Premium South India

Home  ›  Experiences  ›  Activity  ›  Guided Tours  ›  Small Group  ›  Premium South India
enquire now 13 Days From NZD $3,956 pp twinshare
 Small group
 Terms & Conditions apply

Discover the soul of southern India, from Chennai to Kochi.

Swaying palm trees, rolling emerald hills and tranquil backwaters make up the lush surface of southern India, but dig a little deeper and discover a land of charismatic people, ancient religion and cherished cuisine. This 13-day Premium adventure will take you into the home of a local family, down the French-inspired streets of Puducherry, through the maze of food stalls in Madurai and into the wilderness of the Periyar National Park, all with the passionate guidance of a local leader.

Why you’ll love this trip

PREMIUM ACCOMMODATION

Our best accommodation and highest level of service.

PREMIUM EXPERIENCES

Unusual, exceptional and authentic on-trip experiences.

PREMIUM KNOWLEDGE

Led by our most experienced and highest rated local leaders.

  • Find out what makes Indian cuisine so special during Exclusive Experiences, including an off-the-beaten-path food tour in Madurai, a home-cooked meal with a local family, a fragrant lunch at a spice plantation and an ayurvedic cooking demonstration in Kochi.
  • Enjoy a high-energy Exclusive Experience with a live performance of kalarippayattu in Thekkady – believed to be oldest surviving martial art in India, this will be a show to remember.
  • Witness a fusion of influences in the stunning former French colony of Puducherry, and see touches of a Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and British past in the exuberantly multicultural Kochi.
  • Experience a thousand shades of green as you tour a scenic tea plantation in Munnar and track footprints in search of wild elephants in the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • Enjoy accommodation like no other – a beautiful converted houseboat on the Kerala backwaters and a suave heritage hotel in Kochi are your Feature Stays for this adventure.

Itinerary

Map of Premium South India including India

Day 1: Chennai

Day 2: Puducherry (Pondicherry)

Day 3: Puducherry (Pondicherry)

Day 4: Madurai

Day 5: Madurai

Day 6: Thekkady

Day 7: Thekkady – Periyar National Park

Day 8: Munnar

Day 9: Munnar

Day 10: Kerala Backwaters

Day 11: Kochi

Day 12: Kochi

Day 13: Kochi

Inclusions 

Meals

12 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners

Transport

Private vehicle, Ferry

Accommodation

Hotel (9 nights), Houseboat Feature Stay (1 night), Kochi Feature Stay (2 nights)

Included activities

  • Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer
  • Chennai – Welcome dinner
  • Mamallapuram – Shore Temples guided tour
  • Auroville – Experimental township
  • Puducherry – Leader-led French Quarter walking tour
  • Puducherry – Sri Aurobindo Ashram
  • Madurai – Leader-led street food tour
  • Madurai – Sri Meenakshi 1000 Pillar
  • Madurai – Sri Meenakshi Temple
  • Madurai – Gandhi Museum
  • Madurai – Leader-led walking tour
  • Madurai – Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace
  • Madurai – Local family visit and home-cooked Tamil dinner
  • Thekkady – Expert-guided spice plantation visit and lunch
  • Periyar – Kalaripayattu (Indian Martial Art) performance
  • Periyar – Guided nature walk
  • Munnar – Tea plantation
  • Munnar – Tea Museum
  • Munnar – Mattupetty Dam
  • Munnar – Leader-led town walking tour
  • Kochi – Kathakali performance
  • Kochi – Jewish Synagogue
  • Kochi – Ferry to Mattancherry
  • Kochi – Leader-led Fort Kochi walking tour
  • Kochi – Dutch Palace
  • Kochi – Ayurveda-inspired dinner
  • Kochi – Converstation with an expert on Satvik Bhojan (Ayurvedic food)

Premium Inclusions

  • Arrival airport transfer
  • Tipping for accommodation, activities and transport
  • Luggage transfer
  • Daily breakfast and signature local meal experiences
  • 24/7 on-ground support

 

Images courtesy of Intrepid Group 

INT – HHPS

Related experiences