Treasures of Central India

14 days
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4.6/5 Excellent
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Small Group Tour
Explore the historical and cultural riches of central India. This full-on tour whisks us from the hustle and bustle of vibrant Mumbai to the tranquil white-sand coasts of Goa, via the Deccan Plateau, ticking off temples, mausoleums, and must-see UNESCO sites. From city slums to the effervescent bazaars and slow-paced villages, this two-week trip gives you a t...
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$2,645
From$2,350
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Strenuous

Highlights

    • A full on exploration of central India's historical and cultural riches beyond Mumbai
    • Bijapur - Visit the vast Gol Gumbaz, the Deccan mausoleum of King Mohammed Adil Shah
    • Ajanta and Ellora - Explore the UNESCO-listed painted caves and rock-cut temples
    • 20

What's this trip about?

    Explore the historical and cultural riches of central India. This full-on tour whisks us from the hustle and bustle of vibrant Mumbai to the tranquil white-sand coasts of Goa, via the Deccan Plateau, ticking off temples, mausoleums, and must-see UNESCO sites. From city slums to the effervescent bazaars and slow-paced villages, this two-week trip gives you a taste of true India, as it is today, and as it once was. Mumbai - Explore the most-populated city in India, from the glittering skyscrapers to the slums of Dharavi, the inspiration for 'Slumdog Millionaire'. Bijapur - Visit the vast Gol Gumbaz, the Deccan mausoleum of King Mohammed Adil Shah. Ajanta and Ellora - Explore the UNESCO-listed painted caves and rock-cut temples.

Details

Itinerary focusOff the Beaten Path
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 20 people
Age range16 to 85 years
Flights and transport
Start CityMumbai
End CityGoa

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • Hiking & Walking

Destinations

Attractions

  • Arabian Sea
  • Bath
  • Goa
  • Mumbai
  • Rome

Activities

  • Hiking

Min Group Size

  • Min Group Size: 20

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 20

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Join trip in Mumbai

Our journey through central India starts in Mumbai. Traditionally known as Bombay, the city is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra - it's also the most populated and richest city in India, so prepare to join the bustle. For those arriving in time, our tou...

Day 2 Sightseeing in Mumbai

Today we'll spend a full day sightseeing with our local guide. One highlight we'll visit is the area where the film 'Slumdog Millionaire' was set, a thriving and industrious quarter called Dharavi. We'll also visit the Mahatma Gandhi Museum where we'll learn about the...

Day 3 Train to Aurangabad

This morning, you're free to explore Mumbai at your own pace. After an early lunch, we'll catch our train to Aurangabad. The journey takes around seven hours and gives us the opportunity to make friends with fellow local passengers and watch the ever-changing landscape roll by.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 4 Excursion to Ajanta

This morning we'll make an excursion to the Ajanta Caves, located in a pass in the Vindhya Hills. A UNESCO World Heritage site, these rock-cut Buddhist caves date back to the second century BCE and include intricately cut temples and monasteries that contain a treasur...

Day 5 Visit Daulatabad Fort and Ellora Caves before overnight train to Hyderabad

This morning, we'll visit the Daulatabad Fort, towering 250m above the surrounding countryside on a volcanic lava rock. Its three main walls use spike-studded doorways as ingenious defences against elephant charges. Nearby are the World Heritage-listed Buddhist cave...

Day 6 Tour of Hyderabad

This morning, we'll arrive in Hyderabad and transfer to our hotel before beginning our guided tour. Founded in 1589, the city went on to father some of the richest men in India, due in no small part to the diamond mines around nearby Golconda. In the late morning, w...

Day 7 Visit palaces and tombs of Bidar

Today we'll journey to Bidar, around a five-hour drive away - the roads are poor in this region, so expect a bumpy but leisurely ride. On arrival, we'll visit Bidar's fort with its ruined palaces and tombs of the Bahamani Kings. Large parts of the fort are now in ru...

Day 8 Visit Gulbarga and on to Bijapur

This morning, we'll leave Bidar and drive to Gulbarga, the founding capital of the Bahmani dynasty. We'll take an orientation tour of the city, touching on the major sights, including the Bala Hissar Citadel, the elegant domed Jami Masjid, and the Tomb of Bahmani Sultans. Finally, we'll depart Gulbarga and continue our journey on to Bijapur.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 9 Explore Bijapur mosque and bazaar

We'll start our day with a visit to the Gol Gumbaz, the vast mausoleum of its 17th-century ruler Mohammed Adil Shah. The mausoleum's unsupported dome is second in size only to St Peter's in Rome, an astounding 38 metres in diameter. We'll take a moment to test out the...

Day 10 Tour of Badami and drive to Hospet

This morning, we'll wake up in Badami. Once the capital of the Chalukyan, Badami is now a small village - with a busy bazaar - nestled between sandstone hills. We'll take a short drive to the famous Cave Temples of Badami. A World Heritage Site, the temples were hewn ...

Day 11 Full day in Hampi

Today will be dedicated to exploring Hampi. The city was once the flourishing capital of the Vijayanagar Kings (14th to 16th centuries), who ruled one of the largest Hindu empires in Indian history. Suddenly destroyed in 1565 after the battle of Talikota, the ancient ...

Day 12 Train to Goa

Leaving Hospet behind, this morning we'll take the early Amaravati Express train to Madgaon, arriving at the palm-fringed shores of Goa in the late afternoon. The Portuguese landed here in the 16th century, under Alfonso de Albuquerque, and captured the Arab trade...

Day 13 Visit to Old Goa

This morning we'll visit Old Goa where our tour leader will give us an orientation tour. The afternoon is then free to discover Goa at your own pace. We'll be based in Panaji, Goa's easy going capital; a friendly, sleepy town of narrow winding streets and whitewashed ...

Day 14 Trip ends in Goa

Our tour of central India ends at our hotel in Goa. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight leaves later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like a hotel transfer, you'll need to depart from Goa's Dabolim Airport (GOI), around a one-and-a-half hour drive from the hotel.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,350
Price per day$168
Last Updated: 3/14/2025
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Single Room (Optional)
Availability
01 Nov 2025
14 Nov 2025
$2,490
$630
15 Nov 2025
28 Nov 2025
$2,350
$630
13 Dec 2025
26 Dec 2025
$2,350
$630
17 Jan 2026
30 Jan 2026
$2,590
$630
07 Feb 2026
20 Feb 2026
$2,590
$630
14 Feb 2026
27 Feb 2026
$2,590
$630
28 Feb 2026
13 Mar 2026
$2,590
$630
28 Mar 2026
10 Apr 2026
$2,590
$630
31 Oct 2026
13 Nov 2026
$2,590
$630
14 Nov 2026
27 Nov 2026
$2,590
$630

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Explore! Reviews & Ratings

4.6/5  Excellent
Excellent
10,321
Great
3,322
Average
522
Disappointing
158
Terrible
79
T

Trusted Customer

Mar 2025

Written on

Treasures of Central India

This tour was in line with the trip notes, visiting interesting sites in an area of India that is less touristy. The group got on well and were all experienced trave...

S

Stella

Mar 2025

Written on

Treasures of Central India

This tour is not for the feint hearted. There are many early starts and late nights plus the modes of transport can be fairly uncomfortable. The week we had one bu...

T

Trusted Customer

Mar 2025

Written on

Treasures of Central India

This was a well planned trip covering visits to many thrilling UNESCO world heritage sites, and we learnt a lot about ancient Indian history and religions. There wer...

T

Trusted Customer

Mar 2025

Written on

Treasures of Central India

Love India for its people, sights and sounds. 4th visit but this itinerarys 'treasures' were many rock temples, monasteries and mausoleums and mosques/churches and b...

T

Trusted Customer

Feb 2025

Written on

Treasures of Central India

A very enjoyable tour with some fabulous sites: Elorra Caves, Ajanta Caves & Hampi are places everyone should have on their bucketlist. Some long travel days, es...

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Logistics

Accommodation

Transportation & Flights

Bus, Train,

Transportation & flights

Bus, Train
Guides
Explore Tour Leader, Driver(s), Local Guide(s)
Cancellation policy
These conditions are applicable to Discovery & Wildlife, Cycling, Walking and Family Trips. These conditions were updated November 2022. Booked a Polar trip? Please refer to our Polar booking conditions. To make it easy to know the detail of our flexibility, we’ve put it in a grid (these terms apply to all trips apart from our Polar Voyages.) Standard cancellations or changes within 69 days of travel If you’re getting closer to your trip, cancellation charges will apply as follows: For trips confirmed by 31st December 2022: 59-42 days before trip start date – 30%, or loss of deposit if higher 41-28 days before trip start date – 60% 27-14 days before trip start date – 90% Less than 14 days before trip start date – 100% For trips confirmed from 1st January 2023: 69 -42 days before trip start date – 30%, or loss of deposit if higher 41-28 days before trip start date – 60% 27-14 days before trip start date – 90% Less than 14 days before trip start date – 100%
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
India: Holders of passports endorsed British citizen, as well as Australian, New Zealand and US passport holders may be eligible for the e-Tourist Visa to enter India. Unfortunately the Indian government are not currently granting visas for anybody travelling with a Canadian passport. The visa can be applied for through the official Indian government visa website only - https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html . Please check all eligibility criteria that can be found on the website but important points are listed below - You must be arriving into one of 29 selected entry points which can be found via the official Indian Government website link above. However, you can exit from any of the authorised immigration check posts in India. Passports must have at least 6 months validity from the date of arrival in India and at least two blank pages for stamping. Visa applications will take approximately 4 days to process. There are different validity visas and the costs are as follows: 30-day validity (travelling between April and June) - $10 30-day validity (travelling between July and March) - $25 1-year validity - $40 5-year validity- $80 Those applying for a 30 day electronic visa can only apply within 30 days of arrival for your visa to be valid. Furthermore double entry is permitted and you can only obtain two 30-day visas in a calendar year. Please note these costs are subject to frequent change so you should check on the official Indian government visa website mentioned above. Biometric data will be collected on arrival in India. If you are not eligible for the e-Tourist Visa, please refer to VFS Global to apply for your Indian visa - https://www.vfsglobal.com/india/uk/how_to_apply.html Whilst the online form offers a relatively quick way to apply for a visa, some applicants have reported difficulty in completing the form. If you do require assistance, then you may consider applying through Explore's recommended visa service in the UK, Travcour. They can complete the online visa on your behalf for a service fee + the visa cost. See www.travcour.com http://www.travcour.com If you do require assistance in obtaining a visa then you may be able to apply through Explore's recommended visa service in the UK, Travcour. See www.travcour.com http://www.travcour.com to download the relevant visa application for your trip, if applicable (UK citizens only), along with details of how to apply for your visa through Travcour. The Team at Travcour will be happy to answer specific questions relating to visa applications, please call them directly on 0208 5431846. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of a full passport, with the correct validity
Health & Safety
Nothing compulsory, but we recommend protection against Tetanus, Infectious Hepatitis, Typhoid and Polio. Please consult your travel clinic for the latest advice on Malaria, Dengue and Zika Virus. Please check the latest requirements with your travel clinic or doctor prior to departure. The above is not an exhaustive list. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by following the NHS and NaTHNaC links at <a href="https://www.explore.co.uk/essential-information/know-before-you-go/travel-health">Explore Travel Health</a> and from your local healthcare provider. Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed by you before travelling.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast : 12
Age Requirements
16 to 85 years
Additional Information
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Trip ID
explore-CG

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