South India Explorer - Group Tour

In the morning you'll meet your guide and your fellow travellers. We'll then travel to the airport to meet the rest of the group and head to Mysore, which is known for its high-quality silk, incense, and sandalwood. The Devaraja fruit and vegetable market is one of the most colourful in all of India. From Chamundi Hill, you'll have a great view of the city and the surrounding area.

Overnight Stay

A must-see spot in Mysore is the Amba Vilas Palace Maharaja. This opulent structure is a testament to the wealth and splendor of the old monarchy. Massive wooden doors lead into rooms with huge columns and mosaic floors. The architecture is made even more spectacular with bright colors and extravagant ornamentation. On Sundays the palace is lit up for an hour – quite a spectacular sight. Mysore also has a superb zoo that is well known for its large size and high standards of animal care. If you have time we also recommend taking a walk through the city.

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Today you'll make the journey from Mysore to Wayanad, which lies in between the coffee, tea and spice plantations of the Westerns Ghats. The region is perfect for growig spices like cardamom and pepper because of its cool climate and fertile soil. Coffe is however the main crop.

Get to know the life in Wayanad by going for a walk along the rice fields.

Overnight Stay

Spend the morning in Wayanad. You'll then take the train to the beautiful coastal city of Kochi. The train takes about five and a half hours. Kochi, formerly Cochin, is a major port city in India and extends over several islands and narrow peninsulas. It lies on the Arabian Sea and has about 600,000 inhabitants. The city has an interesting and diverse history with Chinese, Portuguese, and Dutch influences.

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During your stay in Kochi you can choose to join a boat tour through the famous “Backwaters of Alappuzha” (optional). The journey takes about three hours and takes you through many picturesque canals, lakes, and streams. You can relax on the deck and soak up some sun or enjoy the scenery from the saloon. During your journey you'll see palm trees, rice fields, and floating seaweeds. You can also take a detour to Bolgatty Palace on the island of the same name. This was once the home of the former Dutch colonial governor of Kochi.

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The next stage of the journey will take your breath away. In the morning we'll visit the bustling marketplace of Alappuzha (formerly Alleppey). After lunch, you'll board the ferry for a relaxing 3-4 hour ride to the famous "backwaters". Here you can watch the locals in their everyday lives or take a boat tour if you haven’t already done so.

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Today you'll travel through rugged and picturesque mountains to the Periyar National Park. Here you can marvel at the relatively undamaged tropical rainforest. The Periyar National Park was founded in 1899 and covers a large mountainous area. The park is also a tiger reserve and home to a wide variety of animals, including many endangered species.

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Today you can continue exploring the spectacular Periyar National Park. This lush, untamed territory is home to elephants, bison, groups of wild boar, several species of monkey, fishing cats, otters, porcupines, and tortoises (just to name a few). One way to explore the beautiful green surroundings is by taking part in the "spice tour". This includes a jeep ride to several plantations in the rural area of Thekkady. Your tour-guide will help you book this excursion.

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Today you'll travel to Madurai, the oldest city in Tamil Nadu. The impressive Meenakshi Amman Temple located here is one of the largest of its kind in all of India and attracts thousands of pilgrims. The earliest archaeological finds from this area date back to the first century AD. Make sure you visit the temple, and if you want to see as much of the city as possible take a rickshaw tour with a local guide!

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Enjoy a free day in Madurai. We recommend to visit the Ghandi Memorial Museum or to join an optional excursion to Tirupparankundram, one of the most important pilgrimage sites of the Hindu-ob Murugan. The temple that was dedicated to him is located on a rock high above the city. Or walk across the market of Madurai and look for souvenirs.

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Your next stop is Trichy, the city of rock forts and temples. Trichy is home to India's largest temple, Srirangam. The main gate is about 90 meters high and 20,000 people live and work inside this labyrinth. This is also an important site for pilgrimages so there are newcomers every day. Around the main temple there are seven temple walls in which you'll find crowds bustling with activity. Later in the day, we'll travel to the charming city Thanjavur, also known as Tanjore.

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The city of Thanjavur and the surrounding estate are in the fertile basin of the Cauvery River. The Tamils consider the river sacred so it is sometimes called ‘the southern Ganges’. The emperor Rajaraja I built the magnificent Shiva temple in the 10th century; it is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. You'll hop on the bus and travel to your next destination, Pondicherry, where you still can see the influence of the former French settlers.

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Located on the charming Bay of Bengal, Mamallapuram is the perfect place to end your tour. From Pondicherry, you only have to travel another 100km. You'll have the rest of the day to relax and explore as you see fit. Here you can marvel at temples and stone reliefs from the 7th century or if you prefer, you can relax on the nearby beach. Within this area, there are many beautiful monuments to visit. Mamallapuram is the largest producer of stone temple statues in India so you can see sculptors working and transporting stone everywhere you go.

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Today you can rent a bicycle and explore the city. There are many beautiful coastal paths and interesting areas within the city center. Take a detour to the famous coastal Temple (Shore Temple), the second most photographed building in India after the Taj Mahal. 

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Today is the day you bid farewell to vibrant India. The Channai International Airport is 55 km from Mamallapuram. We wish you a safe journey and hope you are taking many beautiful memories back with you! If you want to stay longer our staff will be delighted to help you extend your trip.