Best of South India
Duration: 17 nights and 18 days
Begaluru, Mysore, Ooty, Athirapally, Kochi, Munnar, Madurai, Thekkady, Kumarakom,
Alleppey, Kovalam
Day 1 Bengaluru
Arrive Bengaluru. You will be met, assisted and transferred to your hotel. Overnight
in Bengaluru.
Day 2 Mysore
Proceed for a half day tour of Bengaluru. Visit the Vidhana Soudha, the Legislative
Chambers of the state government. Proceed to the famous Bull Temple, which houses
a huge monolithic idol of Nandi. Conclude with a visit to Tipu Sultan’s Fort.
The Palace inside is carved out of teakwood with decorated pillars, concave arches
and balconies. In the evening drive to Mysore (145 kms / 4 hrs approx), enroute
visiting Srirangapatnam, an island fortress-city of great religious, cultural and
historic importance. It was Tipu Sultan’s capital. Arrive Mysore and
check in to your hotel. Overnight in Mysore.
Day 3 Mysore
Proceed for excursion to Somnathpur. Later visit, Mysore Palace, a treasure house
of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world. Next, visit Chamundi
Hill. Half way up to the top is Nandi, Lord Shiva's Bull- a majestic monolith. Overnight
in Mysore.
Day 4 Ooty
Drive to Ooty (135 kms / 4 hrs approx), known as the ‘Queen of Hill Stations’.
Nestled in the Nilgiri Hills, it is situated at an altitude of 2,240 meters above
sea level. Arrive Ooty and check in to your hotel. Proceed for a toy train ride.
Overnight in Ooty.
Day 5 Ooty
Proceed for a half day tour of Ooty, known as the ‘Queen of Hill Stations’.
Ooty is a feast for the eyes, with its lofty, eucalyptus covered mountains, dense
forests, and acres and acres of tea estates. Enjoy a stroll around the Botanical
Gardens, covering an area of 22 acres. Visit Ooty Lake, and Doddabetta Peak-the
highest point (2623 meters) in the Nilgiris, at the junction of the Western and
Eastern Ghats. Overnight in Ooty. Overnight in Ooty.
Day 6 Athirapally
Drive to Athirapally (249 kms 6 hrs approx.). The charm of Athirapally and Vazhachal
waterfalls cannot be described in words. Perched high above the Sholayar forest
ranges on the fringes of Kerala’s famed rain forest, the Athirapally waterfalls
provide a restful escape for those wanting to leave the hurried pace of city
life behind. Overnight in Athirapally.
Day 7 Kochi
Drive to Kochi (73 kms 1.5 hrs approx.). Arrive Kochi and check in to your hotel.
In the evening, witness a Kathakali dance performance. The style dates back to the
seventeenth century and is deeply rooted in mythology. Overnight in Kochi.
Day 8 Kochi
Proceed for a full-day tour of Kochi. Visit Fort Kochi… walk to the church
of St Francis, the oldest European-built church in the country. Continue with a
visit to Mattancherry, where you will visit the historic synagogue in the Jewish
Quarter. You will also visit the Mattancherry or Dutch Palace, with its fine collection
of mural paintings depicting scenes from the Hindu epics. Evening, drive past the
amazing Chinese Fishing Nets. Also drive past Willingdon Island. Overnight in Kochi.
Day 9 Munnar
Drive to Munnar (128 kms / 3.5 hrs approx.). Arrive Munnar and check in to your
hotel and relax. Overnight in Munnar.
Day 10 Munnar
Proceed for a full-day tour of Munnar. Visit the Tea Museum, which showcases some
of the interesting aspects of tea plantations in Munnar. Also visit Mattupetty,
known for its dam and the beautiful lake. Later visit the Kundala tea plantations
and the Kundala Lake… the mountain slopes here are thick with undulating,
evergreen tea plantations. Here you can view the entire process of making tea, right
from plucking of tealeaves to their processing. Overnight in Munnar.
Day 11 Madurai
Drive to Madurai (140 kms / 2.5 Hrs approx.), proceed for a full-day
tour of Madurai. Visit the Meenakshi Temple- the heart and lifeline of the 2500
year old city of Madurai. The complex houses 14 magnificent Gopurams or towers,
including two golden Gopurams for the main deities. Next, visit the Gandhi Memorial
Museum at the Tamukkam Palace. Proceed to the Palace of Tirumalai Nayak, an Indo-Saracenic
building constructed in 1523. Continue to the Koodal Azhagar Temple, one of the
108 temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu. In the evening, re-visit the Meenakshi Temple
to witness the evening prayer ceremony at the temple. Overnight in Madurai.
Day 12 Thekkady
Drive to Thekkady (160 kms / 4 hrs approx). Arrive Thekkady and check in to your
hotel. Proceed to visit Thekkady wildlife sanctuary, where herds of wild elephants
have made Thekkady Lake their favorite haunt for frolicking in the water. Evening
take a spice plantation tour. Spices found in here include pepper, clove, cardamom,
nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, vanilla and curry leaves. Enjoy an elephant ride in Thekkady.
Overnight in Thekkady.
Day 13 Kumarakom
Drive to Kumarakom (140 kms / 3.5 hrs approx). Arrive Kumarakom and check in to
your hotel. Proceed for a tour of Kumarakom bird sanctuary. An ornithologist's paradise,
the sanctuary is spread across 14 acres, and is the favorite haunt of local birds
like Waterfowl, Cuckoo, Owls, Egrets, and Wood Beetle. Overnight in Kumarakom.
Day 14 Alleppey
Drive to Alleppey (35 kms / 1 hrs approx). Arrive Alleppey and board your houseboat.
Alleppey, "Venice of the East" has a large network of backwater canals
that meander through the town and surrounding villages. Overnight on houseboat.
Day 15 Kovalam
Drive to Kovalam (159 kms / 3.5 hrs). Arrive Kovalam and check in to your hotel.
Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Kovalam.
Day 16 Kovalam
Proceed for a full-day excursion to Trivandrum (one way 11 kms / 30 min approx).
Visit the Napier Museum which houses a rare collection of archaeological and historic
artifacts. Visit the Kuthiramalika Palace, built by the King of Travancore. The
palace museum displays paintings and various priceless collections of the royal
family. End your tour with the Veli Tourist Village… a beautiful picnic spot
where the Veli Lake merges with the Arabian Sea. Overnight in Kovalam.
Day 17 Kovalam
Day at Leisure. Overnight in Kovalam.
Day 18 Onwards
Proceed to the Trivandrum airport (11 Kms / 30 Min approx.) to board the flight
for your onward destination.