Duration of South India Trip: 19 Nights/20 Days
Places to Visit: Mumbai - Bangalore - Mysore - Hassan - Coorg - Calicut - Cochin - Kottayam - Kovalam - Periyar - Maduri - Thanjavur - Pondicherry - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram - Madras


Day 01: Arrive Mumbai
Arrival in Mumbai (Bombay)Transfer to Hotel

Day 02: Mumbai (Bombay)
In the morning drive to Gateway of India to board a ferry to visit Elephanta. While you are here you will see this beautiful landmark of Bombay which was built to welcome the Prince of Wales in 1905 and is a unique example of Indo Saracenic architecture. At Elephanta you will be visiting the caves carved in Granite Rocks. They date from 450 to 750 AD. The visit includes Mahadeva Trimurti and the Ardhanarishvara sculptures, famous icnogarphical representations of Lord Shiva. In the afternoon we have a guided city tour which will take you to the Mani Bhawan, the house where Ghandi stayed and started his Satyagrah movement, the Malabar Hills with its tower of silence, Hanging Gardens and the Prince of Wales Museum, largest fine art Museum in India.

Day 03: Bangalore
Flight IC 109 1000 /1130 or 9W 443 -- 1015 /1150 On arrival check-in at your hotel. In the afternoon, we visit the Vidhan Saudha, Government Secretariat - this imposing edifice built with Banagalore granite is a tribute to temple architecture of the state. The Lal Bagh, spread over 240 acres is a beautiful botanical Garden opposite the Vidhan Saudha. The Botanical Garden is the largest in the region where one can see hundreds of species of plants.

Day 04: Bangalore - Mysore
In the morning drive to Mysore, enroute visit Srirangapatnam, the Summer Palace of Tipu Sultan built in 1784 AD. Srirangapatnam is set in exquisite gardens. Also of note are the Tomb & the mosque attached to it. Here lie buried the father & the mother of the great ruler.

Day 05: Mysore
After breakfast visit Mysore Palace. This beautiful Indo-Saracenic Palace dominates the city`s skyline. It was built in 1911-12 at a cost of 4.2 million Rupees to replace the former Palace which was burnt down. We have a guided tour of the Palace. In the evening we take an excursion to Chamudi hills to visit Sri Chamundeswari Temple, huge in structure with a seven story Gopuram 40 meters high. On the way up to the hill we see the famous Nandi (Shiva`s Bull) carved out of solid rock and, at five meters high, perhaps the largest.

Day 06: Mysore - Hassan
Today we drive to Hassan, enroute we visit Shravanabelagola. Shravanabelagola is one of the oldest and most important Jain pilgrimage centres in India. The site of the huge statue of Lord Bahubali (Gomateshvara), which at 17 meters high and carved out of a single piece of rock, is the world`s tallest monolithic statue. Drive further to Hassan. Afternoon: visit Belur and Halebid temple complexes (12th-14th century). Built by the Hoysala kings, the temples at Belur and Halebid are the cream of what remains of one of the most artistically exuberant periods of Hindu Cultural development. The wealth of sculptural details found on the exterior and interior of these temples at Halebid & Belur makes them the most outstanding example of Hoysala sculptural art.

Day 07: Hassan - Coorg
Morning drive to Coorg also known as the Scotland of India, where we visit a coffee plantation. The Coorgies are known to be the descendents of Greek soldiers.

Day 08: Coorg - Calicut ( 280 kms )
After breakfast we drive through the thickest rainforest of India, to Calicut (Kozhikode), which means literally "cock rowing". The town Calicut played a major role in Kerala's history as the capital of the Zamorin Rajas ( rulers). Its name during the British period was given to the calico cloth, a block printed cotton exported round the world. Today Kozhikode is a major commercial center for North Kerala. Calicut is famous for traditional martial arts ( an optional show can be arranged ). Evening at leisure.

Day 09: Calicut - Cochin ( 240 kms )
After breakfast drive to Kochi, enroute visiting the construction of DHOW, a typical Kerela hand made boat. Kerala, apart from being very green, is also very colorful and the traditional culture remains intact here. Young girls dressed in traditonal dresses with their long black hair tighed in two plaits is a very common sight. The Lorries in this state are all painted in bright colors. We will travel along the coast line and cross various water streams running into the ocean and the back waters coming into the land. The drive is a very eventful one. Evening at leisure.

Day 10: Cochin
The influence of medieval Portugal, Holland and England can still be seen in this fast growing coastal city. It is also known as the spice city of India. Most of the exports of spices are done from here. Our morning tour will include the St. Francis Church, where Vasco da Gama was buried for 14 years before his remains were transferred to Lisbon. His tombstone still stands here. The church was built in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan friars. Nearby are the Chinese Fishing Nets along Vypeen Island (set up between 1350 - 1450 AD), The Mattancherry Palace or "Dutch Palace" built in 1557 AD ( closed on Fridays) and behind the Palace is the Jewish Synagogue, constructed 1568 AD, with hand-painted willow-pattern floor tiles brought from Canton in the mid-18th century by a Rabbi, who had trading interests there. In the evening we enjoy Kathakali, an ancient religious dance drama of Kerala. This is generally performed in the temples and is said to have been performed for the past 1,500 years.

Day 11: Cochin - Kottayam- Rice Boat (147 kms. 3 hrs drive)
We drive through the countryside to a jetty near Kottayam to board the Riceboat. These riceboats are made by using the local bamboo sticks and husk of coconut. The boats float on the backwaters through thick coconut palms, banana plantationsand lush green paddy fields. It is interesting to see how people live on narrow splits of land which are only a few meters wide and still manage to keep cows, pigs, chicken and ducks and cultivate small vegetable gardens. This life is described in the award-winning novel "GOD OF SMALL THINGS" by Arundhathi Roy. Overnight on traditional Kerala rice boat.

Day 12: Kottayam - Kovalam
After breakfast on riceboat drive further on to Kovalam. Afternoon & evening at leisure to enjoy one of the finest beaches in the area.

Day 13: Kovalam - Periyar (272 kms. 8 hrs drive).
Drive to Periyar, the most famous wild life sanctuary of South India. As you drive through the Blue Hills you will see thick rubber plantations, tea plantations, and cardamom & pepper growing all along the road side. Enjoy the winding roads and the landscape.

Day 14: Periyar
Early morning wildlife safari on the lake. This sanctuary is known for wild Asian Elephants, who are small in structure and have pink pigments on the fore heads & near the ears. The afternoon can be utilized to visit one of the Spice Farms nearby. In the evening we again have a boatride on Lake Periyar.

Day 15: Maduri (160 kms. 4 hrs drive)
Early morning walk in the jungle is optional. After breakfast drive to Madurai. In the aftrenoon visit the Sri Meenakshi Temple built in the Dravidian architecture form of temple architecture. The Gopurams are covered from top to bottom with profuse multi-coloured images of gods, goddesses, animals and mythical figures. The main temple has long galleries and large halls supported by columns. The Hall of 1000 Columns has musical pillars. Other places of interest are the Nayyaka- Palace built in 1636 in the Indo-Saracenic style. A special visit back to the temple inthe evening, after early dinner, is a must. This time you will be taken to the temple complex on cycle-rickshaws to witness the evening spiritual ceremony in which Lord Shiva is carried in a palanquin accompanied by musicians, temple singers and priests to the temple of his consort Parvati to spend the night. He is brought to his temple in the morning.

Day 16: Maduri - Thanjavur - Pondicherry (180 kms. 5hrs drive)
Morning depart for Thanjavur to visit the famous Brihadeshwara temple constructed by the Chola King in the 10th cent AD. The dome on top of the 63 meter high temple is a single piece of granite weighing an estimated 81 tons and the huge Nandi is carved out of a single piece of rock. We also visit the Museum which has one of the finest Bronze collections. We continue onward to Pondicherry.

Day 17: Pondicherry (170 kms. 5 hrs drive)
Here you will see the strong French influence in the architecture and the life style of the people. In the evening if time permits, visit Aurobindo Ahsram and Auroville - The International Township for Harmony.

Day 18: Pondicherry - Kanchipuram - Mahabalipuram (230 kms. 6 hrs drive)
After breakfast we drive to Kanchipuram the erstwhile capital of the Pallava and Chola rulers. These two powerful ruling dynasties gave the city its numerous temples and water tanks. The temple city is one of the 7holy cities of India and has over 150 active temples dedicated to various gods and goddesses. The various temples you will visit are Kailashnatha, Vaikun Thaperumal, Vishnu Temple, Shiva Natraja, Vardaraja Vishnu Temple, Ekambeshwara Shiva Temple and Ekambeshwara Shiva temple. The Vardaraja Temple has an ancient mango tree. Its four branches are said to represent the four Vedas. Each branch is said to contain fruits with different flavors. Later drive to Mahabaluipuram.

Day 19: Mahabalipuram
This town was the port city of the Pallava Kings (7 cent. AD). After breakfast you visit the Group of five Rathas Temples, rock-cut monoliths named after the heroes of the Epic - Mahabharata. The rock carving depicting the penance of Shiva is one of the finest peace of stone carving and end the visit at the Shore Temple. Afternoon independent.

Day 20: Madras
Morning is free to relax and enjoy the beach. After lunch, drive to Chennai and visit the Saint Thomas (the first apostle) Cathedral, Fort St. George (now the secretariat) and the High Court buildings. We end our tour at the Connemara Hotel for a farewell dinner at the Rain Forest Restaurant. Later transfer to the international airport for flight home.