India is definitely one of the destinations that have always attracted my attention and to which I arrived four years ago for the first time to travel the northern area for four months. From that moment India is having an even bigger place in my heart.

It’s a destination that always gives me much more than my expectations from a trip and that continues to surprise me every time.

When I received the invitation to travel through India on board of one of the most luxurious trains in the world I didn’t even think for a second! I embarked on this adventure thanks to the invitation of the Ministry of Tourism of India and the Incredible India organization to live next to 15 bloggers the route of Deccan Odyssey, winner of the prize for the best luxury train in Asia for the last 7 years.

You can follow this adventure on social networks with the Hashtag #IndiaBlogTrain

  

Traveling India on a luxury train

India has one of the largest train networks on the planet, with 121,407 km kilometers of rails covering a route of more than 67,000 km, being the fourth largest on the planet. It is also one of the busiest since it transports more than 8000 billion passengers every year and has more than 1 million employees.

It’s part of the daily life of many people who travel daily between cities and the system works quite well for a network of that size.

I have a personal fascination with train travel and the first time I went to India I did it completely by train. During four months I only took a bus and the days on the trains are in a very high place in my memories.

To know more details of how to organize your train trips through India SEE MORE HERE

 

 

Why travel in the Deccan Odyssey is a great idea!

Traveling through India is sometimes somewhat cumbersome, with long waiting times, a lot of traffic on roads and highways, and traveling by train becomes the best option. Although sometimes you have to go through many things to board the train, from train stations full of people, to coordinate the taxis to go to the city and the tours to each place of interest that you want to visit

If you are looking to travel through India but your tastes require an exclusive and perfect experience, the Deccan Oddisey is one of the best options to travel India with luxury and hospitality full of details.

It is an excellent option to have a broad perspective of one area of the country when you have a only few days and you are looking for an exclusive and different experience to the more traditional trips.

The 7 routes organized by the Deccan Oddisey cover different areas both in the Golden Triangle and further south in Maharastra and Goa.

This time I will share details of the route called Maharashtra Splendor that was the one I had the opportunity to know in detail.

MAHARASHTRA SPLENDOR JOURNEY

DIA 1

The trip begins in Mumbai at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus station, a UNESCO site since 2004, where we were greeted in the traditional Indian way with music, dances, and flowers while we waited for the arrival of all passengers.

Although it is a private train, the Deccan Oddisey travels according to the adjusted schedule of the rail network of India, so the schedules are previously determined since a delay means affecting the trains that come later. So punctually at 3:30 p.m. we started our incredible adventure.

 

The Rooms

The Deccan Oddisey has 12 cars in which the 40 Delux cabins and the 4 Presidential Suites are distributed and in total can accommodate 84 passengers.

The cabins are surprisingly spacious considering that you are on board of a train and there is enough space to store a normal amount of luggage for two people.

The decoration is simple and very cozy, it’s inspired by different periods of the Deccan territory development, so you can live the experience like a Maharaja.

Each cabin has compartments in each corner for wardrobe and the most incredible is the bathroom, which has plenty of space inside. There are enough plugs to charge all the equipment during the night, although an extension may be necessary if you carry too many electrical devices like me.

The shower is spacious and the hot water system is perfect! I never had problems with pressure or water temperature.

The train for almost every night near the main station to continue your trip early in the morning, perhaps the only thing that can be a detail for those who are not used to sleeping on the move is on the nights when the train moves a few hours during the night, but it’s part of the adventure!

 

Dining on board

The two dining rooms of the Deccan Oddisey, Peswa I and II are beautifully designed so that you feel comfortable to enjoy your meals with a beautiful view of the landscape. The windows through the train are carefully treated with a mirror layer so you can enjoy a little privacy during the day while dining or in your room.

Every day a different menu is offered that has traditional options of Indian food but also of oriental and western style. Beautiful presentations on each plate and also a spectacular attention made each meal an experience to remember.

 

The most surprising thing was the quality of the food, light but with perfect flavor, which being of a 5-star level still felt with a homey touch. They also have impressive service and flexibility even to adapt to gluten-free or vegan diets like my Slovak friend Alexandra  @crazysexyfuntravel.

The bar car was one of my favorite spaces where I could enjoy a coffee and work a little while sharing with the other train passengers who had very interesting stories to share from their trips to India and their jobs, like two of the women with whom I spoke I worked with NGOs helping in the development and empowerment of women in India.

Onboard services

In the Deccan Oddisey, you will find everything you can imagine to spend a perfect stay, from a butler dedicated to each passenger to a gym, spa and hairdressing salon on board.

All sectors have access to Wifi, which is perhaps the only thing that did not leave me very happy because the signal became very unstable once the train started moving, but since I had my own SIM card with data I was able to keep connected all the time weather.

 

Day 2

The sacred city of Nashik and capital of wine

Without a doubt one of the surprises of the trip for me was visiting the city of Nashik, we were in the Godavari Ghats, where Hindu ceremonies and rituals are performed. It was wonderful to witness a part of the culture in the market around the Ghats, visit some important temples and share with the friendly people of this area.

Then we visit one of the largest vineyards in the area to have lunch after a tasting of a surprisingly good wine produced in India! And it says a Chilean who knows how to recognize a good quality wine. The production in Grover Zampa with a traditional method includes Chardonnay, Chenin and Shiraz strain at very acceptable prices even in their premium reserve wines.

 

Day 3

Aurangabad and Ellora Caves

One of the favorite spots of everyone on this trip was the visit to Ellora Caves, located in the vicinity of the industrial city of Aurangabad, 30 kilometers from the city.

This interesting construction dug directly into the rock is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983 and is one of the most interesting of its kind in India, since testimonies of Buddhist, Jain and Hindu architecture coexist in the same place. These representations are distributed in 34 caves and include an impressive temple dedicated to Shiva called Kailash, carved in the 8th century from a single rock.

TIP: Do not miss the view from the top of the Kailash hill that is impressive! And if you go on your own book all day to quietly travel the place.

Day 4

Jalgaon Station and Ajanta Caves

The 30 temples carved into the rock in the Ajanta Caves will leave you with your mouth open. Another of the UNESCO sites visited with the Deccan Oddisey that preserve religious architecture and Buddhist and Hindu art.

The temples and rooms are dug directly into the rock of the hillside and inside include detailed carvings and paintings that adorn the walls, ceilings, and columns.

TIP: In the rooms, there is an echo inside, if you remain silent for a moment and sing the OM mantra you will feel an echo that reverberates in the walls around you. Also, some of the columns produce sounds if you hit them and each one has a different tone!

Day 5

Kolhapur

The day in Kolhapur was one of the most entertaining and full of different activities.

We started the day visiting the New Palace Museum, built in the ninth century and in which still lives Shrimant Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj and the owner family who were formerly rulers of Kolhapur. It is a beautiful building with wonderful gardens that testifies to an era and its customs.

Then the visit to the neo-gothic building of the Town Hall Museum showed us part of the history with relics of the year 1888 and beautiful gardens that surround it.

The markets and the characteristic leather shoes that are produced in Kolhapur in the traditional style were part of my favorites. I could not resist and I bought some pairs of colorful sandals at a great price.

 

We had tea with delicious traditional snacks while talented artists invited us to witness a beautiful demonstration of traditional dance called Lavanya Sandhya, with live music and songs.

 

Before finalizing our visit we expected the Mahalakshmi temple that dates from the year 1300. It is also known as Shatki Pethas since it is associated with the Shatki Goddess. Inside the temple, we received sweets as a blessing and we knew part of the history of this temple which is one of the most important in the region.

The day in Kolhapur ended with one of the most impressive presentations of the entire trip. We were expecting a martial arts presentation called ‘Mardani Khel’ in which the whole family keeps alive an art that is perhaps one of the most beautiful in the Maharastra region. Accuracy in the movements and risky tricks with fire and also with the swords left us all with their mouths open.

Day 6

Goa

It is the smallest state of India and to this day maintains a great Portuguese influence, since it was a colony of Portugal until 1961. Portuguese music is still heard in its streets and many understand or speak also the language.

We started the day visiting the Deão Palace, a colonial-style house in which its owner Rubén Vasco da Gama told us all the details of how it was formerly lived in a house of that type and delighted us with delicious snacks and tea from the region.

The ancient capital of Goa, Ribandar, has a testimony of the oldest churches still preserved almost intact.

Lunch was at the Sahakari Spice Plantation where we had a traditional Goa-style feast, which has its origins in the Hindu culture but was very influenced by the Portuguese culture, including shrimp, kingfish and a strong Cashewnut liqueur called Feni.

We ended the visit to the region of Goa in the Fontainhas neighborhood in Pangim, an area of the Latin Quarter in which the streets and houses preserve the Portuguese colonial style and architecture, it is an area preserved by UNESCO in which the narrow streets predominate and colorful houses.

Day 7

Sindhudurg

Our last day of travel was full of art and music. We visited the village of Pinguli where we learned about the traditional art of puppetry and shadow theater. Then we visit the Sawantwadi Palace Palace where the traditional art of creating hand-painted letters is maintained.

Lunch was at the Sawantwadi Palace served in banana leaves! Then we got to know the traditional dances of the women of the area and learned how to prepare sweets, how to make clay crafts among other activities.

Day 8

Our trip with the Deccan Oddisey Luxury Train ended at the same starting point. Upon disembarking the train we expected a small tour of Mumbai to show us the most important places and we were able to visit the fish and seafood market.

Our farewell was on board the Costa Cruise that is beginning to operate on a new route connecting India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka. We enjoyed a lunch and we could know the facilities of this huge Italian cruise.

The next day we had a beautiful tour to visit the famous Elephanta Caves. Our Trinity Tours guides accompanied us to know this place so special and important for the history of the region and we could know more about the representations of the different religions, as well as a bit of Hindu philosophy, my favorite phrase was “leave to go the hard way, not to be disturbed, they will always come, but the important thing is not to be disturbed “.

 

Recommended Hotels in Mumbai

Trident

Oberoi

 

This has been one of the best trips I’ve had to date and I recommend it 100%, every detail, every activity is selected to perfection to deliver an unforgettable experience.

Despite having traveled with an invitation, my opinion is absolutely honest as always.

A trip aboard the Deccan Oddisey is a luxury trip categorized 5 stars and the value starts at $ 6100usd per person, depending on the route and time of year. If your budget allows you, it is a worthwhile trip, you will travel India with the greatest comforts and you will know a side of the country that will leave you wanting to know much more!

Availability and reservations for this journey at deccan-odyssey-india.com