Arriving at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati International Airport you are greeted by our staff who will transfer you to your hotel. The balance of the day is free to relax.

Situated on the west coast beside the Arabian Sea, Mumbai is not only the capital of Maharashtra but is also India’s commercial and entertainment centre and is made up of seven islands.

Accommodation:  At your selected hotel – 2 Nights

We start the day with a ferryboat ride to visit Elephanta Island. Dedicated to Lord Shiva you will marvel at its impressive caves filled with exemplary Hindu and Buddhist stone sculptures.  In the afternoon, our tour of Mumbai continues and includes visits to the Gateway of India, Victoria Terminus, Dhobi Ghat (an open air laundry) and Crawford market.

Later this morning you are taken back to the airport for flight to Cochin, the cultural capital of the state of Kerala.  On arrival you are met and transferred to your hotel where the remainder of the day is free to explore on your own.

Kochi (formerly known as Cochin) is a vibrant city on the southwest coast India and has a diverse culture combining the traditions of Hindus, Christians and Muslims.

Accommodation:  At your selected hotel – 2 Nights.

Our morning sightseeing tour of Cochin includes visiting the Mattancherry Dutch Palace, St Francis Church and the Jewish Synagogue then to see the iconic Chinese Fishing nets that are still in use on the Arabian Sea coast.  The afternoon is at leisure allowing time to explore on your own before enjoying a live performance at Kathkali Dance theatre this evening

Today we take a short drive south to Mararikulam (60 kms/1½ hrs).  Mararikulam is a small sleepy, coastal village with a beautiful beach very close to Alleppey.  Here, local villagers engage in fishing and farming and this is a perfect place to relax and enjoy miles of unspoiled and sparsely populated beaches

Accommodation:  At your selected hotel – 2 Nights

Enjoy a full day free to relax on the beach or pursue individual activities.

You can also experience traditional Keralan Ayurvedic massages.

After breakfast, transfer to Allepey (30 minutes) and board a houseboat on Vembanad Lake to experience the backwaters of Kerala.  The day is spent floating through the meandering backwaters of this vast lake before anchoring for the night.  As you cruise along the canals you will be close enough to see the Kuttanad people harvesting the rice paddy fields and also see fishermen laying their nets to catch fish and other shellfish.

Overnight on Houseboat

After breakfast disembark houseboat and travel to Periyar (160 kms/4 hrs) and on the way, stop to see a rubber plantation. After checking in, enjoy a thrilling game viewing boat ride on Lake Periyar in the Periyar National Park, keeping watch for elephants, gaur and the park’s many species of birds.  For added excitement there is the option of going into the park with a forest ranger looking for game during a night patrol.

Accommodation:  At your selected hotel – 2 Nights.

This morning go on a “nature walk” inside the park accompanied by an experienced and knowledgeable tribal guide.  In the afternoon visit a local market to see Kerala’s many locally harvested spices and then visit a plantation to see how spices like cardamom, cloves and black pepper are grown. This is followed by a tour of the tea gardens before returning to your hotel.

After breakfast we drive to Madurai, one of the oldest South Indian cities and a centre of learning and pilgrimage for centuries after crossing over the Western Ghat Mountains.

After checking in to the hotel, the afternoon is spent visiting the Thirumalai Nayaka Palace followed by Madurai’s main attraction the Sri Meenakshi Temple, a superb example of Dravidian temple architecture found in Tamil Nadu.  Later enjoy the spell-binding evening ceremony at this temple where they put the Goddess to bed.

Overnight at Madurai

Following breakfast, we depart for Trichy, the ancient capital of Chola dynasty and en route visit the town of Kanadukathan to see its old Chettinad-style mansions and enjoy the local cuisine. On arrival at Trichy, renamed at Tiruchirappalli, check into hotel.

In the afternoon our guided tour takes you to the Rock Fort Temple, a temple complex dedicated to Lord Ganesha and Shiva followed Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Vishnu.

Overnight at Trichy

Today, we head off to Kumbakonam and en route, visit Tanjore, the cultural capital of Tamilnadu, which was an important seat of learning and famous for Tanjore school of painting, where you will marvel at the architectural wonders found in Brihadishvara Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

On arrival at Kumbakonam, check in to the hotel, where balance of the day is at leisure.

Accommodation:  At your selected hotel – 2 Nights

The day is spent exploring temples in and around Kumbakonam, including famous Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram and learning about the local culture by visiting one of the nearby rural villages. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Early today, we set off to Pondicherry and en route visit the Brihadeeshwarar temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, another World Heritage temple under the “Great Living Chola Temples”. As we continue our drive to Pondichery, we will also stop at Chidambaram to see it famous Natraja Temple.  On arrival at Pondicherry, check in to the hotel, where you can choose how to spend the balance of the day such as taking a heritage walk through the French Quarter or visiting some of the churches, or just stroll along the town’s attractive boardwalk watching the ocean on the Bay of Bengal.

Overnight at Pondicherry

We begin our day with visiting Shree Aurobindo Ashram before heading off to Mahabalipuram, a beautiful beach retreat on the Bay of Bengal. On arrival, check in to hotel, where the balance of the day is at leisure in the seaside town.

Accommodation:  At your selected hotel – 2 Nights

After breakfast, enjoy a half-day of sightseeing, with our first stop at the UNESCO Heritage site – the Shore Temple with its numerous and a Vishnu Temple sandwiched between two Shiva temples. Then we stop to see Arjuna’s Penance.  This is the largest bas-relief in the world covered with detailed carvings, including a family of elephants and monkeys and. The remainder of the day is free.

Enjoy a half-day tour of Chennai this morning, visiting Fort St. George. St Thomas Cathedral and the Kapaleeshwar Temple. Depending upon your onward schedule, you could also visit unique Dakshina Chitra, a centre of live performing arts, culture, folk dances of South India.  Later you will be transferred to airport for your flight back home or your onward journey.