Amazing South India

Arrival Note: Upon arrival, you will be warmly greeted by our representative at the Chennai Airport with a welcome board, and a comfortable private car and driver will be prepared to transfer you to the hotel in downtown Chennai. You can spend the rest of the day resting to get over the jet lag and preparing for the following Chennai tour.

Sightseeing Activities: After breakfast, our guide will first take you to visit the Santhome Church, a Cathedral basilica built over the tomb of an apostle of Jesus – Saint Thomas. Next, we will visit the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, a 7th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and built in Dravidian style of architecture.

Afterwards, we will travel by private car to Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram. After about an hour of smooth driving, we will arrive and check into a local hotel, and then you can spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing Activities: First we will go to Kanchipuram, the ‘Varanasi of South India’, and visit the Temples of Ekambaswara, Kailasanatha, Sri Kamakshi and Varadarajaswamy featuring exquisite carvings and sculptures in Dravidian style of architecture. Next, we will visit the Shore Temple, an 8th-century granite temple complex touted as the best example of the architectural style of the Pallava Dynasty. Later, we will head to the Arjuna's Penance, the world's largest bas-relief completed in the 7th century, and finally the Five Rathas, a perfect manifestation of the evolution of Dravidian architecture.

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, we will drive to Pondicherry (also called Puducherry) and check into the hotel.

Sightseeing Activities: In the afternoon, our guide will lead you to have a look at the colonial-style buildings at the French Quarters. If you like, you can rent a bike at your own expense and ride around the neighborhood for a while. Next, we will visit the Aurobindo Ashram, a community built by Mirra Alfassa, a spiritual guru, and Sri Aurobindo who developed Internal Yoga. Our last stop today is the Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple, an over 500-year-old Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha.

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, we will start a long drive to Tanjore (officially known as Thanjavur). Stops can be made wherever you want on the way. Upon arrival, check into the local hotel and have a break, and our guide will then accompany you on an afternoon tour of Tanjore.

Sightseeing Activities: We will start with a visit to the Brihadeeswara Shiva Temple, a vast Chola Dynasty complex which represents the essence of the temple architecture in south India. Next, we will head to a former imperial palace – Thanjavur Maratha Palace, whose history dates back to the Thanjavur Nayak Dynasty. Going into the Palace, we will admire the Saraswati Mahal Library with over 30,000 palm-leaf manuscripts, and the Raja Raja Chola art gallery, where plenty of ancient stone and bronze sculptures of Hindu deities are stored.

Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, we will set off to Madurai. On the way we’ll stop at Trichy (Tiruchirapalli) for a visit.

Sightseeing Activities: At Trichy, our guide will first take you to Srirangam to visit the Sri Ranganathaswami Temple, one of the biggest Indian temple complexes dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Then we will proceed to the Lord Robert Clive's House and the Danish Church to look for the footprints left by the colonists. Next, we will go to the Rock Fort, which sits on a huge rock, from where we can have a panoramic view of Trichy and visit the two temples of Lord Ganesha and Lord Shiva respectively.

After visiting the fort, we will continue our journey to Madurai. Upon arrival, check into the hotel and walk around if you are still energetic.

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing Activities: In the morning, our visit will start from the Meenakshi Temple, where countless colorful statues on the exterior wall are quite eye-catching. Next, you will be guided to visit the Tirumala Nayak Palace, which was built in the 17th century and renowned for its domes and arches. Afterwards, we will continue to visit the Alagar Hills and the Gandhi Museum. Today’s guided tour will then end at a bustling local market, and you can spend the rest time shopping, drinking coffee, or exploring the city on your own.

Meals: Breakfast

In the morning, we will drive to Munnar, a beautiful hill station. If you see any beautiful scenery on the way, you can ask our driver to stop at any time for you to take photos, which is the advantage of our private tour. Arriving at the hotel, you can have a rest. Munnar is 1,500 to 2,695 meters above sea level and is famous for its mountains, water and tea plantations. We will not arrange a fixed itinerary for the rest of the day, in consideration of your fatigue from the long ride. We prefer to leave the time free for you to relax and breathe in the fresh air.

Meals: Breakfast

Sightseeing Activities: In the morning, we will head to the Eravikulam National Park, a protected area for the endangered Nilgiri Tahr and home to many species of butterflies and birds. Next, we will go to the Tea Museum to learn about the local tea plantations through artifacts and photographs. Later, we will head to the Top Station, the highest point of Munnar. En route, we’ll stop to see the Echo Point which is named after the natural echo phenomenon here. At last, we will visit Mattupetty popular for its dam and natural beauty, marking a perfect end to the day.

Meals: Breakfast

Today we will continue our holiday to Periyar. We’ll arrive at the hotel in Periyar around noon. After a short break, our guide will take you to spend some time exploring a spice plantation to learn about the use of many exotic spices.

★ Travel Different: In the afternoon, we will arrange a special boat tour of the Periyar Lake for you. Cruising along the main waterway of the Periyar Tiger Reserve, you can not only enjoy the picturesque lake views, but also spot some wildlife along the banks, which would be an exciting and fun experience.

► Tip: There is a popular Hindu martial arts show named Kalaripayattu at night. If you are interested, you can tell our guide in advance to arrange it for you for an additional charge.

Meals: Breakfast

Today we will continues our trip by private car to Alleppey (Alappuzha), a major city of Kerala State on India’s west coast. Around noon, we will arrive at this fancy destination known as the ‘Venice of the East’ for its master network of waterways.

Sightseeing Activities: Here we will prepare a local houseboat for you to experience a cruise on Kerala's backwaters. The boat will pass several villages and it is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty and know the local lifestyle.

★ What makes us different:
1. Best Cruising Time: Our itinerary is carefully designed based on the site visits of our travel experts, and we will arrange the most suitable time to board the houseboat between 12:00 and 13:00, so that you can get the best photo light and sightseeing experience.
2. Accommodation on Local Houseboat: We will prepare your lunch and dinner on board, which are plain but authentic local food. In addition, we will specially arrange for you to stay in the houseboat for one night, which would be a special experience. You’ll see that the local fishermen stop sailing around 17:00 to 18:00 to do their own fishing. After sunset, the houseboats will be moored at the dock for the night.
3. Nehru Trophy Boat Race: It is an annual tradition held on the second Saturday of August at the Punnamada Lake in Alleppey. If you are interested, please book as early as possible and let our travel consultants make proper arrangements for you.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we will drive 1.5 hours from Alleppey to Kochi. Upon arrival, we’ll first check into the hotel, and then the guide will take you to the Jew Town to appreciate the ancient buildings and alleys with various architectural styles. Next, we will get into the Mattancherry Palace, a Portuguese palace exhibiting Hindu murals and ancient furniture. Afterwards, we’ll proceed to the St Francis Church, the most ancient European church which witnessed the colonial struggle. Later in the afternoon, we’ll move to the Jewish Synagogue, the oldest synagogue among Commonwealth countries. Finally, we will head to the harbor to see the Chinese Fishing Nets introduced to India from centuries ago and enjoy a leisurely time at sunset. 

► Tip: Kathakali, a traditional Kerala night show with a history of more than 400 years, is worth seeing. If you are interested, please tell our guide to arrange it for you at an additional cost.

Meals: Breakfast

Departure Note: Your south India tour comes to an end today. Our guide and the driver will escort you to the Cochin International Airport for your homebound flight. Hope you have a pleasant trip!

Meals: Breakfast