Sojourn
through the Kingdom of the warrior Marathas in a regal heritage train - the
Deccan Odyssey. A mystic week-long journey that takes you back in time
through the history of Maharashtra manifest in the fabled caves of Ajanta
and Ellora, the handicraft sanctum of Shilpa Gram, the land of dreams and
Bollywood - Mumbai and what not. A joint effort of the Ministry of Railways,
Government of India and the Maharashtra Government, the Deccan Odyssey
promises a journey too exclusive to be contained in words.
Services and Amenities
This luxurious heritage train can house 80 passengers. Take a look at its
array of services and facilities.
» Luxurious Coaches - The train has 21 exquisitely
embellished coaches out of which 13 are passenger cars accommodating 8
people per coach (11 passenger Cars, 4 coupes per coach & 2 Presidential
Suite Cars, 2 coupes per coach), 1 Conference Car, 2 Dinning Cars, 2
Generator Cars with Luggage Store, staff, replete with a Spa and a Bar Car.
» On Board Facilities - These include channel music,
intercom, CD/ MP3 player, money exchange/ credit cards facility, safety &
security arrangements, health spa, bar, conference equipment, ticket booking
/ cancellation facilities etc.
The Tour Map
Mumbai - Ratnagiri - Sindhudurg - Goa - Kolhapur - Pune - Aurangabad
(Ellora) - Nasik (Ajanta) and Mumbai.
The Tour Itinerary
The sojourn begins on a fine Wednesday morning.
Day 1:
Board the train in the evening at Chhatrapti Shivaji Terminus, which is a
famed Gothic building, a World Heritage Site and an integral part of
Mumbai's skyline for a journey in the luxurious comforts of the train and
whistle off on your royal voyage.
Day 2:
Alight at the Bhoke Station at the crack of dawn. Explore this quiet town
nestled amidst majestic hills and scenic backwaters. Visit Raj Jetty,
Jaigadh Fort and the Jetty amidst the chirping of exotic birds, bustling
Konkani villages and the sceneic backwaters. Your next destination is
Ganapatipule by road to meet more serene beaches. After a feast of Konkani
cuisine and tour the famous Ganesha Temple and head for Ratnagiri famous for
its Alphonso mangoes and finally reach the train by 4:45 PM.
Day 3:
Arrive at the Sindhudurg Nagari station to bask on the beaches and enjoy a
ride to the Sindhudurg Fort that houses ancient temples like the Bhavani,
Mahadeo and so on. Next stoppage is Tarkali with its virgin beaches where
you lunch at the MTDC Beach Resort some taste-tingling Malvani cuisine. From
the Tarkali Jetty, reach Walawal Jetty via a romantic boat cruise. The next
stops are Sawantwadi, Shilpa Gram (a craft village) and then back to the
train for Goa.
Day 4:
The
train arrives at the most exciting of tourist hubs - Goa - a city shrouded
in antiquity with its majestic golden beaches, forested hills, ancient
churches, archaeological remains and what not. Visit the Basilica of Bom
Jesus, Se Cathedral and the Church of St. Francis of Assissi, the Fontanhas
before its time for an afternoon laced with foot-tapping music, dance and
delicious Goan cuisine. At 5:15 PM the train whistles away to Kolhapur with
your mind still wandering in the tranquil beaches of Goa.
Day 5:
At Kolhapur, visit New Palace, Museum, Bhavani Mandap Mahalaxmi Temple and
Shalini Palace. Watch cultural programmes and drop by the handicraft stalls
to collect souvenirs. At 12 PM depart for Pune - the early home of Shivaji,
the great Maratha warrior. This city was the capital of the Marathas and is
also known as the cultural capital of the state. After a short visit to the
Raja Kelkar Museum, a quaint Rajasthani styled building, return to your
'Royal abode on the Move' for a journey to Aurangabad.
Day 6:
On arrival, a luxury bus takes you to the ancient Daulatabad Fortress and
the famous Hindu, Jain and Buddhist caves at Ellora. After a lunch at the
Taj Hotel, you are taken to the Bibi-Ka-Maqbara, a replica of Taj Mahal that
an emperor built for his mother.
Day 7:
Jalgaon awaits you with Ajanta - that completes the spectrum of Buddhist
development in India. The bus then ferries you to Nashik where you can visit
the Panchawati Ghats and the Asian temples.
Day 8
Well a train sojourn cannot last forever. Your arrival back at
from-where-it-all-began announces the end, and you carry with you a memory
of a visit that precedes the limits of time.
Tariff : (Per Person Per Night)
| Occupancy Type |
|
Lean Season
September 2008 & 2009
April 2009 & 2010 |
Peak Season
October-2008 to March-2009 & October 2009 to March 2010 |
| Deluxe Cabin |
|
| Single occupancy |
US $ |
415 |
540 |
| Double occupancy |
US $ |
320 |
390 |
| Triple occupancy |
US $ |
260 |
320 |
| Presidential Suite |
|
| Single occupancy |
US $ |
750 |
950 |
| Double occupancy |
US $ |
550 |
700 |
| Presidential Suite-Extra Occupancy |
US $ |
240 |
285 |
(Half fare for children between 5 and 12 years)
Any leg of minimum of 3 nights subject to availability will be given at the
above-mentioned rates. Thus Mumbai-Goa and Goa-Mumbai sector will be sold as
available segments to clients.
If however, the client undertakes the day programme at Goa & Mumbai, an
extra $ 100 USD per person will be charged.
Indian passengers can pay in equivalent Rupee amount against US$ at the
exchange rate prevalent at the time of payment.
Tariff is inclusive of travel/catering/conducted sight-seeing/ entrance fee
at Monuments/Parks/Palaces/Cultural Programmes/ Boat Ride. The guest has to
pay for video cameras, liquor, laundry and other items of personal nature.
Note:
- 10% Surcharge shall be levied on departure during Christmas/New Year.
- Tariff Subject to change without notice.
- Service Tax @ of 3.09% is applicable on the gross ticket value of the
Deccan Odyssey tours commencing from September 2007. This tax is applicable
on day programmer at Mumbai & Goa.
- Passenger reservations/cancellation on the Deccan Odyssey may be done as
per the following terms and conditions :
CANCELLATION :
Cancellation must be advised by Fax/E-mail/Letter to The Luxury Trains. On
cancellation, refund will be made. Certain amount of the ticket value will
be deducted as follows.
5% of the Ticket Value if the cancellation request is received before 60
days from the scheduled date of departure.
20% of Ticket Value if cancellation request is received within a period of
30-59 days from the scheduled date of departure.
50% of ticket value if cancellation request is received within the period
of 15-29 days from the scheduled date of departure.
100% of ticket value if cancellation request is received within the period
of 14 days or before the scheduled date of departure.
No refund or adjustment will be made in the event of interruption of
journey by a tourist on his own after the commencement of the tour.
Other Info
Climate
Varies from 8oC to 30oC between September to March and in April it is from
26oC to 35o C.
Clothing Recommended
Light tropical/light woollens.
Other Facilities
Doctor on call at the next station. Money exchange facility/credit cards.
Adequate safety and security arrangements. Complimentary mineral water on
board/in the coach during sightseeing/ and at hotels. Assistance for travel
arrangements on completion of the tour. Voltage available on the train
110/230 V. Booking can be made through agent/on Internet.
Meals
The two restaurant cars, serve a range of Indian, Continental,
Maharashtrian, Goa and Chinese cuisines. Menus are changed seasonally.
Cultural
Tours in India
