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Courtyard Of A Chettinad Mansion

Grand Tour Of South India

A Unique And Diverse Journey Through Tamil Nadu And Kerala

From GBP 3140 I USD 4035 Per Person

  • 1 Night Stay At Chennai On Arrival.
  • 2 Nights At The Old French Enclave Of Pondicherry With Wonderful Creole Cuisine.
  • 2 Nights At The Historic Chola Capital Of Tanjore And The Brihadeeshwarar Temple.
  • 1 Night In Chettinad, Exploring The Palaces Of The Chettiyar Merchants And Its Unique Cuisine.
  • 2 Nights Exploring The Tamil Cultural Capital Of Madurai And The Sri Meenakshi Temple Complex.
  • 2 Night Stay At Thekkady In The Midst Of Aromatic Spice Plantations And Jungles Of Periyar.
  • 1 Night On Board A Luxury Rice Boat While Travelling Through The Scenic Backwaters.
  • 2 Nights At The Melting Pot Of Cochin And The Architectural Heritage Inside Fort Kochi.

Daily Itinerary And Experiences

13 Nights Followed By An Optional Beach Stay

All of our holidays are Tailor Made to suit you. Have a look at the following template and then speak to us about what may specifically meet your requirements.

Day 1 - Chennai

Travel Time:  30 Minutes

  • Pick Up From Chennai Airport
  • Chennai Bazaar Tour - Learn About South Indian Wedding Traditions By Visiting Pondy Bazaar To See Decorations, Explore The Flower Market At Panagal Park, And A Variety Of Saree Stores, Followed By A Trip To Busy Ranganathan Street.
  • Or Chennai Streetfood Tour - Eat Your Way Through Chennai's Sowcarpet Market With A Food-Themed Tour To Sample All Sorts Of Local Snack Foods With A Local Guide By Your Side.

Day 2 - Pondicherry

Travel Time: Within 6.5 Hours

  • Explore The Ekambareswarar Temple At Kanchipuram Covering 25 Acres, One Of The Largest In India With An 11 Storey Gateway Tower (192 Feet). The Pallava Era Kailasanathar Temple Is Notable For Its Intricately Carved Galaxy Of 7th And 8th Century Hindu Art.
  • Visit A Silk Saree Loom Workshop Where Weavers Magically Convert Silk Threads Into Beautiful Kanchipuram Silk Sarees.
  • Mahabalipuram, The 7th Century UNESCO World Heritage Site Of The Pallava Kingdom With Monuments Carved Out Of The Living Rock. These Includes Rathas (Temples In The Form Of Chariots), Mandapas (Cave Sanctuaries), The Giant Open-Air Rock Relief ‘The Descent Of The Ganges’ And The Shore Temple Dedicated To Shiva.

Day 3 – Pondicherry

Local Experiences

  • Embark On A Vintage-Style Bicycle Tour Of Pondicherry Or A Walking Tour, If Preferred. Pedal Along Beachside Promenades And Cobblestone Streets To Explore ‘White Town’ The French Quarter With Beautiful Colonial Architecture As Well As Vibrant Tamil Settlements.
  • Have Lunch At The Amazing Yellow-Themed Café Dés Arts, Serving Classic French Baguettes, Croissants, Croques, Ratatouille, Crepes, And Tartines.
  • Experience Pondicherry’s Diverse Cuisines At Maison Perumal Or Chez Francis For French Creole Cuisine Or Hot Seafood At Finz By Club Mahindra On The Beach Or Suguru, Offering The Most Delicious Vegetarian Cuisine At Pondy.

Day 4 – Tanjore

Travel Time: Within 4 Hours

  • Drive Through The Interior Of Tamil Nadu With Rural Countryside And Pretty Villages To Reach Tanjore.
  • Visit A Bronze Casting Workshop At Tanjore For A Demonstration Of Chola Bronze Casting By Master Craftsmen.

Day 5 – Tanjore

Local Experiences

  • Visit The Famous Sri Brihadeeshwara Temple, Dedicated To Lord Shiva To Attend The Morning Rituals Where The Temple Priest Offers Prayers Accompanied By Music. A Huge Nandi Bull Statue Can Also Be Seen By The Temple Enclosure.
  • An Evening Demonstration Of The Tanjavur Style Of Bharatanatyam Dance.
  • Or A Chamber Concert By Vocalists, Percussionists And Flautists In The Carnatic Tradition.

Day 6 – Chettinad

Travel Time: Within 2 Hours

  • Travel To Chettinad, The Home Of The Chettiyar Merchant Community With Hundreds Of Mansions Scattered Around The Capital Karaikudi.
  • Try Some World Famous Chettinadu Cuisine - A Delectable Combination Of Heady Spices And Subtle Flavours With Distinct And Vivid Aromas. The Chettinadu Style, Especially The Chicken And Lamb Curries, Makes It The Most Sought-After South Indian Cuisine In The World.
  • Take A Guided Tour Of Karaikudi Driving Past Old Mansions, Their Desolate Streets Hauntingly Lovely. Pull Over And You Can Visit The Delightful Lakshmi House Or The Magnificent Verappa Chettiar Mansion.

Day 7 – Madurai

Travel Time: Within 2 Hours

  • Travel At Leisure To The Ancient City Of Madurai, The Cultural Capital Of Tamil Nadu.
  • Explore The Vibrant Markets Of Madurai And Walk Through The Narrow Bustling Lanes Of The City On A 2 Hour Guided Tour. Market Items Include Delicate And Precious Metal Work As Well As Spices, Fruits, Vegetables, Textiles And Jewelry.

Day 8 – Madurai

Local Experiences

  • Visit The 17th Century Thirumalai Nayak Palace, With A Unique Architectural Style Combining Dravidian, Islamic And Italian Influences Owing To The Italian Architect Who Supervised The Project.
  • Make An Evening Visit To Explore The Spectacular Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. The Impressive 6-Hectare Temple Complex Is Often Considered To Be The Peak Of South Indian Temple Architecture – 12 Towering Gopurams, Festooned With A Staggering Array Of Brightly Painted Gods, Goddesses, Demons And Heroes, With Gold Finials Gleaming On Top, And The Spectacular Hall Of A Thousand Pillars.
  • Every Evening At 9pm, There Is A Procession Which Carries An Icon Of Shiva To Meenakshi’s Shrine To Spend The Night. It Is A Frenetic Experience, Full Of The Sounds Of Tamil Loudspeaker Music, Temple Bells And Clouds Of Incense!

Day 9 – Thekkady

Travel Time: Within 3 Hours

  • Travel Up The Mountains Of The Western Ghats From Tamil Nadu To Kerala. Arrive And Relax At Thekkady Where The Air Is Filled With The Heady Aroma Of Spices.
  • Arrive And Relax At Thekkady Where The Air Is Filled With The Heady Aroma Of Spices.
  • Two Hour Guided Tour Around Mr Abraham’s Spice Garden Who Has A Huge Collection Of Exquisite Herbs, Spices And Fruit. As Featured By Monty Don In ‘Around The World In 80 Gardens’ And Recommended By All Travellers To Kerala

Day 10 – Thekkady

Local Experiences

  • A Two And Half Hour Nature Walk (5 KM) Through The Periyar Jungles To Observe Mouse Deer, Brightly Coloured Jungle Fowl, Large Monitor Lizards And Gorgeous Malabar Giant Squirrels.
  • Or Enjoy A Three Hour Jeep Safari Ride To Gavi Forest To Observe Wild Elephants, Indian Bison (Gaur) Nilgiri Tahr And Lion-tailed Macaque, With Possibility Of Leopard Sightings.
  • Experience A Combined Performance Of Ancient Kalaripayattu Martial Arts And Beautifully Adorned Kathakali Dancers At Thekkady.

Day 11 – Backwaters

Travel Time: Within 4 Hours

  • Descend To The Backwaters Of Kerala To Embark On A Rice Boat Trip From Alleppey Jetty at 12 Noon.
  • Explore The Delightful Southern Backwaters From Alleppey That Allows Visitors To Observe Rural Lifestyles As You Pass Through Sleepy Traditional Villages, Endless Flooded Paddy Fields And Lakes With Chinese Fishing Nets.
  • After Lunch Transfer To A Local Boat (Country Boat) To Experience The Exceptionally Picturesque Narrow Sections Of The Waterways And Return To Your Houseboat Before Sunset And Have Dinner On Board After Mooring For The Night.

Day 12 – Cochin

Travel Time: Within 1.5 Hours

  • After Breakfast On Board Disembark At Alleppey Jetty And Travel Onwards To Cochin.
  • Sunset Cochin Harbour Cruise From CGH Earth At Brunton Boatyard
  • Taste The Gloriously Named First Class Railway Mutton Curry At The History Restaurant, Brunton Boatyard.

Day 13 – Cochin

Local Experiences

  • A Curated Drive Around Fort Cochin With A Specialist Local Guide Tailored As Per Your Interests.
  • Suggestions Include the Old Jewish Quarter And Synagogue, Chinese Fishing Nets, St Francis Church (1516), Spice Markets And The Lovely Old Streets Of Mattancherry
  • Dinner At The Rice Boat Restaurant At The Taj Malabar Showcasing Traditional Kerala Cuisine In A Fine Dining Setting With Excellent Fish And Seafood Selections.

Day 14 – To Beach Hotel Or Cochin Airport

Local Experiences

  • Drop Off At Kochi Airport For Your Departure Flight.
  • Or Enjoy A Beach Stay On The Relaxed Coconut Groves Surrounding The Barefoot Beach Resort Of Marari.
  • Or Relax On The Famous Beaches Of Kovalam, With Shallow Water And Safe Sea Bathing During The Winter Season.

Tour Route

  • Chennai
  • Puducherry
  • Thanjavur
  • Chettinadu
  • Rice Boat
  • Marari
  • Marari
  • Backwaters
  • Kochi
  • Kovalam

Our Featured Tour Hotels

Part Hyatt Chennai - Chennai
Centrally located resort hotel with easy access from Chennai Airport after a long flight. International facilities.
Maison Perumal - Pondicherry
A charming, beautifully renovated 130 year old Chettiyar mansion in the Tamil Quarter with great French Creole cuisine.
Svatma - Tanjore
Award-winning Relais & Chateaux heritage hotel marrying contemporary experiences with the timeless culture of Tamil Nadu.
Visalam - Chettinad
A deluxe tea estate bungalow near Ella located above the famous Demodara ‘railway loop’ with lush tea gardens on hillsides all round.
The Gateway Hotel Pasumalai - Madurai
A modern luxury resort hotel situated on sand dunes next to the crashing ocean waves and jungles near the entrance to Yala National Park.
Hills And Hues - Thekkady
A 15-room boutique resort nestled on a mountain edge with spectacular views of surrounding jungles near Kumily.
Spice Coast Cruises - Backwaters
The premier luxury rice boat operator in Keral offers unforgettable backwater cruise experiences to discerning international clients.
The Old Harbour Hotel - Cochin
A lovingly restored 300 year old Portuguese mansion in the heart of Fort Kochi is now a superb and atmospheric colonial style hotel.
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Our Featured Beach Hotels

Amritara A Beach Sympohny – Marari
A group of 4 traditionally styled beach cottages in coconut gardens close to Marari Beach, some with private lunge pools.
Xandari Pearl – Marari
A luxury thatched roof eco-experience in extensive coconut groves leading to the ocean. Superior rooms available with plunge pools.
Marari Beach Villas – Marari
A beautiful set of 3 designer villas, Orchid, Hibiscus, Frangipani hidden in tropical vegetation with a 10- minute walk to Marari Beach.
Marari Beach Resort – Marari
A thatched eco-village type resort in 30 acres of coconut groves. The hotel that introduced open-air courtyard bathrooms to the world!
The Leela Kovalam – Kovalam
A 5 star beach resort hotel with 194 rooms on a headland between Kovalam’s famous beaches with a range of international facilities.
Taj Green Cove – Kovalam
A classic Bali-inspired luxury resort sprawled over a hillside and a lagoon with a timeless elegance and refinement worthy of the Taj name.
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When To Go

You Can Do This Tour Year Round.

Despite Changing Weather Patterns, The Best Time Traditionally To Visit Kerala Would Be Between October – April When Rainfall And Humidity Is At Its Lowest.

Kerala Becomes Extremely Expensive Between December – March Of Each Year And Accommodation Needs To Be Booked Far In Advance. September Is A Good Alternative With Low Hotel Rates.

Pricing

First Class (4/5 Star)

From GBP 3140.00 Per Person

From USD 4035.00 Per Person

Luxury

From GBP 3750.00 Per Person

From USD 4820.00 Per Person

Deluxe

From GBP 4840.00 Per Person

From USD 6220.00 Per Person

Contact

We Would Love To Hear From You.

It Is Really Important To Enter This Information As We Can Give You Options To Reduce Costs Depending On Your Kids Ages
We Will Never Call You Unless You Ask Us To Call You.

Chat Now To Our Travel Consultants

Riyaz is our Senior Tour Consultant who travels frequently to Kerala and can give you first-hand information on all of our featured hotels and experiences.

Ronnie is our Sales Director who has travelled the whole length and breadth of Kerala several times.

Babu is our Operations Director at our Trivandrum Office. He is of the most respected hospitality professionals in Kerala.

Shaji is our Ground Handling Executive who is based at our Trivandrum Office and is on call 24 hours a day to look after our guests while they are in Kerala.

Who We Are?

Our Company has so far hosted in excess of 35 000 visitors to South Asia!

Established Since 2003

Ronnie
Babu
Shaji
Riyaz

Tanjore Dancing Dolls

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Registered Office: Kerala In Luxury, 71-75, Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ

Contact

We Would Love To Hear From You.

It Is Really Important To Enter This Information As We Can Give You Options To Reduce Costs Depending On Your Kids Ages
We Will Never Call You Unless You Ask Us To Call You.