Of various ways to explore and discover the glorious history of Marathas, Deccan Odyssey train tour is perhaps the most elegant and luxurious choice. It offers a regal ride through the mesmerizing terrains of Konkan and Deccan region along with a halt in sun and sand paradise, Goa.

A journey spanning over 168 hours includes a dash of culture, leisure and heritage mixed with the opulence of tastefully decorated interiors and impeccable hospitality. Winner of the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler Award, Deccan Odyssey is often compared to the likes of the Blue Train of South Africa.

The Deccan Odyssey train is primarily to showcase the best of tourism assets of Maharashtra like pristine beauty of Konkan coast, the art, the culture, the heritage (including world heritage sites of Ajanta - Ellora) of Maharashtra as well as Maharashtra's local arts, crafts and cuisine.

The Deccan Odyssey Journey

Day 1 (Wednesday) Mumbai Departure (1500 Hrs)	Day 5 (Sunday) Aurangabad Arrival / Departure (0645 Hrs / 2000 Hrs)
Day 2 (Thursday) Sindhudurg Arrival / Departure (0630 Hrs / 2000 Hrs)	Day 6 (Monday) Bhusawal / Tadoba National Park Arrival / Departure (0630 Hrs / 2000 Hrs)
Day 3 (Friday) Goa Arrival / Departure (0700 Hrs / 2115 Hrs)	Day 7 (Tuesday) Ajanta Caves Arrival / Departure (0630 Hrs / 2200 Hrs)
Day 4 (Saturday) Kolhapur Arrival / Departure (0700 Hrs / 2145 Hrs)	Day 8 (Wednesday) Mumbai Arrival (0700 Hrs)

The Deccan Odyssey Fare

Occupancy Type	Deluxe Cabin	Presidential Suite
Single occupancy	USD 5250	USD 7700
Twin occupancy	USD 8050 for 2	USD 1,2880 for 2
Triple occupancy	USD 1,0500 for 3	USD 1,5855 for 3

*Government Service Tax of 3.09% Extra.
*Commercial Tax of US$ 15 per person Extra
*10% Surcharge extra for Xmas & New Year departure (18 Dec & 25 Dec 2013 )
*Discounted tariff for travel in months of April & September, due to warm weather conditions in Rajasthan.
*Children under 5 years of age will be complimentary guests without bed. Half fare will be levied for Children 5-12 years of age
*Any leg of minimum 2 nights (subject to availability) will be given at the above tariff. Thus, Goa-Mumbai (5 Nights) and Mumbai-Goa (2 Nights) segments will be sold as per availability.
*Maximum three persons can travel in one cabin
*Indians / NRI's can pay in equivalent INR Rupees as per rate of exchange on R.B.I website

Train Facilities

Deccan Odyssey Schedule

Find the departure dates of the Deccan Odyssey for the season 2013-14 mentioned below.

Month	Departure Dates
November 2013	20
December 2013	25

Terms & Conditions

The Deccan Odyssey Booking Policy

Advice Names/ Nationality/Date of birth of all the passengers with preferred date of journey to process booking.
Booking is done only after the payment of minimum 20% of published tariff in advance
Balance payment is to be made 30 days prior to the scheduled departure date.
To issue e-travel documents we require full tour amount with photocopy of passports.
Saloon/cabin names are allotted at time of check-in, at the Railway station with boarding cards
Passport details required include . Name/Nationality/Date of birth/Passport Number with Place & Date of Issue & Date of Expiry)

The Deccan Odyssey Cancellation Policy

If booking cancelled 60 days prior to departure - 5% of ticket value
If booking cancelled 30-59 days prior to departure - 20% of ticket value
If booking cancelled 15-29 days prior to departure - 50% of ticket value
If booking cancelled less than 14 days prior to departure - 100% of ticket value

Destinations covered by the Deccan Odyssey

Mumbai

Measure out: one part Hollywood; six parts traffic; a bunch of rich power-moguls; stir in half a dozen colonial relics (use big ones); pour in six heaped cups of poverty; add a smattering of swish bars and restaurants (don't skimp on quality here for best results); equal parts of mayhem and order; as many ancient bazaars as you have lying around; a handful of Hinduism; a dash of Islam; fold in your mixture with equal parts India; throw it all in a blender on high (adding generous helpings of pollution to taste) and presto: Mumbai.

An inebriating mix of all the above and more, this mass of humanity is a frantic melange of India's extremes. It is the country's financial powerhouse and its vogue centre of fashion, film and after-dark frolics. Glistening skyscrapers and malls mushroom amid slums and grinding poverty, and Mumbai slowly marches towards a brave new (air-conditioned) world. But not everyone made the guest list: more than half of the population lives in slums, and religious-based social unrest tugs at the skirt of Mumbai's financial excess.

Only once the initial shell shock of Mumbai's chaos subsides, can one start to appreciate the city's allure: a wealth of Art Deco and grand colonial relics; cacophonic temples; warrens of bazaars; and the odd spiritual bastion of tranquillity. In Mumbai you can dine at some of the finest restaurants in the country, and work off the appetite gyrating at ultrachic bars alongside Bollywood starlets and wannabes. With a pinch of gumption, a dash of adventure, an open wallet and a running start, there's no excuse not to dive into the Mumbai madness head-first.

Sindhudurg is a fortress that is located in the state of Maharashtra. The place is located along the coastal regions of the state and it was carved out of the Ratnagiri District. Sindhudurg is bordered by the Western Ghats on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other side.

The fort is located in an islet off the shore of town of Malvan. There is a Shiva Temple that is located in the fort and there are many interesting things to see here. The architecture is also excellent and entrance of the fort cannot be pinpointed from outside the fort as it is well hidden. There are still 16 families that are currently living in the fort. The fort is popular among tourists from abroad as well as tourists from other parts of the country.

The nearby places are known for their cuisine which is unique and is known as the Malvani Cuisine. The region is famous for its sea food dishes, especially fish and prawns. The cuisine is a must try for those who are travelling to the place.

Other places of attraction in the region include Vijaydurg Fort at Devbaug, Tilari Dam, Navadurga Temple located at Redi, and many other places. The Sri Sai Baba Temple which is located in region is one of the oldest temples in India. Napane Waterfall is another interesting place to visit.

Swaying palms, white sands and sparkling waters: the three essential elements that attract 2 million visitors annually to Goa's balmy shores are plentiful in this tiny, glorious slice of India hugging the country's western coastline and bounded by the Arabian Sea.

A solitary Portuguese outpost in India for almost 500 years, the influence of colonial rule can still be seen everywhere: in the exquisite, crumbling architecture; in the East-meets-West cuisine which combines coconut milk, palm vinegar and chillies with the refined flavours of Lisbon; in the melancholy strains of fado that still waft occasionally on the bougainvillea-scented breeze; and in the siesta-saturated joie de vivre that Goans themselves call susegad.

Nowhere else in India will you find the laid-back languidness of a Goan lunchtime, the easy charms of its people or the soothing serenity of a day on its beaches. Here in Goa, a herd of water buffalo will greet you at breakfast; a lily-covered lake might provide the scenery for your morning walk; a sea eagle will be your afternoon companion along a deserted stretch of pristine beach; a gorgeously spice-laden vindalho (vindaloo) might make your evening repast and a fiery glass of cashew-palm feni liquor your bedtime tonic.

But there's far more to discover here than the exquisite pleasure of warm sand between your toes. Pep up your stay with a wander around a vanilla-scented spice plantation, stroll the bird-filled banks of the state's gentle rivers, poke around centuries-old cathedrals, and venture out to white-water waterfalls.

All is not perfect in paradise, however, and Goa has problems aplenty – the state's environment, in particular, is sorely taxed. Nevertheless, with a slowly growing group of environmentalists and ecofriendly individuals on the scene, the picture remains relatively rosy for this most magical of miniature states. So, come, minimise your impact as much as possible, and unwind to the swaying palms and Portuguese rhythms of Goa's still-irresistible charms.

Kolhapur is an important city in Maharashtra, with a rich history dating back to 300 years, and is situated on the banks of the river Panchganga. The name Kolhapur is famed all over India and abroad for its various specialties like Kolhapuri Chappal, Kolhapuri cuisine and Kolhapuri gur. Legend says that Kolhapur is named after the wish of a demon named Kolhasur, who was killed by Goddess Mahalakshmi.

The historical Kolhapur city was an important princely state of Bombay presidency of British rule. The Bhonsle dynasty who ruled during this period was given 19 gun salutes and so Kolhapur was named as 19 gun state during that period. Present Kolhapur city is noted for its political, cultural, commercial and religious importance.

Kolhapur is renowned as capital of Maratha film industry and has borne the credit as the place where the first feature film in India - Raja Harischandra was conceptualized. The region is renowned for the localized version of wrestling known as Kushti and also renowned for art and education. Kolhapuri footwear, Kolhapuri jewels and Kolhapuri tobacco are world famous products exported from Kolhapur. A personalized version of necklace known as Kolhapuri Saaj is a specimen of Kolhapur jewel products.

Thirteen kilometres from Aurangabad is the fort of Deogiri on a volcanic lava rock towering 250 m above the surrounding countryside. The fort dates from the Yadava period of the 11th-14th centuries although the first fort had probably been built in the ninth century. Before that it had been a Buddhist monastery. It is an extraordinary site, particularly attractive in the late afternoon when the crowds have gone. If you are lucky you may get the resident guide who takes visitors through the dark tunnels with a flaming torch.

Deogiri fort
From Ala-ud-din Khalji's capture of Deogiri in 1296 until Independence in 1947, by which time it was under the control of the Nizam of Hyderabad, the fort remained in Muslim hands. Muhammad bin Tughluq determined to extend his power south, seized Daulatabad, deciding to make it his capital and populate it with the residents from Delhi. Thousands died as a result of his misconceived experiment. The outermost of the three main ring walls and the bastion gates were probably built by the Muslims. For snacks there are numerous dhabas opposite the entrance.

A World Heritage site, the Buddhist caves of Ajanta (244226; Indian/foreigner Rs 10/US$5; 9am-5.30pm Tue-Sun) – 105km northeast of Aurangabad, and about 60km south of Jalgaon – are the Louvre of central India. The caves date from around 200 BC to AD 650 and, as Ellora developed and Buddhism gradually waned, the glorious Ajanta caves were abandoned and forgotten until 1819, when a British hunting party stumbled upon them. Their isolation contributed to the fine state of preservation in which some of their paintings remain to this day.

Set in a wide, steep, horseshoe-shaped gorge above a wild mountain stream, the Ajanta caves reward intrepid travelers—you'd be surprised how few are willing to make the three-hour journey out of Aurangabad—with a stunning glimpse into ancient India. Lush and green after the monsoon, India's greatest collection of cave paintings dates back two millennia and is housed within massive carved stone caverns. If you can make it only to either Ellora or Ajanta, choose the latter for the comparative lack of crowds, and the pristine serenity of the forest.

It's believed that a band of wandering Buddhist monks first came here in the 2nd century BC, searching for a place to meditate during the monsoons. Ajanta was ideal—peaceful and remote, with a spectacular setting. The monks began carving caves into the gray rock face of the gorge, and a new temple form was born.

Over the course of seven centuries, the cave temples of Ajanta evolved into works of incredible art. Structural engineers continue to be awestruck by the sheer brilliance of the ancient builders, who, undaunted by the limitations of their implements, materials, and skills, created a marvel of artistic and architectural splendor. In all, 29 caves were carved, 15 of which were left unfinished; some of them were viharas (monasteries)—complete with stone pillows carved onto the monks' stone beds—others were chaityas (Buddhist cathedrals). All of the caves were profusely decorated with intricate sculptures and murals depicting the many incarnations of Buddha.

Created in 1955, Tadoba National Park is the largest and oldest in Maharastra -- and, although it's growing in popularity, still remains quite off the beaten track. Dominated by teak and bamboo, and with a magical landscape of rugged cliffs, marshes, and lakes, it's full of diverse wildlife and was once favored by shikaras (hunters).

The park was declared a Project Tiger reserve in 1993. It is one of the best tiger reserves of India as tiger population has increased rapidly. Tadoba National Park and Andhari wildlife sanctuary together form the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).

For the convenience of tourists, jungle safaris are organized to facilitate tiger spotting. Apart from tigers, you can also spot leopards, gaur, wild dogs, sloth bears, jungle cats, hyenas, sambar, cheetal, nilgai and barking deer. The park is also home to about 181 species of birds, which includes endangered and water birds. One can also spot marsh crocodiles and migratory ducks around the Tadoba lake.