SOUTH INDIA

JOURNEY TO INDIA FOR THE BEST OF SOUTH INDIA TOUR
Arrival & Departure place: Arrival in Chennai (MAA), Tamilnadu and Departure from Cochin (COK), Kerala
Explore Places of: Chennai – Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry – Kumbakonam – Tanjore – Chettinadu – Madurai – Periyar – Allepey – Cochin

Best of South India Tour - 9 Nights 10 Days

The Best of South India Tour offers a blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. Explore ancient UNESCO World Heritage sites like Mahabalipuram, Thanjavur, and Darasuram, renowned for their temple architecture. Visit vibrant cities such as Madurai and Kumbakonam, rich in spirituality and tradition, and experience the colonial charm of Pondicherry and Cochin. Enjoy unique cultural moments with rickshaw and Tuk-Tuk rides, a peaceful boat trip through Kerala's backwaters, and visits to spice and tea plantations, as well as a traditional coir factory, for an authentic South Indian experience.

Length of Tour

09 Nights 10 Days

Price

£899

When to Go

Bes of season:

Oct to Mar

Tropical: Apr to Sep

Map

The Main Sites and Monuments

Major archaeological sites visit in this tour: Mahabalipuram, Gangakondacholapuram, Darasuram, Kumbakonam and others.
Visit to Pondicherry, a former French trading post.
Visit Thanjavur and Madurai with their splendid temples.
Visit Cochin, an old colonial city.
The nature, relaxation and tradition moments
Rickshaw ride in Pondicherry.
Visit to a spice plantation.
Walk in a tea plantation.
Tuk-Tuk Ride in Madurai
Boat trip on the backwaters to Allepey, with a night on board a traditional Kerala boat.
Visit to a coir (coconut) manufacturing factory.

Day 1

CHENNAI

Welcome to Tamilnadu, Southern part of India!

Visit Chennai (Madras), capital of the Tamil Nadu region: bronze art gallery at the Government Museum, fruit and flower market, the High Court, Marina Beach; Fort Saint George, Santhome Cathedral, Kapalishwara Temple.

Day 2

CHENNAI-MAHABALIPURAM – PONDICHERY

Visit to Kalakshetra Foundation, an artistic and cultural academy of Indian art and crafts, Bharatanatyam dance and Gandharvaveda music. Continue to Mahabalipuram. Visit Mahabalipuram, a seaside and shopping resort with its numerous temples: the shore temple, The five Ratha (Pancha Ratha). Night in Pondicherry.

Day 3

PONDICHERRY

Visit the remains of the colonial era and the Indian districts: the neo-Gothic church of the Sacred Heart (18th century), Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (1791), Our Lady of the Angels; a sanctuary dedicated to Ganesh, that of Varadaraja Perumal dedicated to Vishnu in Dravidian style. Rickshaw ride in the old French districts, the white city, with its colonial architecture (18th century). Visit the Sri Aurobindo Museum and the Ashram, then the city museum with its collection of bronzes and sculptures from the Pallava and Chola dynasties.

Day 4

PONDICHERY-GANGAKONDACHOLAPURAM-DURASURAM – KUMBAKONAM

In Gangaikondacholapuram, Shivaite sanctuary (11th century). Visit of the magnificent temple of Airavateshvara (12th century) in Darasuram. In Swamimalai, visit of a factory of bronze sculptures using lost wax, with the different stages of manufacture. Introduction to traditional recipes of South India before tasting. In the evening, Bharatanatyam dance show.

Day 5

KUMBAKONAM-TANJORE-CHETTINADU

On the way, visit Tanjore with the Brihadeeswara temple, Shiva sanctuary of the Chola dynasty (year 1000) and the Palace with a collection of bronzes from the 11th/12th century. Continue to Chettinad: discovery of the palatial houses built by the caste of rich merchants Chattiars. Not far away, the Ayyanar sanctuary with its wonderful terracotta horses and sites of craft traditions (weaving, tile workshop, etc.). Walk in the fruit and vegetable market, and in the Karaikudi bazaar.

Day 6

CHETTINADU-MADURAI

Cultural and religious capital of the Tamil country with its imposing temple protected by its gopurams which dominate the old city. Departure by rickshaw for a visit to the Tirumalaya Nayak palace and the Meenakshi temple, dedicated to the goddess Shiva.

Day 7

MADURAI -PERIYAR

Continue to Periyar National Park and its spice and tea plantations. The wildlife sanctuary is home to buffalo, antelope, sambar, wild boar, elephants, leopards, porcupines and more than thirty tigers. Visit the spice plantation and take a boat ride in Periyar National Park.

Day 8

PERIYAR – ALLEPEY

Route to the backwaters, installation on board a houseboat, a traditional sampan to discover a labyrinth of canals and lagoons lined with coconut trees and rice fields. Night on a houseboat

Day 9

ALLEPEY – COCHIN

Ideal city to stroll with its old houses, its large spice warehouses, the cheerfulness of its inhabitants and all its trinket shops. Walk in the old city: Fort Cochin; the Chinese nets; the church of Saint-François, the oldest European church in India. Visit of the synagogue (1568), of the palace of Mattancherry (Dutch palace) and its wall frescoes of scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and puranic legends. In the evening, show of Kathakali, costumed drama, singing and dancing of Kerala.

Day 10

Departure from Cochin

Free morning for a walk in the old quarters; transfer to the airport for your return journey.

SOUTH INDIA

Best of South India Tour - 9 Nights 10 Days

Length of Tour

Price

When to Go

Map

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