Splendor of the South - The Golden Chariot

Day 1 - Bangalore - Chennai

On your arrival in Bangalore you can explore the city attractions throughout the day and be a guest in the Leela Palace Kempinski. In the evening you will assemble at the Bangalore Railway Station. From here will begin the enchanting sojourn of the Splendor of the South. After a traditional welcome, guests will be ushered to their cabins and a luxury saga will immediately commence…

Dinner will be served for the guests aboard the Splendor of the South.

By 2200 hours the train will depart for Chennai.

Day 2 - Mamallapuram

The train will arrive in Chennai at 0600 hours on the 2nd day of the trip.

On this day guests will get a chance to visit the attractions of Mamallapuram. Nestled comfortably at a distance of about 58 km from Chennai, Mamallapuram is best visited for its temples. The temple of Rathas, the Penance of Bhagirath, and the Shore Temple are a few of the most significant attractions housed here. Guests can relish on some very interesting culinary delights of the place for lunch before they move back to Chennai.

Chennai city attractions that you can visit include a trip to the St. Mary’s Church, Saint Thomas Cathedral, Fort St. George, the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, and the National Art Gallery and Museum.

Enjoy a lavish dinner served to you aboard the train while you proceed towards Pondicherry.

Day 3 - Pondicherry

Early in the morning you will arrive in Pondicherry a city that was once a French colony.

Post-breakfast you can embark on sightseeing trips across the cobbled streets of the city. The magnificent French styled mansions, Auroville, and Sri Aurobindo Ashram are a few of the attractions housed here that you can treat yourself to.

On your return to the luxury train you will find that it is already geared up to proceed towards the next destination – Tiruchirapalli.

The train will arrive in Tiruchirapalli at 2200 hours and will halt there for the night.

Day 4 - Tiruchirapalli - Thanjavur

Tiruchirapalli or Trichy as it is popularly known as waits to play your perfect host on the 4th day of the sojourn. Rock Fort temple, Mathrubhuteshwar Shrine, and the Ucchi Pillayar temple are a few of the destinations that you will visit on this day.

Later in the day guests can proceed towards Thanjavur, mostly known for its temples and its paintings. City attractions you will visit here include Brihadeshwara temple, Alangudi temple, Chandra Bagawan temple, and the Schwartz Church.

Dinner and overnight stay in the train.

Day 5 - Madurai

Arrive in Madurai by 0800 hours. Post-breakfast you can commence your sightseeing journey across the city and visit the Meenakshi temple, the Thirumalai Nayak Palace, and the Thiruparangundram temple.

Dinner and overnight stay aboard the train.

Day 6 - Thiruvananthapuram - Poovar

On the 6th day of the sojourn, you will arrive in the enchanting lands of Kerala, leaving Tamil Nadu behind. Thiruvananthapuram is the capital city and the first destination you will land in, in the state. Sightseeing trip to the Padmanabhaswamy temple, the Napier Museum, and the Sri Chitra Art Gallery will keep you busy throughout the day.

The next destination that you will arrive at is the Poovar Island. Post-lunch exploration of the beaches here would be a good idea. The leisure moments and solitude here will refresh your mind completely.

Take delight in the Gala dinner and the music and dance performances by local artists that will be especially arranged for you.

Day 7 - Backwaters - Kochi

By 0900 hours on the 7th day guests will reach at the backwaters region of Kerala. Alleppey is where you will reach; the mesmerizing locations of which will simply take your breath away. Enjoy the gorgeous sights of the backwaters locales. A sumptuous lunch at Kumarakom will set the ambiance for you after which you will proceed towards Kochi. Kochi is your last destination in the circuit. Primarily a sea port, Kochi houses attractions such as the Dutch Palace, the Jewish Synagogue, and the St. Francis Church.

To complete your trip, a Kathakali dance performance will be especially be arranged for you.

Enjoy a leisurely dinner before you proceed towards Bangalore to mark the end of the journey.

Day 8 - Bangalore (Return)

You will arrive in Bangalore in the wee hours of the morning. Enjoy a sumptuous breakfast aboard the train before you will be transferred to the airport to board the flight back home…

Splendor of the South is fitted with several facilities and services that guests can take delight in. The standard amenities that serve the guests aboard the Golden Chariot also wait to welcome guests here.

Accommodation
Return to the cozy comforts of your luxury cabins to unwind completely after a tiring day of travel and sightseeing. Facilities you can explore in any of the 19 cabin coaches are:

• » Centrally air conditioned interiors
• » Traditional essence of the place displayed in the interiors
• » LCD television
• » Satellite connection

Dining
Dine in style while traveling aboard the Splendor of the South! The two restaurants housed within this luxury train are Nala and Ruchi and the in house lounge bar is Madira. The taste of the delectables and spirits served here will linger on in your hearts forever.

Business
Splendor of the South facilities also includes a host of services in the corporate and business genre. Take care of all your business endeavors even while traveling with the conference coach, internet access facilities, and LCD TV all intact.

Recreational
Add wonders to your luxury sojourn by exploring the recreational facilities housed within the train. The recreational coach will simply live you excited and thrilled! The train houses a Gym coach, an Ayurveda spa center, and a Lounge area for relaxation.

Schedule of Splendor of the South for Jan 2012 to Apr 2012 is as follows :

January 2012 - March 2012 (For Indian Nationals in INR & International travellers in USD)

October 2012 - March 2013 (For Indian Nationals in INR & International travellers in USD)

*Guests may even opt to disembark at Kochi. Post-dinner they will be comfortably dropped off to a hotel (included in the services) of their choice in the city. The tariff will however not change, irrespective of the point of disembarkation.

Inclusions in the tariff of this luxury train tour comprise of all meals and beverages, gala dinner at Poovar, transport (a/c buses) till sightseeing locations, English and German speaking guides, and entrance fees to monuments and museums etc. The tariff however does not include drinks, laundry, video camera fees, tips, and liquor etc.

Booking Policy

The reservation policies of the Splendor of the South tariff (FIT) are as follows:

• » Payment of 20% of ticket value at the time of confirming the booking is mandatory.
• » Remaining 80% of ticket value can be paid 60 days prior to departure.

The reservation policies of the Splendor of the South tariff (for Groups) are as follows:

• » Payment of 50% of ticket value at the time of confirming the booking is mandatory.
• » Remaining 50% of ticket value can be paid 60 days prior to departure.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation policy followed by the Splendor of the South (for individual travelers):

• » 5% of ticket value will be deducted when booking is cancelled 60 days prior to departure
• » 20% of ticket value will be deducted when booking is cancelled 30-59 days prior to departure
• » 100% of ticket value will be deducted when booking is cancelled less than 30 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 be decided on merits on a case to case basis.