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
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