Heritage sites are historic landmarks that are preserved by the government as an icon of the heritage and culture of the land. If you are visiting a culturally rich country like India, you ought to enjoy the heritage sites in the country. Unfortunately, not all sites are found in the same state or region. These heritage sites are important destinations in many luxury trains like Deccan Odyssey.
Deccan Odyssey focuses on showcasing the historic beauty of the land. This luxury train covers numerous states in the country and thereby holds numerous heritage sites in its itineraries. We have collected the top five heritage sites that can be enjoyed with the itineraries of Deccan Odyssey.
Location – Jaipur
Itineraries covering the site – Indian Odyssey, Indian Sojourn
Amer Fort is an iconic attraction located on the hillock of Aravalli. This fort is famous for sightseeing, exploration, elephant ride, jeep safari and much more. Every evening, a sound and light show is conducted that explains the heritage of Rajasthan and the history of Amer Fort.
The sound and light show is conducted in English too and thus, it is easier for all tourists and locals to understand. There are numerous iconic attractions in fort complex like ancient gates, temples, mirror palace, Mughal gardens, hall of pleasure, magic flower, Jag Mandir and others.
Location – Agra
Itineraries covering the site – Indian Odyssey, Indian Sojourn
Taj Mahal is not just a heritage site. It is one of the world wonders located in Agra, which you ought to visit in India. This marble mausoleum is famous for its architectural beauty, carvings and inscription of Quran. Around the mausoleum, a large Mughal Garden is erected with fountains and pathways. Tourists are allowed to stroll and relax in the garden.
Inside the monument complex, you can find several other structures dedicated to different people, including a museum. Museum holds many artifacts that are related to Taj Mahal’s history. You ought to spot the ancient blueprint of the monument, vessel that turns color when added poison and so on. Right outside the monument, you can find several shops for souvenir shopping. Top things to buy are miniature Taj Mahal, silver articles, shawls, carpets, rugs and marble items.
Location – Maharashtra
Itineraries covering the site – Maharashtra Splendor, Jewels of Deccan, Maharashtra Wild Trail
This is a collection of 30 rock-cut caves dating between 480 AD and 2nd BC. These caves hold a few temples and numerous monasteries. Ajanta Caves is the largest cave in this collection holds a large monastery with prayer hall, meditation hall and others.
These gigantic monuments were built with simple tools that monks could get hold of, when they were resting in the caves to protect from monsoon showers. Later, the caves were overlooked by the locals only to be rediscovered by British. Today, they stand as an iconic example of ancient Indian architecture. A similar heritage site is Ellora caves located in Aurangabad. Certain itineraries cover both Ajanta and Ellora caves. The road distance between Mumbai to Ajanta is approx. 453 kilometres which takes 9 hours to reach Ajanta & Ellorta Caves from Mumbai.
Location – Karnataka
Itineraries covering the site – Jewels of Deccan
This ruin site holds numerous temples, palaces, elephant stables, queen bath and thousands of statues spread over a large area of land. Hampi is very famous for sightseeing, exploration and photography. The few temples that stand today are very important pilgrimage site of the region.
If you visit Hampi during auspicious days, you can find interesting rituals. Some prefer taking boat ride near the banks of Hampi and enjoy souvenir shopping in the shops, nearby. Overall, it is an adventure spot for exploring age-old historic sites.
5. Ranthambore Fort and National Park
Location –Sawai Madhopur
Itineraries covering the site – Indian Sojourn, Indian Odyssey
This fort is located in the middle of Ranthambore National Park. This makes the attraction more beautiful in terms of wildlife attraction and architectural beauty. To reach the fort, you ought to enjoy jeep safari in the park.
During safari, you can spot many animals like tiger, elephant, bear and others. If you are visiting during winter season, chances of spotting migration birds are very high.
Once you reach the fort, you ought to cover the regions around the fort, on foot. Inside the fort, you can find temples of Hinduism and Jainism. Apart from these, there is an old tomb, rock arts, domes, haveli and much more inside the fort.
This is not the inclusive list of all heritage sites. Apart from these five, you can find numerous heritage attractions located in different states. If you are ready to take up the Deccan Odyssey tour, remember that not all heritage sites can be scaled in one itinerary. Each itinerary follows a different route and the itinerary covers all important heritage sites in that route.
Before you plan to book tickets, read the itinerary to learn about the destinations, heritage sites and iconic activities that are included in the itinerary.
