Kerala and the Southern Highlights
India tour information
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| Houseboat | Beautiful Scenery | Temples & Palaces | UNESCO World Heritage | Cultural Show | Shopping | Beach |
Experience the beautiful southern part of India
18 days from £2790
South India is vastly different from the north both culturally and geographically. This tour visits the city of Chennai, which is also known as the ‘Gateway to the South’ and the beautiful ancient temples at Kanchipuram, Mamallapuram and Hassan. Also explore Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala and cruise the tranquil backwaters. Enjoy a ride on a miniature train whilst admiring the lush mountain scenery in Mysore and Coonoor as well as stroll along the sandy beaches in Kovalam, visit the tea and spice plantations in Munnar and enjoy nature spotting in the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
Days 1-2 : UK – Chennai
Fly overnight to Chennai via Dubai and transfer to the hotel. (N.B. dinner is not included today).
Day 3 : Chennai
Visit one of the second longest beach in the world, Marina Beach followed by a visit to Fort St. George and St. Mary’s Church. Later, we head to Shiva Kapaleeshwarar Temple situated in Mylapore which is considered to be one of the most scared Hindu sites in southern India.
Day 4 : Kanchipuram & Mamallapuram day tour
Travel south to Kanchipuram, the ancient capital of Pallavas and one of the seven sacred cities in India. We visit a number of temples and the Shree Sreenivas Silk House. We drive back to Chennai stopping off to see the rock carvings of Mamallapuram, which dates back to the 7th and 8th centuries.
Day 5 : Chennai – Bangalore
Rise early and board the Shatabdi Express train to Bangalore, known as the ‘Garden City’. Later, we enjoy a tour of the city including a visit to the Bull Temple, Tipu Sultan’s Palace and Vidhana Soudha.
Day 6 : Bangalore – Hassan
Travel west to Hassan and visit Shravanabelagola, where we climb to the top of the temple. We also famous 12th century temples of Belur and Halebid.
Day 7 : Hassan – Mysore
Travel south to Mysore visiting Srirangapatnam Fort en-route. Inside the fortress walls, visit a mosque and the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. Upon arrival in Mysore, explore the Maharaja’s Palace, part of which is still in use, and then drive up to Chamundi Hill to see the Sri Chamundeshwari Temple, which offers a panoramic view of Mysore. On our way to the hotel we visit the Nadi Bull carved out of solid rock.
Day 8 : Mysore – Coonoor
We head to the hills and travel to Coonoor. In the evening, we enjoy a walking tour around this quaint hill station.
Day 9 : Ooty day tour
We board the ‘Toy Train’ to Ooty, also known as ‘Queen of the Blue Mountain’. The town was developed as a hill station by the British in the early 19th century and is famous for its tea and coffee plantations. We visit the Botanical Gardens and take an optional 15 minute walk uphill to a small village, where we gain an insight into the lives of the local people and enjoy the amazing view over Ooty and the surrounding mountains. Later, we return to Coonoor.
Day 10 : Coonoor – Munnar
We continue our descent from the highlands and enjoy a full day of driving to Munnar, which is the commercial centre for the area’s tea growing estates. Upon arrival, we check-in to our hotel which is located at the side of a mountain with breathtaking views over the valley and surrounding tea plantations.
Day 11 : Munnar – Thekkady
Visit a local tea plantation and the Tata Tea Museum. Later, visit the Thekkady and Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, which is South India’s most popular wildlife sanctuary.
Day 12 : Thekkady
Visit a spice plantation with a stroll through a local spice and vegetable market. This afternoon, enjoy an optional 12km walk through the park searching for the local wildlife. Later, enjoy an evening show with artists performing possibly one of the oldest martial arts in existence – ‘Kalaripayatu’.
Day 13 : Thekkady – Nedumudy (Houseboat)
Travel to Nedumudy (near Kumarakom). Here, we board our houseboat, a converted rice barge known as a ‘kettuvallam’ and explore the village life around the backwaters of Kerala. Lunch and dinner will be served onboard. We stay overnight on the houseboat.
Day 14 : Alleppey – Kochi
After breakfast, we disembark from our houseboat and drive to Kochi. Visit a local market in Alleppey, a coir factory and the Kokothamangalam Church en-route. Later in the evening, enjoy a Kathakali dance show.
Day 15 : Kochi
Enjoy a full day tour around Kotchi, visiting the Jewish Quarter of Fort Cochin, the Dutch Palace, St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Cathedral and see the cantilevered Chinese fishing nets.
Day 16 : Kochi – Kovalam
Drive to Kovalam and enjoy the afternoon at leisure to relax on the beach.
Day 17 : Kovalam – Trivandrum
Enjoy a tour of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala's capital, known until recently as Trivandrum. Visit Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Napier Museum with its bronze collection, Sri Chitra Art Gallery, Zoological Gardens, Reptile House, Observatory, Kanakakunnu Palace and Sree Moolamthirunal Shastri Purthi Memorial.
Day 18 : Kovalam – UK
Transfer to Trivandrum Airport and fly to the UK via Dubai, arriving home later the same day.
Dates and Prices
| Depart UK | Arrive UK | Price pp from | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Oct 2010 | 23 Oct 2010 | £2,790 | |
| 10 Nov 2010 | 27 Nov 2010 | £2,990 | |
| 2 Feb 2011 | 19 Feb 2011 | £2,990 | |
| 23 Feb 2011 | 12 Mar 2011 | £2,990 |
Tour departs Wednesday and returns Saturday
- Prices are fully inclusive from the UK and based on London Heathrow departures
- Regional departures available at no additional charge (subject to availability)
- Other flight upgrades available on request
- Land only from £2,390pp (Chennai - Kovalam)
- Single supplement from £790 (no supplement if you are willing to share)
- Tipping 2010 payable locally US$90pp
- Tipping 2010 payable locally US$135pp
- Days 1-2: dinner is not included
This document is designed to be read in conjunction with the other pre-departure information provided by Wendy Wu Tours including the tour itinerary as described in our brochure and/or website. It aims to provide a straightforward description of the physical activities involved in sightseeing or travelling during the tour.
If there are any particular challenges, from the length of time spent on your feet, the length of drives and flights, to the standard of remote accommodation for our more adventurous tours; they will be explained here.
All passengers must read this document to ensure the itinerary is suitable for their interests and physical capabilities. This is not your final itinerary and therefore does not mention all the sites visited. The order of sightseeing is subject to change.
| Kerala & The Southern Highlights Tour Dossier |
