of Assisi. The church has two beautiful statues of St. Francis and Jesus. You will also find vows of poverty, humility and obedience of St. Francis etched right down the 2 statues there.

Later, you will stroll through the Latin style quarter of Panjim known as Fontanhas. You will be served tongue-tickling Goan delicacies here. For rest of the day, you are free to explore the charm of the city of Goa on your own. However at the end of the day, you will be required to return to the Deccan Odyssey for a royal dinner.

Pune is the next stop for you today. In this cultural capital, you will pay visits to Raja Kelkar Museum and Shaniwarwada. The Raja Kelkar Museum houses artifacts that belong to 17th, 18th and 19th centuries respectively. Shaniwarwada will impress you with its remains of rampart, gateway and bastions. After this get ready for lunch.

Post lunch, you will be visiting Aga Khan Palace. The Aga Khan Palace is also referred to as Kasturba Samadhi or Kasturba Gandhi Memorial. This palace was constructed in the year 1892. It is held that this palace was a gift from Aga Khan IV to India. Today, this palace is regarded as a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi and his life since Gandhiji and his wife Kasturba were imprisoned here during the British rule in India. You will also see a cenotaph at this site dedicated to Kasturba Bai. You can take a stroll to the nearby shop here. The shop sells excellent khadi or handloom garments and textiles.

Next, you will be transferred to the Rajneesh (Osho) Ashram. Established by Bhagwan Rajneesh, this ashram is frequented by many tourists and visitors for its meditation sessions.

Lastly, you will be taken to David Sassoon Synagogue. It is one of the biggest synagogues of the world and is famous for its marvelous architectural patterns. End your day enjoying a mouth watering meal on board at Deccan Odyssey.

Today you will be heading towards Aurangabad, a city with long cultural and artistic past. Set up in the early 16th century, this city boasts of a good number of palaces and mosques. In this attractive city, you will come across numerous industrial and commercial centers.

You will be served a sumptuous breakfast aboard and then a luxury bus will transport you to the royal fortress of Daulatabad. This tall and invincible fortress makes for a good sight-seeing spot. From here, you will be going on a visit to the popular rock-cut caves. Nestled amidst the Chamadari hills, the 34 rock-cut caves boast of intricately designed exteriors and fine interiors. Don't miss to see the Kailashanatha Temple in the 16th cave. This has been declared World Heritage site by UNESCO. This is monolithic temple is consecrated to Lord Shiva.

Once a visit to all the caves is over, you will move back to Aurangabad to have your lunch. Post lunch, you will pay a visit to the mosque of Bibi Ka Maqbara. This mosque was constructed in the year 1678 by Prince Azam Shah. It is held that Prince Azam Shah built this mosque in the memory of his mother Begum Rabia Durani. The architectural pattern of this mosque is quite similar to that of the famous Taj Mahal of Agra.

After this, you can venture out to explore the souvenir stores of the city of Aurangabad. At the end of the day, you need to move back to the Deccan Odyssey.

Enjoy a scrumptious breakfast on board and embark on a MSRTC bus. Bask in the enchanting vistas of the Waghora Valley, where the popular Ajanta Caves are located. These caves are much older than the Ellora Caves. There are 30 cave temples at Ajanta. Flaunting elaborate façades, wall paintings and frescoes, the caves form an interesting percept. In the caves, you will encounter tales from Jakata fables and incidents that took place in Buddha's life.

Your lunch will be arranged at the Deccan Odyssey. So get onboard and set out on a journey to next destination called Nashik. A luxury bus will take you to the serene vineyards at Govardhan Park. You will pay a visit to Old Ghat enroute. From here, you will be able to see the Gangapur Dam that supplies water to the entire city of Nashik.

Before heading for Deccan Odyssey, don't miss out on the tasty meal arranged at the vineyard. Spend night onboard.

On this last day of your journey on the Deccan Odyssey, you will be served a scrumptious breakfast once more while heading towards Mumbai. Finally, the journey will end at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus.

Tsiholidays.com provides online information on Deccan Odyssey.