Itinerary
- Day 1
Chennai
You'll land at Chennai Airport and get transferred to your hotel for check-in. The city sits along the Bay of Bengal and has quite a bit of colonial architecture still around from its historic past. The rest of your day is yours to unwind and get settled into your room.
- Start point
- Chennai International Airport (MAA), Great Southern Trunk Rd, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India (Pick up at Chennai International Airport, 00:00 - 23:00)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (The Residency Tower), Hotel (Hyatt Regency)
- Day 2
Chennai
After breakfast at the hotel, you'll take a half-day tour around Chennai hitting Fort St. George, the National Museum, and Marina Beach for a walk. Then head into Mylapore's older Indian section where you'll see San Thome Basilica and the colorful Temple of Kapaleeshwarar, which honors Shiva. Your afternoon is free to do whatever you like.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the hotel)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (The Residency Tower), Hotel (Hyatt Regency)
Included Activities
- Half-day sightseeing tour of Chennai
- Visit Fort St. George
- Visit National Museum of human history and culture
- Stroll along Marina Beach
- Visit Chennai University
- Visit San Thome Basilica in Mylapore
- Visit Temple of Kapaleeshwarar
Landmarks/POIs Fort St. George St. Mary's Church National Museum of human history and culture Marina Beach Chennai University San Thome Basilica Temple of Kapaleeshwarar - Day 3
Chennai to Mahabalipuram
You'll leave Chennai after breakfast and head toward Mahabalipuram with a stop in Kanchipuram first. This place is called the 'Golden City' because it has around 125 ancient shrines and a long history of silk weaving. Once you get to Mahabalipuram and check in, the rest of the day is open for you.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the hotel)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Grand Bay Resort), Hotel (Radisson Temple Bay Resort)
Included Activities
- Visit Kanchipuram temples
Landmarks/POIs Kanchipuram Temples 
- Day 4
Mahabalipuram to Thanjavur
Starting after breakfast, you'll drive toward Thanjavur with stops at Chidambaram and Darasuram along the way. At Chidambaram, check out the famous Nataraja temple where Shiva is depicted as the cosmic dancer. Darasuram has one of the 'great living temples of Chola' that's worth seeing. You'll arrive in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu's rice-growing region, and check into your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the hotel)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Great Trails River Resort), Hotel (Svatma)
Included Activities
- Visit Nataraja temple at Chidambaram
- Visit Airavetesvara Temple at Darasuram
Landmarks/POIs Nataraja temple Airavatesvara Temple 
- Day 5
Thanjavur
After an early breakfast, you'll head out to Trichy to see Rock Fort, which sits 90 meters high with temples dedicated to Lord Ganapathi. Climbing the 434 rock-carved steps takes you past shrines leading to a temple for Shiva. Then you'll go to Srirangam island and visit its massive Vishnu temple. Later you'll return to Thanjavur for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the hotel)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Great Trails River Resort), Hotel (Svatma)
Included Activities
- Visit Rock Fort in Trichy
- Visit temples of Lord Ganapathi
- Visit temple of Lord Shiva at Rock Fort
- Visit Srirangam temple dedicated to Vishnu
Landmarks/POIs Rock Fort Srirangam Temple Kaveri River 
- Day 6
Thanjavur to Madurai
Following a leisurely breakfast, you'll travel to Madurai, the holy city in Tamil Nadu's heart. After checking in, you'll tour the Meenakshi Temple with its 10 towers and over 30,000 colorful statues. You'll also see the Thirumalai Nayak Palace, a 17th-century Indo-Saracenic structure. In the afternoon, you can watch a Hindu puja ritual where offerings are presented to deities.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the hotel)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Regency Madurai), Hotel (Heritage)
Included Activities
- Tour of Meenakshi Temple
- Visit Thirumalai Nayak Palace
- Attend Hindu puja ritual
Landmarks/POIs Meenakshi Temple Thirumalai Nayak Palace 
- Day 7
Madurai to Periyar
You'll have breakfast and then head to Periyar, arriving around midday. At Periyar Nature Sanctuary, you'll take a boat ride on Periyar Lake looking for elephants, tigers, leopards, and other wildlife. Then you'll visit a spice plantation to learn how spices are grown. After that, you'll return to your hotel for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the hotel)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Peppervine), Hotel (Elephant Court)
Included Activities
- Boat ride on Periyar Lake
- Visit spice plantation
Landmarks/POIs Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary Periyar Lake 
- Day 8
Periyar to Alleppey
Following breakfast, you'll travel to Alleppey, known as the 'Venice of East'. You'll board a traditional houseboat and cruise through Kerala's backwaters, lagoons, and canals while checking out hidden islands and towns. Lunch and dinner happen on board while you take in the calm scenery. You'll sleep on the houseboat overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the hotel), Lunch (Lunch on board the houseboat), Dinner (Dinner on board the houseboat)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Deluxe Houseboat)
Included Activities
- Traditional houseboat journey on Kerala backwaters
Landmarks/POIs Kerala Backwaters Alleppey 
- Day 9
Alleppey to Kochi
After eating breakfast on the houseboat, you'll disembark and take a bus to Kochi. Once you check in, you'll explore the Jewish Quarter with its Mattancherry Synagogue and Palace, then visit the dock area where the iconic Chinese fishing nets are located. You'll see the Dutch Palace built by the Portuguese in 1510 and the Church of San Francisco, India's first Catholic church. The rest of your day is free.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast on the houseboat)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Casino Hotel), Hotel (Le Meridien)
Included Activities
- Afternoon sightseeing in Kochi
- Visit Jewish Quarter
- Visit Mattancherry Synagogue
- Visit Mattancherry Palace
- Visit Chinese fishing nets at dock
- Visit Dutch Palace
- Visit Church of San Francisco
Landmarks/POIs Mattancherry Synagogue Mattancherry Palace Chinese fishing nets Dutch Palace Church of San Francisco 
- Day 10
Kochi
You'll have breakfast at the hotel and then spend the entire day exploring Kochi on your own terms. Wander through colorful streets, check out shops, try local food, or just relax at the hotel. You decide how to experience the city and what pace works best for you.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the hotel)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Casino Hotel), Hotel (Le Meridien)
Optional Activities
- Wander Kochi's colorful streets
- Shopping in Kochi
- Try local food in Kochi
- Relax at the hotel
- Day 11
Kochi
After your final breakfast at the hotel, you'll transfer to Kochi International Airport for your next flight. This wraps up your time in Kerala and Tamil Nadu before heading onward.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at the hotel)
