Splendours of Southern India

Itinerary 1 (Jan-11 Mar 2012)

Day 1Fly from your chosen airport via Dubai to Chennai.

Day 2 Transfer to Hotel GRT Grand for a two-night stay. Afternoon city tour of Chennai.

Day 3 A visit to Kanchipuram famous as a city of 1,000 temples and for its silks.

Day 4 Drive to the coastal temple town of Mahabalipuram, its Shore Temple is now a World Heritage monument. Continue to Pondicherry (3 hrs). Visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the museum. Overnight at Hotel Atithi.

Day 5 Continue south through the flat landscapes of the Kaveri to the Chola heartlands. Visit the temples of Gangaikondacholapuram. Continue to Tanjore (6 hrs) for an overnight stay at the Hotel Sangam.

Day 6 Visit the ancient capital of the Cholas and continue south west to Trichy (Tiruchirappalli), mentioned by Ptolemy in the 2nd century BC. Visit the Rock Fort and the temple complex of Srirangam. Continue to Madurai. Overnight at Heritage Madurai (formally the Hotel Heritance).

Day 7A morning visit to the Meenakshi Temple with its towering Gopurams, before continuing to Periyar (5 hrs), Southern India’s most popular wildlife sanctuary. Stay two nights at the Hotel Elephant Court.

Day 8 Morning elephant ride and bathing before a local martial ‘Kalaripayattu’ arts performance.

Day 9 Travel to Kumarakom (4 hrs) on the shores of Lake Vembanad, the site of an old rubber plantation and now a bird sanctuary. Overnight at Cocobay Resort.

Day 10 Board a Keralan houseboat for a day cruise and overnight on board. Lunch, dinner and breakfast on board.

Day 11 Late morning departure for Cochin, stunningly located between the Arabian Sea and the backwaters of Kerala. An afternoon city tour. This evening watch a classical Indian Kathakali dance show. Overnight at the Hotel Trident.

Day 12 Transfer to the airport at Cochin for the return flight to UK via Dubai arriving later the same day. Alternatively, extend your stay in Cochin or at the beach.