Exotic Flora and Fauna, Lush Vegetation, Miles of beautiful beaches, the delicate scent of spices and the sound of Temple Bells all characterize the South of India. Following the Old European trade routes, this tour takes you from the cosmopolitan city of Bangalore to Hassan, known for its Musical Pillars, Stone dancers, Elephant stables, Monuments, Temples, Mosques, Forts, Ruins…Feel them. Re-live them. Be touched by their magic. And their mystery. Their splendour and their glory. From the middle of the journey we enter to the historical land of pure bliss that can never base its emerald virginity. Kerala. Her beauty pampers you into an eternal trance. Her exeberate subjects you to a sublime catharsis. Travel through the Northern, Central and Southern part of Kerala, drink from her being and you float through a kaleidoscope of emotions. From here you travel towards Chennai, home to some of the country’s oldest British Monuments. On the way you can visit one of India’s most famous temples in Madurai, explore French colony and also coromadel coast of Mahabalipuram.

Route : Chennai - bangalore – hassan – mysore – calicut – cochin – thekkady – madurai – thanjavur – pondichery – mahabalipuram – chennai

Day 01 China -  Chennai
Fly from your home country to Chennai by SQ 401 at 2155hrs. Garland welcome, assistance and transfer to the hotel. O/n Hotel.

Day 02 Chennai  - Bangalore
Morning after breakfast transfer to the domestic airport, board flight to Bangalore by 9W 445 at 1000hrs.
Arrive Bangalore at 1045hrs, transfer to the hotel. Afternoon we make a short visit of Bangalore City. Visit the Vidan Soudha, Fort, Tipu Sultan’s Palace and Bull Temple.  O/n Hotel.

Day 03 Bangalore  -  Hassan  (About 187KMS/ 05HRS)
Morning after breakfast drive to Hassan via Sravanabelagola, visit the Statue of Gommatheshwara, sacred of Jains, stands on Vindhyagiri. The 17 metres high statue is nude. Check into the hotel. The rest of the day free to relax. O/n Hotel.

Day 04 Hassan
Morning after breakfast drive to Belur & Halebid the ancient capital of the Hoysala Kings.
Visit the Chennakesava Temple at Belur, the exquisite sculptors cover the exterior with the friezes. The line of 650 elephants surrounds the base, with of rows of figures and foliage above. The detail of 38 female figures is perfect. Later on proceed to Halebid to visit the Hoysalesvara Temple, set in lawns, has two shrines dedicated to Siva with a Nandi Bull facing each. The largest of the Hoysala temples, it was started in 1121 but remained unfinished 86 years later, also visit the Jain bastis. O/n Hotel.

Day 05 Hassan  -  Mysore  (About 120KMS/ 03HRS)
Morning after breakfast drive to Mysore. Check into the hotel. 
Afternoon visit the Mysore Palace and nearby Chamundi Hills. O/n Hotel.

Day 06 Mysore  TO  Calicut  (About 217KMS/ 05HRS)
Morning after breakfast drive to Calicut. A drive through a picturesque journey over the Western Ghats to Calicut. Explore the beautiful places on the way.  Check into the hotel. Evening we make a short drive to Kappad Beach, where Vasco-da-Gama set foot on the sands of India. O/n Hotel.

Day 07  Calicut  TO  Shornur (About 125KMS/03 HRS) 
Morning after b/f drive to Shornur, a place famous for art and literature. Check into the Hotel River Retreat, a heritage hotel that situated on the banks of river Barathapuzha.
Home of the renowned repository of the tradition of the Kathakali dance form. It is in this academy that the best of Kerala’s Kathakali performers get their rigorous training. The institution also offers training in music, drama, and other dance form including Mohiniyattam, Koodiyattam and Ottam Thullal.
Evening we visit this institution (Kerala Kala Mandalam) on the riverbank. You can watch training session from 0830 – 1200hrs and 1530 – 1730hrs. O/n Hotel.

Day 08 Calicut -  Cochin  (About 115KMS/ 02 HRS) 
Morning after breakfast drive to Cochin – the commercial capital of Kerala and the most cosmopolitan of the State’s cities, Kochi has long been eulogised in tourist literature as the ‘Queen of Arabian Sea”. It has a fascinating blend of cultures. 
Enroute visit the Punnathur Kotta – elephant camp at Guruvayoor. Arrive and check into the hotel. The rest of the day free. O/n Hotel

Day09 Cochin
Morning after breakfast we visit the Mattancherry Palace – also called the Dutch Palace, The Clock Tower, The Synagogue built in the 18th century and the St.Francis Church, where Vasco da Gama was buried in 1524. Evening move to Fort Kochi Beach, spend the hours to explore the huge Chinese Fishing Nets, enjoy watching sunset. O/n Hotel.

Day 10 Cochin -  Kumarakom  (About 90 KMS/ 02 HRS) 
Morning after breakfast drive to Kumarakom - A small strip of land based on the bank of Vembanadu Lake.Check into the hotel. 
Explore the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary known for local varieties like the water fowl, cuckoo, owl and the water duck as well as migratory Siberian Storks. The rest of the day for leisure. O/n Hotel.

Day 11  Alleppey  -  Kumarakom 
Morning after breakfast 02 hr boat cruise to Aleppey – is also called the Venice of East, interlocked with a large number of canals and bridges.
Board a houseboat from Aleppey and enjoy the cruise through the enchanting backwaters. O/n House boat.

Day 12 Kumarakom -  Thekkady  (About 137KMS/ 03HRS) 
Morning we drive to Thekkady, the roads which winds on the Western Ghats takes you through the plantation of rubber, tea, coffee and pepper. On arrival, check into the hotel. Afternoon we do a small Spice Walk. O/n Hotel.

Day 13   Thekkady
Morning after b/f explore the Periyar Wild Life Sanctuary, know as Periyar Tiger Reserve. Afternoon cruise in Periyar Lake surrounded by hills to see the natural beauty and wild animals, mainly elephants fetching water from the lake. O/n Hotel.

Day 14 Thekkady  -   Madurai  (About 160 KMS/ 04HRS)
Morning drive to the 6th century built temple town of Madurai Arrive and transfer to the hotel.
A/n visit the Meenakshi temple – an outstanding example of the 14th century Vijaynagar architecture and nearby Thirumalai Naikar Palace. O/n Hotel.

Day 15 Madurai  -  Trichy (About 142KMS/04 HRS)
Morning after breakfast drive to Trichy, check into the hotel. Afternoon visit the St. Joseph’s Church, the Siva Temple and the Temple of Srirangam. O/n Hotel.

Day 16 Trichy  - Thanjavur  (About 60KMS/ 01HRS)
Late Morning drive to Thanjavur  – the ancient capital of the great Chola Empire. 
Afternoon visit the magnificent Brihadisvara Temple, known as the ‘Big Temple’. The main temple has a 62 metres high vimana (the tallest in India), topped by a dome carved from an 80 ton block of granite. We can see an enormous Nandi, carved out of a single block of granite six metres long. O/n Hotel.

Day 17 Thanjavur - Pondicherry (About 225KMS/ 05HRS) 
Morning drive to Pondicherry, with its distinct French colonial atmosphere.
Enroute visit Chidambaram, the Nataraj temple dedicated to the dancing God. Proceed and check into the hotel. Evening stroll through the French colonies and avenues and enjoy the sunset of Bay of Bengal. O/n Hotel.

Day 18 Pondicherry  
Morning we make a short visit to Aurobindo Ashram, visit the Ashram. The rest of the day free to relax. O/n Hotel.

Day 19 Pondicherry  -  Mahabalipuram  (About 134KMS/ 04HRS)
Morning after breakfast drive to Mahabalipuram via Kancheepuram. Visit the Kailasanad Temple and EkambaraNadh Temple. Proceed to Mahabalipuram - The ancient 7th century port famous for its magnificent rock temples & carvings. Check into the hotel. The rest of the day enjoy in the beautiful beach. O/n Hotel.

Day 20 Pondicherry  
Morning after breakfast we make a short trip to visit the Arjuna’s Penance, is a bas relief sculpted on the face of two enormous adjacent rocks, 29 metres long and seven metres high, the Mandapas – are fairly shallow pillared halls or porticos excavated out of the rocky hillside, The Rathas – these mid seventh century monolithic temples were influenced by Buddhist architecture as they resemble the monastery, The Shore Temple by the sea is surrounded by gardens designed according to descriptions of the original layout from ancient texts. The temple was built at the end of the seventh century by King Rajasimha, is unusual for its shrines to both Siva and Vishnu. Evening enjoy the beautiful sunset. O/n Hotel.

Day 21 Mahabalipuram  TO  Chennai  (About80KMS/ 02HRS)
You are at the southern tip of India in the state of Tamil Nadu, and Chennai – or Madras as it was known earlier – is its capital city. Ending with Chennai as the gateway will put you in memory with a different face of India – classical, ancient, and gentle. Definitely touched by colonialism but not ravaged by wars and intensely aware of its roots and traditions. Afternoon sightseeing of Chennai city. O/n Hotel.

Day 22 CHENNAI TO HOME COUNTRY
Morning free, Late evening transfer to the Chennai International airport, board flight to your home country.