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.