Marvels of South India Itinerary

Namaste and welcome to India!

Arrive in Chennai, and after immigration, baggage, and customs, exit the arrival halls. A Geringer Global Travel representative will greet you with a placard bearing your name.

Chennai is a city with historic monuments, iconic ancient temples, rich art and craft centers, and scenic sandy beaches.

After breakfast, visit the Government Museum. The museum complex consists of six buildings and 46 galleries. Visit Fort St. George, the first English fortress in India. The fort currently houses the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly. Visit St. Mary’s Church which houses the oldest graveyard associated with the Imperial rule in India. Drive to Marina Beach for a stop to take photos.

Lunch is at Verandah at the Taj Connemara Hotel.

After lunch, take a guided walk on the Peacock Trail with an expert. See the important sites of the Mylapore area which is the cultural hub of Chennai. This walk discusses culture, history, traditions, mythology, and more.

Dinner is at Southern Spice Restaurant at Taj Coromandel Hotel.

After breakfast, drive to Mahabalipuram (approximately 3 hours). On the way, visit Kanchipuram, one of the Hindu’s seven most sacred cities. Home to the famed Kanchi silks, Kanchipuram has numerous silk weaving centers with traditional handlooms. On arrival at Mahabalipuram, check into the hotel.

Lunch is at Melting Pot Restaurant.

After lunch, visit Mahabalipuram. This open-air museum of Tamil art in living rock is the work of students under the patronage of the Pallava rulers. The landmark of this marvelous collection is the Shore Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This temple is the only surviving temple from a complex, the other temples have been claimed by the sea.

Dinner is at the hotel.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and drive to Puducherry (Pondicherry) (approximately 3 hours). On the way, visit Auroville, which developed around the ashram of the Indian yogi, Sri Aurobindo.

Lunch is at Solitude Farm Café on Solitude Farm in Auroville. The restaurant’s produce is from organic vegetables grown on the farm, which was founded by Englishman-turned-Aurovillian Krishna Mckenzie.

Pondicherry, a former French colony, presents an unusual combination of European culture and Indian traditions.

On arrival, check into the hotel.

Enjoy a cooking demonstration and dinner with Shyama. Her love for food and vast exposure to Pan-Indian cuisine is her secret to churning out mouth-watering delicacies from all parts of India.

After breakfast, walk around the French Quarter of the town learning about the tales of kings and commoners, poets, and villains, all of whom wove their way into the fabric of Pondicherry.

Lunch is at Villa Shanti Hotel.

Enjoy a walk with a food expert through Pondicherry’s lesser-known Tamil Quarter. Learn what life was like in the lively, eclectic “Black Town” and be introduced to some of the best street food the neighborhood has to offer.

Dinner is at the hotel.

After breakfast, drive to Tanjore (approximately 6 hours). En route visit Kumbakonam. On arrival at Kumbakonam, visit Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram which is one of the great Chola temples after Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram.

Lunch is at Paraside Resort in Kumbakonam.

Tanjore was the royal city of the Cholas, Nayaks, and the Mahrattas.

On arrival at Tanjore, check into the hotel.

Dinner is at the hotel.

After breakfast, explore Brihadisvara Temple, also known as the “Big Temple” which was built between 985 and 1012 AD by Rajaraja I and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a magnificent structure with a 14-story high vimana and a towered sanctuary that houses the main deity. A dome carved from an 80-ton single block of granite tops the vimana. An enormous Nandi bull, the traditional vehicle for Shiva, guards the entrance to the main sanctuary.

During the tour, visit the Tanjore Art Gallery, which houses religious paintings.

Visit the Royal Palace and Museum, which has a remarkable collection of South Indian sculptures and paintings.

Meet the artists who do bronze casting and Tanjore painting and be shown the entire process of bronze molding to casting to chiseling as well as how the paintings are made. Both the artists are present at the same shop.

Lunch and dinner are at the hotel.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and drive to Chettinad. On the way, visit Trichy (approximately 3 -4 hours). All the temples in Trichy are built along the Rock Fort, which stands on an 84m high rock. There are also beautifully carved pillars and panels.

Lunch is at Hotel Sangam in Trichy.

After lunch, continue the drive to Chettinad and check into the hotel.

Dinner is at the hotel.

After breakfast, explore the Chettinad residences that dot the region. The Chettinad region and Karaikudi are a treasure trove of antiques and handmade products ranging from jewelry to furniture making

Enjoy a cooking demo with lunch at Bangala.

Dinner is at the hotel.

After breakfast, drive to Madurai (approximately 2 hours). The ancient city of Madurai is one of South India’s oldest with a recorded history going back to the 6th century B.C. The town has been patterned on the lotus flower with the temple of Goddess Meenakshi at the center.
Lunch is at the Banyan Restaurant at the Heritage Madurai Hotel.

After lunch, visit the Meenakshi Temple, an outstanding structure, dedicated to Meenakshi the “fish eyed goddess” and the consort of Shiva. The temple houses an estimated 33,000 sculptures along with several shrines, corridors, and pillars that are adorned with wonderful artwork.

Visit Thirumalai Nayaka Palace that was built in 1636 in the Indo Mughal style. Its 15 domes and arches are adorned with stucco work.

Dinner is at the hotel.

After dinner, return to the Meenakshi Temple to attend the night ceremony at the temple. This is a ceremony that takes place every evening when the temple bronze of Lord Shiva is carried to the bed-chamber of Parvati. The procession is accompanied by religious prayer and temple music. Non-Hindus are not allowed inside the inner sanctum of the temple.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport for the flight to Chennai. Upon arrival at Chennai, connect to the flight for Mysore.

Mysore is often called the Jewel of Karnataka because of its arts, culture, buildings, festivals, gardens, and parks.

Upon arrival, check into the hotel and enjoy lunch.

Rest of the day is at leisure.

Dinner is at the hotel.

After breakfast, join an expert to explore the history of Mysore.

Visit old Mysore City which still retains many of its old Agraharas, community houses of the priest class called Brahmins.

Lunch is at Sapphire Restaurant.

After lunch, take a city tour of Mysore. Visit the Maharaja’s Palace, a veritable treasure trove of exquisite carvings and works of art from the world over, and Devaraja Market, a traditional Indian marketplace that is colorful and vibrant.

Dinner is at the hotel.

After breakfast, drive to Kabini (approximately 2 hours).
Kabini Forest Reserve with its dense forests abounds with elephants.

Upon arrival at Kabini, check into the lodge and enjoy lunch.

After lunch, explore the park with an in-house naturalist. The exploration of the park will be done either in a Jeep or by boat.

Dinner is at the hotel.

After breakfast, enjoy a full day exploring the park with an in-house naturalist. The exploration of the park will be done either by Jeep or by boat.

Enjoy the Kuruba tribal dancers performs their traditional dance around a campfire to the accompaniment of two wooden drums and one wind instrument.

Lunch and dinner are at the lodge.

After breakfast, drive to Coorg. (approximately 3-4 hours). On the way, visit Bylekuppe, the second largest Tibetan settlement outside Tibet. It contains a Tibetan monastery with 7,000 monks, a Golden temple, a Tibetan village, and a flea market.

On arrival at Coorg, check into the hotel and enjoy lunch.

The afternoon is at leisure to stroll around the estate.

Dinner is a cooking class with an in-house chef.

Early morning, proceed for a bird-watching tour. Coorg is an ornithologist’s delight and is every bit entertaining and enlightening for the amateur birdwatcher too. Consider how Coorg alone accounts for over 25% of all bird species in India, and you get an idea of why birding at Coorg is so popular.

After the tour, return to the hotel for breakfast.

Visit the Riverside Tea Shop that is the center and focus of Karadigodu village.

After lunch, proceed on a worker’s trail tour to understand the life of a plantation worker.

Later, take a guided walking tour of the 300-acre working coffee and spice plantation. Learn first-hand the difference between an Arabica and Robusta coffee and see how the spices are grown.

All the meals are at the hotel.

After breakfast, check out of the hotel and drive to Hassan. En route stop for a coffee tasting session followed by lunch at Kanchighar Estate, located in the charming hills of Chickmagular.

Post lunch, continue the drive to Hassan and check into the hotel.

Visit the Belur and Halebid Temples. Belur, built on the banks of the Yagachi River, was the first capital of the Hoysala Empire. The temples are all clustered in a courtyard. Temples at Halebid are quiet without the crowds that flock to the main Hoysalesvara Temple. The Hoysalesvara Temple has two shrines both dedicated to Shiva.

Dinner is at the resort.

After breakfast, drive to Hampi. with a stop en route for lunch (7-8 hours approximately).

Travel back in time to the glorious days of the 14th century Vijayanagara Empire. Let the stone monuments at Hampi tell you the story of what was once described as “the best-provided city in the world”.

Upon arrival at Hampi, check into the resort.

Late afternoon, enjoy a walk that takes you through giant boulders, the ruins of the Achyutaraya Temple, and the famed ‘Courtesan Bazaar’. See the sun set behind the boulder hills as you walk along the banks of the scenic Tungabhadra River.

Dinner is at the hotel.

After breakfast, have a full day to explore the stunning collection of temples, palaces, and market places of Hampi.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are at the hotel.

After breakfast, continue exploring the stunning collection of temples, palaces, and areas in and around Hampi.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are at the hotel.

Early morning with packed breakfast drive to Hubli airport (approximately 4 hours) to board the flight for Mumbai.

Upon arrival in Mumbai, transfer to the Leela Mumbai where the room is held until departure for home.

Dinner is at Jamavar Restaurant at the hotel which is known for its authentic North and South Indian fine dining.

Late night transfer to the International airport to board the flight home.