South India with Backwaters 13 days / 12 nights

After clearing immigration and customs, our representative will greet you and transfer you to your hotel.

After breakfast, visit the Fort St. George which was built by the British East India Company and also houses a small quaint museum known as the Fort Museum. Later on, drive to Mahabalipuram en route visiting the Cholamandal Art Village, a cooperative effort with houses of some 30 artists and sculptors.

Embark on a half-day excursion to Kanchipuram, also known as the, ‘City of a thousand temples.’ The most famous of these are the Ekambeshwara temple and the Varaderajaswamy temple. Drive back to Mahabalipuram to explore its five ‘Pagodas,’ or chariots.

Drive to Pondicherry after breakfast and discover the huge cream and brown Sacred Heart of Jesus, one of Pondicherry’s finest Catholic churches. You are sure to be enthralled as you survey the stone sculptures, bronze weapons and paintings at your next stop which is the Pondicherry museum.

Today drive to Tanjore. Explore the Brihadeeswara Temple, the main attraction of Tanjore. Enjoy a journey through the rich collection of bronze and stone statues, dating from the 9th to the 12th century at the Art Gallery. A visit to the Saraswati Mahal Library which contains a huge collection of about 30,000 palm leaves and paper manuscripts in Indian and European languages is the perfect end to the day.

In the morning, leave for Madurai, via Trichy and visit Rock temple and Sri Rangnathaswamy Temple. Later drive to Madurai. Madurai also known as the Temple City is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu. The evening will be spent at the Meenakshi Temple to witness the Arti Ceremony.

After breakfast, visit the Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple and add to the experience by visiting the famous weavers of Madurai. Later in the afternoon visit the Gandhi Museum and explore the Tirumalai Nayak Mahal. The sound and light show at the Palace narrates the beautiful history of the Palace. Explore the colorful markets of Madurai.

After breakfast, drive to Periyar and check-in to the hotel. A pleasant boat ride thereafter would be a perfect way of observing the wildlife in their natural habitat.

In the morning, visit the Spice Plantation and later drive to the starting point of our boating trip to board your luxury houseboat. Traditionally called a Kettuvallom, or rice barge, the shallow and rounded hull of the boat is made without using a single nail.

On this comfortable floating home you may spend your day relaxing and unwinding. As you slowly cruise along the backwater canals of the Arabian Sea, you may choose to stop and explore some of the many small villages, farmlands, old temples and churches that you come across.

This morning leave the houseboat and drive to Cochin. Spend the afternoon at leisure exploring Cochin.

In the evening watch a Kathakali dance performance, the most developed dance-drama art of India.

After breakfast, enjoy a tour of Cochin. Fort Cochin, your first stop, where the Portuguese flag was first hoisted is also believed to be the oldest settlement in India. Thereafter, visit the St Francis Church, built in 1510 by friars brought to India by Vasco da Gama. The gorgeous view of the ocean from the beach enhanced by the Chinese fishing nets, first erected between 1350 and 1450AD makes extremely picturesque sight only to be followed by a visit to the Jewish Synagogue .

Finally, wrap up your experience with a traditional cooking demonstration and dinner with a professional cookery instructor.

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your onward journey.