India's luxurious $4000 train journey! (5-day South India itinerary)

Today, we are boarding one of the most luxurious trains in India. Wow! It'll not only take us from point A to B, but it's a full-board royal experience. And the price includes comfortable rooms, dining, drinks and daily excursions. The train will take us on a tour of South India across 3 states in 7 destinations where we'll experience palaces, temples, backwaters, folk dance and a lot more. This is the Golden Chariot and we are going to be on this for the next 6 days and 5 nights. So, let's see what the experience is like. So, we are currently heading to the Yashwanpur Railway Station. Hello. Hi, nice to meet you. Please, please. Thank you. Wow, this is beautiful. So, we are here at the bar area now and this is our welcome drink. And the mixologist on board was one of the highlights. So funny and entertaining. He made sure that we always had a good time. My entertainment started from the first day. We are inside our cabin now and this feels like a hotel room inside a train. I am amazed because you don't expect a full double bed in a train. You don't expect a toilet, you don't expect a shower. And if this train was not moving, I would have actually assumed that this is a hotel room and I am just amazed that we are inside a room inside a train. Now that the train has started and we have been inside for a while, let me show you around. So, the first place where we entered the train from is the bar area and this boasts of green, gold, brown and cream mustard interiors. Very beautiful, very plush. Also has a strip of mirrors in the very centre and these ancient looking lamps on the side and also some very beautiful ornate designs. So, this is restaurant number one called Ruchi. This one is restaurant number two called Nalapaka. Believe it or not, this train also has a spa area which is called the Arogya Spa. Like this is a massage room. And over here, we also have a gym area. This feels like an actual hotel where you have got the gym, the restaurant, good food, where you can stay, where you don't have to take your luggage on or off. In just one place, you are travelling. You know, my father was in the army when I was a kid and flight travel was very far away. We used to mostly travel by trains. Whenever one of these palatial trains and luxury trains used to pass us, my parents and I used to get so excited. This feels like such a full circle moment and I can't believe that I get to enjoy and experience this train. Getting ready over here in a moving train was a true test of my skill level today because it was honestly hard but I am so glad that there is such a nice light over here in this table. And with that, our lunch call has arrived on day one. And I am looking forward to seeing what's going to be there for lunch and how the setup is going to look like. So now we have entered the lunch area. This is amazing! We were given a menu to choose the meals from and the food was good but this whole setup made me feel too special. Then we got briefed by the program coordinator and I was just listening like a kid because this is going to be so exciting. So we are now in Mysore and heading for our first tour. This is one place that I have never been to before. I know it has so much to offer like obviously the palace is there, then we have a lot of local markets. Mysore Park is so famous. It will be great tasting the Mysore Park and it will be great having you watch me taste the Mysore Park because you can't eat it. So rude! So the first place on our itinerary is the Mysore Palace. And this used to be the official residence of the Wadiyar dynasty and also the seat of the kingdom of Mysore. This palace is in the very centre of the city. In fact, this city is known as the city of palaces. So this is the first of many that you will get to see over here. But on the inside, this one is beautiful and intricately decorated. The palace is designed by Henry Irwin and it's one of the finest Indo-Saracenic architectures in India. We also have a historical golden throne inside and it weighs 280 kgs. The interiors also have delicate chandeliers, stained glass ceilings and frescoes depicting scenes from the Indian epics. So inside the palace, we can't wear our shoes which is why we are now going to use, thank you so much, these foot covers. So our group over here has been given a cap which is worn by Ishaan. And we've also been given shoe covers, bags with water. So next on our Mysore agenda is Malari Dosa. We were recommended by a friend, Ishaan's friend Pranavi said we need to come here and have some Malari Dosa. This looks so good. So this is crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. And the best part is that the ingredients are super duper fresh. Mmm. Mysore Pak chef's kiss. It's delicious. So now we are back to the railway station and I found today's day very interesting because we started from Bangalore, reached Mysore. We are just going from station to station and also getting time to explore, experience, take in, soak in, eat something. Guys it's evening time now and the both of us like good kids went to the gym first and then we showered. And we've now made it for dinner. Thank you so much. Our food just arrived, we've ordered for the Indian vegetarian meal. And there's a Papadum, there's a Khara Paratha, there's rice and then there's also some Paratha. And Ishaan has Kadhai Paneer and Dal Makhani as well. The mixologist on this train is amazing. He has made us some custom drink and this was his part. I've already finished so much of it. Doesn't feel like alcohol. Wow, what is that? Big Daddy. And what is this one? I'm mad at you. He's mad at me. Why? No, not that. I'm calling it a drink. This is a different, different but it's a vodka based, it's a rum based. For two people who don't drink much, Manjunath ji set the mood quite well. And then we went to sleep for the first time in our room inside the train. Wow, this is so beautiful. So this morning we left the train and we're here at Mahabalipuram. And the first site that we've reached is the Five Raj Temple, also known as the Five Chariot Temple. And this is a classic example of monolithic rock cut architecture. Because each of these temples is created out of a single rock and it's incredible. Look at the architecture, look at the sculptures. And the five Raj temples that you get to see are the Dharraj, Bheem, Nakul, Arjun and the Draupadi Raj temples. Mango chilli is the real deal. I'm a South Indian, I don't have raw mango chilli. I haven't even experienced anything. So now we're at Krishna's Butterball. And the really cool thing about this place is that there's this huge granite boulder on an incline. And it's fully balanced from many, many, many centuries. In fact, I think it's been 1200 years already. A lot of people tried to bring this boulder down out of safety concerns. Like the king of the Pallav dynasty, Narsimha Varman, but he wasn't successful. And in 1908, the British governor Arthur Havlock called in 7 elephants whose combined pulling power was 42 tonnes. But this granite boulder didn't move an inch. This is because of a rare geological phenomenon called exfoliation. Which has carved this rock and now it's stuck on this hill. So Krishna's Butterball is actually 6 metres high and 5 metres wide and it weighs 250 tonnes. And now you see people posing underneath it, relaxing underneath its shadows. And also trying to pose as if they're holding on to the weight of the boulder. And I think we should try and do that as well. Now it's midday in Mahabalipuram and it's so hot. So we have now reached Radisson to Mahabalipuram where we're going to have lunch. Rice and rasam. I'm having some Lotus stems ka starter. Along with Bisse Bele Bhaat and Rasam rice. And the food is so delicious. I'm so glad we have such a huge buffet spread. And I think this is the best part about the Golden Chariot. That they also have hosted meals for every meal. Like breakfast, lunch, dinner. In fact, even right now for the hosted lunch, drinks are a part of the lunch. Mr. Ishan Joshi and Miss Tanya Thanijo. Alright guys, before anything, now that the room is a little bit more lived in. Now is when I want to give you the room tour and show you around. Because we're inside a train, all rooms are actually standard size. There are 44 rooms in total and each one of them has an attached bathroom. We have some very comfortable bed sheets, comforter, pillows. Most of our luggage has gone underneath the bed because there's space underneath. This is actually a table which opens up. And I can also sit and do my makeup over here because it has a lamp. Over here, on top I've stacked some of my extra stuff. Which I have to use a little bit for rolls. We have a centre light in the middle. We have two lights on the side. And for both of us, we have ear plugs and eye mask. We also have a phone over here and it has all kinds of extensions. You can basically call room service, you can call anyone. We also were given a welcome kit which has all the details. The itinerary, all the things that you need to know about the train. And I think we also have some stickers in here. The best part that I have not used yet is this TV. We have a TV inside this room. Imagine having a TV in a train. Talking of the bathroom, this is also a very comfortably sized bathroom. The toilet, yes it flushes. We have a shower inside a train. I used it this morning and I just couldn't believe. Not just the overhead shower, we also have a hand shower. And also we are given extra towels every single day. The room is fully serviced. So you can call for room cleaning, room service every single day. We have a smoke detector. We have speakers over here through which all the announcements happen. If you close the toilet door, there's a full length mirror. Hi! And we have these cupboards. And I think the novelty of sleeping inside a train on such a massive bed. I think it's pretty cool. And I think that pretty much finishes the room tour. And at the end of each of these coaches where there are rooms, we also have just a very good meeting area. In case you want to regroup and connect with your friends and have a little chat with them. There are in total 15 coaches over here which I mentioned. And each of the coaches has its own name like Hoysala. We are currently in Shat Havana. And the bar is called Madeera. The restaurant number one is called Ruchi. We are having dinner on day 2 now. And we both ordered the vegetarian thali. The food was very tasty. But what stood out to me was the preparation and planning that must go behind the scenes of pulling these kinds of meals off on a train. I couldn't help but notice Chef and the staff and realised how much effort they put into it. For me, this and the social evening made the experience even more elevated. Thank you, Chef. Good morning! It's a new day and we are in Tanjabur right now in Tamil Nadu. So this morning we are here at Periyakovi, also known as the Big Temple in English. And the structure is absolutely beautiful. And today is Monday but still there is a huge crowd here. Which just shows how popular and significant this temple is. So we are standing at the stunning entryway of the Big Temple. Which is built in 1010 by the famous Chola Dynasty Emperor Raja Raja. And my first impression is that the architecture is so stunning. It houses the largest Shivlinga of India. This is the heaviest Hindu temple in India and the architecture here is very mysterious. First of all, this dome which is made of a single granite block weighing 80 tonnes. And in the construction of the temple, no cement, mud or binding agent was used. It is made of interlocking stone by cutting the granite. But still, when the king asked the architect if this temple will fall during construction, he said that not only the temple, even its shadow will not fall. And really, in the peak afternoon, there is no shadow of such a high plane. In the temple, there is a single Shivlingam made of 20 tonnes of stone. I absolutely love this temple. It is so beautiful. All of these gates over here are made of granite. And the sculptures here represent different moments from the life of Lord Shiv. And the one on the previous gate was actually from the dancing match between Parvati ji and Shiv ji. They are just so beautifully made and depicted. So I just came out of the temple complex. And I can't believe that this temple was built more than 1000 years ago. Because every sculpture, every depiction of every story is so well made. And it is also so well-deserved. And this happens to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site, of course. And praying to Shiv ji over here felt like I was here at a very auspicious place. I would highly recommend you come and experience this for yourself as well. I have been going around the temple. And I was so happy to see that I also have subscribers in Tamil Nadu. Subscribe to Tanya Ganijo. Yes, thank you. One feature of this temple that really took me by surprise is that there are 252 Shiv lingams which are around the temple, outside the main temple complex. We also have a Ganesh temple. We also have Nandi structures. Almost 1108 Nandi structures which are outside the temple. And we also have a main temple which is devoted to a grand structure of the Nandi. In this entire passageway around the temple complex, you can see the 252 Shiv lingams. They are all housed inside these structures. And even taking a whole round around this temple, I am absolutely flabbergasted. At this architecture. And as soon as I left the temple, I found a gajra stall. And I really wanted to get nice smelling jasmine flowers for my hair. By the way, the train is running now. And I just got back to my room before lunch. Do notice that the room is fully made. So every day when you leave your room, it will get fully cleaned up. The toilet, the bed, everything is going to be fully refreshed for you before you spend the next day in the room. So it's actually like a 5 star hotel. So today for the rest of the day, I am wearing a saree. Vincy is helping me. Here is the finished look. I look so pretty. Thank you so much. I am so grateful to you. Oh my gosh, the gajra, the saree, everything is so amazing. Thank you. So we have now reached Karaikudi Junction. And this is where we are leaving from for Chettinad. So the first place that we have come to is the Atagundi Palace. The Chettinad mansions are a prominent example of the region's opulent architecture. In the 1800s, the Chettiar families were very rich in India. They were our OG NRI millionaires because in Southeast Asia, their name was ahead in trade, banking and money lending. And when they came back after earning money, they built not just 1-2 bungalows but 100-100 room mansions. And they are naturally cool even in the summer because to make them, lime plaster and egg whites were used. But this place in particular is also famous for tiles and we are going to be visiting a tile factory after this as well. These what I am holding in my hand are the Atagundi tiles and we are currently at a tile factory over here. Then we were explained how Atangundi tiles are made. On glass, they place a cast iron stencil of a desired design and unlike machine-pressed mosaics, these are handmade. So no electricity required. But of course, anything handmade is always more special because it has its quirks and a story to tell. And these were originally developed because in the yesteryear, our tiles were being imported from Britain. And the local people of this area realised that it's getting more and more expensive to fix them and to send them back. And they started their own trademark style of tile making. And they are also made by locally sourced materials like local sand, silica. It is just a local piece of handicraft that I think deserves to be preserved. And then I also met an old friend, Sara, who is also on the train. This is Chef here. He's going to whip up some dishes for us. So guys, I don't know if you remember this but back in Australia when I visited for T20, I met Sara, Sara Todd. She is also a former contestant of MasterChef Australia, a very renowned chef and also has a restaurant in Goa called The Sanctuary. We bonded over dessert. So we made the white kookaburra cricket ball. So I know she loves food. With her, I tried some chettinad cuisine because she specialises in food and it was so delicious. The spices, bold flavours and rich curries here are world famous. And here you get the authentic chettinad taste. Oh my gosh, that was so amazing. I can't believe how tasty everything was. Today is day 4 and we have entered into Kerala. Welcome to Kochi! So now we are at Fort Kochi which is actually one of my favourite areas in Kochi. I have been here before and the first site that the tour has brought us to is the St. Francis Church. It's actually one of the oldest European churches in India. It was built in 1503. And do you know that Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese explorer, was actually originally buried here but then later on relocated to Lisbon. By the way, this what you are seeing behind me is the world's first ever water metro and it takes you from Kochi to Fort Kochi in just 20 rupees per person. The reason why I really like Fort Kochi is because it has some very vibrant, very well coloured houses over here. Also, some very good cafes, some good coffee or also if you want to have some vegan food, they have vegan cafes as well. So right now, we are going to watch a performance of Kathakali. So Kathakali is a form of storytelling through expressions where the artists do not say anything but they express everything through dance and through their expressions. And obviously, there is emotive makeup on their face as well. And I am sure you know of Kathakali or you have seen some pictures here and there but to see a performance in person, it's incredible. We had a very simple story of a demon's sister who goes to heaven to pick up women for the demon but then she falls in love with the main lead character and she tries to seduce him but he does not like her advances and ultimately gets so angry at her that he slashes off her ear, her nose and her breast. So that was the story that was enacted and I think it was incredibly well done. I will teach a maid of me. Look at my hair. After an amazing day, we are here back at the station and the Golden Chariot is here which is going to take us back from Alapura to Bangalore. So this was the final itinerary that the train took us on but one of my favourite times on this train was the last evening. We all got dressed for Indian night in clothes which the staff has very kindly sent to all of us to our rooms and for some reason, they are perfect sizing. The food is so good. And then we danced the night away. I love to dance and it felt like all passengers were one big family. Young Tanya thought that this was just going to be an expensive, luxurious affair that was out of reach. But today it felt like this trip was educational, fun and my heart felt heavy that tomorrow we would all say bye. There was a celebration in the air and for me, even this couple celebrating their 49th anniversary felt emotional. He is learning how to make a Pina Colada so that he can imitate that at home as well. And then Ishaan took some bar lessons from Manjunath ji and maybe for just one night it felt like life is just fun, no questions asked. We had promised Manjunath ji that on the final day we will try his most potent cocktail and believe me, it looked beautiful but it burnt my insides. Don't stop it. Then came the next day's cute breakfast and I chose a chic meal of Chole Bhature. Then after getting down from the train I experienced my life's most heartfelt gratitude and some extremely hard goodbyes. Bye bye! See you! Bye bye! So finally, how was this experience? To be honest, it felt like an extraordinary journey. And with this we come to the very end of our trip and it has been one of the best experiences and a full circle moment and I am so happy to have experienced this and if you enjoyed the vlog, make sure that you subscribe to our channel and the link to book this train is in the description box below and I will see you a next time.