Glimpses of Southern India

On your arrival at the International airport in Chennai and after clearing customs and immigration, our representative will greet you and will accompany you on the drive to Mahabalipuram which will roughly take an hour. 

On arrival in Mahabalipuram, you will check in at the hotel.

Built on a promontory, the Shore Temple overlooks the shore of the Bay of Bengal and features distinct blocks of granite constructed during the 7th and 8th century of the Pallava dynasty during the reign of Narasimhavarman.

As one of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, it has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is considered one of the oldest structural stone temples of South India.

After this tour, you will drive to Pondicherry, a 2 to 3 hour journey, and en-route stop for meditation at Matrimandir – which requires prior booking – here you will experience yoga in a unique space with experienced practitioners. You will then visit the Ashram and take a walk in Pondicherry’s French Quarter

A half hour’s drive from Pondicherry is the experimental township of Auroville. This fascinating society is based on the concepts of sustainable and holistic living. Gopi, your guide and local Aurovillean, will give you an insider’s view of its history and decision-making processes. With 7 years in tourism, he has formed relations with valuable networks that inspired the concept behind sustainable tourism. He will take you through various key spots in the community, such as the workshop areas like The Wellpaper unit: a women’s empowerment initiative which produces baskets, accessories and other handmade items out of old newspapers, and Auroville’s Solar Kitchen, where you will see the huge solar panels which meet Auroville energy needs.

After breakfast, you will be driven to Thanjavur, approximately a 4 hour drive covering just over 180 kms.

After check in and a chance to relax. In the evening, you will venture on a culinary cultural trip to indulge in Tamilian cuisine but with a distinct Thanjavur signature. The flavours & textures you will find are very different and perhaps you would like to learn to cook a dish and pick up an authentic technique or two with the chef, as a guest experience.

After your leisurely breakfast, you will visit Brihadeeswara temple built by Raja Raja Chola, considered as “the grandest temple in South India ” and the second largest monolithic sculptures of its kind in the country. Then onto the Palace which was built partly by both the Nayaks and Marathas. Finally in the evening you will get to listen to vedic chanting at Svatma and experience a divine vibration that resonates words of ancient scriptures, helping to calm your mind and purify the soul for worshippers.

After breakfast and check out, you will leave early and we will drive you to Madurai. Your journey will be from Tanjore to Trichy lasting about 1 ½ hrs. En-route you will visit the Srirangam Ananthaswamy Temple. The temple stretches across 156 acres, housing 108 Vishnu temples and has seven enclosures or ‘prakaras’ which have 21 magnificent towers offering a great view of the shrines within the rampart walls of the temple. It is an architectural feat to be seen.

After this visit and a welcome break of the journey, the next leg will be Trichy to Madurai, taking 2 ½ hrs.

After breakfast, you will start your day by going to the Shree Meenakshi Temple. There are four massive gateways enclosing these two shrines. The complex extends over an area of 65000 sq.m and first came into being 2000 years ago. 

Shree Meenakshi Temple

 Synonymous with Madurai, is Meenakshi Sundareswarar twin Temples, pivot around which the city has evolved. The temple complex is literally a city, one of the largest of its kind in India and undoubtedly one of the oldest too. The temple grew with the contribution of each dynasty and victorious monarchs, into an enormous. The temple firstand was substantially expanded during the regime of Thirumalai Nayak (1623-55 AD). Lord Siva in his incarnation as Sundareswarar and his fish-eyed spouse, Meenakshi, are enshrined in this twin temple.. Even a casual visitor is fascinated by the many paintings and sculptures.

Afterwards drive to Periyar (4 hrs)

Late afternoon, visit the plantation area. This region is famous for spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and pepper after a visit back to the hotel.

Today you will enjoy some wildlife at the Periyar National Park, taking a boat ride safari through some of the richest forest tracts of Periyar Tiger Reserve.  The boat ride will be two to three hours giving you a panoramic view of birdlife, giant squirrels, the nilgiri langur and the forest itself. Animals like elephants, gaur and sambar can also be sighted as they keep close to the edges of the lake. 

In the afternoon, you will take a walk accompanied by a naturalist. Bird watching and fishing enthusiasts will find new experiences to take home. 

Depending on the season, a walk to a pepper plantation is also on the cards, giving you the opportunity to see peppercorns on vines, ripening at various stages with the strong aroma of pepper pervading the plantation.

After breakfast, you will drive to Alleppey – covering about 85 kms over 2.5 hours – to Kottayam Jetty for a backwater cruise on your private houseboat, locally known as a Kettuvallam. The Kettuvallam, or ‘tied together boat,’ is made with Jak tree lashed together with coir rope and reinforced with coconut fibre and boiled cashew shell goop. These large boats have been used for decades as a means of transport goods in Kerala. But today you will board one, complete with comfy chairs, bamboo and palm thatched canopy for shade, even one or two small bedrooms with an ensuite washroom. Enjoy the ride in the backwaters here, in the warmth of the sun…while a cook conjures up a sumptuous meal and a small crew keeps the impressive boat going.

In tranquil seclusion at Coconut Lagoon, you can opt to spend your day as you desire. Birdwatching is a great option, given the abundance of birdlife here, such as the darter, egret, cormorant and brahminy kite. Migratory birds from the Himalayas have also been sighted here. The butterfly garden may interest you as well, amidst over 50 species of dragonflies and damselflies! The backwater offers rides to explore the labyrinth of routes as well as the sunset ride with a flute accompanist to add to the ambience, upon the waters. You could also choose to go on a guided kayaking trip as well on the lake. There is also a floating tea boat – if you wish to enjoy a cup of tea on the backwaters of Kumarakom.

After breakfast, we will drive you to Cochin which will take just 1 hour. Then you will check in at your designated hotel, the Old Harbour.

In the evening, you will watch a live performance of Kathakali. This genre of classical dance form has its roots in Kerala. Associated with storytelling like other Indian classical dance arts, the story in ‘Kathakali’ is also communicated through impressive gestures of face and hands complimented by music and singing. 

Kathakali is distinct because of the very exaggerated facial make-up or masks that amplify the facial expressions while the style of dance and movements reflect the age-old martial arts and athletic conventions prevalent in Kerala. Kathakali is greatly followed and admired.

In the morning, you will be taken to Malabar Coast: a gateway to many faiths and cultures. Historically, Muziris – the name of an ancient port city here – traded in precious goods. The earliest Jewish settlers came here, Christianity and the first mosque came to be in Muziris. A flood damaged Muziris, conceding its trading position to Cochin. However, it is still a great testament to the inter-faith existence as its numerous places of worship will show you. After lunch you go on a tour of Kochi’s highlights: including Cheenavala: the place where fishing nets were introduced during Kublai Khan’s era and are still only found here in Kochi.Your final stop: Fort Cochin; built during a colonial past.