Southern India Encompassed - 22 Days

Arrive at any time. In the evening, join your CEO for a welcome meeting, followed by an orientation walk around Colaba and the waterfront market.

Spend the day getting acquainted with Mumbai on a sunrise walking tour followed by a driving tour of the city. For a cooler, quieter and even more beautiful experience, we head out around sunrise to see places like Gateway of India, Flaura Fountain and Rajabai Clock Tower. Then hop into a local taxi to visit places like Dhobi Ghat and Baangang Water reservoir.

An early morning train brings us to Goa by the mid afternoon. After checking into the hotel, join your CEO for an orientation walk of Panjim Fontainhas.

Today is yours to explore the amazing beach town of Goa. Choose to spend the day however you’d like, from taking a tour of Old Goa Church, visiting a spice plantation or relaxing on the beach. In the evening, take an overnight train towards Hampi.

Pull into Hubballi early this morning and switch to a private vehicle for the remainder of the way to Hampi, famous for its incredible ruins and historic temples. After arrival, drop your things at the hotel, eat some breakfast then enjoy some free time to rest or explore. We’ll head to Raghunatha Temple in the evening for an amazing sunset view over the temple boulders.

Start the day by watching the sun rise over Bada Nandi, the famous monolithic bull sacred to Lord Shiva. The Hampi adventure continues with a tuktuk tour through the famous ruins. Learn about the interesting history of this place while admiring some of India’s most incredible temple ruins and historic architecture. Following the tour, enjoy a free afternoon. Opt to visit the Kishkinda Foundation, a project dedicated to supporting the development of the local women and children.

Head out for a scenic drive to Halibedu, the ancient capital of the Hoysala Empire and known for its amazing temples. After arrival, take a tour of the Halibedu ruins and learn of the long, interesting history if this place twice plundered by the Muslim armies of Northern India.

Visit the spectacular Hoysaleswara Temple at sunrise this morning, the only surviving monument in Halibedu. In the afternoon, drive to Mangalore and enjoy a restful evening.

Travel by train and tuktuk to Kochi, a historic port town in Southwest India. Enjoy the day to rest or explore. Then, in the evening, join your CEO for an orientation walk of Fort Kochi.

Walk along the cobblestones streets of Fort Kochi on a sightseeing tour of this historic city. The rest of the day is yours to explore as you wish. Tonight, take an overnight train to Bangalore.

After a night on the train, we'll pull into Bangalore in the morning. The first stop of the day is breakfast. Second stop of the day is to the beautiful Lal Bagh Botanical garden. Walk through the incredible green houses full of colourful flowers and unique sculptures. The remainder of the day is yours to see the city. In the evening, regroup for an orientation walk through the main iconic commercial streets of Bangalore.

Depart from Bangalore and drive to Srirangapatna to visit the incredible Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and the Tipu Sultan's tomb. Then continue on to Mysore for an afternoon of free time to explore the city before an evening orientation walk in Devraja Market and an optional group dinner.

Explore the best of Mysore today with visits to Chamundeshwari Temple at Chamundi Hills, the Mysore Palace and St. Philomena Cathedral. The rest of the day is yours to explore this historic, opulent city.

Take a train to Chennai and transfer to a private vehicle to arrive to Mamallapuram by the afternoon. This famous town is steeped in myth and history, so enjoy the opportunity to experience it with a free afternoon.

An early morning is dedicated to a tour of the Shore Temple, an iconic complex of temples and shrines known to the be one of the oldest stone temples in India, and best viewed at sunrise. After an incredible walking tour, take the remainder of the day for your own exploration of Mamallapuram. Most use this time to enjoy a visit to the beach or a yoga class.

Leave Mamallapuram and drive to Chennai. Then transfer to a train to arrive in the afternoon to Thanjavur, a town renowned globally for its bronze metal sculptures. After settling in, visit the 200+ foot tall Brihadeeswarar Temple and a walk around the markets.

This morning, drive to Kanadukathan, known as the land of Chettiars, the collection of over 75 villages. Here we will visit the traditional houses of Chettinad, famous for their spaciousness, opulence and intricate tiles. Afterwards, continue on to Madurai, considered the home of goddess Parvati in her form of Meenakshi - the fish eyed goddess.

Explore the best of Madurai, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with tours of Thirumalai Nayakar Palace and Meenakashi Temple. The afternoon leaves you with time to venture on your own before we hop on a cycle rickshaw for a tour of the city.

Drive to Thekkady this morning. Thekkady, adjacent to Periyar National Park, is the spice capital of India.  Take a guided tour of spice plantations in the Cardamom Hills. Enjoy the rest of the day to explore Thekkady how you wish maybe on a boat tour on Periyar Lake or an ayurvedic massage.

For this homestay, you will only need to take a small overnight bag. Your main bags will be transferred directly to the hotel in Kochi.

Spend the morning enjoying your last moments with your host family before departing for Kochi. On the way, stop at your the tour operator-supported project TWE, a coop run by local women, for lunch. Head out for an orientation walk after arrival in Kochi, then enjoy an evening performance of Kathakali, a form of traditional dancing from Kerala.

Depart at any time.