The Kingdom of Diamonds Tour
- 4 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
The Kingdom of Diamonds tour goes beyond the conventional understanding of the Golkonda Fort (which is not a fort at all) and the Qutb Shahi tombs (which transcend our ideas of a necropolis). We explore the two destinations together - one a city of the living, and the other a city of the dead, each adding meaning and completeness to the other in the rich and prosperous world of the Qutb Shahi rulers. We place the kingdom in its local and global context to bring about an understanding of how it was a crossroads of trade between the East and the West, and we connect the material remains we see today to specific events and stories that happened in the well-documented past.
Inclusions
What's included
- A light snack - the locally famous Osmania biscuit
- Bottled water
- Coffee and/or Tea
Itinerary
Golkonda was the capital city of the Qutb Shahi kingdom, which ruled this area in the 16th and 17th centuries. Explore life in the kingdom that was famed the world over for its diamonds. Walk through the stone bazaars which once buzzed with trade and commerce, being the world's source for diamonds, as well as a crossroads for trade between Arabia, China, Europe and the different parts of India. Find out how the strong fortifications helped make this city a center of trade. Stand in the 'killbox' and experience what it would have been like to attack the fort - which has never been taken in a military action! Climb up to the top and stand in the Diamond Keep - the cool and breezy house called home by arguably the richest kings of their time.
The Qutb Shahi tombs are one of the best-preserved necropolises in the world and give us a peek into the lives and deaths of the Qutb Shahi rulers. Explore the lives of the kings and their families, and find out the price of becoming a king in the 16th century. Marvel at the story of a woman who was more powerful than all the kings of Golkonda. The complex also has the most complete and best-preserved example of a Persian-style hamam (a public bath) from that era in India. Learn about the architecture of the tombs, and their economic and political role in strengthening the power of the kings. And finally, as you wander through these monuments to the power and might of the kings, figure out if they were mere men, or did they ascend to the position of something bigger!
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 53
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- 10
Ratings come from 3 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- This is the entrance to Golkonda Fort. There is an iron gate with a sign that says Golkonda Fort. This is where we will meet.
- Pickup
- Pickup is offered, or you can meet at the starting point.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- The Hyderabad Walking Company
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Hyderabad
- Its from-price is 15% below the median of the 187 experiences we list in Hyderabad.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 67 of 187.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Hyderabad
Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana, a historic city of pearls, palaces and biryani, built around the Charminar, a four-minaret monument from 1591.
Hyderabad was founded in 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, and the Charminar, a granite and lime-mortar monument with four minarets, marks the heart of the old city. Around it lie the Laad Bazaar, famed for bangles, and the Mecca Masjid, while the Chowmahalla Palace shows how the Nizams, who ruled later, lived. The Salar Jung Museum holds an enormous private collection.
Top-ranked sights in Hyderabad: Charminar, Mecca Masjid (Makkah Masjid), Laad Bazaar (Choodi Bazaar).
Special offers in Hyderabad
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
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