DAY 01 : Arrive in Hyderabad. Check in to the magnificent Taj Falaknuma Palace- an ideal starting point for your fascinating journey across the Deccan.

DAY 02 and 03 : Hyderabad. The 400 year old city of Hyderabad, once governed by and home to the legendary Nizams of India, is a truly memorable place to visit. Explore the giant fortress-city of Golconda and the adjacent royal necropolis of its rulers, the Qutb Shahis. Note: major city sights and museums are closed on Fridays/holidays.

DAY 04 : Hyderabad - Bidar - Gulbarga. Drive west to pre-medieval Bidar (136 km/3 hours), capital of the Bahmani and the Barid Shahi dynasties. Once compared to an exquisite Persian city, Bidar is home to a great fort, the madrassa of Mahmud Gawan and the Bahmani tombs at Ashtur. Late in the afternoon, drive to Gulbarga (110 km/2.5 hours).

DAY 05 : Gulbarga - Bijapur. Dominated by a massive fort, Gulbarga was once described as ‘an iron fist in an iron land’. Some notable monuments include the Jami Masjid that is covered by seventy domes, the royal tombs at Haft Gumbad, and the Dargah of the revered Sufi Saint Hazrat Gesu Daraz. In the afternoon, drive west to Bijapur (160 km/3 hours).

DAY 06 : Bijapur. Within and outside the mighty citadel of Bijapur are splendid palaces, mosques and tombs. The superbly proportioned Ibrahim Rauza, the Gol Gumbaz tomb and the magnificent Jami Masjid are just a few of the monuments that make Bijapur ‘the Agra of south India’.

DAY 07 : Bijapur - Badami. Drive south to Badami (162 km/4 hours) in the morning, leaving the realm of the Deccan sultans to discover the domain of mighty Hindu empires. Once the capital of the powerful Chalukya dynasty that ruled the Deccan during the 6th & 7th centuries, its treasures are a cluster of superbly carved lakeside temples and the magnificent sculptures on display at the Archaeological Museum.

DAY 08 : Badami - Aihole - Pattadakal - Badami. Visit Badami's cave temples, which are magical in the early morning light. Thereafter, move on to the Chalukya dynasty sites of Aihole and Pattadakal (65 km roundtrip), considered to be the cradles of Indian temple architecture.

DAY 09 : Badami - Hampi. Drive to Hampi (170 km/4 hours), site of Vijayanagara, the 16th century ‘City of Victory’ that existed for over 200 years as the capital of a grand empire. Monumental in glory and scale, it is a fortified complex of military defences, public areas, palaces, courtyards, markets, temples and several other features.

DAY 10 : Hampi. After an entire day spent exploring Hampi, sit back and watch the sunset from the glorious Vitthala temple- a breathtaking finale to the Deccan adventure.

DAY 11 : Hampi - Hubli. Transfer to Hubli (149 km/3 hours) for your onward flight, or drive on to Goa for a few days of relaxation. At Goa, the Taj has a choice of three hotels: Taj Exotica, Taj Holiday Village and Fort Aguada Beach Resort.

DAY 1 : Hyderabad. Arrive in Hyderabad and check in to the Taj Falaknuma Palace for two nights.

DAY 2 : Hyderabad - Golconda. Start the day by visiting the imposing Golconda fortress city, founded originally by the       13th century Kakatiya dynasty, and expanded by the Qutb Shahi Kings into a massive structure. The fort has incredible acoustics – a sound emitted at a certain point beneath the dome can be heard almost a kilometer away. In the afternoon, visit the city’s renowned monuments including Charminar, Salar Jung Museum and the vibrant Laad Bazaar.

DAY 3 : Bidar. Drive to Bidar in the morning. Once there, visit Bidar Fort with its imposing bastions and the Rangin Mahal – a royal residence with elaborately carved wooden pillars.

DAY 4 : Gulbarga. Drive after breakfast to Gulbarga. Inside the Gulbarga Fort, visit the Jami Masjid, the tomb of the Sufi Saint Khwaja Syed Mohammed Gaus and the Dargah Library. 

DAY 5 : Bijapur. Drive to Bijapur, where you are taken to the spectacular Gol Gumbaz, the tomb of Mohammed Adil Shah.

DAY 6 : Hospet. Drive to Hospet to stay at the Malligi Tourist Home for three nights.

DAY 7 : Hospet - Hampi. Travel past the monolithic granite boulders and other wonders of the Deccan to the great ruined city of Hampi, which has now been declared a World Heritage site. Two days of sight-seeing brings to life the golden age of one of its rulers: Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529).

DAY 8 : Hospet - Hampi. Visit the Vittala Temple. Stop at the thriving Hampi Bazaar, followed by the deserted Suke Bazaar. Also visit the Royal Centre with the Lotus Mahal and Elephant Stables.

DAY 9 : Badami via Pattadakal. Visit Pattadakal, a World Heritage site, known for its temples that date back to the early 3rd century. The main temple, Virupaksha has wonderful, lifelike sculptures based on the Ramayana and Mahabharata - ancient Hindu epics. And discover some of the earliest Hindu temple architecture at Aihole.

DAY 10 : Badami. Famed for its cave complex, Badami was once the capital of the Chalukyan Empire. In cave one, is a superb representation of the 18-armed Nataraja striking 81 dance poses, dating back to 578 AD. Cave two is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, with him depicted as a dwarf, a boar and as Lord Krishna. Cave three is the highlight – a tour of the art and culture of the 6th century. Cave four, the only Jain cave in the complex, dates back to the 6th century and has carvings of Tirthankara Parshavanath (with a serpent) and Mahavira, the founder of Jainism.

DAY 11, 12 & 13 : Goa. Drive to Goa to round off the tour and spend a few days relaxing. At Goa, the Taj has a choice of three hotels: Taj Exotica, Taj Holiday Village and Fort Aguada Beach Resort.

DAY 14 : To Mumbai (Bombay). Fly to Mumbai late afternoon and check in to Taj Lands End for a night before an early morning transfer to the International Airport.