Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Chennai
Your representative meets you at Chennai Airport and drives you to your hotel in an air-conditioned car. The transfer gives you a first look at the city as you settle into your accommodation.
- Start point
- Chennai International Airport (MAA), Great Southern Trunk Rd, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India (On arrival meet and greet our representative later transfer to Hotel)
- Day 2
Chennai
Start the day exploring Chennai's key sights like Fort St George and Vivekananda House. Around lunch or dinner, head to Anna Lakshmi restaurant for traditional Tamil thali served on a banana leaf, with gravies, spices, chutneys, breads and rice all part of the spread.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional Tamil thali meal at Anna Lakshmi restaurant - large selection of gravies, spices, chutneys and condiments served with mountains of rice and an array of breads and rice-flour concoctions, traditionally served on a banana leaf)
Included Activities
- Visit Fort St George
- Visit Vivekananda House
- Traditional Tamil thali lunch at Anna Lakshmi restaurant
Landmarks Fort St George Vivekananda House - Day 3
Chennai to Kanchipuram to Mahabalipuram
You'll drive inland to Kanchipuram's sacred temples, then continue on to the beachside town of Mahabalipuram. At local fishing spots, pick out your own fresh fish and tell the restaurant how you'd like it prepared. Beachfront dining here is really something.
Optional Activities
- Visit temples in Kanchipuram
- Fresh seafood dining at beachfront restaurants in Mahabalipuram
Landmarks Kanchipuram 
- Day 4
Mahabalipuram
Visit Dakshinachitra cultural village to see traditional crafts and village life. Later, see Mahabalipuram's UNESCO temples and rock carvings up close, understanding the skill that went into them. This former trading port and capital has layers of history visible in its stonework.
Included Activities
- Visit Dakshinachitra cultural village
- Sightseeing tour of Mahabalipuram UNESCO World Heritage monuments
Landmarks Dakshinachitra Mahabalipuram Temples 
- Day 5
Mahabalipuram to Pondicherry
Drive south to Pondicherry and walk through the French Quarter with its rooftop cafes and restaurants. The Colonial architecture and narrow streets feel quite different from typical Indian towns. Then check out the Tamil Quarter with shops and boutiques for a more local perspective.
Included Activities
- Explore French Quarter in Pondicherry on foot
- Visit Tamil Quarter of Pondicherry
Landmarks Pondicherry French Quarter Pondicherry Tamil Quarter - Day 6
Pondicherry to Tanjore
Head south and inland to Tanjore. Time your visit to reach one of South India's most important temples as the sun sets, creating dramatic light on the stone and giving the whole experience a particularly memorable feel.
Included Activities
- Visit Tanjore temple at sunset
Landmarks Tanjore Temple - Day 7
Tanjore to Alangudi to Chettinad
Start early in Alangudi for a 5-hour village walk through rural life, farmland, and local communities. You'll visit a local home for a cooking demonstration and lunch with your hosts. After that, drive about 2 hours to Chettinad district. You'll stay in a 40,000 square foot historic mansion known for its ornate architecture.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at local home in Alangudi after 2-3 hours of walking and village exploration)
Included Activities
- 5-hour village walk tour in Alangudi
- Cooking demonstration and lunch at local home in Alangudi
- Explore Chettinad district villages
Optional Activities
- Observe tile-making craft in Chettinad
- Visit local markets in Chettinad
- Join in cooking meals in Chettinad
Landmarks Alangudi Chettinad District - Day 8
Chettinad
Options here include bullock cart rides around the village or trying parrot astrology, where a trained bird picks from cards to tell your fortune. The Chettinad cuisine at dinner is richer and meatier than most Tamil food, with complex spice blends that have made this region famous.
Optional Activities
- Bullock cart ride around Chettinad village
- Parrot astrology fortune telling session
- Experience authentic Chettinad cuisine at local restaurants
Landmarks Chettinad District - Day 9
Chettinad to Madurai
Travel to Madurai, which blends modern commerce with ancient pilgrimage traditions. See Meenakshi Temple and Tirumalai Nayak Palace. Walk through the flower and vegetable markets where locals shop daily. If you're interested, there's an optional food safari with local guides sampling street food and regional dishes.
Included Activities
- Visit Meenakshi Temple
- Visit Tirumalai Nayak Palace
- Explore bazaars, flower and vegetable markets in Madurai
Optional Activities
- Bespoke food safari tour in Madurai with local restaurant visits and street food sampling
Landmarks Meenakshi Temple Tirumalai Nayak Palace - Day 10
Madurai to Periyar
Leave Madurai heading west toward Kerala. You'll pass through agricultural areas and the Spice Market at Theni, one of the largest in South India. As you climb the Western Ghats, reach Periyar by lunchtime. In the afternoon, tour a spice garden to see where cardamom, pepper, and other common kitchen staples actually grow.
Included Activities
- Visit Spice Market at Theni
- Tour of spice garden in Periyar
Landmarks Theni Spice Market Periyar - Day 11
Periyar to Kanjirapally
Descend toward the Keralan midlands and stop at Kanjirapally for lunch. Your accommodation is an estate bungalow on a working plantation with rubber, coffee, cocoa, and vanilla growing around you. Dinners use produce and ingredients sourced right from the estate itself.
Landmarks Kanjirapally - Day 12
Kanjirapally to Alleppey
Move down from the hills to Alleppey and board a deluxe houseboat for an afternoon cruise with lunch served on board. Watch the backwater scenery drift by from the deck. After disembarking, stay at a resort or homestay near the water where you can enjoy Keralan cuisine in the evening.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch on board houseboat during afternoon cruise on Alleppey backwaters), Dinner (Dinner included at resort or homestay near Alleppey backwaters)
Included Activities
- Houseboat cruise on Alleppey backwaters with lunch on board
Landmarks Alleppey Backwaters - Day 13
Alleppey to Fort Cochin
Spend the morning around your accommodation exploring the local backwaters and surroundings. Then drive 2 hours to Fort Cochin, South India's major trading port for over 500 years. A guided tour covers India's oldest synagogue, Jew Town, the Dutch Fort, and St Francis Church, showing how different cultures shaped this place.
Included Activities
- Guided tour of historic Fort Cochin
- Visit Jew Town and India's oldest synagogue
- Visit Dutch Fort in Fort Cochin
- Visit St Francis Church in Fort Cochin
Optional Activities
- Explore the region around Alleppey accommodation
Landmarks Fort Cochin Historic Area Jew Town St Francis Church - Day 14
Fort Cochin
Visit the fish market in the morning, then head to Chef Mrs. Nimmy Paul's home for a traditional Hindu Sadhya meal on a banana leaf, the kind served at weddings and festivals. Nimmy talks through the traditions and history of each dish. After lunch, she leads a cooking demonstration where you help prepare the evening meal.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional Hindu Sadhya meal served on a banana leaf at Mrs. Nimmy Paul's home - an extensive meal usually served at weddings and other festivals), Dinner (Special dinner prepared during cooking demonstration with Chef Nimmy Paul)
Included Activities
- Visit fish market in Fort Cochin
- Traditional Hindu Sadhya meal at Mrs. Nimmy Paul's home
- Cooking demonstration and dinner preparation with Chef Nimmy Paul
Landmarks Fort Cochin Fish Market - Day 15
Departure from Fort Cochin
After breakfast, you'll pack with memories from your South India trip and transfer to Kochi Airport according to your flight departure time. Your journey ends with the drive to the airport.
- End point
- Cochin International Airport (COK), Nedumbassery, Alwaye, Kerala, India (In this day transfer to Airport for flight to your onwards destination)
- Meals
- Breakfast
