Grand Tour of South India

Day 1  Fly to Chennai    

Days 2-3  Chennai  
Arrive in Chennai and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. The following day, learn about Chennai’s rich colonial history on a city tour.              

Day 4  Chennai to Puducherry              
Unwind in the coastal town of Mahabalipuram, famous for its cave temples, before driving to the former French colony of Puducherry.      

Day 5  Puducherry              
Roam through the Puducherry Museum, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and nearby Auroville, a unique ‘township’ built by the flower power generation of the 1960s, which continues to be dedicated to peace and sustainable living.              

Day 6  Puducherry to Kumbakonam              
Drive toward the temple city of Kumbakonam, where you will stay in a small rural village nearby.            

Day 7  Kumbakonam      
Marvel at the spectacular Airavatesvara Temple, which dates back to the 12th Century and is renowned for its intricate carvings.          

Day 8  Kumbakonam to Chettinad      
Today head to Trichy to visit the imposing Rock Fort Temple and the enormous Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. Later, continue to Chettinad, homeland of the Chettiars, once a prosperous trading community. Their legacy lives on in the palatial houses and spicy cuisine for which the area is famous.              

Day 9  Chettinad to Madurai      
Continue to the colourful city of Madurai. The afternoon is free to explore this ancient city at leisure.    

Day 10  Madurai      
Today, enjoy a tour of the temples and palaces surrounding Madurai, including the celebrated Meenakshi Amman Temple.        

Day 11  Madurai to Periyar      
Depart Madurai and drive up into the cool Western Ghats Mountain range towards Lake Periyar and its wildlife sanctuary.            

Days 12-13  Periyar            
Enjoy an early morning boat ride and then visit a spice plantation. The next day is free to relax or why not add in an organised hike.      

Day 14  Periyar to Backwaters      
Leave the hills behind and board your houseboat, your home for the night. Cruise the palm-fringed lakes and waterways of Kerala’s beautiful backwaters.  

Day 15  Backwaters to Kochi             
Bid farewell to your crew and head to the historic port city of Kochi.      

Day 16  Kochi            
Explore Kochi on a city tour, before experiencing a traditional Kathakali dance show this evening.  

Day 17-18  Fly home