Day 1
Arrive in Chennai. Transfer to hotel and relax for rest of the day
Hotel – Taj Connemara, Chennai
Day 2
Full day guided Chennai sightseeing
Hotel – Taj Connemara, Chennai
Day 3
Visit World Heritage site of Mahabalipuram with a local guide, who will help interpret the architecture and religious mythology of this site.
Drive south to Pondicherry
Hotel – Palais de Mahe, Pondicherry
Day 4
Full day guided tour of Pondicherry
Hotel – Palais de Mahe, Pondicherry
Day 5
An early morning start (around 0900), driving south to Thanjavur, stopping at World Heritage Chola Temples enroute. These grand temples were built in the 11-12th centuries by the great Chola kings. The temples testify to the brilliant achievements of the Cholas in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting.
The first stop will be Gangaikonda Cholapuram, the ‘City of the Chola who conquered the Ganges’ where you’ll visit the 1000 yr old Brihadishvara Temple (with local guide).
A little further south at Darasuram, the Airavateshvara temple, a late Chola masterpiece is the second World Heritage Site. (A local guide will accompany you here)
Hotel – GReaT Trails Riverview Thanjavur,
Day 6
Full day guided city tour of Thanjavur including temples and monuments
The city of Thanjavur is dominated by the Brihadishvara temple of Thanjavur, not to be confused with the equally grand temple of the same name visited the day before. This is the third of the ‘Great Living Chola Temples’ World Heritage Sites.
The vast compound is entered via one of South India’ earliest monumental tower gates (gopurams).
Visit a local workshop to observe bronze making and glass painting.
Visit the museum in the Thanjavur Palace, which houses a fine collection of Chola sculpture, including bronzes.
Hotel – Thanjavur
Day 7
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and drive to Chettinad, a region famous for its aromatic and spicy cuisine, and its unique architectural style.
Enroute, visit The Bangala, a heritage hotel renowned for its food and cooking classes, where you will enjoy a cooking demonstration and a delicious lunch. The Bangala was rated the 7th Best Restaurant in India by Condé Nast Traveller in 2019.
After checking into your 120yr old heritage hotel, enjoy the rest of the day at leisure, perhaps take a evening walk near the hotel.
Hotel – Chidambaram Vilas ,Chettinad
Day 8
This morning, along with your guide, you will visit some of the famed mansions of the region, including Athangudi Palace, an ornately built mansion house with lavish interiors.
One of the specialities of the Chettinad region is the art of making tiles. The process is totally manual, and having lost ground to factory made tiles for a while, the traditional tiles are making a comeback with eco-conscious designers.
Visit the Athangudi Tile Factory where you can see local artisans use traditional techniques and tools to create tiles.
Hotel – Chidambaram Vilas ,Chettinad
Day 9
After breakfast, drive to Madurai, considered by many to be the archetypal South Indian Temple town. A local guide will give you a tour of the city today.
The vast 17th century Meenakshi Temple complex has towering gateways covered with religious figures in spectacular colours. Although non-Hindus are not allowed within the sanctum, there is plenty to admire from the outer areas.
Your next stop is hardly a stone’s throw away from the Meenakshi temple, the Thirumalai Nayak Palace, a mix of architectural styles – Italian, Indo-Saracenic and Gothic.
If time permits, Madurai is a good place to shop for handicrafts including wood, brass and stone curios. The Poompuhar Handicrafts Emporium is especially recommended.
Enjoy the dusk/night prayer ceremony at Meenakshi temple with your guide to end your day and return to the hotel to relax.
Hotel – Courtyard by Mariott , Madurai
Day 10
After breakfast, drive from Madurai to Periyar Tiger Reserve (4 hrs), which is surrounded by lush rolling hills, where the British introduced tea and spice plantations.
Check in at your hotel and enjoy lunch. The afternoon is at leisure to explore locally or relax.
At night, embark on a night patrol with a forest guide from the local community for a safe and unique way to explore the forests. Gaur and deer are often spotted resting, smaller mammals and birds can be seen – the guides will carry torches.
Hotel – Spice Village ,Periyar
Day 11
This morning, embark on a very special half-day expedition into the wilds of Periyar – a combination of walking and bamboo rafting will immerse you in the pristine rain forest at close quarters. The rain forests at Periyar are some of the densest in India. Gaur, sloth bear and elephants are often sighted apart from birds and butterflies. You’ll be accompanied by guides and forest guards to ensure safety and comfort.
Later in the day, drive to Vagamon (2hrs). Check into your beautiful Heritage Tea Estate Bungalow.
Hotel – Vanilla County, Vagamon
Day 12
A relaxed morning in Vagamon, enjoying some of the activities at the resort.
You can choose to join the early morning 1 hr long nature walk (0700hrs) and/or join the 1hr long yoga session (0800hrs)
After lunch, Visit the local tea plantation and a nearby monastery located on the hill top in a 4WD jeep.
Enjoy a walk to the Plantation with birds and Butterfly sightings
Hotel – Vanilla County, Vagamon
Day 13
Relaxed morning, then drive to Kothamangalam.
check in at Jose & Daisy Home Stay (Mundackal Home Stay). Rest of the day at leisure or spent time in the spice gardens around Jose and Daisy Home stay.
Hotel – Jose & Daisy Plantation Home Stay, Kothamangalam
Day 14
After a relaxed breakfast enjoy the day visiting Tea Gardens, Rubber Plantations and Spice Gardens with Mr. Jose.
Enjoy cooking session with Daisy (she is a world-renowned cooking expert for Kerala Cuisines)
Hotel – Jose & Daisy Plantation Home Stay, Kothamangalam
Day 15
Drive to Thrissur (2 hrs) and check into your hotel.
After lunch, visit Thrissur Basilica and go up the belfry, the tallest in India for sweeping views of the city and the hills around it. Visit the Chaldean Syrian Church and other old churches nearby to learn about Kerala’s multi-faith society.
Walk around the market streets near the centre of the city, to get the vibe of a small Keralan town. Don’t miss the many shops selling colourful lottery tickets – Kerala is known for its popular state-run lottery system, which is a significant source of revenue for the state. The Kerala Lottery Department conducts various weekly draws, with the Karunya Lottery being one of the most well-known. Why not buy a ticket or two – you may win the price of your holiday back, and you’ll still have a colourful bookmark to keep if you don’t.
Hotel – Hyatt Regency Thrissur
Day 16
Visit the Vadakkumnathan Temple is a Shiva Hindu temple, a classic example of the Keralan architectural style with one monumental tower on each of the four sides. Mural paintings depicting various scenes from the Mahabharata can be seen inside the temple. It is notified as a National Monument by India.
Visit Thrissur District Heritage Museum with its collection of Keralan murals. Though many are reproductions of murals found all over the state, the advantage is that the colours are fresh, photography is allowed and you can have a much closer look than at any of the originals.
Drive to Fort Cochin and check in at your hotel.
Enjoy Kalaripauttu show (Kerala martial art) in the evening.
Hotel – Brunton Boat Yard , Fort Cochin
Day 17
Enjoy a full day guided tour of Fort Cochin after breakfast.
Visit the Old Jew town, with the Jewish Synagogue at its heart. Explore old churches, colonial remnants of fortifications, and the Dutch Palace with its beautiful mural paintings from the 17th century.
Late evening we go to watch the famous classical Indian dance-drama Kathakali in dance centre to enjoy the Kathakali dance show followed by dinner.
Kathakali is a stylized classical Indian dance noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movement presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion.
Hotel – Brunton Boat Yard , Fort Cochin
Day 18
Day trip to Vaikom Village
Reception will be arranged in a traditional house and further enjoy the lifestyle of the villagers and village backwater cruise through narrow canals for 3 hours with a local guide.
En-route visit coconut farms, Coir villages, spices and herbal farms, bird watching and other village activities. Since there are no industries here, the village is free from all types of pollution. The main occupation of the villagers is making ropes with coconut fiber, mat weaving with leaves of wild-pineapple, pottery, traditional coconut processing, collecting sand from riverbed, fishing, farming, etc.
The cruise will bet through the narrow canals of 4 feet in depth and the boat passes through coconut palm groves like a canopy, providing a cool atmosphere. We conclude this excursion by enjoying a ‘Sadya’ -solemn lunch served during Kerala’s regional festival ONAM and Hindu marriage functions. This is served on banana leaves with different curries.
In the evening, explore the vibrant Fort Cochin streets around your hotel, or relax.
Hotel – Brunton Boat Yard , Fort Cochin
Day 19
After breakfast enjoy a full day tour of Muziris.
Muziris was an ancient port city on the Kerala coast, an hour’s drive north of Cochin. The city traded in spices, silk, and precious stones; with exports to Rome, Greece, Egypt, etc. Enriched by trade contacts, Muziris became a melting pot of world cultures. The earliest Jewish settlers in India landed on the Malabar Coast and flourished in Muziris. Muziris is where St. Thomas the Apostle is said to have first landed in 52AD, bringing Christianity to India.
Tour Coverage: On this tour, we will visit old temples, a mosque reputed to be the very first mosque in India, synagogues of the Malabar Jews, Syrian Christian churches and the Dutch Palace. Walk through an interesting and colourful local bazaar, selling everything under the sun. Those who are interested can also visit the excavation site at Pattanam. This is a small archaeological site which contains some artifacts which were traded between Muziris and the rest of the world.
Hotel – Brunton Boat Yard , Fort Cochin
Day 20
Depending on the flight timings, you will transfer to Cochin airport and fly on your return flight.
