Southern India Coast to Coast Ride

10 nights hotels, 1 night houseboat and 2 nights mansions 10 days cycling with 100% vehicle support Mostly quiet backroads with higher traffic levels near the cities Ride door to door on most days

On this cycling adventure in southern India, we spend 10 nights in hotels, one night on a houseboat, one night on a plantation and one night in a heritage property. The accommodations typically used are on the day-to-day itinerary. However, below are a few of the notable places we stay on this trip. Chettinad: Chettinadu Mansion (night 5) Stay in a 100-year-old property within Kandukathan, which was named a Heritage Village by the Indian government. The property extends some 80,000sqft (7,430sqm) but there are only 12 bedrooms, providing plenty of space to sprawl. The décor reflects the style of 1900s India, plus there’s an antique museum and swimming pool. Vagamon, near Kottayam: Vanilla County Plantation homestay (night 9) Experience the many charms of rural Kerala with a stay at this family-run plantation in the Mavady Hills. It has a flower-filled garden, plunge pool amid the greenery, and Koffi, the friendly labrador. The accommodation here is spread out, so some of the group stays in the main house and others in permanent Swiss cottage tents. These each have a raised bed and mattress, an attached veranda and toilet. To Muhamma: Houseboat (night 11) No trip to Kerala is complete without a houseboat stay. Typically, the boats are converted barges (known locally as kettuvallam), once used to transport rice from farm to market. All cabins have private bathrooms and the staff keep you well fed. The houseboats have a deck and dining area, although the style/layout varies between boats. There is a cook, driver and assistants for each boat and the food is traditional Keralan fare using local produce. Houseboats have two to five twin-bedded rooms. Larger groups may be split over several boats; however, the group reunites at riverside stops and the overnight anchor point where your leader will be available. Worth knowing The single supplement does not include the night at the Vanilla County Plantation on Day 9 and cannot be guaranteed on the houseboat due to limited rooms. Hotels in India usually do not have heating as there are really only a couple of months in the year when the weather can get cooler. You can, however, request more blankets or the hotel may be able to provide a standing heater for your room. Please talk to your tour leader if you need help in this matter.