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Southern India

15 days
•
Start and end in Kochi (Cochin)
4.6
101 reviews
  • Ancient temple with stone carvings.
  • Great hornbill perched on broken tree trunk against blue morning sky in the Western Ghats.
  • Coastal beachfront with palm trees and a distant lighthouse.
    View all

  • I have travelled with Intrepid on several occasions and find their itineraries well thought out, value for money and responsible to the people and countries visited.

    S
    Sarah D, traveled in September
    4.8
  • Silhouetted Chinese fishing nets and small boat on Kochi harbour at sunset.
  • Intricately carved temple facade with colorful decorations.
  • Close-up of spiny green agamid lizard against black background on fern frond.
  • Temple gopuram with detailed carvings and figures.
  • Bengal tiger peers through dense green jungle foliage in southern India.
  • Asian elephant grazes on open grassy plain bordered by forest and stormy sky.
    View all
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Price based on Private Double Room

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Jan
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Plan your adventure:
Platinum Operator
Intrepid Travel
Nature & Wildlife
Explore untamed landscapes teeming with wildlife
Group Tour
Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Guided in English
Max Group Size 12
Ages 15+
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Kochi

    Optional Activities

    • Visit Chinese fishing nets at Fort Kochi
    • Explore Princess Street
    • Dinner with group to try local dishes (kappa biryani, appam)
    Landmarks
    Chinese Fishing Nets
    Princess Street
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  2. Day 2

    Kochi

    Included Activities

    • Leader-led Fort Kochi walking tour and city orientation
    • Dutch Palace visit
    • Kathakali traditional performance

    Optional Activities

    • Visit Paradesi Synagogue (oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth)
    Landmarks
    Dutch Palace
    Paradesi Synagogue
    Fort Kochi
  3. Day 3

    Kochi to Coonoor

    Meals
    Dinner (Dinner at your accommodation)
    Landmarks
    Nilgiri Hills
  4. Day 4

    Coonoor - Ootacamund

    Included Activities

    • Orientation walk in Coonoor
    • Tea plantation visit
    • Nilgiri Mountain Railway toy train ride
    • Ooty's Botanical Gardens visit

    Optional Activities

    • Boat ride on the lake
    Landmarks
    Nilgiri Mountain Railway
    Botanical Gardens
    Itinerary Image 1
  5. Day 5

    Coonoor to Bandipur

    Included Activities

    • Mudumalai National Park safari
    Landmarks
    Mudumalai National Park
    Nilgiri Hills
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  6. Day 6

    Bandipur to Mysore

    Meals
    Lunch (Traditional home-cooked lunch at local family's home in Mysore)

    Included Activities

    • Home-cooked lunch at local family's home with incense-making demonstration
    • Leader-led walking tour of Mysore
    • Mysore Palace visit
    Landmarks
    Mysore Palace
  7. Day 7

    Mysore

    Included Activities

    • Chamundi Hill and Sri Chamundeshwari Temple visit
    • Keshava Temple visit in Somanathapura

    Optional Activities

    • Tipu Sultan's Mausoleum visit
    • Palm reading
    • Cinema visit
    Landmarks
    Sri Chamundeshwari Temple
    Chamundi Hill
    Keshava Temple
    Tipu Sultan's Mausoleum
  8. Day 8

    Chennai to Mamallapuram

    Included Activities

    • Shore Temple guided tour
    • Arjuna's Penance rock carving visit

    Optional Activities

    • Explore mandapams (pillared temple pavilions)
    • Watch local stonemasons at work
    • Relax at a beachside restaurant
    Landmarks
    Shore Temple
    Arjuna's Penance
  9. Day 9

    Mamallapuram to Puducherry

    Included Activities

    • Leader-led French Quarter walking tour
    Landmarks
    Sri Aurobindo Ashram
    French Quarter
  10. Day 10

    Mamallapuram to Madurai

    Included Activities

    • Sri Meenakshi Amman Temple visit
    Landmarks
    Sri Meenakshi Amman Temple
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  11. Day 11

    Madurai to Periyar

    Meals
    Dinner (Authentic home-cooked meal with local family)

    Included Activities

    • Spice plantation visit
    • Home-cooked meal with local family
    Landmarks
    Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve
    Western Ghats
    Itinerary Image 1
  12. Day 12

    Periyar

    Included Activities

    • Guided nature walk in Periyar National Park

    Optional Activities

    • Ayurvedic massage
    Landmarks
    Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve
  13. Day 13

    Periyar to Kerala Backwaters

    Meals
    Dinner (Traditional home-cooked Keralan meal with host family)

    Included Activities

    • Motorboat crossing to island village
    • Village walk with homestay host
    • Pole boat ride around waterways
    • Home-cooked Keralan meal with host family
    Landmarks
    Kerala Backwaters
    Itinerary Image 1
  14. Day 14

    Kerala Backwaters to Kochi

    Optional Activities

    • Stroll down Princess Street for shopping
    • Southern Indian cooking class
    • Dinner with group at local restaurant
    Landmarks
    Princess Street
  15. Day 15

    Kochi

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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Operated by

Intrepid Travel

Platinum Operator
Rating
4.5(12,091 reviews)
Response time
7 hours
Response rate
96%
Cancellation policy

Traveler Moments

  • Southern India customer review video
  • Young vendor checks his phone behind a colourful stall of spices, powders and trinkets.
  • Bustling flower market where vendors hang vibrant garlands of marigolds and roses.
  • Blurred close-up of a performer in elaborate traditional face paint and ornate jewelry.
  • Intricate stone carving of a Hindu deity with ornate jewelry at an ancient temple.
  • Granite monolithic temple of Pancha Rathas bathed in late afternoon light with visitors seated nearby.
  • Boatman poles a wooden craft along palm-lined backwaters at golden hour.
  • Steep rocky slopes of the Western Ghats with sparse vegetation under a pale blue sky.
  • Worker in a tea factory carries a green sack of leaves on her head beside troughs of drying tea.
  • The golden sandstone Shore Temple complex stands under a clear blue sky as visitors explore the grounds.
  • Palm trees and a house reflect in tranquil backwaters at sunset with an orange-pink sky.
  • Man in a small painted motorboat holds an umbrella while navigating calm backwater canals.
  • Two wild gaurs graze among low bright green shrubs, image slightly out of focus.
  • Hazy mountain ridges at dawn with silhouettes of trees against a soft orange sky.
  • Night city scene of a brightly lit tower viewed through a mesh fence, blurry and noisy.
  • Wild Asian elephant partly hidden among dry scrub and tall grass.
  • Mother monkey walks across a road while her infant clings to her underside.
  • Temple gopuram with detailed carvings and figures.
  • Intricately carved temple facade with colorful decorations.
  • Group of people sitting at a dinner table indoors.
  • Couple smiling indoors at a table with drinks.
  • Woman sitting and smiling indoors in low light.
  • Group of people interacting with ropes on a dock.
  • Coastal beachfront with palm trees and a distant lighthouse.
  • Ancient temple with stone carvings.

Traveler Reviews

4.6
Overall rating based on 101 Reviews
  • Itinerary
    4.5
  • Transport
    4.5
  • Guide
    4.8
  • Accommodation
    4.5
  • Food
    4.3
  • Tour Operator
    4.5

Sort by

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Most Recent
Most Popular
Highest First
Lowest First
  • Southern India reviewer 1
    March 28th, 2026
    The Southern India tour was an excellent introduction to the main sites and experiences, covering a large area in 15...
    Show more
    • Granite monolithic temple of Pancha Rathas bathed in late afternoon light with visitors seated nearby.
    • Night city scene of a brightly lit tower viewed through a mesh fence, blurry and noisy.
    • Worker in a tea factory carries a green sack of leaves on her head beside troughs of drying tea.
    • Southern India customer review video
    • Boatman poles a wooden craft along palm-lined backwaters at golden hour.
    • Young vendor checks his phone behind a colourful stall of spices, powders and trinkets.
    • Two wild gaurs graze among low bright green shrubs, image slightly out of focus.
    • Steep rocky slopes of the Western Ghats with sparse vegetation under a pale blue sky.
    • Palm trees and a house reflect in tranquil backwaters at sunset with an orange-pink sky.
    • Blurred close-up of a performer in elaborate traditional face paint and ornate jewelry.
    • The golden sandstone Shore Temple complex stands under a clear blue sky as visitors explore the grounds.
    • Mother monkey walks across a road while her infant clings to her underside.
    • Wild Asian elephant partly hidden among dry scrub and tall grass.
    • Bustling flower market where vendors hang vibrant garlands of marigolds and roses.
    • Intricate stone carving of a Hindu deity with ornate jewelry at an ancient temple.
    • Man in a small painted motorboat holds an umbrella while navigating calm backwater canals.
    • Hazy mountain ridges at dawn with silhouettes of trees against a soft orange sky.
    Traveled in March 2026
    Reply from: Intrepid Travel
    Hi Penelope, your review reads as though you had a perfect overview as well as some in depth experiences in beautiful India! You have painted the perfect picture with your words, and we are thankful that you have added these photos also! We will be sure to pass along your kind words for Abhi, and we are delighted to know that your group was a fine fit as well as the included activities. Thank you again for your review, and we hope to have you along again when the time comes. Stay well.
    Show more
  • Southern India reviewer 2
    January 17th, 2025
    Not one of Intrepid's better trips. There was a lot of travel involved with most stays only being one night. The...
    Show more
    Traveled in December 2024
    Reply from: Intrepid Travel
    Thank you for taking the time to share your experience on your recent Southern India trip, Sharon. We are sorry to hear that it did not met your expectations with the accommodation, itinerary and transport but pleased to hear you enjoyed your time on the houseboat. If you did want to discuss your concerns further with us then please do not hesitate to reach out to us on customercare@intrepidtravel.com. All the best, Intrepid Travel
    Show more
  • I
    March 15th, 2024
    Great tour! Excellent itinerary, good hotels and well paced. Our leader, Garima, was highly professional and friendly.
    Traveled in February 2024
    Reply from: Intrepid Travel
    Hey Ian, thanks for sharing your feedback! I'm happy to hear you enjoyed yourself! Looking forward to having you join us on another tour soon!
    Show more
  • Southern India reviewer 4
    February 25th, 2023
    Extremely good tour, especially because our guide Thilip was excellent, knowing so much about the country and always...
    Show more
    Traveled in February 2023
    Reply from: Intrepid Travel
    Thanks so much for your review Annette! We're so pleased to hear that Thilip did a wonderful job taking care of you and your fellow travellers. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed exploring Southern India with us and look forward to welcoming you on another adventure in the near future.
    Show more
  • S
    February 4th, 2020
    Fantastic tour and amazing experience with guide Abhi!! Lots of one night stays which enables you to get around to...
    Show more
    Traveled in January 2020
    Reply from: Intrepid Travel
    Thanks so much Susana!
    Show more
  • Southern India reviewer 6
    October 22nd, 2019
    The tour was great, a varied, full & interesting itinerary. Great!
    Traveled in October 2019
  • A
    September 18th, 2019
    I have travelled with Intrepid on several occasions and find their itineraries well thought out, value for money and...
    Show more
    Traveled in December 2018
  • A
    September 18th, 2019
    I had a fantastic experience that was largely due to the skills and talents of Afshar
    Traveled in December 2018
  • A
    September 18th, 2019
    Excellent itinerary - good range of activities - good balance of time ""off"" and activity. Afshar was excellent -...
    Show more
    Traveled in December 2018
  • A
    September 18th, 2019
    Exceptional service; fun way to combine travelling and meeting people
    Traveled in December 2018

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What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.
All questions
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Try a different search term or ask a question to this adventure's experts
  • L

    Lhoussain

    Asked on March 12th, 2025

    What is the group size for the Southern India tour?

    Group size
    • Intrepid TravelOperator•Written March 2025

      The typical group size for Southern India tours can vary, but Intrepid Travel generally operates small group tours to enhance the experience.

  • T

    Tahar

    Asked on February 3rd, 2025

    What are the accommodation details for the overnight stays during the tour?

    Accommodation
    • Intrepid TravelOperator•Written February 2025

      Accommodations vary by night with options like Jungle Lodge, Sleeper Train, and Homestay, details of which are included in your trip documentation.

  • G

    Giampiero

    Asked on December 6th, 2024

    What accommodation options are available in Kochi before and after the tour?

    Accommodation
    • Intrepid TravelOperator•Written December 2024

      Post accommodation at Abad Fort Twin/Double is available for AUD 65 per night.

  • A

    Arthur

    Asked on October 24th, 2024

    What type of transport will be used throughout the Southern India tour?

    Transport
    • Intrepid TravelOperator•Written October 2024

      Transport varies from local trains to private vehicles, designed to provide comfort and convenience while allowing you to experience the local scenery and culture.

  • J

    Jessica

    Asked on October 19th, 2024

    What should I do if I encounter a problem such as a delayed flight or transfer difficulties?

    Flights / Transfers
    Travel Support
    • Intrepid TravelOperator•Written October 2024

      Contact the local service provider detailed in your Essential Trip Information or reach out to the Intrepid representative using the emergency contact number provided.

  • D

    Dale

    Asked on July 25th, 2024

    How can I confirm my booking and payment for the tour?

    Payments
    Tour Details
    • Intrepid TravelOperator•Written July 2024

      You can confirm your booking and process payments online through your booking profile or by contacting our support desk as outlined in your reservation details.

  • C

    Celia

    Asked on April 21st, 2024

    What are the requirements for a single supplement on the Southern India tour?

    Single supplement
    • Intrepid TravelOperator•Written April 2024

      A single supplement is available for £415, excluding Day 5 (Jungle Lodge), Day 7 (Sleeper Train), and Day 13 (Homestay) where shared accommodation is provided. This is subject to availability.

  • S

    Saskia

    Asked on March 30th, 2024

    Can I book airport transfers for the Southern India tour?

    Flights / Transfers
    • Intrepid TravelOperator•Written April 2024

      Yes, you can book airport transfers. Please provide your flight details and preferred dates for the arrangements.

  • A

    Amélie

    Asked on February 2nd, 2024

    What activities are included in the Southern India tour?

    Tour Details
    • Intrepid TravelOperator•Written February 2024

      The tour includes various activities such as city tours, jungle walks, and train rides. Complete details are available in your Essential Trip Information

  • J

    Juan

    Asked on January 6th, 2024

    Would this tour be suitable for travelers in their late sixties who like to see how locals live?

    Age Range
    Tour Details
    • Intrepid TravelOperator•Written January 2024

      We will let you know the 2025 rates when they're available. Please reach out to us within a month's time.

Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Intrepid Travel with your enquiry, they usually respond within 7 hours.
From
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US $1,530 per person

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Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

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Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
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Sep
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2027

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Oct
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Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
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1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

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ChildrenUnder 18

0

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Good to Know

Tour ID: 1791

  • Currency
    ₹
    Indian Rupee
    India
  • Plugs & Adapters

  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Typhoid - Recommended for India. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for India. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Cholera - Recommended for India. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Tuberculosis - Recommended for India. Ideally 3 months before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for India. Ideally 2 months before travel.
    • Yellow fever - Certificate of vaccination required if arriving from an area with a risk of yellow fever transmission for India. Ideally 10 days before travel.
    • Japanese B encephalitis - Recommended for India. Ideally 1 month before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before August 16th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after August 16th, 2026, a minimum payment of $400 is required to confirm your booking with Intrepid Travel. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 60 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Intrepid Travel will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Intrepid Travel" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
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