Day 1, 2 - Reminiscences of Royalty:
We begin at the historical city of Mysore, with more than its share of splendid palaces. The morning sees us exploring the city - The palace with its durbar hall, golden royal elephant throne and the Jayachamarajendra art gallery with paintings of Raja Ravi Varma and Svetoslav Roerich. The nearby riverine island of Ranganatittu, home to a bird sanctuary, is a sure visual treat with Cormorants, Peacocks, and Blue jays, Blue tailed Bee-eaters, Kingfishers and Painted storks amongst a 100 odd species. The bird sanctuary along the Cauvery is near the town of Srirangapatna home of Tipu Sultan, a brave warrior king of Mysore whose models of the first missiles to be used in actual warfare and tombstone is still present to this day. Also in store is trip a to Chamundi hills, 13kms from Mysore to see a 2000 year old temple before retiring for the night in royal splendor.

Day 3, 4, 5 In Coffee Country :
We'll make our way north to Coorg (or Kodagu) - a lush forested expanse in South West Karnataka. Coorg is often called the Kashmir of Karnataka for its cool weather and natural beauty. This small district is known for its coffee and tea estates, and the distinct culture of the people - their language, temperament and lifestyles.You can walk through the plantations dotted with exquisite bungalows that will take you back in time to the days of the Raj. Take in the scents of vanilla, cardamom and oranges interspersed with the coffee. A round of golf at one of the most charming golf courses in the world will be the perfect ending to the day. Even the royalty of yesteryear made it to this area for a glimpse of the spectacular sunsets. We can also spend a day meeting Elephants if the mood takes you – one on one – at the elephant rehabilitation center at Dubare set along river Cauvery. Guided treks help you explore the reserve forest and get intimately acquainted with this unique eco-region while you spot wild game. You will also be able to try your hand at Angling – the elusive masher is a worthy catch – or simply kayak downstream.

Day 6, 7, 8 Wander the Wilderness at Nagarhole
We will make our way to Nagarahole - a perfect getaway for wildlife enthusiasts and bird lovers alike. Nagarhole National park, set up in 1955 and occupying an area of 573 sq.km is one of the most important wildlife refuges in India. The river Kabini has been blocked to form a large reservoir that separates this park from Bandipur National Park. The climate is tropical, summers are hot. The Asiatic elephants thrive here. Along with Bandipur, it forms an enormous expanse of forest stretch that includes the Wildlife sanctuary of the neighbouring states, Madumalai of Tamilnadu and Wayanad of Kerala – a biosphere reserve to enable free movement of wildlife. Tiger, bison and elephant are found here in good numbers. Here we can go on jeep safaris, ride the indigenous coracle on the lake or take gentle walks into the wilderness looking for birds or wildlife in the company of expert trackers.

Day 9 Depart