Immerse yourself in the beauty of Peninsular India on this journey through the gentler, more relaxed southern states of the kaleidoscopic sub-continent. Prized for millennia for its aromatic spices and other natural resources and cultural treasures, India’s beautiful south remains a feast for the senses with all the right ingredients for a wonderful trip, fragrant cuisines, friendly people, and fascinating cultures. The colour and movement of bustling, increasingly sophisticated cities yields to sleepy fishing villages, tropical coastlines and lush hinterlands. You’ll be astonished by the inspired Pallava sculptures and towering Chola temples of Tamil Nadu, enchanted by the colonial charms of Pondicherry, and lulled to restful sleep by the tranquil backwaters of Kerala. It’s an India still largely untrammelled by tourists that will stay in your heart forever.
01Arrive in Chennai where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Day at Leisure. Overnight stay at the hotel.
02Full day sightseeing of Chennai.
03Drive to Pondicherry en route visiting Mahabalipuram.
04Full day sightseeing of Pondicherry including Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville.
05Drive further south to Thanjavur (formerly Tanjore).
06Full day sightseeing.
07Drive to Madurai, en route, visit a Chettinad village and lunch at a local restaurant.
08This morning, enjoy a half-day city tour of Madurai, evening, witness a Hindu prayer ceremony (‘aarti’) at the 12th-century Meenaskshi Temple.
09After breakfast, travel overland into the state of Kerala to Periyar. Late afternoon visit a spice plantation.
10After breakfast, proceed to Periyar National Park for game viewing by boat and hence depart for Kumarakom.
11Enjoy a full day at leisure.
Evening boat cruise.
12Drive to Cochin . Day at Leisure.
13Full day tour of Fort Cochin.
14Today you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight.