South of India is Mainly Dravidian culture with diversity and attraction of nature. Being peninsula it provides both side Ghats which are known as western & eastern ghat. Backwater is gift and vast Varity beautiful beaches. Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu and Orissa are good example. Some stunning landscapes with rich wildlife and same habitat are having some of rare spices of the wildlife. South India has some unspoiled picturesque nature beauty. Rich varied architectural delights of Dravidian and Mughal impression. At many places there is mixture of both Mughal and Dravidian. That’s why we call Discover South India. It provides tour to wildlife sanctuaries or tour package to delight architectural or Tour to Hill stations.
Destination :Chennai (Madras) - Mahabalipuram/Kanchipuram - Trichy - Madurai - Periyar - Kumarakom - Cochin - Bangalore - Mysore - Hassan - Hospet - Badami - Goa
Duration : (19 Nights / 20 Days)
Day 01 Arrive Chennai
On arrival you will be met by our Tour Executive and driver and be transferred to your Hotel.
Day 02 Chennai
Chennai Sightseeing. Visit Museum, Art Gallery, St. George Fort. Overnight: Hotel in Chennai (Madras).
Day 03 Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram
Today after breakfast full day tour of Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. Kanchipuram (70 kms from Chennai (Madras)) is the ancient capital of the Pallavas famous as a city of 1000 Temples and still has 124 shrines. The first temple dedicated to Shiva was built in the 7th and 8th century & has paintings on the walls. Temples of Ekambareswara, Kailasanatha, Sri Kamakshi and VaradaRaja swamy are of interest. Kanchipuram is also famous for its silks. The city of Mahabalipuram is (75Kms from Kanchipuram) famous for the 7th Century Temples. Here on the seashore is an interesting group of ancient rock hewn temples, which are the examples of Dravidian style of Architecture. Overnight : Hotel in Mahabalipuram at a beach side resort
Day 04 Trichy
Today after breakfast morning drive 300kms/6hrs to Trichy and transfer to hotel. Trichy was the citadel of the Chola dynasty in the medieval period. In the 18th century, it witnessed the Carnatic wars fought between the French and the English. The Rock-Fort is the landmark of Trichy. A climb of 434 steps leads to the ancient temple of Ganapati on top. From here, you will get a good view of SriRangam Temple and the Cauvery River.Overnight: Hotel in Trichy.
Day 05 Trichy - Madurai
Today after breakfast in morning drive to Madurai (250Kms) visiting Tanjore enroute. At Tanjore, the beautiful Chola Temple of Brihadeshwara is capped by a monolithic cupola made of a single granite block weighing 80 tons which was taken to the top with the help of a 6 km long ramp, an old technique used by the Egyptians for building pyramids. Its bronzes and handicrafts make Tanjore one of the highlights of a visit to South India. Overnight : Hotel in Madurai.
Day 06 Madurai - Meenakshi Temple
Today after breakfast in morning visit the great Meenakshi Temple dedicated to the consort of Lord Shiva with its towering Gopurams (rising high above the surrounding country side). Later, visit the Tirumala Nayak Palace - A gracious building in the Indo saracenic style, famous for the Stucco work on its domes & arches. There is also an extensive museum dedicated to the life and work of Mahatma Gandhi. Afternoon free. Overnight: Hotel in Madurai.
Day 07 Madurai - Periyar
Today after breakfast in morning drive to Periyar(150Kms/4hrs). The earliest sanctuary to be set up in 1934, it extends to 777 square kms & forms part of the high mountain ranges, the Western Ghats. Wild life can be seen while cruising on Periyar Lake in a motor boat. Amongst the animals which can be seen are elephants, wild boar, sambar, tiger, leopard, wild dog, languor monkeys.
Day 08 Periyar - Kumarakom
Today after breakfast in morning drive to Kumarakom. On arrival transfer to Backwater resort. PM Free on the backwater Resort with the option to visit the nearby Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. Overnight: Hotel in Kumarakom
Day 09 Kumarakom - Houseboat
Today after breakfast in morning your Houseboat will pick you up at the resort jetty at noon. The rest of the day you will cruise slowly through the palm fringed backwaters. Your crew will pamper you with excellent Keralan food and show you various places of interest along the way. Overnight on board your Houseboat
Day 10 Alleppey - Cochin
After relax breakfast, disembark your Houseboat at Alleppey and drive 65kms/1.5hrs to Cochin. On arrival, check into your hotel. Afternoon tour of Cochin. Cochin is the natural harbour created by the famed underwater Malabar mud-banks. Vasco-de-Gamma placed it on the world map. It has a Jewish synagogue, Portuguese churches, mosques & Hindu temples. Watch the Chinese Fishing Nets. In evening watch a performance of Kathakali Dancing Overnight: Hotel in Cochin
Day 11 Cochin - Bangalore
Today after breakfast in morning transfer to Cochin airport to take the morning flight to Bangalore. Arrive Bangalore & drive to Mysore (150Kms). Enroute visit Srirangapatanam, a wooden palace. Overnight: Hotel in Mysore.
Day 12 Mysore
Today after breakfast in morning tour of Mysore. Visit the palace of the Maharaja built in 1911.The palace is of harmonious syntheses of the Hindu and saracenic styles of architecture with archways, domes, turrets, colonnades and sculptures which are magnificent. Drive up to Chamundi hill to see Chamundeshwari Temple & a panoramic view of Mysore. On the way back, see the Nandi Bull. Overnight: Hhotel in Mysore
Day 13 Mysore - Hassan (Belur and Halebid)
Today after breakfast in morning drive to Hassan (140Kms)and Full day tour of Belur and Halebid. The Chennakesava temple of Belur built 900 years ago is an exquisite example of Hoysala art. Halebid's 12th century Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara temples are master pieces of Hindu art. On the way also visit Sravanbelagola. At Sravanbelagola, hewn out of a single rock and visible from a distance of 25 kms is the statue of Lord Gomteshwara which is bathed with milk and honey once every 12 years.
Day 14 Hassan - Hospet (Hampi)
Today after breakfast Full Day drive to Hospet (325Kms). Overnight: Hotel in Hospet
Day 15-16 Hospet
Today after breakfast visit Hampi. The once beautiful capital city of Vijayanagar Empire - greater than Rome, had palaces, temples & sculptures, spread all over. The Sultanates of South razed the city to the ground in 1565. Some of the interesting ruins remaining are the Virupaksha, Vittala and Hazara Rama temples huge Ganesha and Narasimha images, the elephant stables, the Queen's Bath, carvings on the Ramachandra temple & Lotus Mahal. Overnight: Hotel in Hospet
Day 17 Badami
Today after breakfast in morning tour of Badami. Badami also known as Vatapi is rich with Hindu and Jain temples carved out of sand stone hills. The carved temples date back to the 6th century. Of these, three are Hindu and one Jain. Sculptured out of solid rock they are adorned with carvings. The Fort, on top of a hill encloses large granaries, treasury & a watch tower. The Malegitti Shivalaya temple set on the summit of a hill is built of stones without mortar. Overnight: Hotel in Badami
Day 18 Badami - Goa
Today after breakfast full day drive to Goa (350Kms). On arrival transfer to Hotel. PM Free for Relaxing on the Beach.
Overnight: Hotel in Goa.
Day 19 Goa
Fullday relaxing on the beach and Short Sight seeing of Goa.Overnight Goa.
Day 20 Goa - Mumbai
Today after breakfast in morning visit the great Meenakshi Temple
