Full-day sightseeing tour of Chennai, including a walking tour of Mylapore (National art gallery and museum are closed on Fridays; the walking tour is for approximately 2 hours which can be customised depending upon your interest and how much you want to walk).

A tour of Chennai should include Fort St. George, Britain’s first bastion in India, completed in 1654 and rebuilt several times over the years. St. Mary’s Church, built in 1678–80, is the oldest Anglican Church in Asia and should not be missed. Visit the Kapaleeshwara Temple dedicated to Shiva, a fascinating working temple with an impressive Gopura at its entrance. Visit the San Thome Basilica, a Gothic-style Catholic Church that houses St. Thomas’s remains, who brought Christianity to the sub-continent in 52 AD. Also, visit the National Art Gallery and Museum, which has a beautiful section dedicated to the metal deity idols found in ancient temples.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Transfer by road to Puducherry en route visiting Kalakshetra, Dakshin Chitra and Mahabalipuram.

Kalakshetra, as the name suggests, is a centre for artistic endeavour. Kalakshetra Foundation, as it is known today, is a vital centre for studying and performing fine arts.
Dakshinchitra – A 10-acre site overlooking the Bay of Bengal between Chennai and Mahabalipuram, Dakshinchitra, a non-profit making Chennai craft foundation, presents the distinctive arts, crafts, and cultures of the southern states of India. (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh)

Mahabalipuram – One of South India’s most visited historical sites Mahabalipuram, which is 85km from Chennai, is named after Mamalla, the Pallava ruler who made the port famous. Narasimhavarman I Pallavamalla created fourteen cave temples, nine monolithic rathas, sculptured rock panels, and many stone temples. The most striking monuments are the five rathas (shrines in the shape of chariots) and the bas-relief sculpted on a huge rock known as Arjuna’s penance. The Krishna Mandapam shows Krishna protecting his kinsmen from Indra, the Rain God, and beside the sea, surrounded by a garden, is the Shore Temple. This World Heritage site is unusual as it is dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu.

Lunch at a Radisson Hotel, Mahabalipuram (On direct payment)
On arrival, check in at La Villa Hotel. Rest of the day at leisure with car and driver at disposal (No guide).

Visit Auroville to get permission for a visit for the following day. Overnight at the hotel.

An exclusive French Connections Trail with a local expert (Conveyance mostly by foot, autorickshaws used on short stretches; approximately 2 hours duration).

Pondicherry’s colonial past comes alive as we take you through its quaint boulevards and sleepy streets. Quirky twists of history and unforgettable characters are just some things you will hear about. A general bravely fighting a battle when the war itself was over. Revolutionaries are hiding from the law. Free-flowing liquor that glued everything together. All this is a part of Pondicherry’s lively past.

Continue sightseeing tour of Puducherry, including a visit to Auroville.

Known as the French Riviera of the East. As well as visiting the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a tour of Puducherry should include the museum. It has an interesting sculpture collection, a selection of archaeological finds from the Roman settlement at Arikamedu, and a French gallery that charts the history and development of the colony.

Rest of the day at leisure.

Transfer by road to Thanjavur (approximately 05 hours drive)
On arrival, check in at Svatma Hotel.

Set in the idyllic village of Asikkadu is our brand new centre of holistic wellness, Svatma Ramnivas Mayavaram. Svatma Ramnivas is an oasis of calm surrounded by lush greenery and organic farms. Our guests enjoy holistic wellness and healing through methods used in Siddha – the ancient system of medicine and healing.

Experience the culinary and cultural trip at the hotel, followed by a tasting of items prepared (Organized by the hotel for resident guests).
Take a culinary, cultural trip to Tamilian cuisine to expand your palate. You are invited to the exceptional guest experience kitchen at Svatma, where you can learn authentic techniques and recipes. The flavours & textures are sublime, and our chefs simplify preparations for guests to remember.

Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer by road to Madurai (Approximately 03 hours and 30 minutes drive).
On arrival, check in at The Gateway Hotel Pasumalai.

Proceed for a sightseeing tour of Madurai city, including a visit to the vegetable and banana markets

Depart the hotel for a visit to Meenakshi Temple to witness the Aarti (religious prayer) ceremony (Timing may vary depending on Aarti/prayer timing)
Meenakshi, the fish-eyed goddess, has her temple to the south, and Sundareswarar (Shiva) has a temple to the west. Every evening, the ‘putting to bed ceremony’ led by an elephant and a cow sees Sundareswara carried in a procession to Meenakshi to sleep by her side.
Witness the prayer ceremony when the bronze statue of Lord Shiva is carried to the bed chamber of Parvati. The procession is accompanied by religious prayer and temple music.

note: Non-Hindus are not allowed inside the temple’s inner sanctum.

Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer by road to Munnar (approximately 04 hours and 30 minutes drive).
On arrival, check in at Windermere Estate Hotel.

Close to Anaimudi (2,695m), the highest peak in South India is the hill station of Munnar. A major centre for tea production, Munnar has around 30 estates. Established by the British and situated high in the Western Ghats (1,800m above sea level), Munnar is surrounded by forest still rich in flora and fauna. This little town also has gently rolling hills of coffee and cardamom plantations nearby, and the rare Neelakurunji plant covers the hillside. It only flowers once every 12 years.

Those keen on wildlife may spot the rare Nilgiri Tahr on the higher slopes. 13km from Munnar, on the southern side of Mattupetty Lake, the Kerala livestock centre offers an interesting insight into modern cattle breeding methods. Sojourns to nearby reservoirs and tea estates can be arranged.

Visit Tea Plantations, Tea Museum, and Tata Tea Factory (Tea Museum is closed on Mondays).

The museum is set up at the Kannan Devan Tea Estate in Munnar. Some of the unique items on display are the original tea roller, which dates back to 1905, and a rail engine wheel of the Kundale Valley Light Railway that shuttled men and material between Munnar and Top. Another section also houses wooden bathtubs, classic bungalow furniture, typewriters, magneto phone, iron oven, manual calculators, etc., of the yesteryears.

The other attraction of the Tata Tea Museum in Munnar is the demonstration room for tasting tea and the transformation of Munnar into a major tea plantation centre in Kerala.

The various stages of processing a tea can be learnt in this place. People can also learn a few things about the production of black tea.

Rest of the leisure with a car and driver at disposal (No Guide). Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer by road to Alleppey Jetty (approximately 04 hours and 30 minutes drive) to embark on Spice Coast Houseboat (Rice barge / Kettuvallam) for an overnight night through the backwaters of Kerala with all meals onboard.

Known as Kettuvallams (‘boat tied together with rope’), these barges were originally used for transporting rice through the Keralan backwaters. Converted into comfortable houseboats, these shallow-bottomed barges are perfect for a leisurely cruise through the region’s tropical backwaters.

Kettuvallam houseboats are approximately 20m in length and accommodate two to four passengers in 1 or 2 double air-conditioned cabins. Protected from the sun under a wicker canopy, observe the rice fields, coconut palms, and the activities of day-to-day rural life as you drift slowly past. Stop to go ashore, meet local villagers, and discover picturesque churches or read your favourite novel as you watch the world go by. With a crew of 4, including a chef who prepares all meals with fresh ingredients, guests finish a refreshed and revitalized backwater cruise. A crew of 4, including a chef to prepare all meals, looks after the guests.

Overnight on board the houseboat.