Itinerary
- Day 1
Chennai
You'll arrive in Chennai and get transferred to your hotel. There's time to check out Georgetown Bazaar's market stalls if you arrive early, wandering through the vendors and shops. At 6 pm, join your leader and other travelers at a welcome meeting to get oriented. After that, sit down for a welcome dinner with classic south Indian vegetarian fare like idly, dosa and poori.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome dinner at Chennai's first chain restaurant, serving iconic south Indian vegetarian dishes like idly, dosa and poori)
Included Activities
- Welcome meeting with group leader
- Welcome dinner at Chennai's first chain restaurant
Optional Activities
- Visit Georgetown Bazaar market stalls (if arriving early)
- Day 2
Chennai to Puducherry
You'll drive along the East Coast Road heading to Mamallapuram, a fishing town with the 8th-century Shore Temple and carved mandapams (pillars) dedicated to Shiva. From there, continue on to Puducherry, a former French colony with a distinctly European vibe. The streets have leafy boulevards and European-style houses mixed with boutiques. Later in the evening, you'll have time to walk around and try whatever restaurants appeal to you, mixing traditional Indian and French food.
Included Activities
- Visit 8th-century Shore Temple in Mamallapuram
- Observe mandapams (carved pillars) at Shore Temple
Optional Activities
- Dinner at local restaurants in Puducherry
Landmarks Shore Temple - Day 3
Puducherry
The morning is yours to relax or wander around on your own. In the afternoon, your leader takes you on a walking tour through local temples and the French Quarter. You'll pass mustard-colored buildings with bright bougainvillea and hear stories about revolutionaries, generals and kings. Stop by the pastel pink Church of Notre Dame and grab local snacks at a cafe in White Town. The evening is free for you to explore independently.
Included Activities
- Walking tour of local temples and French Quarter with leader
- Visit Church of Notre Dame
- Stop at local cafe in White Town for snacks
Landmarks Church of Notre Dame - Day 4
Puducherry to Madurai
You'll drive to Madurai with several chai stops along the way, arriving late afternoon. After settling in, take a short walk around to get the feel for one of India's oldest cities. Your leader then leads a food tour through street stalls and family-owned restaurants to try regional specialties you won't find on standard menus, like mutton dosa and fish gravy. Learn about recipes that have been made the same way for centuries. End the night trying Jigarthanda, Madurai's signature dessert with condensed milk, almond gum and ice cream.
- Meals
- Dinner (Tamil cuisine tour with leader including mutton dosa, fish gravy and Jigarthanda dessert)
Included Activities
- Orientation walk in Madurai
- Tour of Madurai's Tamil cuisine with leader
- Day 5
Madurai
Start with your leader at the Tailor's Market and local bazaars to see how locals shop and trade. Next, head to Sri Meenakshi Temple, an active place of worship with lamp-lit hallways leading to shrines where rituals happen regularly. Walk through the National Gandhi Museum to learn about India's independence struggle, then see the ornate 17th-century Thirumalai Nayak Palace built by King Tirumala Nayaka. This evening, you'll have a traditional home-cooked dinner with a local family, tasting dishes like chettinad chicken, egg paratha and vegetable korma.
- Meals
- Dinner (Traditional home-cooked dinner with local family including chettinad chicken, egg paratha and vegetable korma)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Tailor's Market and local bazaars
- Visit Sri Meenakshi Temple
- Visit National Gandhi Museum
- Visit Thirumalai Nayak Palace
- Traditional home-cooked dinner with local family
Landmarks Sri Meenakshi Temple National Gandhi Museum Thirumalai Nayak Palace - Day 6
Madurai to Thekkady
You'll head out to Thekkady, a countryside town, driving past pineapple and rubber plantations. The town sits at the edge of Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats. Stop at a spice plantation where a local expert walks you through the different spices used in Indian cooking, letting you taste and smell them. Lunch there features dishes prepared with the plantation's spices. By evening, you can wander the shops selling spices and organic tea or relax by the pool at your resort.
- Meals
- Lunch (Flavoursome lunch made with spices from the plantation)
Included Activities
- Visit spice plantation and speak with local expert
- Lunch made with spices from the plantation
Optional Activities
- Shopping for fragrant spices and organic tea
- Relax in palm-fringed pool at resort
Landmarks Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve - Day 7
Thekkady
Join your expert guide on a nature walk through Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, searching for tiger tracks, spotted deer, Indian elephants and gaur (the world's largest buffalo species). You'll likely come across Bonnet macaques and Malabar giant squirrels, a species found only in India. The afternoon is free, and you can arrange an optional ayurvedic massage if you'd like to unwind. Later, watch a kalarippayattu demonstration at the Kadathanadan Kalari Centre. This martial art form, believed to be India's oldest, features high-energy fighters performing spectacular leaps.
Included Activities
- Guided nature walk in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
- Kalarippayattu demonstration at Kadathanadan Kalari Centre
Optional Activities
- Ayurvedic massage in the afternoon
Landmarks Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary Kadathanadan Kalari Centre 
- Day 8
Thekkady to Munnar
You'll drive north to Munnar, a former British Hill Station sitting 1525 m above sea level, and the temperature will drop noticeably as you climb. Once there, tour the tea plantation with a resident expert who explains how tea gets made. Walk the narrow pathways where workers pick the finest leaves and learn how they transform into the world's most popular drink. Taste different tea varieties while you're there. The tea museum might be open depending on the day, but hours are unreliable so it's not guaranteed. Spend the evening relaxing at your mountain resort.
Included Activities
- Tour of tea plantation with resident expert
- Sample different tea varieties
Optional Activities
- Visit tea museum (irregular opening hours, not guaranteed)
- Day 9
Munnar
Take a guided walk through Munnar's lush hills, which are often covered in clouds so keep your camera ready as views shift and change. In the afternoon, travel to Mattupetty Dam and its man-made lake surrounded by scenic valleys. If you want, take an optional motorboat ride on the lake to see the landscape from the water. Come back to Munnar and have the evening free.
Included Activities
- Guided walk around lush hills of Munnar
Optional Activities
- Optional motorboat ride around Mattupetty Dam lake
Landmarks Mattupetty Dam - Day 10
Munnar to Alleppey
You'll drive to Kerala's backwaters this morning and arrive at Alleppey with its palm-shaded waterways. This former trading port is known for the 'snake boat' races held each August. Tonight, you'll stay in a converted kettuvallam, a traditional boat once used to move rice and spices. The houseboats use natural materials like bamboo for roofing, coir mats for flooring and coconut wood for beds. They come with proper hotel amenities including western toilets, private bedrooms and dining areas. Relax on the open deck and float through rural Kerala's dreamy waters.
Included Activities
- Experience Kerala backwaters from houseboat Feature Stay
- Day 11
Alleppey to Kochi
Spend a quiet morning on the Kerala waters, then drive to Kochi in the afternoon. This city spreads across multiple islands and shows influences from Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and British colonization. Your leader gives an orientation walk showing how these cultures appear in the architecture, food and everyday life. Later, wander around and maybe grab coffee on Princess Street. Tonight, watch a Kathakali dance performance, a classical Indian art form from Kerala that combines symbolic storytelling with demanding physical technique.
Included Activities
- Orientation walk of Kochi with leader
- Kathakali dance performance in the evening
Optional Activities
- Explore Princess Street
Landmarks Princess Street 
- Day 12
Kochi
Your leader takes you through Kochi's antique shops and spice bazaars, teaching you haggling techniques as you go. Head to Fort Kochi to see the famous Chinese fishing nets, one of the city's most photographed spots. Visit the 16th-century Mattancherry Palace, originally built by the Portuguese and later taken over by the Dutch. Stop by the Paradesi Synagogue, India's oldest existing Jewish synagogue. In the early evening, join a local chef for a Keralan cuisine masterclass.
- Meals
- Dinner (Keralan cuisine masterclass with local chef)
Included Activities
- Explore antique shops and spice bazaars with leader
- Visit Chinese fishing nets in Fort Kochi
- Visit Mattancherry Palace
- Visit Paradesi Synagogue
- Keralan cuisine masterclass with local chef
Landmarks Chinese Fishing Nets Mattancherry Palace Paradesi Synagogue - Day 13
Kochi
Your trip concludes after breakfast. If you want to stay longer in India, contact your booking agent beforehand to arrange additional accommodation or any transfers you might need.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Extend your stay in India (arrange with booking agent in advance)
