South India Tour
- South India Tour
- Dates: 07 – 22 December 2026
- Price:
- RS 95,000* per person sharing,
- RS 30,000, Single supplement
- Including :
- 14 NTS ,4* HOTELS on BB basis and on Full board on the houseboat
- ALL TRANSFER/TOURS BY AC VEHICLE
- ENGLISH SPEAKING GUIDE IN EACH CITY
- SPICE PLANTATION TOUR IN PERIYAR
- KATHAKALI DANCE SHOW IN COCHIN
- LAKE PERIYAR RIDE
- TWO 500 ML BOTTELS OF WATER IN COACH PER DAY
- AIR TICKET MRU CHENNAI- COCHIN-CHENNAI MRU (Cochin– Chennai flight):
-
- The check-in baggage limit in all Domestic Airlines is 15 kgs.
- The hand baggage can be of 07 kgs.
- Airlines are very strict nowadays about this. If clients have more than 15 kg and up to 20 kg then airline shall charge USD 30 Per person extra to be booked in advance.
- Excluding:
- Compulsory tips of USD 60 per person
- Compulsory travel insurance
- Drinks during meals
- Any meals which are not mentioned on the program
- Entrance fees: USD 33 PP EXTRA- pick & choose
- CHENNAI – USD 08 PP
- MAHABALIPURAM – USD 10 PP
- PONDICHERRY – USD 02 PP
- TANJORE – USD 05 PP
- MADURAI – USD 02 P
- MUNNAR – 04 PP
- COCHIN – USD 02 PP
- HOTELS (SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY):
- Itinerary: S2587
Mauritius/Chennai on MK746 dep :2300
Arrive in Chennai at 0620 am.
You Will be Met upon arrival & transferred to a restaurant for breakfast and to freshen up. Thenafetr , drive to Mahabalipuram (60 kmr/01-hour 30 min) on arrival proceed for sightseeing Mahabalipuram: Also known as the seven pagodas, Mahabalipuram is a pleasant seaside resort, 85 kms from madras. Today the principal attraction of the place to the tourist lies in the wonderful monolithic monuments and stone sculptures of the ancient Pallava. Today, the earliest of these remarkable monuments are to be seen, all cut out of rocks. The important monuments to be seen are the Pandavas five Raaths, the bas-relief on huge rock popularly known as arjuna’s penance, the Maiasaura mandapam, the Krishna mandapam and the shore temple. Check in at the hotel at around 2pm. Free day (B)
Morning drive to Pondicherry (160 kmr/04 hours) on arrival check in at hotel. Pm: City tour of Pondicherry visiting Aurobindo Ashram + French Houses + Mahatma Gandhi statue at promenade beach street and thereafter visit to Auroville Ashram complex & watch short movie about Auroville society and its concept carried on by Auroville volunteers. If time permits visit Matrimandir globe for world peace from outside. Evening: Free to walk around French quarter and near sea front.
Drive Pondicherry/Tanjore (165 kms/3 hrs) on arrival visit Tanjore.Pm: Tanjore (Thanjavur): Tanjore was the capital of Chola Empire from the 10th to 14th century a.d. built in 1003 a.d. by king raja raja. The Brihadishvara temple is considered the grandest and finest in india. The majestic tower of the temple rises 216 ft. high over the city. The temple is capped by a monolithic cupola formed by a single granite block weighing 80 tons. This enormous stone is said to have been positioned by moving it along an inclined plane which commenced in a village 6 km. away – a technique adopted by the pyramid – builders of ancient Egypt. Visit the Royal palace and Rajaraja Museum and art gallery. Evening Free at leisure and can visit local traditional Tamil bazaar.
Drive Tanjore/Madurai (210 kms/05 Hrs), visiting Trichy en-route. Trichy: this town had been the southern sea of power for centuries. Many French & English battles were fought here for power & finally Robert Clive brought victory to the English in 18th century. The rock fort has played an important role in these events and battels.Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple here is one of the largest Vaishnavi temples in south India with 21 magnificent towers, the temple is surrounded by seven walls which hold the city itself. On Arrival check-in at hotel.
- Am: Meenakshi temple: this is an exquisite example of temples built by the pandyan rulers. There are as many as 11 majestic towers with the main entrance from the east. There are two shrines, one dedicated to sundreswarar and the other to his consort Meenakshi. The hall in front of the Sundareswaran shrine is known as Kamarhati mandapam. Inside, a pillared portico surrounds the sacred golden lotus tank. According to a legend, this tank was once used to judge the merits of Tamil literary works. Manuscripts of great worth would float on its discerning waters, while those lacking in merit would sink. The temple art gallery is interesting.
- Pm: THIRUMALAI NAYAK PALACE: About 1.5 km south-east of the Meenakshi temple, this Indo-Saracenic palace was built in 1636 by the ruler whose name it bears. Today, only the entrance gate, main hall and dance hall remain but these are well worth seeing. Gandhi museum, in the 300-year-old rani mangammal palace. It contains an art gallery, memorabilia (Gandhi’s dhoti when he was shot), traces history of the independence struggle from 1800, and the ‘quit india’ movement. Informative, interesting and well laid out. Also, has a khadi and village industries section and one of south Indian handicrafts.
Drive to Munnar. (180KMS/5 HRS). Drive to Periyar up the hills of Western Ghats from eastern side. The journey is very beautiful drive. (160 kms/4 hrs). On arrival check -in at hotel. Munnar is a sleepy little hill station of south india with a nature still being preserved. It is very green and natural scenic beauty to be enjoyed.
Visit Mettupaty dam, Eco Museum, Tea Museum, Shristi, Munnar town and market.
OPTIONAL visit to Lockhart tea factory and museum since 1936 esrtablished by Baron John Von Rosenberg. Its 10 kms from city centre and can only be done by4X4 jeeps @USD 23 per person. The factory allows public visits during regular working hours, allowing visitors the opportunity to observe the various stages of tea processing. The museum houses photographs and machinery that was used in earlier days of tea production.
Periyar, Spice capital of India with best organically produced spices. Enjoy the plantation tour and in the evening walk thru a mile long very neat and small shops bazzar selling all kind of spices and herbs. You shall just not be able to resist your temptation to handpick the best of spices and herbs, probably among the cheapest and one of the best in the world.PM Visit is a 1½ hrs program. Kerala history is closely linked with its commerce, which in turn was wholly dependent until recent times on its spice trade. Pepper still remains the king of Kerala spices. Over 12 varieties of spices including ginger, garlic, cardamom, vanilla, pepper, cinnamon, coffee, tea, and clove etc is cultivated. Visit of spice plantations definitely be an exciting program for everyone. Early evening includes boat cruise in Lake Periyar to see wild elephants and other flora and fauna which includes wildlife lake park entrance and boat charges.Evening: Free to walk around local market.
After breakfast leisurely drive to Allepey (160 kms / 04 hrs). Its beautiful ride down the Western ghats towards Arabian sea dotted with green plantation country side. Arrival check-in at house boat called Kettuvallam – Kerala’s one of the best boats adapted and modernized from the traditional Kettuvallam of Kerala float in Vembanad Lake is an experience in itself and each room has private facilties. A sundeck where you can laze on wicker chairs as you watch the world go by. Your houseboat carries you slowly down palm-hung waterways, past backwater settlements of thatched and tiled cottages, bright with cratons and hibiscus. You set your own pace: stopping where you like, resting when you like, and indulging yourself with the freshest of foods bought from the farmers & fishermen on the banks of the backwaters. you are always within the reach of other people. Lunch and dinner at houseboat (B.L.D)
Early in the morning enjoy the panoramic sunrise from the deck before indulging in a delicious breakfast. Check out from the house boat around 09 am and drive to Cochin (60 kms/01-hour 30 min), on arrival proceed for sightseeing of Cochin. Cochin: visit to the Cochin Harbor terminus and fort Cochin area – St. Francis church, Chinese fishing nets. Dutch Palace- This palace in Mattancherry was built by the Portuguese, and presented to the Raja of Cochin in 1555. Though built by the Portuguese, it is popularly known as the “Dutch Palace”, as the Dutch renovated it during their brief reign here. Glory of the palace lies in the murals which are in the best traditions of Hindu temple art. Evening witness Kathakali dance performance- Elements of the art of Kathakali are believed to have been gradually developed in Kerala from early as the 2nd century. Kathakali as an individual style of dance-drama emerged as a ‘people’s theatre’ from the traditional dances of the past. Kathakali as we now see it therefore dates back to about the time that Shakespeare was writing his plays.
Day free for shopping with our vehicle at MG road, and famous Lullu mall and local market.
Transfer to airport to connect flight to Chennai 6E/705 1110/1225 Hrs. Meet upon arrival and straight proceed for sightseeing of Chennai. Pm: Chennai City: Visiting, the fort St. George, St Thomas and St. Marr’s church-built by the British east India company in 1653 ad. A church within the fort was consecrated in 1680. The high court, built in the Indo Saracenic style. Also visit Kapaleeshwarar temple.
Two Days free for shopping (no vehicle)
Transfer to the airport to catch Chennai/Mauritius on MK 747 dep: 0800 ,arr :1230.
