11Days Best of South
Price from NZD 2830 / AUD 2547 per person on twin sharing basis + Domestic flights from NZD 165 / AUD 149 per person
Cochin – Alleppey – Munnar – Madurai – Chennai/Mahabalipuram – Chennai
This tour introduces to the best of South India, with a mix of diversified experiences. Begin tour on the backwaters in Alleppey influencing the daily lives of people, visit the tea gardens in Munnar, the most amazing architectural wonders in temples to age-old monuments with statues in Chennai, tour Mahabalipuram ending with a tour of Pondicherry.
Tour Highlights: Jewish Synagogue, Houseboat Cruise, Spice Plantation Village, Kancheepuram, Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
Day 01: Cochin (B)
Arrive in Cochin. Transfer to your hotel and rest of the day at leisure.
Day 02: Cochin (B)
Full day tour of Cochin, visiting Jewish Synagogue, St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica, Dutch Palace and Spice Market. In the evening, enjoy the famous dance drama of Kerala, “Kathakali”, characterized by grotesque gesticulations, amazing costumes and extensive make-up.
Day 03: Cochin – Alleppey (Houseboat) (B/L/D)
Board your houseboat for an exhilarating experience. As you sail down a maze of canals, you see villages, paddy fields, coconut palms, fishermen and local life. Meals and overnight are on board.
Day 04: Alleppey - Munnar (B)
Late morning, disembark at Alleppey, also known as “Venice of the East” for its narrow canals. You drive to Munnar, the highest town of Kerala with a cool, bracing climate exuding old-world charm and popular for extensive tea and cardamom plantations.
Day 05: Munnar (B)
This morning, take a walk through the tea plantation and to the nearby factory as well to see the process of picking and packing process of tea. Trek through cardamom forests and landscaped tea shrubs.
Day 06: Munnar – Madurai (B)
Drive to Madurai. Arrive Madurai and relax at the hotel.
Day 07: Madurai (B)
Today you will do the tour of Madurai visiting the Gandhi museum, Tirumalai Nayak Mahal and the temple tank Vaniyur Mariamman Teppakulam. Evening visit to Meenakshi Temple and take part in the prayer ceremony.
Day 08: Madurai – Chennai – Mahabalipuram (B)
Transfer to Madurai airport to connect flight to Chennai. On arrival, transfer to Mahabalipuram.
Day 09: Mahabalipuram (B)
Start your day with a tour of Kancheepuram – the ancient capital of the Pallavas, famous as a city of 1000 temples that still has 124 shrines, built in the 7th and 8th centuries and has paintings on the walls. Continue to Mahabalipuram to visit the city famous for the seven pagodas, Shore Temple and the Rathas.
Day 10: Mahabalipuram (B)
Today you will drive to Pondicherry, a charming coastal town. Formerly a French colony still has a few touches of French culture. Tour the French, Tamil quarter and the world famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a spiritual centre founded on modern sciences and yoga before returning to Mahabalipuram.
Day 11: Mahabalipuram – Chennai (B)
Transfer to Chennai airport to connect onward flight.
Included: Accommodation for 10 nights, private car/driver for the round-trip, sightseeing as indicated, local guides and entrance fees