South India Tour

Day 1

Arrive Bangalore, the information technology capital of India

Arrive in India, for your South India Tour

PM:

• Arrive Bangalore
• Welcome at airport
• Transfer to hotel

Day 2

Drive to Hassan, Gateway to the Hoysala temples at Belur and Halebid

Discover the first city of your South India Tour, pacing through Bangalore, the garden city of India

AM: Sightseeing of Bangalore, which includes a visit to

• The Government museum, one of the oldest museums in India.
• Vidhan Souda, the State Legislative Assembly, known for its beautiful architecture
• The Lal Bagh botanical garden which boasts of having the most diverse collection of plants in South Asia

PM:

• Drive to Hassan.
• Arrive Hassan, check-in at hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure

Day 3

Drive to Mysore, a city known for its dussehra celebration and sandalwood industry

Encounter the historic marvel of your South India Tour, discovering the Hoysala temples at Belur and Halebid

AM:

• Visit the Hoysala temple complex at Belur. Hoysala temples are rich in beautiful sculptures and intricate carving, the most popular among them being The Chennakesava temple, a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
• Also visit the temple complex at Halebid, the erstwhile capital of Hoysala rulers. The Hoysaleswara Temple here perched on a star-shaped base amidst lawns, is a sculptural extravaganza.

PM:

• Drive to Mysore, the city known for its famous Dussehera celebration and beautiful Mysore palace
• Arrive Mysore, check-in at hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure

Day 4

Day in Mysore

Cherish the splendour of your South India Tour, with a tour of the princely city of Mysore.

AM: Enjoy sightseeing of Mysore, which includes a visit to

• The Mysore Palace, one of the largest palaces in India
• The Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery, known for its exquisite paintings
• St Philomena Church

PM:

• Visit the Bull Temple and the Chamundeshwari temple at Chamundi hills.

Day 5

Drive to Ooty, the queen of Nilgiri Hills

Delight yourself with the beauty of your South India Tour, visiting Ooty, a small hill station popularly called the queen of Nilgiri hills.

AM:

• Drive to Ooty, a beautiful hill station nestled in the Nilgiri Hills
• Enroute visit tea plantations and a tea factory, learning the secrets of a perfect brew

PM:

• Arrive Ooty, check-in at hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure

Day 6

Drive to Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala

Continue your South India Tour, with a visit to Kochi, the bustling coastal town of Kerala

AM:

• Drive to Kochi, the main trading port of Kerala

PM:

• Arrive Kochi, check-in at hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure

Day 7

Day in Kochi

Experience the richness of heritage of your South India Tour, sightseeing around the vibrant city of Kochi

AM: Sightseeing of Kochi includes a visit to

• The famous Dutch Palace
• Fort Kochi
• Jewish Synagogue
• St Francis Church
• The famous Chinese fishing nets, the only one of their kind in India

PM:

• Enjoy a spectacular Kathakali dance performance in the evening. Kathakali is one of the oldest classical dance forms of India. The artists dressed in elaborate costumes with vividly painted faces enact the stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata through this dance form.

Day 8

Experience the backwaters aboard your traditional thatched roof Kerala style Houseboat

Enjoy the epitome of your South India Tour, with an overnight cruise through the backwaters of Kerala

AM:

• Drive to Alleppey, the backwater paradise in Kerala
• On arrival, board your traditional thatched-roofed houseboat, also known as ‘Kettuvalams’.

PM:

• Cruise through the backwaters of Kerala, a complex network of lagoons, canals & lakes. Reckoned as one of the best way to experience Kerala, a cruise through the backwaters, offers unmatched experiences and sights of verdant paddy fields, coconut groves and local villagers engaged in their daily chores, giving you a first hand experience of life along the backwaters

Day 9

Drive to Periyar, the spice plantation hub of Kerala

Sense the spicy aromas of your South India Tour, with a visit to Periyar, the spice plantation county of Kerala

AM:

• After breakfast, disembark your houseboat at the coastal backwaters town of Kumarakom.
• Visit the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, a paradise for bird watchers

PM:

• Drive to Periyar. On arrival,  check-in at your hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure

Day 10

Day in Periyar

On this day of your South India Tour, discover the Periyar wildlife sanctuary and spice plantations

AM:

• Visit the Periyar Wild Life Sanctuary, a popular elephant reserve of South India.  You can see herds of elephants passing through the jungles or enjoying a leisurely bath in the river.
• Enjoy a boat cruise at Lake Periyar, spotting beautiful migratory birds and wild animals along the banks of the lake

PM:

• Enjoy a spice plantation tour to the nearby plantations, enriching yourself with knowledge of Indian spices.

Day 11

Drive to Madurai, the temple city of India

Discover heritage in your South India Tour, visiting Madurai, home to the famous Meenakshi temple

AM:

• Drive to Madurai.
• Arrive Madurai, check-in at hotel and freshen up.

PM: Discover Madurai, visiting

• The Gandhi Museum, displaying the original blood stained garments of Gandhi when he was assassinated by Nathuram Godse
• The Triumalai Nayak Palace, known for its rectangular dance floor.
• Meenakshi temple, a beautiful Dravidian style temple dedicated to goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. In the evening, witness the splendid aarti ceremony performed in the temple

Day 12

Drive to Tanjore, home to the Brihadeshwara temple and Tanjore paintings

Continue to the cultural splendours of your South India Tour, with a visit to Tanjore, a UNESCO world heritage site in south India

AM:

• Drive to Tanjore,  a city famous for its temple architecture and the world famous Tanjore paintings
• Enroute visit the Rock fort and temples of Trichy, a thriving commercial city of south India

PM:

• Arrive Tanjore, check-in at hotel and freshen up.
• Visit the Brihadeshwara temple, the worlds first complete granite structure. Brihadeshwar temple is among the most prized possession of India and an outstanding example of the architectural heights reached during the Chola period.
• Visit the Thanjavur Palace, known for its huge corridors, spacious halls, observation and arsenal towers.

Day 13

Drive to Pondicherry, the French Riviera of South East India

Experience the erstwhile Indo-French lifestyle on your South India Tour, with a visit to Pondicherry, a  former French colony which still retains its French charm

AM:

• Drive to Pondicherry, the living epitome of French culture in India.

PM:

• Arrive Pondicherry, check-in at hotel and freshen up.
• Rest of the day is at leisure to discover this former settlement on your own.

Day 14

Drive to Mahabalipuram, a beach town known for its rock cut temples and pagodas

Proceed to the cultural hub of your South India Tour, visiting Mahabalipuram, a UNESCO world heritage site, famous for its rock cut architecture.

AM:

• Visit Auroville, a unique experiment in human unity and international living
• Take a leisurely drive to Mahabalipuram.

PM:

• Arrive Mahabalipuram, check-in at hotel and freshen up
• Visit the Shore Temple, one of the oldest temples of South India.
• Also visit Arjuna Penance, the world’s largest rock bas relief
• See the Five Rathas,  a series of  five monolithic pyramidical structure named after the five Pandava brothers of the Hindu epic ‘Mahabharat’

Day 15

DEPARTURE

Bid goodbye to India, as you reach the finale of your South India Tour

AM:

• Drive to Chennai
• Enroute visit Kanchipuram, the city famous for its numerous temples and hand woven silk sarees. The Kanchipuram silk sarees are exotic pieces of art, woven from pure mulberry silk and decorated with fine gold thread ('zari). A short stop over also allows you an opportunity to see the regions silk weavers at work.

PM:

• Arrive Chennai, where you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight back home.