Beautiful South - 14 days
Member Savings
Sign in to see which companies give additional
savings to Travelstride Members (it’s free)
Overview
Highlights
- Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary - Spot herds of elephants from an included boat ride on Lake Periyar
- Kumarakom – Relax on the shores of Lake Vembanad and opt to visit the local bird sanctuary and the famous Kerala backwaters
- Alleppey - Visit the Venice of the East
- Historic Kochi - Explore the Parsi Synagogue, Dutch Palace, St Francis Church, Fort Cochin, colourful boats and Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront
- Trichy - Discover the high up Rock Fort Temple
- Tanjore – Tour the hotspots of the city and gaze admiringly at the towering Brihadishwara Temple
- Chennai - Visit the gateway of South India
- Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram - Walk around these temple towns
- Pondicherry – Stroll along the beach in this French colonial city and visit the Basilica of the Sacred Heart
- Madurai – Explore the city and see the impressive rock cut temple of Thirupparankunram Murugan
What's this trip about?
Compare to similar trips
Details
Destinations
Trip includes
- Breakfast daily, 1 lunch and 1 dinner
- 12 nights superior hotels and 1 night rice boat. Accommodation rating – See Trip Notes for details
- Touring and excursions as per itinerary
- Periyar - Boating on lake OR visit to a spice plantation
- Keralan backwaters - Rice boat cruise (overnight)
- Entrance fees for all included sightseeing
- Services of a licensed English speaking tour guide at all included sites
- An airport arrival transfer day 1 and a departure transfer day 14
- All relevant transfer and transportation in private modern Chauffeur driven air-conditioned vehicles
View Similar Trips
Itinerary
Once you arrive into Chennai you will be met and transferred to your hotel. An afternoon tour of the city includes a vist to St George Fort, built in 1653 and St Mary’s Church, the oldest British church in India.
Chennai - Pondicherry. En route to Pondicherry visit Kanchipuram, one of sacred cities in India and the seaside town of Mahabalipuram, famous for its shore temple. The city is also famous for handwoven silk. In Mahabalipuram, the huge rock-cut sculptures and mandapams...
Pondicherry - Tanjore. Start the day with a sightseeing tour of Pondicherry which includes Aurobindo Ashram, French Colony, Pondicherry Beach and the Sacred Heart Church before continuing south. Arrival at Tanjore, also known as Thanjavur, Tanjore is an ancient fortif...
Tanjore - Trichy. Spend the morning on a sightseeing tour of Tanjore before a short drive to Trichy. Our city tour includes the enormous Brihadishwara Temple. Built by Raja Raja in 1010, the World Heritage protected temple has a dome weighing an estimated 80 tonnes wh...
Trichy - Madurai. Take a morning sightseeing tour of Trichy before the journey continues south to Madurai. An important centre for worship and commerce, Madurai has been around since the dawn of civilisation in southern India. A bustling city jam-packed with rickshawa...
Madurai - Periyar. Your journey continues to Periyar, south India’s most popular wildlife sanctuary which is home to sambar, wild boar, elephant, bison, antelope, langur and a small tiger population. You'll stay in Kumily, which is a pretty town dotted with small spice and handicraft shops which is close to the sanctuary.
This morning spot herds of wild elephants and other wildlife on a Lake Periyar boat ride in the reserve, or visit the nearby spice plantation. Spend the afternoon at leisure.
Periyar- Kumarakom. Continue to Kumarakom. Perched sleepily amongst a tangle of lush tropical waterways known as the Keralan backwaters, Kumarakom is technically an island on Lake Vembanad. An ideal place to relax and be at one with natural surroundings, you’ll enjoy two nights here. Check out the wonderful bird sanctuary.
This morning, you’ll board a traditional Keralan rice boat for a journey through the backwaters in and around Allapuzha (Alleppey). The boat will cross shallow, palm-fringed lakes and cruise along peaceful canals where copra and cashews are loaded onto local boats. The on-board cook will prepare locally-inspired food. Relax, read and catch some sun as the boat plies it’s route.
Backwaters - Kochi. Disembarking at Allapuzha, enjoy a short drive to Kochi (Cochin). The city of Kochi perfectly reflects the eclecticism of Kerala. One can see winding streets with mosques, a 16th century Jewish synagogue and Jewish community with ancient roots and 500 year old Portuguese cottages! Enjoy the remains of the day your way.
This morning enjoy a sightseeing tour, including a walking tour of Fort Cochin. With the afternoon at leisure, perhaps watch famous Keralan dancers perform. Arrive early so you don’t miss the artists applying their awesome make-up.
Hotel check-out and included onward transfer to airport. If you'd like to extend your stay, we offer a variety of hotels, short stays and add-ons for you to choose from. Please read our best places to visit or [[best things to see each month|126647]] for suggeste...
Want a tailor-made trip instead?
Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:
- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with On The Go Tours.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
On The Go Tours Reviews & Ratings
Other On The Go Tours Reviews
Over all fantastic
Over all fantastic Excellent service, great prices, sup...
Magical Morocco
The Magical Morocco tour is definitely one to remember (for all the right reasons), it's amazing how much can be packed into 13 days with some savvy planning. Our gu...
Jade has been such a help and is always…
Jade has been such a help and is always friendly - even when I had to change things several times. Thanks for your patience and your kindness, Jade. You are a st...
Travelers also viewed
Tour Operator
About Travelstride
Find your perfect trip
Save time
Save money
Travel confidently
Logistics
What's excluded
- International flights and visa
- Tipping - An entirely personal gesture
Accommodation
None, though not recommended for under 5yrs
Become a member
- Save up to $700 per person
- Access members-only specials
- Personalize trip recommendations