South India Leisure Tour,Leisure Tour of South India,Southindia Leisure Tour,Reservation for South India Leisure Tour

Mumbai, Backwaters, Hills and Temples

Duration : 17 Days / 16 Nights
Destinaions Covered : Mumbai - Goa - Cochin - Alleppey - Houseboat - Kumarakom - Periyar - Madurai - Trichy - Tanjore - Pondicherry - Mahabalipuram - Chennai

Rock Sculpture of Trimurthi Sadasiva in the Elephanta Caves

Rock Sculpture of Trimurthi Sadasiva in the Elephanta Caves

Day 01 : Arrive Mumbai
You will be met on arrival and transferred into the city to your hotel.

Day 02 : Mumbai
City tour of Mumbai with a local guide. This is India's biggest and most cosmopolitan city with a rich past and a vibrant present. Overnight in Mumbai.

Day 03 : Mumbai
Day free for exploring the markets or take a boat ride over the Elephanta Caves, with their spectacular rock cut temples and the awesome three headed Shiva statue. Overnight in Mumbai.

Day 04 : Mumbai to Goa
Morning transfer to the airport for flight to Goa On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. This afternoon you are at leisure, and overnight in Goa.

Day 05 & 06 : Goa Goa Beach

2 Days free in Goa, where you may choose to explore India's smallest state and its rich Portuguese heritage, or just relax on the beach and watch the world go by. Overnight in Goa (X2).

Day 07 : Goa - Cochin
Depending on the day of the week, you will either take a direct flight to Cochin, or fly to Bangalore and transfer to a connecting flight there. Direct flights operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays only. On arrival in Cochin, you will be met by our Tour Executive and transferred to your hotel. Tonight enjoy a professional performance of the traditional Keralan dance form of Kathakali, in the comfort of an air-conditioned auditorium, and overnight in Cochin.

Day 08: Cochin
Sightseeing with a local, visiting the sites of Fort Cochin. This historic port city has been a thriving trading post for centuries and the myriad influences on its culture, cuisine, religion and lifestyle come from British, Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and Jewish involvement. Overnight in Cochin.

Day 09 : Cochin
Day free for your own activities. Overnight in Cochin.

Day 10 : Cochin - Alleppey - Houseboat
After breakfast drive 65kms to Alleppey and board the houseboat which will be your home for the next idyllic interlude. While on board, your crew will prepare delicious Keralan meals and navigate the boat through the vast network of lagoons, canals and lakes which make up the backwaters. Overnight on the houseboat.

Day 11 : Houseboat - Kumarakom - Periyar
After breakfast, you may find yourself reluctant to disembark the houseboat! Once you reach Kumarakom it is a 4 hour drive up into the hills of the Western Ghats. Upon reaching Periyar, you can take a late afternoon boat ride on the lake with a very good chance to see herds of elephants as they come down to the water's edge to drink. The lake is also home to a huge variety of birdlife. Overnight in Periyar (Thekkady).

Day 12 : Periyar
Today you are free to indulge in a traditional Ayurvedic massage, visit a spice plantation or simply relax in the cool, green surroundings of the hills. Overnight in Periyar.

Day 13 : Periyar - Madurai
After breakfast drive 4hrs to Madurai and in the afternoon visit Meenakshi Temple and the Nayak Palace. Overnight in Madurai.

Day 14 : Madurai - Trichy - Tanjore
This morning drive 3hrs to Trichy, visit the Srirangam Temple and Rock Fort Temple, late afternoon drive 1.5hrs to Tanjore.

Day 15 : Tanjore - Pondicherry Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram

Morning visit the Tanjore Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage city and one of the great examples of Chola architecture, and the Palace. In the afternoon, drive 5hrs to Pondicherry, a unique city of unmistakable French influence nestled on the shore of the Bay of Bengal.

Day 16 : Pondicherry - Mahabalipuram
Morning city tour of Pondicherry and drive 2.5hrs to Mahabalipuram, visit the World Heritage Monuments- the Shore Temple, the Five Rathas and Arjunas Penance.

Day 17 : Mahabalipuram - Chennai
Depending on the time of your international flight out of Chennai, you will have most of the day to relax on the beach prior to departing for the 90 minute drive to Chennai airport. You will be escorted and assisted to the airport and fare welled at the end of a comprehensive exploration of some of the wonders of Southern India.

NOTE : Please note that this, and all other itineraries on this website, are suggested programmes only and can be modified to suit your individual needs and interests.