The Great South of India (14 nights / 15 days), Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu, India
You will be dazzled by the religious fervor of Tamil Nadu, its colorful temples and its Dravidian architecture. In Kerala, the lush nature is queen, between the mountain of Western ghats, the jungle and the sea, you will feel a breath of fresh air and a real moment of relaxation. Finally, Karnataka is home to many architectural treasures. A region where the beautiful Indian countryside contrasts between rice fields and pink granite blocks.
From Chennai to Cochin, dive into complete immersion on this itinerary in South India. Discover the cultural mix of the old colonial cities in Pondicherry and Kochi. Follow in the footsteps of ancient Tamil Nadu dynasties and visit UNESCO-listed temples. Explore the tea and spice plantations that make up Kerala’s richness. Take a houseboat cruise on the Backwaters, beautiful canals and lagoons lined with exotic nature.
Description & Instructions When Visiting Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu, India
You will be dazzled by the religious fervor of Tamil Nadu, its colorful temples and its Dravidian architecture. In Kerala, the lush nature is queen, between the mountain of Western ghats, the jungle and the sea, you will feel a breath of fresh air and a real moment of relaxation. Finally, Karnataka is home to many architectural treasures. A region where the beautiful Indian countryside contrasts between rice fields and pink granite blocks.
From Chennai to Cochin, dive into complete immersion on this itinerary in South India. Discover the cultural mix of the old colonial cities in Pondicherry and Kochi. Follow in the footsteps of ancient Tamil Nadu dynasties and visit UNESCO-listed temples. Explore the tea and spice plantations that make up Kerala’s richness. Take a houseboat cruise on the Backwaters, beautiful canals and lagoons lined with exotic nature.
Itinerary
Day 1: Chennai
Stop At: Chennai (Madras), Chennai (Madras), Chennai District, Tamil Nadu
Visit Chennai, hectic metropolis, formerly named Madras, and capital of Tamil Na-du. The city has a rich heritage in the arts, sculpture and architecture.
Discovery of a temple dedicated to Shiva, a church.
Visit of the government museum (Bronze-gallery).
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Marina Beach Road, Chennai (Madras) 600005 India
Discovery of Marina beach.
Duration: 1 hour
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at the hotel in Chennai.
Day 2: Chennai / Mahabalipuram / Pondichery
Stop At: Mahabalipuram, Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu
Departure for Pondichery.
Stop en route: visit Mahabalipuram, very old city famous for its temples by the sea, as well as for the manufacture of statuettes of deities: Panch Ratha (the five), monolithic monuments of different sizes and shapes excavated from a small hill, descending gently towards the south, south of the village.
There are four other ratha elsewhere in Mahabalipuram. A large number of temples, often exca-vés, are also scattered on the territory of the village. Finally, there is also in the village a huge vaguely spherical rock called the ball of butter Krishna. The Mahabalipuram site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visit the Shore Temple.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel Pondicherry.
Day 3: Pondichery
Stop At: Pondicherry, Pondicherry, Union Territory of Pondicherry
Visit Pondicherry, its French Quarter, with its buildings with French architecture.
Visit of the government museum.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Rue de la Marine, Pondicherry India
Visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram, museum become an integral yoga center and Ganesha temple.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at the hotel in Pondicherry.
Day 4: Pondichery / Tanjore / Trichy
Stop At: Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
Departure for Trichy.
On the way, visit Tanjore, the city of Chola kings. The magnificent temple of Brihadishvara, high place of Shaivism, will surprise you by the finesse of its realization and especially its bronze museum. Lunch at Tanjore, then drive to Trichy.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at the hotel in Trichy.
Day 5: Trichy
Stop At: Tiruchirappalli, Tiruchirappalli, Tiruchirappalli District, Tamil Nadu
Trichy Tour
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Srirangam Melur Ayyanar Temple, Melur village near Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli India
Visit Tamil Srirangam temple.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Rock Fort Temple, Rock Hills, Tiruchirappalli India
Rock Fort Temple Tour
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at the hotel in Trichy.
Day 6: Trichy / Madurai
Stop At: Madurai, Madurai, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu
Departure for Madurai, religious capital of Tamil Nadu.
Arrival and installation at the hotel.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal, Mahal Vadampokki St Near Meenakshi Temple, Madurai 625001 India
Discovery of Tirumalai Nayak Palace
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, Venmani Rd, Sellur, Madurai 625002 India
Visit the Temple of the goddess Meenakshi. The “Sanctum Santorium” of the temple is unfortunately not open to visitors.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel in Madurai.
Day 7: Madurai
Stop At: Madurai, Madurai, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu
Free day to visit the city.
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel in Madurai.
Day 8: Madurai / Periyar
Stop At: Thekkady, Thekkady, Idukki District, Kerala
Departure for Periyar / Thekkady.
Arrival and installation at the hotel.
Relaxation. Ayurveda massage offers Ayurveda Ayurveda Ayurvedic massages, a unique traditional massage technique practiced by Indians for millennia. These benefits are many, and you will mainly relax and give a beautiful luster to your skin.
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at the hotel in Periyar.
Day 9: Periyar
Stop At: Periyar Lake, Thekkady India
Walk on the lake of Periyar.
Discovery of the garden of spices and coffee.
In the evening, free time. Periyar is the right place to buy spices, coffee or tea …
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kumily, Thekkady India
Crossing the Periyar Nature Reserve where live elephants, tigers, ga-zelles, rhinos and other animals.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Periyar Spice & Ayurvedic Garden, Munnar Thekkady Road, Kumily, Thekkady 685551 India
Discovery of the garden of spices.
Duration: 1 minute
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Periyar.
Day 10: Periyar / Alleppey (night on boat)
Stop At: Alappuzha, Kerala, India
Departure for Alleppey; Alleppey is one of the most important tourist centers of the state, with an extensive network of inland channels earning it the nickname “Venice of the East”. This vast channel network of approximately 800 km provides Alleppey with its lifeline. Alleppey is one of the main trading centers in the past with one of the best known ports along the Mala-bar coast. Even today, it retains its charm as a center for the coconut carpet and shrimp farming industries.
Duration: 4 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Dinner and overnight aboard the houseboat. For total peace of mind, the boat will stay at the dock during the night.
Day 11: Alleppey / Cochin
Stop At: Kochi (Cochin), Kochi (Cochin), Ernakulam District, Kerala
Departure for Cochin.
Arrival in Cochin.
Visit the oldest and most picturesque city of Kerala: the palace of the râja (or Dutch palace); Departure for Cochin.
Arrival in Cochin.
Visit the oldest and most picturesque city of Kerala: the palace of the râja (or Dutch palace), ‘St Francis church (built by the Portuguese), and the’ Chinese fishing nets’. Aligned at the end of Cochin Fort, Chinese fishing nets were introduced to Kerala by merchants from the Kubilay Khan court.
Discovery of a huge market near the hotel; buying jewelry, clothes, etc …
Duration: 4 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at the hotel in Cochin.
Day 12: Cochin
Stop At: Kochi (Cochin), Kochi (Cochin), Ernakulam District, Kerala
Free day.
Duration: 6 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at the hotel in Cochin.
Day 13: Cochin / Chennai (by plane)
Stop At: Kochi (Cochin), Kochi (Cochin), Ernakulam District, Kerala
Free morning for shopping.
Departure to the airport in the early afternoon.
Flight to Chennai.
Arrive in Chennai, check in and overnight at the hotel.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Arrive in Chennai, check in and overnight at the hotel.
Day 14: Chennai
Stop At: Chennai (Madras), Chennai (Madras), Chennai District, Tamil Nadu
Free day.
Duration: 6 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at the hotel in Chennai.
Day 15: Chennai – airport return flight
Stop At: Chennai (Madras), Chennai (Madras), Chennai District, Tamil Nadu
Transfer to the airport.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
Duration: 15 days
Starts: Chennai (Madras), India
Trip Category: Multi-day & Extended Tours >> Multi-day Tours
