NEI (UK)'s holidays to India... welcome..

ADVENTURE SOUTH    A JOURNEY THROUGH KERALA & TAMIL NADU

Route at a glance
Kochi ( Cochin ) ~ Alleppey ~ Thekkady ~ Munnar ~ Madurai ~ Thanjavur ~ Pondicherry ~ Mahabalipuram

Southern India’s rich panorama is only partly known to the travelling fraternity. Kerala’s backwaters, navigated by traditional barges, the coast’s palm-backed sands, Ayurvedic spas and beachside resorts are well known but explore deeper into the region’s hinterland and you will find enchanting spice forests, dense jungles, verdant tea estates and the seductive undulations of the Western Ghats. Wander through temple towns pulsating with life, and you will discover Tamil Nadu – India’s Dravidian heart.

Best time to visit: November to March

FOCUS: Temples, Hill Stations,Tea & Spice Plantations, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Backwater Cruise, Culture, Monuments & Beaches
HIGHLIGHTS :Canoeing , Bamboo Rafting at Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary & Backwater cruise using ‘Kettuvallam’

Day 1             FLY UK TO KOCHI

DAY 2           ARRIVE KOCHI
Upon arrival you will be met at the airport and transfered to your hotel. The rest of the morning is set aside to relax and recover from your flight. Later in the afternoon you might enjoy walking through Fort Kochi, one of South India’s most interesting towns, and still largely comprising of low rise, picturesque buildings. Overnight at hotel.

Kochi - The commercial capital and the most cosmopolitan city of Kerala, is also known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea. With one of the finest natural harbours in the world, this was once a major centre of commerce and trade with the Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, and British.

DAY 3               KOCHI
After breakfast there will be a sightseeing tour of Kochi, including: the Mattanchery Palace, Jewish Synagogue and Jew Town and St Francis' Church. The tour ends at the famous Chinese Nets.
In the evening there will be a chance to see the famous dance drama of Kerala, Kathakali. O/n at hotel

DAY 4         COCHIN TO KUMARAKOM
After a late and leisurely breakfast you will be driven to Kumarakom (about 80kms/2hrs), a small village located on the banks of Vembanad Lake, and checked in to your hotel. Rest of the day free to relax . O/n at hotel.

DAY 5         KUMARAKOM TO ALLEPPEY
After breakfast you will be driven to Nedumudi, a small backwater village near Alleppey (about 65 kms/1hr) and checked into your Homestay. Later you will be transferred to Pulinkunnu (about 20 kms/half an hour) the starting point of your canoing trip. You will canoe your way down through backwaters, canals and lagoons and as you make your way out of Alleppey, you will often find your canoe moving on water, the level of which is often higher than that of the green fields on either side. At around 4pm you will leave your canoes behind and return to your home stay. O/n at Homestay.

DAY 6                ALLEPPEY ( HOUSEBOAT )
After breakfast there will be a short drive to Alleppey boat jetty, where you will embark on your houseboat. This comprises two twin rooms, with attached bathrooms, running water, and a lounge area in which to relax and enjoy the sights on the shore. You will cruise for about 3hrs through the Backwaters and coconut groves, and then moor up for the night on Vembanad Lake. O/n on Houseboat

DAY 7             ALLEPPEY TO THEKKADY
After breakfast you will disembark from the houseboat and drive towards Thekkady in the highlands of Kerala (about 160kms/4hrs). The journey takes you through softly contoured hill slopes surrounded by plantations of rubber, coffee & tea with their complimentary spices of pepper and cardamom. Upon arrival, check into the hotel and later explore Thekkady - picturesquely located in Kerala’s highlands and home to the renowned Periyar Tiger Reserve with its unspoilt tropical forests and its incredible wealth of animal and plant life. The forest here slopes into the manmade lake at the bottom of the hill. This lake serves as the waterhole for the animals and they come here to drink or take a dip. Elephants, Gaur, Sambhar deer and, rarely, tigers can be spotted here. In the evening there will be a 2 hrs cruise through the lake by motorboat, with chances of sighting mammals like Elephants, Sambar, Wild Boars and a variety of bird life. O/n at hotel

DAY 8       THEKKADY
A full day to enjoy what Thekkady has to offer or just to relax.

DAY 9         THEKKADY TO MUNNAR
After breakfast you will be driven to Munnar (about 140kms/4hrs), a major centre of Kerala’s tea industry, and close to Anamudi (2695 m), the highest peak in South India. Imunnar is surrounded by about 30 tea estates - among the highest in the world - and forest which is still rich in wildlife, including the reclusive Nilgiri Tahr. Check into the hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or enjoy a walk around the small town. O/n at hotel.

DAY 10        MUNNAR
After breakfast you will be driven 14km northwest of Munnar to visit Eravikulam/Rajamalai National Park, set up in 1978 to preserve the endangered species Nilgiri Tahr (Ibex). This sure-footed wild goat lives in herds on the steep black rocky slopes of the Anamudi Mountains. Exploring the park by foot is recommended for the scenery is magnificent. After returning to your hotel, the rest of the day free to relax or stroll in the tea estates. O/n at hotel.

DAY 11        MUNNAR TO MADURAI
After breakfast you will be driven to Madurai (120 kms /3 hours) in Tamil Nadu and checked in to your hotel. After lunch there will be a guided sightseeing tour of this fascinating city. The focus of the tour will be the Meenakshi Temple with its huge gopurams towering over the city. The life of Madurai revolves around the Meenakshi Sundareswar Temple.Later you will visit Mariamman Teppakulam, a huge tank in the eastern part of the city and said to have underground channels connecting it with the Vaigai River. An evening visit to the Thirumalai Nayak Mahal with its Sound and Light Show- is also included in the tour. All that remains of this magnificent mansion today is the principal entrance, the dancing hall and the main hall. O/n at hotel

DAY 12       MADURAI TO THANJAVUR
After breakfast there will be an interesting drive (about 190kms/4 hrs.) through mango groves, sugarcane plantations and green paddy fields (this region is the local centre of rice production) to Thanjavur. You will be checked into your hotel and after a chance to relax you will be taken to visit the overwhelming temple of Brihadisvara built in 1000 A.D, dedicated to Shiva and built by the great patron Raja Raja 1 in the eleventh century AD. You can also see the excellent museum containing some very fine Chola bronzes, considered by many to be the pinnacle of Hindu craftsmanship, and a wide range of ancient stone carving . You will also visit the Sarasvati Mahal Library, know for its collection of rare and illustrated manuscripts. O/n at hotel

DAY 13       THANJAVUR TO PONDICHERRY
After an early breakfast you will set off for a long drive to Pondicherry (about 225kms/6hrs), across the sugarcane groves and casuarina plantations. The road is dotted with villages and towns, En-route you will visit Chidambaram, whose Nataraja Temple, dedicated to Shiva as Nataraja, the Lord of Cosmic Dance of Evolution, is a vast complex covering over thirty-five acres. Check into the hotel upon arrival and relax for a while and later walk round the town with its distinct French colonial atmosphere . In the evening there will be a visit to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. touch and try the meditation and stroll around the colony still has the French touch. O/n at hotel.

DAY 14      PONDICHERRY TO MAMALLAPURAM
After breakfast you will continue your journey northwardsd to Mamallapuram, (about 135kms/4hrs), where you will stay in a hotel located right on the beach. The small seaside town of Mamallapuram, was once the main port of the Pallava dynasty from the 5thto the 9th centuries. Its exquisite rock cut temples are some of the finest in India and have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Check into the hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax, or perhaps you could talk to the fishermen whose boats line the seashore.O/n at hotel.

Day 15            MAMALLAPURAM
After breakfast you will be taken to visit Arjuna’s Penance, a bas relief, 29 metres long and seven metres high sculpted on the face of two enormous adjacent rocks,.You will also see the Mandapas - shallow pillared halls or porticos excavated out of the rocky hillside; The Five Rathas - mid seventh century monolithic temples influenced by Buddhist architecture; The Shore Temple by the sea which is surrounded by gardens designed according to descriptions of the original layout from ancient texts. The temple was built at the end of the seventh century by King Rajasimha,and is unusual for its shrines to both Siva and Vishnu.The rest of the day is free for you to relax and in the evening enjoy the beautiful sunset. O/n Hotel.

Day 16          MAMALLAPURAM TO CHENNAI TO EUROPE
Depending upon your flight time to the UK, you will leave your hotel and be driven to Chennai (about 60 kms/2hrs) for flight back to your home country. You will be taken to the International Airport to await your flight.

Please contact us for further information and prices.