South India Otherwise | 14 Days

Day 01    Bangalore

Arrive Bengaluru International airport meet and greet drive to Mysore 150 kms take 3.30 hrs upon arrival check in hotel. Overnight stay

Day 02 Bangalore –Mysore 139 Kms/3.30 hrs

After breakfast drive to Mysore upon arrival, check-in at the hotel. Mysore is a beautiful city of stately palaces residence of the Wodeyars dynasty, gardens, parks and museumsupon arrival check in hotel.

Afternoon visits to Mysore Palace it is one of the largest and majestic palaces of this type in India. Built in 1912, this Indo-Saracen palace has, among other things, a sculpted silver door, a solid gold throne and a gallery of delicate paintings. Also visit Chamundi hill and the colorful and aromatic spice markets. At Chamundi Hill, you will find Nandi, a monolithic image of Shiva's Bull, which is always garlanded with flowers and held in high esteem by Hindus. Visit the Sri Jayachamararajendra gallery, a former palace transformed into a gallery of paintings from the 1870s. Overnight at hotel

Day 03 Mysore

After breakfast an excursion to the village of Somnathpur, where the magnificent Hoysala temple of Sri Chennakeshava, built in the 13th century, is a true masterpiece of Indian medieval art. Visit the extravagant palace of the Maharaja.

Afternoon an 19 kms excursion to Srirangapatna where the legendary warrior Tipu Sultan built his island fortress and Summer Palace upon arrival overnight stay

Day 04 Mysore – Cheruthuruty 230 kms/6 hrs

After breakfast drive to Nilambur take four to reach there from where you can take train to Cheruthuruty picturesque nestled in the hills of Kerala. Upon arrival check in River front facility in Cheruthuruty. Visit the villages and workshops of craftsmen of bamboo andPottery Making Units hand weavingUnits. In the evening, artists will welcome you in their village to an introduction to the different forms of local dances, music and percussion. Overnight stay.

Day 05Cheruthuruty – Cherai Beach 82 kms /2.30 hrs

Morning dedicated to the prestigious school of Kalamandalam, venerable institution that teaches the traditional scenic arts of Kerala: you attend Kathakali classes, costume and sung drama, Kootiyattam, Mohiniyattom, exclusively danced by women, and percussion.

After lunch, drive to Cherai beach towards the Arabian Sea for a relaxing break between sea and backwaters. Overnight stay.

Day 06 Cherai Beach – Cochin

Morning visit to visit temple, church, synagogue or mosque, which testify to the tolerant opening of Kerala to the various communities and religions.

After lunch, drive to Kochi, is the only place in the country where you can see Portuguese Churches, a Jewish Synagogue, Hindu Temples, Dutch Architecture & Mosque nearly side by side. Later we attend the performance of the Kathakali, one of India’s most famous Classical dances. Lavish Costumes & Exotic makeup & Masks intensify the beauty of the dancers, intricate moments. Overnight stay

Day 07 Cochin

Kochi is the only place in the country where you can see Portuguese Churches, a Jewish Synagogue, Hindu Temples, and Dutch Architecture& Mosque nearly side by Side. Today visit to old spice market at Mattancherry, the atique shops on Jew’s street, The Synagogue, The Dutch palace and of course St. Francis Church . This evening a memorable experience in any journey in Kerala is a Boat Trip along the Palm Fringed Lakes & Backwaters of the Area, as we sail along the shady canals we see cantilevered Chinese fishing nets

Stroll through the typical narrow streets of the old town, lined with old houses, spice warehouses and stalls. Overnight stay

Day 08 Cochin - Backwater 164 kms / 4 hrs  

After breakfast transfer to Alleppey to meet your way own floating hotel in the famous backwaters. Kettuvalam (An Authentic Kerala Houseboat) - the moving masterpiece, have been plying the inland waterways of southwest India for untold centuries and originally used as cargo rice boats. Traditional vegetarian and non-vegetarian Kerala cuisines are served. A journey through the backwaters of Kerala which offer one of the world’s truly unforgettable experiences, myriad network of silent lagoons, freshwater river, and hyacinth covered canals that wind their way through colorful corridors of forests, palms and fruit trees. A canoe expedition via an intricate network of canals, through backwater villages where daily continues unaltered, as it has for centuries. You will see lush palm groves and stretches of rice fields. Overnight stay House Boat

Day 09 Backwater –Periyar 125 kms /2.30 hrs

Drive to a tranquil hill retreat, along the way we pass through Tea, Cinnamon, Clove&Cardamom plantations –beautiful to see & smell! Game viewing here is like no other Safari experience. We simply relax in a Motor Launch & sail along as heards of Elephant & Bison come into view. During the dry season Tigers & Panthers come down to the Lake shore for a drink – be sure to have plenty of film on hand. Overnight stay

Day 10 Periyar – Madurai 137 kms/3.30 hrs

After breakfast drive to Nectar City of Madurai upon arrival check in hotel. Visit to Meenakshi temple where Dravidian Temple architecture may be seen in its exuberant baroque phase. Its hall of thousand pillars is fabulous & is filled with worshippers at all hours of the day, another terrific photographic opportunity. Also visit the Tirumala Nayak’s Palace, which is in a highly decorative monument. Its enormous roofed arcade supported by 48 - foot high stone pillar, still stands. Overnight stay

Day 11 Madurai –Pondicherry

Early morning around 07.00 hrs board the train to Villupuramreach Villupuram station at 12.00 hrs from here drive to Pondichery take 1.30 hrs. Pondicherry a former French trading post and a vestige of an imperial ambition that died in 1954 after three centuries of presence. The city is then separated into "white city" and "black city", reserved for the natives. A Auto rickshaw take you to visit of the of Sri Aurobindo ashramand of the cenotaph of "La Mère"

Day 12 Pondichery

Today is free day to stroll at your leisure or to discover the pretty shops of the city. This allows you to discover streets with evocative names: Romain Rolland, La Bourbonnais and other Ave Goubert. There is Optional tour if you wish, excursion to Mahabalipuram to discover the temple of the Shore and the sculptures of the Pallava dynasty.

Day 13 Pondichery – Tiruvannamalai 130 Kms /2.30hrs

After breakfast drive to Tiruvannamalai en route visit to impressive fortress of Gingee founded in the 11thcentury. The flag of the King of France floated on the citadel in the 18th century. The sanctuary of Arunachleshwara of Tiruvannamalai, founded in the seventh century and dedicated to Shiva, is one of the most sacred of South India. In an atmosphere of great popular fervor, discovery of the different enclosures, a step well, the small temple of Ganesh, the huge Gopuram decorated with sculptures and reliefs, testimony to the artistic genius of the Vijayanagar dynasty. In the evening, you attend the temple at the procession of idols perched on their palanquin. (meals are vegetarian in this holy city).

Day 14Tiruvannamalai– Bangalore 200 kms/4.30 hrs

Road to Bangalore en route visit the Krishnagiri coconut fiber factory. City tour passing by the great mosque and the Vidhana Soudha, the legislative seat of Karnataka which mixes rajput and Dravidian architecture. Visit the palace of Tipu Sultan before a soothing halt at the Sikh temple. We will provide you day use hotel for your disposal to refresh you. After dinner say good bye to this fascinating tour, transfer to the airport to board the flight for onward destination

Accommodation

Dinning

Transportation

Exclusions

Laundry, Insurance, Tips, hard drink/beer, Telephone Calls, Still & Video Camera fees in Monuments and Expenses like personal nature