Splendour of South India with Nepal

Tour Duration : 15 Nights / 16 Days
Places to Visit : Bangalore - Mysore - Ooty - Cochin - Alleppey - Kumarakom - Thekkady - Madurai - Trichy - Tanjore - Pondicherry - Mahabalipuram - Chennai

DAY 01 ARRIVE AT BANGALORE
On arrival at Bangalore Airport, meet and transfer to hotel for 01 night stay. Bangalore, often referred to as the 'Garden City' is known for its numerous parks and avenues. Afternoon, sightseeing tour of Bangalore covering Tipu Sultan's Palace, Bull Temple, Lalbagh Gardens, Cubbon Park& Museum and Vidhana Soudhawhich houses both the State Legislature and the Secretariat. Overnight stay at Bangalore.

DAY 02 BANGALORE - MYSORE
After breakfast, drive to Mysore. The capital of a former princely state, Mysore is a city of palaces and gardens and is famous for its silk, sandalwood and jasmine. En route, visit Summer Palace of Tipu Sultan, Srirangapatnam and Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary. On arrival, check into the hotel for 02 nights. Evening free to explore the colorful bazaars. Overnight stay at Mysore

DAY 03 MYSORE
Morning, city tour including Mysore Maharaja's Palace, which is one of the biggest in India. Later, visit the Nandi Bull and Chamundi Hills. Rest of the day, free to relax. Overnight stay at Mysore.

DAY 04 MYSORE - OOTY
After breakfast, proceed to Ooty, referred to as the 'Queen of Blue Mountains' and located at a height of 2,286 m. On arrival, check into the hotel for 01 night stay. Afternoon, visit popular attractions including the Botanical Gardens, Lake Doddabetta, Mukurti Peak and tea plantations. Overnight stay at Ooty.

DAY 05 OOTY - COCHIN
Morning, you can opt for a toy train ride through the hills. Drive to Cochin and on arrival, check into hotel for 02 nights' stay. Cochin, the 'Queen of the Arabian Sea' has one of the finest natural harbors in the world. The ancient churches, palaces and synagogues in this city are famous.
Evening, go for a motorboat cruise to watch the sunset and the Chinese fishing nets.
Overnight stay at Cochin.

DAY 06 COCHIN
After breakfast, go for half-day sightseeing tour of Cochin covering the Dutch Palace (closed on Fridays), which was built by the Portuguese in 1555 and was presented to the Raja of Cochin as a gesture of goodwill. The Jewish Synagogue (closed on Fridays & Saturdays) was originally constructed in 1568, but was destroyed by Portuguese in 1662.Thiswas rebuilt two years later when the Dutch took over Cochin. The St. Francis Church, said to be India's oldest European-built church was constructed in 1503. Having died in Cochin in 1524, Vasco da Gama was buried here for 14 years before his remains were taken to Lisbon.
Afternoon at leisure. Late evening, drive to the Cultural Centre to enjoy the Kathakali dance show. Overnight stay at Cochin

DAY 07 COCHIN - ALLEPPEY
After breakfast, drive to Alleppey where you will check into a Houseboat at 1200 hrs for night cruise towards Kumarakom. Alleppey has large networks of canals and is the centre for backwater cruises in our state. During the cruise, you can stop for short walks through the nearby villages, enjoying local life. Meals will be served on board. Overnight stay in Houseboat.

DAY 08 ALLEPPEY - KUMARAKOM
Arrive at Kumarakom around 0930 hrs after a relaxing breakfast on board. Check into the backwater resort for O1 night stay. Rest of the day at leisure for own activities. You can opt for an Ayurvedic Full Body Massage at the resort. Overnight stay at Kumarakom.

DAY 09 KUMARAKOM - THEKKADY
Early morning, you can opt to visit the nearby bird sanctuary. After breakfast, drive to Thekkady, the land of unending chains of hills and spice scented plantations. It houses the famous wildlife sanctuary in South India and has also been declared as a Tiger Reserve. On arrival, check into the hotel for 02 nights' stay. Afternoon, visit the spice plantations and the Kumily town. Overnight stay at Thekkady.

DAY 10 THEKKADY
Morning at leisure and is free for own activities. You can soft trek through the forest or go for an elephant ride.
Evening, you can enjoy boating through Lake Periyar to watch the wildlife. This is the only sanctuary in India where you can view wildlife at close quarters from the safety of a boat.
Overnight stay at Thekkady.

DAY 11 THEKKADY - MADURAI
After an early breakfast, drive to Madurai. Known as the temple town of South India, Madurai is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu. On arrival, check into the hotel for 01 night stay. Afternoon, for sightseeing tour of Madurai. Madurai is famous for the Meenakshi Temple, with its towering gopurams and rare sculptures. Other important attractions include Thirumalai Naicker Palace, Koodal Azhagar Temple and the Gandhi Museum. Evening, visit Sri Meenakshi Temple and attend the Pooja ceremony. Over night stay at Madurai.

DAY 12 MADURAI - TRICHY - TANJORE
After an early breakfast, drive to Tanjore-en route visiting Trichy. Morning, visit the magnificent Rock Fort that dominates the city. 437 steps cut out into the rock side and interspersed with shrines, lead to the Vinayaka Temple built at its highest point.
The ascent is climaxed by a magnificent view of the sacred Kaveri River. At a lower level along the rock is the Tayumanaswamy Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Later, visit Sriranqam, a massive temple on an island in the Cauvery and dedicated to Lord Ranganathaswamy. The temple has 21 magnificent gopurams and is adorned with exquisite sculptures. Proceed to Tanjore and check into the hotel for 02 nights. Overnight stay at Tanjore.

DAY 13 TANJORE
After breakfast, go for sightseeing tour of Tanjore. Tanjore was once the capital of Chola dynasty, that ruled South India between 10th and 14th centuries. Visit the most spectacular Brihadeeswara Temple, capped by a monolithic cupola made of a single granite rock weighing 80 tonnes. The temple itself is decorated with carved panels depicting mythological events. Later, visit Saraswathi Mahal Library and the Art Gallery with its large collection of chola bronzes. Overnight stay at Tanjore.

DAY 14 TANJORE - PONDICHERRY
After an early breakfast, drive to Pondicherry. En route, visit Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram. On arrival, check into the resort for 02 nights' stay. Pondicherry is a charming coastal town with a few enduring pockets of French culture and an ashram.
Check into the hotel for01 night. Afternoon to explore the nearby places including the Auroville, Pondicherry Museum and the Botanical Garden. Evening to relax at the beach. Overnight stay at Pondicherry.

DAY 15 PONDICHERRY - MAHABALIPURAM - CHENNAI
After breakfast, drive to Chennai. En route, visit Mahabalipuram. Mahabalipuram was once a flourishing port of the Pallavas of ancient India. The monuments and sculptures here are world-renowned. Visit the Shore Temple, Arjuna's Penance and Artisans Village at Mahabalipuram. Later proceed to Chennai and check into the hotel for 01 night. Overnight stay at Chennai.

DAY 16 DEPART FROM CHENNAI
Morning at leisure. Later, transfer to Chennai Airport for your flight back home.