Where does the Golden Chariot go?

South Indian routes through Karnataka and neighbouring states, which have included Mysore, Hampi, temple towns and wildlife stops in different seasons — we confirm the current route once we know your dates.

Is this the same as the Deccan Odyssey?

No — the Golden Chariot covers Karnataka and South India, while the Deccan Odyssey covers Maharashtra and Goa. They are separate trains run by different state tourism operators.

Set by the operator and confirmed on enquiry once we have your dates and cabin preference.

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Luxury TrainsGolden Chariot

The Golden Chariot

The Golden Chariot is a Karnataka State Tourism luxury train covering South Indian routes through Karnataka and neighbouring states, taking in temple towns, Mysore's palace heritage, Hampi's ruins and, on some routes, wildlife country, typically over seven nights.

We check live cabin availability before you commit
Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm IST
No payment to start planning

Best season: Winter-to-spring season, broadly
Price: Quoted per person
Route: Golden Chariot

Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team · Updated 13 Sept 2026

Temple and heritage-site visits involve walking, sometimes barefoot inside shrines; comfortable, easily removable footwear helps.
Travellers whose India itinerary is built around South India rather than the Golden Triangle, and who want a slow, scenic way to connect Karnataka's and the wider south's heritage sites.
Confirm the current season's exact route and stops before booking, since South Indian luxury-rail circuits have varied over the years.

The Golden Chariot, named after the stone chariot at Hampi, is Karnataka State Tourism's luxury train, running routes through South India that have included Mysore's palace, Hampi's UNESCO ruins, Karnataka's temple towns, and stretches into neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Kerala or Goa depending on the season's scheduled circuit.

It is built around South India's distinct heritage — Dravidian temple architecture, Mysore's royal history and the region's wildlife reserves — rather than the Rajasthan-Delhi-Agra ground the northern trains cover.

Board at the scheduled origin
Typically Bengaluru, depending on the season's route.
Heritage and temple stops
Guided excursions to Mysore Palace, Hampi's ruins and temple towns are built into the schedule.
Onboard time
Dining car and lounge time between stops in the same style as India's other luxury trains.
Return
The loop closes back at the departure point after around seven nights.

Why book with Experience My India?

Government-approved operator
Approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
500+ vetted local guides
35+ destination specialists plan every trip by hand.
Human help, every day
Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST · +91 73022 65809
No payment until you approve
You receive a written quote first; nothing is charged to start planning.

How we vet every guide, stay and route India e-Visa: who needs one and how to apply Have a specialist design this trip

How does booking work?

1
Send an enquiry
Dates, who is travelling and how you like to travel. Two fields to start.
2
We check availability
Hotels, guides and permits for your dates, with honest alternatives if something is full.
3
Price and hotels named
Every hotel and inclusion is named before you pay anything.
4
Written quote in INR
One document, no hidden lines, valid for the dates it quotes.
5
You approve
Change anything you like. Nothing is charged until you say yes.
6
A named specialist runs it
The same person from first reply to departure, Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST.

Meet your trip designer

Gurudutt Kaushal

Founder, Experience My India · IIT Jodhpur

Gurudutt Kaushal founded Experience My India and set the two rules every trip here runs on: hotels and guides are named before you pay, and a human replies within four hours. Your itinerary is designed by one of the 35+ destination specialists on his team and checked against our vetting standard.

Trust and protection

Ministry of Tourism approved
Approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
Registered business
GSTIN 09BZFPM8067A1Z9
4.5 / 5 on Tripadvisor
Independent guest reviews
No payment to start
A written quote first; charged in INR only after you approve.

What do guests say?

4.4

7 reviews

How do we collect reviews?

5 stars4
4 stars2
3 stars1
2 stars0
1 stars0

Reviews collected onExperience My India is rated 4.5 on Tripadvisor

What our guests say

Min-jun Park
Seoul, South Korea · Solo · Verified trip
5/51 week ago
Straightforward and honest. They told us in advance which parts would be crowded and which days to avoid, and the route they suggested was better than the one we had planned ourselves.
via Google
Manpreet Singh
Chandigarh · Family · Verified trip
5/52 weeks ago
We asked for a slower pace because of a bad knee and they rebuilt the day around it without any drama — fewer steps, more sitting, same highlights. That flexibility is why I would book again.
via Google
Marcus Weber
Munich, Germany · Solo · Verified trip
4/51 month ago
Excellent guide and a well-paced day. My only note is that lunch was at a fairly touristy restaurant; food was fine but we would have preferred somewhere more local. Otherwise faultless.
via Google
Nandini Rao
Mysuru, Karnataka · Solo · Verified trip
4/52 months ago
Very good overall. The itinerary was tight but never felt rushed, and the driver was superb. The hotel on night two was a step down from the others — clean, but the Wi-Fi barely worked. Would still recommend.
via Google

What is the cancellation policy?

Cancellation terms are confirmed with your written quote

No payment is taken until you approve the itinerary.

Request a quote

Price on request

Tailor-made quote from a specialist

The Golden Chariot

We check live cabin availability before you commit
Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm IST
No payment to start planning

Temple and heritage-site visits involve walking, sometimes barefoot inside shrines; comfortable, easily removable footwear helps.
Travellers whose India itinerary is built around South India rather than the Golden Triangle, and who want a slow, scenic way to connect Karnataka's and the wider south's heritage sites.
Confirm the current season's exact route and stops before booking, since South Indian luxury-rail circuits have varied over the years.

Board at the scheduled origin
Typically Bengaluru, depending on the season's route.
Heritage and temple stops
Guided excursions to Mysore Palace, Hampi's ruins and temple towns are built into the schedule.
Onboard time
Dining car and lounge time between stops in the same style as India's other luxury trains.
Return
The loop closes back at the departure point after around seven nights.

Why book with Experience My India?

Government-approved operator
Approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
500+ vetted local guides
35+ destination specialists plan every trip by hand.
Human help, every day
Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST · +91 73022 65809
No payment until you approve
You receive a written quote first; nothing is charged to start planning.

How we vet every guide, stay and route India e-Visa: who needs one and how to apply Have a specialist design this trip

How does booking work?

1
Send an enquiry
Dates, who is travelling and how you like to travel. Two fields to start.
2
We check availability
Hotels, guides and permits for your dates, with honest alternatives if something is full.
3
Price and hotels named
Every hotel and inclusion is named before you pay anything.
4
Written quote in INR
One document, no hidden lines, valid for the dates it quotes.
5
You approve
Change anything you like. Nothing is charged until you say yes.
6
A named specialist runs it
The same person from first reply to departure, Mon–Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM IST.