Southern Comfort with Extension

A grand tour of the wonderous South, starting from Chennai on the East coast across Tamil Nadu and Kerala to Cochin on the West coast, and then northwards to the Wayanad, Kabini and Mysore.

Marvel at the best of Hindu architecture at the World Heritage sites of Mahabalipuram and the ‘Great Living Chola Temples’ and on to Madurai’s famed Meenakshi temple.

Be amazed at Chettinad’s mansions and cuisine. Created by the local Chettiar community of money-lenders and businessmen on the back of fortunes made by importing teak wood from Burma, Chettinad’s mansions are richly decorated with a mix of European and local adornments and styles.

Cross into Kerala, ‘God’s own country’ with its spice and tea plantations, lush rainforests and the famed backwaters.

The backwaters are a vast network of canals, used by traditional rice boats made of bamboo and coconut coir, to transport produce to Cochin, the world trading centre for spices since Roman times. You’ll take an overnight cruise on a restored rice boat, serenely sailing past colourful villages and tropical landscapes of rice paddies and coconut trees.

Cochin is a fascinating and picturesque city where glimpses of Jewish, Christian and European Colonial influences are still seen.

Travel north from Cochin to the Wayanad district, an area of outstanding natural beauty in the Western Ghats, known for its lush greenery, stunning landscapes, and rich cultural heritage.

Enjoy a journey into the finest jungles of southern India with a couple of wildlife safaris in Kabini, part of the Nagarhole National Park to look for tigers, leopards, black panthers and elephants, along with a wide range of other wildlife and birds.

The epic journey ends in the erstwhile royal city of Mysore, where palaces and temples invite visitors to witness its unique heritage.