South India Temples & Backwaters
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Kick off in Chennai and wind down in Kovalam on a 15 day journey that blends temples with colonial architecture and nature. You’ll explore Kanchipuram silks and Mahabalipuram’s shorefront, stroll the French streets of Pondicherry, and admire Chola brilliance at Tanjore and beyond. Expect to see Madurai’s vibrant rituals, Munnar’s tea gardens and Eravikulam’s scenery, plus Periyar National Park by boat and a spice plantation visit. Drift along Alleppey’s tranquil backwaters on a private houseboat, then uncover Fort Kochi’s history and a classic Kathakali performance. Finish with beach time and city sights around Kovalam and Trivandrum.
For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more.
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Tour Overview
Duration
15 daysHotel Rating
3, 4 or 5 star hotelsStarts
ChennaiEnds
KovalamMinimum Age
No minimum ageMaximum Age
Tours have upper age limits for several reasons, such as but not limited to: tour pace, activity level, and accommodation standards. If you fall outside of this age limit, we do have lots of other tours in India that are suitable for all ages!
Arrival Transfer
YesDeparture Transfer
YesTour Guide
Yes - for included sightseeing.Country
IndiaPassengers
$3,315.00
$1,839.00
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Tour Style
Group Size
Min 1 / Max Private Tour
Trip Type
Private Tours
Range
On this tour, you won't be joined by other travellers, and will just be travelling with your booking party. Some transportation & sightseeing may be shared, check the Inclusions for more information.
Guiding Style
This tour includes scheduled sightseeing with expert guides in key destinations as per the Inclusions, as well as transportation (either with a driver or public transport), plus of course your accommodation. There is no single tour guide or tour leader throughout the trip. You’ll have support where it counts, and more freedom in between. Our cruise tours also fall into this category where you will be looked after by a crew. For more information, check the Inclusions of this tour.
Tour Pace
A balanced pace, with a mix of free time and visits to multiple locations, allowing for both relaxation and exploration. Generally doesn't visit more than one or two destinations per day.
Physical Rating
A moderate amount of walking is required during sightseeing, with some free time, offering a balance between activity and relaxation. As a general rule, you should be able to walk 2-kilometres without stopping.
Tour Guide
Yes - for included sightseeing.Group Size
Min 1 / Max Private TourRange
On this tour, you won't be joined by other travellers, and will just be travelling with your booking party. Some transportation & sightseeing may be shared, check the Inclusions for more information.
Guiding Style
This tour includes scheduled sightseeing with expert guides in key destinations as per the Inclusions, as well as transportation (either with a driver or public transport), plus of course your accommodation. There is no single tour guide or tour leader throughout the trip. You’ll have support where it counts, and more freedom in between. Our cruise tours also fall into this category where you will be looked after by a crew. For more information, check the Inclusions of this tour.
Tour Pace
A balanced pace, with a mix of free time and visits to multiple locations, allowing for both relaxation and exploration. Generally doesn't visit more than one or two destinations per day.
Physical Rating
A moderate amount of walking is required during sightseeing, with some free time, offering a balance between activity and relaxation. As a general rule, you should be able to walk 2-kilometres without stopping.
Trip Type
Private ToursPlaces You'll See
Chennai
Chennai (Madras)
Kanchipuram
Mahabalipuram
Pondicherry
Auroville
Darasuram
Chidambaram
Thanjore
Thanjavur
Tiruchirappalli
Trichy
Madurai
Munnar
Periyar
Thekkady
Ramakkalmedu
Thekaddy
Alleppey
Alappuzha
Cochin
Kochi (Cochin)
Kovalam
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Included
Not Included
Accommodation Standard
Prices
Itinerary
Day 1 - Chennai
Arrive in Chennai. On landing at the airport, our representative will meet you and assist with your transfer to the hotel – check in from 12:00, with early check in subject to availability.
Later, we take a city tour of Chennai, visiting Fort St George and its museum – built by the British East India Company in 1640 and widely regarded as the first British stronghold in India, this former trading post later became a key military base associated with the origins of the modern Indian Army. We continue to Semmozhi Poonga, a botanical garden established by the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department, known for rare plants, medicinal herbs and an artificial pond, and to DakshinaChitra – a living‑history museum dedicated to South Indian heritage, opened in 1996 by the Madras Craft Foundation. We also visit Arulmigu Sri Parthasarathy Temple, an 8th century Vaishnavite temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in Thiruvallikeni. In the evening, you may take a stroll along Marina Beach. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 - Chennai to Mahabalipuram
After breakfast we drive from Chennai to Mahabalipuram via Kanchipuram – 120 km, around 3 hours. In Kanchipuram, the City of Thousand Temples and a renowned silk centre, we visit Kailasanathar Temple, an 8th century shrine to Lord Shiva noted for its sandstone architecture, sculptures and the 58 small shrines around the main sanctum. We continue to Ekambareswarar Temple, where a 2,500‑year‑old mango tree is said to bear four different varieties, then visit Varadharaja Temple, one of the 108 sacred Vaishnavite sites, along with Vaikundhaperumal Temple. We also stop at Kamakshiamman Temple, dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi and associated with Adi Sankaracharya. You may choose to visit a local handloom workshop – Kanchipuram is famous for its silk sarees.
We then continue to Mahabalipuram and check in at the hotel. Later we explore the monolithic Rathas, carved from single boulders from the top down; the Shore Temple, built with granite blocks in the 7th century during the reign of Narasimha Varman II Rajasimha and comprising two Shiva shrines with a carving of Anantasayana Vishnu; and the cave temples, whose Pallava‑period Mamalla‑style panels still show traces of original plaster and paint. We also see Krishna’s Butterball, a striking granite boulder poised on a short slope. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 - Auroville & Pondicherry
Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry (100 km – around 2 hours). After breakfast we visit Mahabalipuram’s temples and monuments. In the afternoon we drive to Pondicherry and check in at the hotel.
Later we visit Auroville, the experimental community founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa, with its focal point, the Matrimandir – a spherical structure clad in gold discs. We also call at the Auroville Botanical Gardens, which protect the region’s tropical dry evergreen forest, and Auroville Beach, a long sandy stretch with gentle surf. Back in town, we visit the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, established in 1926 by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, where residents continue to practise their teachings, and the Pondicherry Museum, noted for an outstanding collection of Chola-period lost-wax bronzes.
We then explore the French Quarter, where restored colonial architecture sits alongside Tamil influences. You can customise the walk with your guide to include sights such as the French Consulate, French Institute, Raj Nivas, Bharati Park (Aayi Monument), Government Square, beaches, monuments, churches and French schools – and you may pause for a coffee and a dessert along the way. In the evening, you can relax on the beach. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4 - Pondicherry to Tanjore
Pondicherry to Tanjore – 185 km, around 4 hours. After breakfast we drive to Tanjore, pausing first at Chidambaram’s Nataraja Temple, dedicated to Shiva in his cosmic dance. Set at the heart of the town, it has seen renovations under Chola and Pallava rulers; in 1213 AD Aragalur Udaya Iraratevan Ponparappinan rebuilt sections of the complex. We see its soaring gopurams, intricate carvings, five mandapams and inscriptions – the vast walls, four tall shikharas and the Sivagangai tank feature 108 dance poses from the Natya Shastra.
We continue to Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple, Tamil in style and recalling Tanjore’s Brihadisvara with its courtyard, multiple gateways and compact gopuram. Inside, most shrines align east–west, and the complex includes Nandi, Alankar, Maha, Mukha and Ardha mandapas; several elements were restored by later Hindu kingdoms and by British-era conservation. We then visit Darasuram’s Airavateshwarar Temple, noted for its 85‑foot vimana, chariot‑shaped front mandapam and finely worked stone reliefs, with the Periya Nayaki Amman shrine alongside. We arrive in Tanjore and check in at the hotel for the night.
Day 5 - Tanjore to Trichy
Tanjore to Trichy (60 km – around 1.5 hours). After breakfast, we explore Brihadeshwara Temple and Fort – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a superb example of Chola architecture. Its 63‑metre tower is crowned by a single block of granite estimated at 81 tonnes. We continue to Tanjore Palace and Museum, a complex begun by the Nayakas and later added to by the Marathas, where we see the art gallery with outstanding Chola bronzes from the 9th to 12th centuries and visit the Saraswathi Mahal Library, home to thousands of palm‑leaf and paper manuscripts.
After sightseeing we drive to Trichy and check in at the hotel. Later, we visit Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, renowned for its 22 gopurams including India’s tallest at 72 metres over 13 storeys, shaped over centuries by several South Indian dynasties. We then see Tiruvanaikkaval’s Jambukeshwara Temple – dedicated to Shiva and famed for its five concentric walls and seven gopurams – where, as local tradition holds, an elephant once worshipped under the sacred jambu tree. We finish at the Rock Fort, an ancient 83‑metre outcrop said to be around 3,800 million years old. Climb to Uchipillaiyar Koil for panoramic views over Tiruchirappalli, and descend to the Thayumanaswami Temple, where the Shiva lingam forms part of the living rock. Overnight at the hotel in Trichy.
Day 6 - Trichy to Madurai
Trichy – Madurai (140 km – approx. 3 hours). After breakfast we drive to Madurai and check in at the hotel. Later, we explore the city, beginning at the Meenakshi Sundareshwar Temple – one of India’s largest temple complexes, largely built between the 16th and 18th centuries, renowned for its towering gopurams and intricate sculpture. We continue to Tiruparankundram Murugan Temple and Palamuthirsolai Murugan Temple, then visit Tirumal Nayak’s Palace, noted for its ornate interiors and an enormous roofed arcade supported by 48 ft stone pillars. In the evening, we return to Meenakshi Sundareshwar Temple to witness the Aarti ceremony. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 7 - Madurai to Munnar
Drive 160 km – about 3 hours – from Madurai to Munnar, with the route passing waterfalls and wooded slopes along the way. On arrival we check in at the hotel. Once a summer retreat for British officials, Munnar is known for its tea estates, rolling hills, lakes and forests, and a cool, calm climate throughout the year. Overnight at hotel.
Day 8 - Pothamedu, Mattupetty Dam & Eravikulam National Park
We set out to Pothamedu for sweeping views over tea, coffee and cardamom plantations – a good spot for unhurried walks along the slopes. We continue to Mattupetty Dam and its reservoir – a concrete gravity dam built for hydroelectric storage – then head into Eravikulam National Park to look for the endangered Nilgiri tahr. Later, we visit the Mattupetty Dairy Farm – part of the Indo–Swiss Livestock Project – and stop at Echo Point, where the natural acoustics send your voice back to you. Short drives link today’s sights, with time to take in the scenery. Overnight at hotel in Munnar.
Day 9 - Munnar to Thekkady
After breakfast, we drive 110 km – around 2 hours – from Munnar to Thekkady, stopping at Ramakkalmedu. The site takes its name from footprints on the rock believed to be those of Lord Rama, as told in the Ramayana. We take in panoramic views of villages across the Tamil Nadu plains to the east of the Western Ghats and see the striking pillar‑like rock formation rising about 300 metres and facing east. Ramakkalmedu is known as one of the windiest places in Asia, and its wind farm is a notable landmark. Nearby features include Frog Rock, Turtle Rock and Kerala’s highest twin statue, Kuravan and Kurathi. We then continue to Thekkady and check in at the hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure – you can relax and unwind. Overnight in Thekkady.
Day 10 - Periyar National Park
Periyar – Thekkady. After breakfast, we explore Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary by boat on the scenic lake, a relaxed way to watch the forested shores for wildlife. The sanctuary protects tropical evergreen and deciduous habitats and is home to elephants, bison, sambar deer, wild dogs, jungle cats, tigers and wild boar, as well as snakes including cobras, vipers and kraits. Birdlife is rich too – look for grey junglefowl, Malabar grey hornbills, woodpeckers and bulbuls. Later, we visit a spice plantation to see cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, coffee and tea growing. If you wish, you can browse the local market to pick up fresh spices. Overnight at the hotel in Thekkady.
Day 11 - Thekkady to Alleppey & Houseboat Overnight
Leaving Thekkady, we drive 135 kilometres – around 3 hours – to Alleppey and transfer to the boat jetty to board our houseboat for an unhurried cruise through the backwaters. We drift along palm‑lined canals past paddy fields and neat village hamlets, with sights that can include Chinese fishing nets, flocks of ducks and small waterbirds. You can try your hand at fishing from the boat, and in the evening we watch the sunset from the sun deck. The houseboat has electricity, a sitting–dining area, a separate bedroom with en‑suite facilities featuring Western‑style toilets, a sun deck and a fully equipped kitchen with a chef and driver. Lunch, dinner and overnight on the houseboat.
Day 12 - Exploring Kochi
After breakfast we disembark the houseboat and drive to Kochi (60 km – approx. 1.5 hours). On arrival we check in to the hotel, then head out to explore.
We visit Fort Kochi, known for its Chinese fishing nets, scenic beaches and historic architecture, and stop at St Francis Church, associated with Vasco da Gama. We continue to the 1568 Jewish Synagogue in Mattancherry and the Mattancherry Dutch Palace, noted for its Kerala temple murals, exhibits and portraits. If you wish, you can also visit Hill Palace Museum – the largest archaeological and heritage museum in Kerala – along with Bolgatty Palace, one of the oldest Dutch palaces outside the Netherlands, and Willingdon Island, a man-made island created in 1933 with pleasant walkways and jetties. In the evening we enjoy a Kathakali dance performance, renowned for its elaborate costumes, expressive makeup and masks. Overnight at hotel.
Day 13 - Kochi to Kovalam
After breakfast we drive 200 kilometres to Kovalam – a journey of around four hours – and check in to the hotel on arrival. The rest of the day is at leisure – you can relax on the beach or spend time on personal activities at your own pace. Overnight in Kovalam.
Day 14 - Trivandrum Day Trip
After breakfast, we head into Thiruvananthapuram for a guided city tour. We visit Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple – the city’s guardian deity, where Lord Vishnu reclines beneath the hood of Anantha – a shrine still honoured by the Travancore royal family. We continue to Attukal Temple, then explore the city’s cultural heritage at the Napier Museum, Kuthira Malika and the Sri Chitra Art Gallery.
Later, we enjoy a coastal drive taking in Shankumugham Beach, Kovalam Beach, Vizhinjam Lighthouse and Lighthouse Beach Road, before returning to the hotel. Overnight in Kovalam.
Day 15 - Kovalam
After breakfast and check-out, we arrange your transfer to the airport in time for your onward flight – the pick-up will be scheduled to suit your departure. If your flight is later in the day, you can relax at leisure until the transfer.
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Extras and add-ons
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Hotels
The hotels listed below are examples which we frequently use on this tour. Alternative hotels of a similar standard may be used instead.
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The prices you see below are a guide, with final prices per person being determined by the number of travellers in your booking party, desired hotel standard and the rooming arrangements required. To see an accurate price, please click "Book Dates" and enter the details for your booking party.
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