DAY 1 | CHENNAI

Arrivel in Chennai. (Welcome to the Chennai city), formerly known as Madras. After clearing immigration and customs you are welcomed and transferred to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 2 | CHENNAI / MAMALLAPURAM

Today we take an excursion to the World heritage site of Mahabalipuram This group of sanctuaries, founded by the Pallava kings, and were carved out of rock. It is known especially for its rathas (temples in the form of chariots), mandapas (cave sanctuaries), giant open-air relief's such as the famous 'Descent of the Ganges', and the temple of Rivage, with thousands of sculptures to the glory of Shiva.
On our return, we tour Chennai, culturally one of the richest cities of India. We visit the Kapaleeswarar, the ancient Shiva temple, Santhome Church and the bazaar. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 3 | CHENNAI / TIRUCHIRAPALLI

Tiruchirapalli - Trichy, a town deeply immersed in hindu religion, and home to some outstanding Dravidian temple architecture. Here we start our tour with a visit to the Rock Fort Temple, the maze of the Mathurubhuteshwar Shrine and other local temples. Then we visit some of the local villages and see the rural life of Southern India. Overnight at the hotel in Tiruchirapalli.

DAY 4 | THANJAVUR (TANJORE)

We enjoy a day trip to Thanjavur, to visit the Brihadisvara Temple, a World Heritage Site, in the reign of the great King Rajaraja, founder of the Chola Empire tahtstretched over all of South India and neighboring islands in South East Asia. Surrounded by two rectangular enclosures, Brihadisvara is crowned with a pyramidal 13-storey tower that stands 61 m / 67 yards high and is topped with a bulb-shaped monolith. The walls of the temple are covered with rich sculptural decorations. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 5 | TRICHY / MADURAI 

Today drive to Madurai, Enroute we enjoy a traditional Puppet show. The life of Madurai revolves around the Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple. This magnificently carved temple is the main attraction of Madurai. The Meenakshi temple has a thousand pillared 'Mandapam'. There are precisely 985 pillars and each of them is delicately and exquisitely carved. Among these are the musical pillars that produce music when tapped. Surprisingly, these musical pillars are carved of a single granite rock. The temple has been a hub of Tamil culture and has sponsored the creation of great literature, art, music, and dance in the region for a long time. The city, apart from temple, is crammed with shops, street markets, pilgrims, hotels and restaurants. This is certainly a lively and culturally rich city. Overnight at the hotel

DAY 6 | MADURAI / KODAIKANAL

A scenic and refreshing drive to the peaceful hill station of Kodaikanal located at the top of the Palini hills. Upon arrival, take a boat ride on the Kodaikanal lake giving us a unique opportunity to experience the landscape. Evening, we spend time with the local people. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 7 | KODAIKANAL / PERIYAR

An interesting day ahead as we drive through the Spice and Tea gardens. We stop to see the tea estates and learn about the process of growing tea. Later, drive to the Wildlife Sanctuary of Periyar where our experience of the wildlife of India begins. Afternoon, start with a boat tour for a first-class game viewing experience. The forest here slopes into the manmade lake at the bottom of the hill and the lake serves as the waterhole / swimming hole for the animals. Elephants, Gaur, Sambhar and even tigers can be spotted. The reserve is famous for the Indian elephants, Gaur and a host of water birds. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 8 | PERIYAR

A full day at Periyar sanctuary game viewing. One of the well-known wildlife sanctuaries in the south, Periyar sanctuary attracts a large number of nature lovers every year. Also called the Thekkady wildlife sanctuary, this place is ideal for watching the animals in their natural habitat. Evening is at your leisure. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 9 | PERIYAR / COCHIN 

After short drive to Changanacherry take a small cruise through the famous backwaters of Kerala. Fringing the coast of Kerala and winding far inland is an intricate network of innumerable lagoons, lakes, canals, Estuaries and the deltas of forty-four rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea. These Backwaters are both the basis of a distinct lifestyle and a fascinating thoroughfare and travelling by boat along the backwaters is one of the highlights of our tour. This afternoon we arrive in Cochin. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 10 | COCHIN 

Today explore Cochin, the commercial capital of Kerala, with one of the finest natural harbors in the world. Ancient mariners from Arabia, China, Holland, Britain and Portugal have all left their mark on this beautiful island city, often referred to as the Venice of the East. Here we visit the Dutch Palace, St. Francis Church, the Jewish Quarter with its old synagogue and take a boat tour to visit the Bolghatty Palace and observe the fascinating Chinese fishing nets in action. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 11 | COCHIN / KOVALAM

A scenic and easy drive gets us to the beautiful Kovalam Beach on the Malabar Coast near Trivandrum. The palm-fringed bays in secluded Coconut groves, promise a relaxed stay. The boundless blue waters of the Arabian Sea and miles of white sands washed away by the surf at the feet of the stalwart palms and the rocky promontories make this beach an incredible paradise. We arrive in the afternoon and take the rest of the day off to enjoy our beautiful surroundings. Overnight at the hotel in Kovalam .

DAY 12 | KOVALAM 

Today enjoy a visit to the "Lands End" of India: Kanya Kumari is the southernmost tip of peninsular India where the water of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian sea meet. A place from where one can see spectacular sunrises and also colorful sunsets. On balmy evenings, one can watch the sun set while the full moon is rising in another part of the sky. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 13 | TRIVANDRUM 

Our day at Thiruvananthapuram, earlier known as Trivandrum, is the capital city of Kerala. The name literally splits into "Tiru", "Anantha" and "puram" meaning "the town of Lord Anantha". The temple of Lord Anantha is at the heart of the town and for generations, the kings have called themselves "Padmanabha-Dasa" or the "servants of Lord Ananthapadmanabha", and ruled the state as the representatives of lord Anantha-Padmanabha. We visit the beautiful temple of Padmanabhaswamy, the Chitra art Gallery, Napier Museum and the local market. Overnight stay at hotel .

DAY 14 | KOVALAM 

At the end of the tour, an amazing treats! We are driven to beautiful resorts that specializes in the world-renowned Indian Ayurvedic massages. Here we can enjoy the many ayurvedic treatments, including a rejuvenating massage. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 15 | KOVALAM 

Day at leisure to explore on our own this exotic destination at Kerala. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 16 | DEPART KOVALAM 

After an interesting sight into the colorful and mystical Dravidian India, we bid farewell to our journey of Southern Spices and are transferred for our flight back home.