From Madras to Goa, dive into complete immersion with this itinerary in South India.
Discover the cultural mix of the old colonial cities in Pondicherry, Kochi and Goa.
Follow in the footsteps of the ancient dynasties of Tamil Nadu and visit listed temples in
UNESCO. Explore the tea and spice plantations that make Kerala so rich. Make a
House-boat cruise on the Backwaters, magnificent canals and lagoons surrounded by nature
Exotic. Stroll through the markets with a thousand scents and visit the town of Hampi, one of the most
Beautiful sites of India in Karnataka, before basking on the magnificent beach of Goa.
South India is full of cultural riches, varied landscapes and welcoming inhabitants
and smiles that will not leave you unmoved. You will be dazzled by the religious fervor
of Tamil Nadu, its colorful temples and its Dravidian architecture. In Kerala, nature
lush is queen, between western ghats mountain, jungle and sea, it is a
a breath of fresh air and true relaxation. Finally, Karnataka is home to many treasures
Architectural. A region where the beautiful Indian countryside contrasts between rice fields and blocks of pink granites. Great and beautiful holidays, organized by us, according to your desires. On site, you are driven by your private English-speaking driver. The watchword of the trip: Discovery andRelaxation.
Strong points
- Explore the historical monuments of South India
- Admire the marvelous architecture of the temples of Tamil Nadu
- Relax on Mahabalipuram Beach
- Visit picturesque villages
- Discover the protected nature and tea farms of Munnar
- Cruise the Backwaters and stay aboard a traditional rice barge
- Discover the extraordinary temples and sculptures of Mahabalipuram
- Explore the French charm and soul of Pondicherry
- Witness the mesmerizing evening ceremony at Madurai’s marvelous Meenakshi Temple
- Sail the serene backwaters of Kerala aboard a traditional boat
- Explore the religious and architectural diversity of Cochin
- Embark on an idyllic cruise on the famous Kerala Backwaters
- Witness wonderful performances of Kathakali and Kalaripayyattu
- Have a relaxing time on the golden beaches of Goa
- Explore the treasures of Bombay, India’s most cosmopolitan city
- Heritage walk in pondicherry, Tharangambadi, chettinad and goa
- Ayurvedic healing and palm reading
- Jeep safari inside the forest to see wild animal.
ARRIVAL AT CHENNAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Day 1
Mahäbalipuram, first step in South India You have just arrived at Chennai airport, your driver welcomes you with a warm “Namaste”, hello in Hindi. You go directly reach the charming town of Pondicherry, a former French trading post. Half-way, stop at the village of Mahäbalipuram, a former port of the Pallavas dynasty dating from the 7th centuries. You discover the bas-relief representing “the descent of the Ganges” whose precision of the sculptures of the time is astonishing. On foot, you reach the beautiful beach where erect a magnificent set of sculpted temples. The opportunity also to take advantage of a pleasant sea bathing to relax from your trip. On returning to your hotel, you have the smile on the lips.
PONDICHERRY
Day 2
Discovery of the city
This morning you meet , our representative in Pondicherry, who will be happy to you share his good addresses and his expat advice on your trip. You go then explore the city with your local guide. Start by visiting the old French quarter known as “the white city”. Between colored houses pastels, Greek colonnades and flower gardens, overflowing with bougainvillea, you are truly charmed by walking these streets with French names such as Dumas, La Bourdonnais or Guibert. Then, change the atmosphere by crossing a neighborhood of houses traditional Tamils to the large market where all your senses come alive. You are delighted to tell you the story of Pondicherry with multiple influences. Night at the hotel
Day 3
Pondicherry-Chidambaram – Tharangambadi
Visit to Hindu temples
City of the “cosmic dancer”, the city of Chidambaram and the great temple of Nataraja (Shiva) under his avatar as a dancer) are the jewels of Dravidian architecture in Tamil Nadu. It is a high place of Hinduism dedicated to the god Shiva because according to a tradition the temple would be part of a set of five temples dedicated to the deity and possessing the lingams associated with the five elements (water, air, fire, earth, ether). This would be the Lingam Temple of ether Welcome by a Brahmin from the temple and participation in a temple ceremony.
After continue towards Tharangambadi. TRANQUEBAR, so far from Denmark, the small town, colonial, quiet and nostalgic of Tranquebar was a Danish trading post from 1616 to 1845. In front of the fort that stands in front of the sea, the Dansborg, one can only dream of the arrival of the ships that had left Copenhagen six to eight months earlier. Tranquebar does not appear to have changed since the golden age of the 18th century as the town escaped to the ravages of the wars which opposed the English and the French at the time. At the entrance to the city, a monumental gate opens onto the main street, Konigsgade, lined with colonnaded houses. The church, New Jerusalem Church, bears the mark of Frederick IV of Denmark who reigned in 1718. The graves in the cemetery tell the story of all these nations who came to seek ortune in Indian land: Portuguese, English, French, Dutch and Danish, but also Swedes, Germans, Armenians…
Day 4
Tharangambadi-Kumbakonam-Swamimalai
After breakfast drive to Kumbakonam, one of the oldest towns in Tamilnadu and famous for its Mahamaham festival. In the 7th century, it was the capital of the Chola kings. Kumbakonam, the famous temple city of South India, is picturesquely located in the middle of the two rivers, Cauvery and Arasalar. On arrival, installation at the hotel. Afternoon visit of the Kumbakonam temple. Take the road back to Swamimalai. Once arrived, check in to your pre-booked hotel. Spend a free day exploring the surroundings on your own.
The Ayurvedic Cure and Palm Reading Spend days relaxing and rejuvenating your weary mind, body and soul.
Day 5
Kumbakonam – CHETTINAD
Window on the Indian countryside
Early rise to allow you to discover masterpieces of religious architecture, Dravidian style. Magnificent temples erected by the kings of the Chola dynasty, listed as UNESCO, whose calm and tranquility will delight you. Your driver then takes you to the winding roads of the Indian countryside, through several small villages of which you learn about traditional life in South India. As you get closer to Chettinad you see through your window small forgotten palaces, characteristic of the region which is very little explored.
Day 6
CHETTINAD
The Chettiars, a wealthy Tamil trading community Today, discover the cultural splendours of Chettinad. You visit the fortress of Thirumayam and the temple of Sri Gokarneshwara. As you walk through the city, you discover closer these palaces or large baroque residences quite unique. Built by the Chettiars, today they are mostly used as film sets. You also visit the sumptuous palace-museum of the city which gives you a very complementary vision of Tamil Nadu outside of its religious shrines. The artisanal tradition is still very present in this region. At the entrance to the village, you can visit a bronze statue workshop and a beautiful earthenware tile factory. Night at the hotel.
Day 7
CHETTINAD-MADURAI
Tamil cultural capital
This morning, you leave for Madurai, a major place of Hindu pilgrimage, recognizable by the sight of the large number of pilgrims and Sadhus you meet. First visit the palace Thirumalai Nayak and its many columns whose details are worth seeing. At the end of the afternoon, you admire the temple of Sri Meenakshi, one of the most alive temples of India of the South, devoted to Parvati, the wife of Shiva. Cross the enclosures by gopurams, towers characteristic of Dravidian architecture, decorated with thousands of colorful statues and reaching up to 60m. In the evening, you attend the symbolic procession of Shiva near his wife, by the priests. Night at the hotel.
Day 8
MADURAI – KOCHI
Day 8
The cultural capital of Kerala
Meet your driver who takes you to Köchi, also called Cochin, an old colonial city founded in the 16th century by Vasco de Gamma, which you find very pleasant. Due to its historical past, this city is a true example of diversity cultural. An unusual mix of medieval Portugal, Dutch architecture, countryside English and Indian mosque. With the tropical coast of Malabar as a backdrop. Evening, attend a performance of Kathakali, a dance theater of Kerala art. Night at the hotel.
Day 9
KOCHI – Calicut (Kozhikode)
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning yoga session on the beach. Then head towards Calicut (or Kozhikode), port city where Vasco De Gama landed in 1498. your point boarding a House-boat, a real traditional floating house, made of reeds and woven rice mats. Navigate in the tranquility of the backwaters, an immense network of lagoons and canals lined with palm trees, coconut palms and rice fields. observe life villages along the shores. Exchange warm smiles with the locals. The schoolchildren, who are waiting for their boat to go home, wave to you with their hands. pontoon. You are delighted by this day which rocks you over the Backwaters in a truly authentic atmosphere. Night in Houseboat.
Day 10
Calicut- MYSORE
Mysore Palace, Madness of the Maharajas
This morning, why not try a yoga class? The city is also famous in the around the world as one of the best places to practice Ashtanga yoga. You walk to Chamundi hill where you visit the Chamundeshwari temple and its imposing statue of the bull Nandi, the sacred mount of Shiva. Then you explore the palace extravagant Maharaja which lights up with a thousand lights every Sunday evening. In end of day, stroll through the vibrant and colorful Dejavara market. Adorn yourself with beautiful garlands of flowers and smell the sandalwood that abounds in the stalls before returning to the hotel.
Day 11
MYSORE – NAGARHOLE NATIONAL PARK
Heading for the wild
This morning, you leave for Nagarhole National Park. This magnificent reserve nature is known as the ancient hunting reserve of the Maharajas. In 1955 she is become a luxuriant paradise for the wild fauna and flora which today flourish in the heart of this immense green lung. Here live peacefully elephants, antelopes, leopards, bears, tigers and many other species. You sit quietly at your hotel listening to the exotic sounds of the forest. Night at the hotel.
Day 12
NAGARHOLE – HASSAN
Visit the incredible temples of Halebid and Belur
This morning, you take the road north to reach Hassan, the city of sunflowers. The path passes through the mountains strewn with sugar cane and you take an excursion to visit the incredible Hoysala temples of Halebid and Belur dating back to the 6th century. You are amazed at the delicacy of the sculptures that dress the two temples, representing scenes mythology of Hindu gods and goddesses. Your guide explains the scenes and you let yourself be happily carried away by your imagination during your visit. The website is also a high place of architecture and the interior of the temples is just as sumptuous. Night at the hotel.
Day 13
HASSAN – HAMPI
Crossing the Deccan Plateau
Today, your trip to Karnataka takes you even further north of the country. You crisscross the Deccan plateau which is located in the middle of the western ghats and mountains East Indians. The road is long but remains one of the most beautiful of your trip. You cross vast arid and rocky landscapes with sometimes lunar panoramas. You then arrive at Hospet at the gates of the lost kingdom of Hampi whose ruins emerge from the mountains. On the way, you stop at Chitradurga to visit the fort built in the 17th century, monument inherited from the Vijayanagar empire. Arrival at the hotel and time to relax in front of the sunset. Night at the hotel.
Day 14
HAMPI
Hampi, remnants of the Vijayanagar Empire
Wake up gently before leaving to visit Hampi, the ancient capital of the last Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In an unusual and grandiose landscape, the Vijayanagar ruins near the village of Hampi, constitute one of the most fascinating sites in the country. The landscape is composed of large blocks of pink granite, a wide river, rice fields, banana plantations and coconut palms from which emerge the remains of temples, sculptures and monuments monolithic. Night at the hotel.
Day 15
HAMPI-BADAMI
In the footsteps of the Chalukya civilization
Today you continue your journey through time, in the footsteps of past civilizations. You arrive in Badami, a charming town and former capital of the Chalukya Empire, located in the heart of green countryside and at the foot of a red sandstone ridge. On the road you survey the sites of Aihole and Pattadakal dating from the 6th and 7th centuries. The temple of Virupaksha in Pattadakal, classified by UNESCO, is a pure masterpiece marking the apogee of Chalukya architecture. In Badami, you explore the rock caves carved into the cliff which overlooks the city basin. One of them houses a Jain sanctuary, a pacifist religion respecting life in all its forms. Night at the hotel.
Day 16
BADAMI – WILDERNEST
Step to the Indian West Coast
This morning you leave the hills and mountains of Badami behind. You ride at environment of crops of sunflower, pepper, cotton, fields of banana trees and coconut trees in loss of sight. The road is long but beautiful. You arrive at Wildernest where you discover a another aspect of the Goa region, unjustly ignored. At 800 meters above sea level, you admire the Nilgiris range and have the opportunity to discover its rich biodiversity during a Trek. You walk silently so you may see bears, deer, leopards or more flying squirrels. Night at the hotel.
Day 17
WILDERNEST – GOA
Idleness paradise
Wake up early to arrive in Goa for lunch. This small state in South India is a former Portuguese enclave, which became the favorite haunt of hippies in the 70s. Today, this corner of paradise is known around the world for its long sandy beaches. white, lined with coconut palms, which stretch for miles in an atmosphere relaxed. You are delighted to discover your hotel overlooking the beach and you hasten to leave for lunch an excellent grilled fish with your feet in the sand. Indian renowned for its power of relaxation. Night at the hotel.
Day 18
GOA
Visit and relax
Goa
After breakfast, you will visit Old Goa, famous for its wonderful Portuguese heritage, and especially for its churches. You will explore St. Catherine’s Cathedral (one of the largest in Asia). You will also see the first Indian basilica, that of Bom Jesus, which contains the remains of Saint-François-Xavier. You will stroll through the Latin Quarter of Fontainhas, whose winding streets from the Portuguese era are reminiscent of those of many old European towns. There are in particular villas and old buildings with roofs covered with red tiles and colorful balconies. You will spend the rest of the day on the bay of Dona Paula, where the Mandovi and the Zuari join the Arabian Sea. The pleasures of sailing, swimming, parasailing or windsurfing are yours! Night at the hotel.
Day 19
GOA
After a relaxing morning on the beach, you will explore Fort Aguada and the lighthouse. This fortified complex dating from 1612 covers the entire southern peninsula of Bardez (more than 35 hectares) and majestically dominates the Arabian Sea. With a strategic location at the mouth of the Mandovi, the fort served to protect the Portuguese against the Dutch and Maratha invaders. You will spend the rest of the day on Morjim beach. The one that is nicknamed “little Russia” is the nesting place of turtles but also a privileged site to observe the very rich birdlife of Goa. You will then discover the lively nightlife of the city in one of its many famous clubs. Night at the hotel.
Day 20
GOA- BOMBAY (By special Vistadom train)
Discovery of Mumbai
Today, after a delicious breakfast, you leave for a day dedicated to the discovery of Bombay. The city has a rich heritage due to its colonial past. You visit the Chhatrapati Shivaji station, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a impressive example of the Victorian and Indian architectural mix. It is also one of
India’s busiest railway stations, let yourself be carried away by the coming and going of the urban bustle and observe this contrasting city. You continue your walk and visit Banganga, a small village located in the middle of the urban jungle where you appreciate the calm and authenticity of a traditional neighborhood. You end the day with a breath of fresh air while observing the magnificent sunset along the waterfront at Marine drive, a meeting point for many indians. Night at the hotel.
BOMBAY – BOMBAY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Day 21
Return flight
Another beautiful morning under the blue sky of BOMBAY. Your private driver picks you up at your hotel and escort you to the airport. Your body is relaxed, your heart is celebrating and your mind still rocked by the sweet atmosphere of the past few days. We wish you a nice return and hope to see you soon in Asia with our TRAVEL TO INDIA TOURS TEAM.
These prices include:
-hotels with breakfast, lunch and dinner in the boat (houseboat).
– The luxury train
– Ground transportation by INNOVA CRYSTA LUXE vehicle
– Accommodation in hotels and old havelis or house based on accommodation in
double/twin room.
-All tickets (right) of entry to the monuments mentioned in the program and all
excursions.
– The service of a French-speaking guide throughout the course.
– Visits and excursions mentioned in the itinerary
– The full board program and the bus with music, figo, air conditioning.
-Ayurvedic massage
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