Journey to the “City of Pearls” with a day tour to Hyderabad. This relatively new city by Indian standards (less than 500 years old) is brimming with culture and sights you don’t want to miss. Take a gander back in time as your professional English-speaking tour guide brings you to Charminar, a majestic monument with 4 gorgeously carved spires in the heart Hyderabad’s Old City. Built in 1591 by Mohammad Quil Qutub Shah, this towering architectural achievement was built to commemorate the eradication of the plague from Hyderabad. Continue on to visit the ruined city of Golkonda Fort built in the 13th century. The remains of the city will leave you breathless. Next see the Mecca Masjid, one of the oldest mosques in Hyderabad. The bricks are made from soil from the city of Mecca, making it even more important. You can also see Hussain Sagar, an awesome manmade lake in the city. The lake, constructed in 1562 by Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali, has a large stone Buddha in the middle that was built in 1992. Also known as “Tank Bund”, the lake connects the sister cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Hyderabad is not only the capital of the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, it is also the most populous. On your tour you will have seen the ancient parts of the city, but today it is actually much more modern. Hyderabad is a major hub for the information technology industry in India, as well as the biotechnology and pharmaceutical capital of India. Don’t miss this exciting look at a modern old city!

After being collected from your hotel waiting area between 9:30AM-10:00AM by your guide and driver, you will depart for your full-day tour of Hyderabad. Your tour starts with a visit to the magnificent Golkonda Fort, originally built in the 12th century, known for its innovative water supply system, huge acoustic palaces and the Fateh Rahben gun and cannons. Following this, you will visit the historical Qutub Shahi Tombs, located at Ibrahim Bagh and close to the Golconda Fort, where the bodies of Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah and his heirs were buried. Next on the tour will be the ancient mosque, Mecca Masjid, whose construction was started by the Qutb Shahi dynasty and was completed by Aurangzeb. It is believed that the bricks and soil to build the central arch of this historic mosque were procured from through the major pilgrimage of Muslims, Mecca. Your driver will then take you to a local restaurant where you can enjoy famous Hyderabadi cuisine. After finishing lunch, your next stop will be at Charminar. Charminar is known as the Icon of Hyderabad, famous for its architecture, four minarets of 184-feet tall, four arches and the work of granite, mortar, limestone and pulverized marble. You will then venture onward to the Salar Jung Museum, which contains a treasure of exhibits that include ancient manuscripts, sculptures, carvings, artifacts, carpets, furniture and more. The Museum houses the largest one-man collection of antiques in the world by Nawab Mir Yusuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III (1889–1949), former Prime Minister of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad. Later on, you will be taken to the Chow Mohalla Palace, recognized for a complex of four palaces built in the European and Mughal style of architecture. Before the conclusion of your day, your driver will take you to the beautiful and serene Hussain Sagar and the closely located NTR Gardens which are the best places to spend your evening, which will include a unique boat ride. At the conclusion of your tour, your driver will drop you back at your accommodation.