Best of South India with Coast | South India Best Tours

Day 03: Chennai - Pondicherry
After breakfast drive to Pondicherry (162 km), enroute visit Kancheepuram and Mahabalipuram.

Continue drive to Pondicherry.
Upon arrival in Pondicherry - check into the hotel

Overnight at hotel

Day 04 : Pondicherry
Afternoon tour of Pondicherry - visiting Botanical garden, Eglise De Sacre Coeur De Jesus and Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Later visit township of Auroville or the city of Dawn. Designed by a French architect Roger Arger, it is an entirely new concept in education and urban living.

Overnight at hotel

Day 05 : Pondicherry - Tanjore
After breakfast drive to Tanjore (177 kms).
Upon arrival in Tanjore - check into the hotel.

Overnight at hotel

Day 06 : Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai
After breakfast drive to Madurai (178 kms) enroute visit Trichy.

Thereafter continue drive to Madurai.
Upon arrival in Madurai - check into the hotel.

Overnight at hotel

Day 07 : Madurai
Morning, visit the Meenakshi temple one of the biggest temple complexes in India - 46 ft. long by 790 ft broad built in the 17th Century.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 08 : Madurai - Periyar
Morning drive to Periyar (177 kms)
Upon arrival at Periyar - check into hotel.

Overnight at hotel

Day 09 : Periyar - Varkala
Morning drive to Varkala (220 km).
Upon arrival in Varkala - check into the hotel.

Overnight at hotel

Day 10 : Varkala - Alappuzha
Morning drive to to be at Alappuzha in time to witness the famous boat race.
Upon arrival to Alappuzha - check into the hotel.

The snake boat races are preceded by colourful water parades.

Overnight at hotel

Day 11 : Alappuzha
Full day at The Snake Boat Race festival "Payippad Boat Race Payippad near Harippad Alappuzha District ".

Overnight at hotel.

Day 12 : Alappuzha
Full day sightseeing tour around Alappuzha area.

Overnight at hotel.

Day 13 : Alappuzha
Aranmula Boat Race Aranmula, Pathanamthitta.

Overnight at hotel

Day 14 : Alappuzha - Munnar
Morning drive to Munnar (180 km)
Upon arrival in Munnar- check in to the hotel.

Overnight at hotel

Day 15 : Munnar
Morning, visit Ervikulam National Park (16 kms) - it is the home of the endangered Nigiri Tahr (a type of mountain goat) that roams on a stretch of grassland or is seen climbing the pinnacles of the undulating hills.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight at hotel

Day 16 : Munnar - Cochin
Morning drive to Cochin (160 km)
Upon arrival in Cochin - check into hotel.

Overnight at hotel

Day 17 : Cochin
Morning tour of Cochin or "Kochi"- the palm green, commercial captial of Kerala is known as the "Queen of the Arabian Sea". From time immemorial, Arabs, Chinese, Dutch, British & Portuguese seafarers followed the sea route to Kochi & left their impression on the town. Modern Kochi is thus a splendid mosaic of these myriad influences. Visit the Dutch Palace, the Jewish Synagogue, the Church of St. Francis, the Bolghatty Palace & the famous Chinese fishing nets.

Afternoon free for a stroll in Jew town

Overnight at hotel

Day 18 : Cochin - Mumbai
Late morning transfer from hotel to the railway station for train to Mumbai.

Overnight at hotel

Day 19 : Mumbai - Goa
Morning, one hour boat ride across Mumbai Harbour brings you to the lush green Elephanta Island. Here, visit some of the huge and intricately carved Elephanta Caves that date back to the 8th century. The rows of massive columns cut into solid rock from three magnificent avenue leads to the outstanding three-headed sculpture representing Brahma-the Creator, Vishnu-the Preserver and Shiva-the Destroyer. Dedicated to Shiva, the beauty and power of these phenomenal sculptures depicting the various manifestations of Shiva is overpowering.

Later in late evening transfer to the International airport for your flight back home.
By Flight
After breakfast transfer to Airport for flight to Goa. Arrive Goa. Afernoon City Tour. Overnight at Hotel