Eastern India and the Tribes of Orissa

Depart the UK and fly to Hyderabad via the Middle East.

Arrive in Hyderabad where you will be met and transferred to your hotel in the city. Founded in 1589 and controlled by a series of Muslim Nizams from the 1700s onwards, the rulers of Hyderabad were amongst the richest men in the world. This wealth is seen in the city’s numerous impressive monuments which remain some of the finest in India. End the day with a walk through the atmospheric lanes of the historic heart of the old city, starting at the stunning Badshahi Ashurkhana shrine and ending beside the Charminar for a cup of Hyderabadi Irani chai and osmania biscuits at the Nimrah café.

This morning head outside the city to visit Golconda Fort, an impressive medieval fortress protected by huge ramparts, bastions and gates. From Golconda travel the short distance to the beautiful Qutb Shahi tombs, a royal necropolis characterised by its Deccani-Islamic architecture – a fusion of Persian, Pathan and Hindu styles. Return to the city and in the afternoon to visit the Salar Jung Museum with its extraordinary collection of objects d’art, Chowmahalla Palace, once the main residence of the Nizams, and 16th century Charminar, the most recognisable landmark in the city.

• Breakfast

Start today with a visit to the British Residency, a building that plays a central role in William Dalrymple's acclaimed book 'White Mughals'. From the Residency continue to the Paigah tombs. Constructed by an aristocratic Hyderabadi family, the tombs are magnificent structures, decorated in stucco work and a fusion of Mughal, Greek, Persian, Asaf Jahi, Rajasthani and Deccani architecture. This afternoon you are at leisure or, if of interest, visits can be made to a block printing workshop or, further afield, to the textile town of Pochampally where weavers in ikat using cotton, silk and sico.

• Breakfast

This afternoon fly to the port city of Visakhapatnam where you will stay overnight. More commonly known as Vizag, Visakhapatnam is the largest city in Andhra Pradesh overlooks the Bay of Bengal, has a large natural harbour and is surrounded by the hills of the Eastern Ghats.

• Breakfast

After breakfast leave Vizag with your driver and guide, traversing the Eastern Ghats and entering Odisha. Today’s drive will take approximately 6 hours with your final destination the rural village of Goudaguda. Here you will stay for four nights at the simple, but charming, Chandoori Sai Guesthouse, the perfect base from which to experience the region’s village life and famous markets.

• Breakfast,
• Dinner

The schedule over the next three days will be flexible and you will be able to discuss and refine your plans with advice from both your guide and your hosts at Chandoori Sai. Various weekly markets, or ‘haats’, fall on different days so there will be plenty of opportunity to experience the unique sights, sounds and aromas, saris, handmade textiles and jewellery. Learn about terracotta pottery, join the locals as they walk from village to village, and learn about daily life in Goudaguda from those that live there. A stay at Chandoori Sai allows a special opportunity to become part of a village life fast disappearing in today’s modern world.

• Breakfast,
• Lunch,
• Dinner

After an early breakfast leave Goudaguda for the long drive north-east to Gopalpur. You should be prepared for the journey to take around ten hours including stops to stretch your legs, arriving at your hotel in the late afternoon. Depending on your progress, there may be time to take a stroll along the shore at sunset or enjoy a well-deserved ‘sundowner’ overlooking the sea.

• Breakfast

Today you are at leisure to relax after yesterday’s long drive. As the coast here faces east, sunrises, in particular, are spectacular.

• Breakfast

This morning leave Gopalpur and drive to Puri. Stop en-route on the northern edge of Chilika Lake, boarding a boat to visit the Mangalajodi Wetland Bird Sanctuary. The marshes, reedbeds, and shallow brackish waters support a wide variety of different species, including large numbers of migrant ducks and waders, and offers some of the region’s finest birdwatching. Later continue on to Puri where you will stay for two nights.

• Breakfast

After breakfast drive to nearby Konark, home to one of India’s foremost architectural treasures, the renowned Sun Temple. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 13th century Sun Temple took 1,200 masons over 16 years to complete. Covered with carvings portraying every aspect of life and mythology, the complex is not only an important historical religious site but, significantly, provides a window into normal daily life at the time of its construction. Later return to Puri and explore the old city first by cycle rickshaw, then on foot, to discover old monasteries and temples. The famed Jaganath Temple will need to be seen from outside as non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the temple confines.

• Breakfast

This morning leave for Bhubaneswar, the state capital of Odisha, stopping outside of the city to visit Haripur to see the Chausatha Yogini Temple and the local bell-metal artisans. Set on the edge of the Mahanadi Delta, Bhubaneswar offers a wonderful mix of both the ancient and modern. The planned town with its wide streets and well-kept gardens offers a striking contrast to its heyday where 7,000 temples once surrounded Bindusagar Tank. Today nearly 500 of these original temples remain giving Bhubaneswar the popular name of ‘Temple City’.

• Breakfast

Today head to the Bindusagar Tank, the focal point of the ancient city, for a memorable 3 hour heritage walk. Although many of the original temples no longer remain, those that do are regarded to be masterpieces of Hindu architecture with the most famous being the great Lingaraja, Muktesvara and Parsuramesvara temples. In the afternoon visit the 1st century BC Jain rock-cut caves of Khandagiri and Udayagiri, rediscovered by a young British officer in the 19th century.

• Breakfast

After breakfast leave Bhubaneshwar for Baripada and Belgadia Palace where you will stay for the next two nights. Dating to 1804, this Victorian palace, tucked away in a rural corner of Odisha, was built by the royal family of Mayurbhanj, the descendants of which still use it as their primary residence.

• Breakfast

Today explore Baripada and the areas that surround it. Take a morning walk through the mango orchards and combine it with a little bird watching, visit the medieval ruins of Haripur Fort, learn about Dokra art, the creation of intricate metal sculptures using a unique wax-casting technique, for which the region is famous or visit the weekly village ‘haat’. The hotel also sometimes showcases Chhau dances, a semi-classical Indian dance with martial and folk traditions that enact the Hindu epics. Alternatively relax with a good book beside the outdoor pool.

• Breakfast

This morning leave Belgadia Palace and drive to Kolkata. Eastern India’s most important city, Kolkata is one of the intellectual capitals of India and a major trading centre. Established in its current form during the British Raj, Kolkata is known for its exceptional colonial era architecture, excellent museums and links to numerous preeminent Indians, the most famous arguably Rabindranath Tagore.

• Breakfast

Enjoy a full day exploring Kolkata with your guide. There is plenty to see and do in the city and highlights include the grand Victoria Memorial that was constructed in 1921 and today is a museum, St John's Church, the Writers Building, South Park Cemetery and imposing silver-domed General Post Office. A visit can also be made to the excellent Indian Museum which opening at the beginning of the 19th century and is the largest museum in India.

• Breakfast

Today transfer to Kolkata Airport and fly back to the UK via the Middle East.

• Breakfast