South India Tours Packages - Fascinating Tour

Durations : 17 nights / 18 days
Destinations : CALICUT-BEYPORE-MYSORE-THRISSUR-COCHIN - KUMARAKOM - MUNNAR -THEKKAY-MADURAI-KOVALAM - KANYAKUMAI -TRIVANDRUM

DAY 01 : CALICUT-BEYPORE

On arrival our representative will receive you at the airport transfer you to the hotel
Proceed for sightseeing Beypore.

Beypore, situated 10 km south of Kozhikode, is located at the mouth of the Chaliyar River. The Beypore beach is famous for its ancient ship building yard, which constructed the "Uru" - the traditional trading vessels of the Arabs.
The ship builders here were famous for their extensive knowledge of ship construction. The Khalasis were ship builders by tradition. On being commissioned by a client to build an Uru, they didn't need to make any designing, planning or any measurements on paper. The craftsman, by intuition understood what to do and how, little by little as the components were made, the whole ship was constructed as if forming a jigsaw puzzle.

The 2 km long bridge made of stone is another place to be visited without fail. This bridge has been made by piling up stones, and it streches into the Sea, making a pathway into the Sea.

Home to Asia's biggest wood market and traditional wooden ship making industry. The craftsmen have been making these Marakalam's in Beypore since the 18th Century.

Overnight stay will be at hotel.

DAY 02 : CALICUT-MYSOORE

In the morning proceed to Mysore - the princely city of South India..
On arrival check into the Hotel & relax
Half day Excursion
After breakfast, we proceed on a city tour of Mysore. Enjoy the royal streets with broad tree-lined avenues. View of Mysore, Visit Chama rajendra art gallery.
Next take the road to Chamundi Hills, 1062 metres above MSL. Have a panoramic view of Mysore city below.

Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 03 : MYSORE-GURUVAYOOR-THRISSUR

Drive to Guruvayoor.On arrival, you have time to visit the temple Please note that non-Hindus are not allowed inside the temple.

Then we take you to an exciting and unusual place the sprawling shelter of forty-five elephants belonging to the Guruvayoor temple. This elephant haven is called Punna
thoor Kotta. Click away memorable snaps!

Overnight stay will be at Home.

DAY 04 : THRISSUR

After breakfast visit Shanktan Thampuran palace, the gold market and local market to experience the typical life style. Afternoon visit the Athirapilly waterfalls  

Overnight stay will be at Home.

DAY 05 : THRISSUR-COCHIN

Drive to Kochi – on the way visit the Kodungallor temple, the cheraman mazjid, the first Muslim mosque in India, St Thomas church.  After noon check in to hotel in Kochi, evening sunset cruise.

Kochi (colonial name Cochin) is a vibrant city situated on the south-west coast of the Indian peninsula in the breathtakingly scenic and prosperous state of Kerala, hailed as 'God's Own Country'. Its strategic importance over the centuries is underlined by the sobriquet Queen of the Arabian Sea. Informally, Cochin is also referred to as the Gateway to Kerala.

From time immemorial, the Arabs, British, Chinese, Dutch, and Portuguese have left indelible marks on the history and development of Cochin. Over the years, Cochin has emerged as the commercial and industrial capital of Kerala and is perhaps the second most important city on the west coast of India (after Mumbai/Bombay). Cochin is proud of its world class port and international airport that link it to many major cities worldwide.
This lovely seaside city is flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west. Its proximity to the equator, the sea and the mountains provide a rich experience of a moderate equatorial climate.

Strictly speaking, Cochin is a small town. But, Cochin has outgrown its original bounds and is now the general name given to much of the region adjoining the original town, which now includes Cochin, Fort Kochi, Mattanchery, Ernakulam and many other nearby towns and villages. Cochin is situated in Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala. Ernakulam is also the name of a town - the administrative capital of Ernakulam district - but, for all practical purposes Ernakulam and Cochin, generally, refer to the same place.

Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 06 : COCHIN

Morning city tour of Kochi – visit the st. Francis church, Jews Synagogue, Mattanchery Palace and Chinese fishing nets and also visit Mattacher fish market.  Evening watch Kathakali dance performance
Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 07 : COCHIN-KUMARAKOM

Morning drive to Kumarakom on arrival visit bird’s sanctuary, then check in to the House Boat

The backwater cruise in a country boat is the best way to explore the villages and rural life. In Alleppey you will be taken aboard your floating houseboat, a different boat with a bedroom and en-suite rest room for your comfort. Enjoy unlimited surfing on backwaters, sip a coconut, get disturbed by only the chirping of birds and occasional ripples in water and savor mouthwatering delicacies prepared in front of you by your Kitchen crew. Spend the night on board the houseboat. Enjoy a cruise on the backwater through a maze of canals and lagoons and enjoy freshly caught fresh water fish cooked to your taste on board.

About House Boat

Earlier Houseboats of Kerala are known as "Kettuvallam", these huge, ling and tapering barges were traditionally used to cargo tonnes of goods across kingdoms, with portion covered with bamboo and coir serving as a rest room and kitchen for the crew. A familiar sight on the Backwaters, these vessels are built entirely without nails. Plants of jack wood are joined together and coir rope and coated with caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kennels. With careful maintenance they last for generations. Today widely and appropriately called Luxury Houseboats, (Kerala Backwaters) they carry furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for angling. As you cruise down the canal you can see morning newspaper and mail delivery by boat, vendors in boat paddle from house to house selling everyday provisions like rice, vegetables, oil, kerosene etc. with hundreds of quacking ducks around. Also you can see village activities, fisherman's activities and see old beautiful temples, churches and old fashioned Kerala

Overnight at House Boat

DAY 08 : KUMARAKOM-MUNNAR

Morning check out from House Boat at Allepy then drives to Munnar – after noon sight seeing in munnar.

Munnar - breathtakingly beautiful - a haven of peace and tranquility - the idyllic tourist destination in God's own country.Set at an altitude of 6000 ft in Idukki district, Munnar was the favored summer resort of the erstwhile British rulers in the colonial days. Unending expanse of tea plantations - pristine valleys and mountains- exotic species of flora and fauna in its wild sanctuaries and forests - aroma of spice scented cool air - yes! Munnar has all these and more housing world's highest tea-growing estates
Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 09 : MUNNAR

After breakfast proceed for sightseeing of Munnar, which includes Rajamalai, Matuppetty, Kundala Dam. (Subject to permission from authorities)

Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 10 : MUNNAR-THEKKAY

Morning drive to Thekkady – on the way visit different plantations.  Eveing visit the spice market –
Periyar tiger Reserve, Thekkady, is an example of nature’s bounty, with great scenic charm, rich bio diversity and providing veritable visitor satisfaction. Sprawled over an area of 777 Sq .km., Periyar is one of the 27 tiger reserves in India.Zealously guarded and efficiently managed reserve is a repository of rare, endemic and endangered flora and fauna and forms the major watershed of two important rivers of Kerala, the Periyar and Pamba.

Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 11 : THEKKADY

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning boats ride on Lake Periyar to watch animals in their natural habitat. The earliest sanctuary, it was set up in 1934 and forms part of the mountain ranges, the Western Ghats. Cruising on Lake Periyar, you are likely to see animals like wild boars, sambars, wild dogs, langur monkeys and wild elephants.

Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 12 : THEKKADY-MADURAI

Morning sightseeing tour of Madurai. Madurai, known as Athens of the East, it is the second largest city on the banks of the River Vigai. The city believed to be more than 2500 yeras old. The city got its name from the drops of nectar (Mathuram) that fell from Shiva's locs when he came to bless its people for constructing a temple for him. Madurai where the people wake up at the chant of hymns is proud of magnificent 'The Meenakshi-Sundareswara Temple.

Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 13 : MADURAI-KANYAKUMARI

Morning drive to Kanaykumari on arrival trnasfer to Hotel. Then visit vivekanada rock temple evening watch Sunset.

Full day at kanyakumari
Kanyakumari or Cape Comorin is considered the southern tip of India. Off the coast, the waters of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal swill and merge into the Indian Ocean. The beaches are clean and the waters a clear, frothing blue. Kanyakumari is often set up as a geographical antonym to Kashmir, to suggest the span and variety of the sub continent. For the visitor the experience would be opposite and the pleasure equal.

Besides the waters and the coast, Kanyakumari is essentially a temple town. The most prominent temple, the Kumari Amman, is dedicated to the goddess Parvathi as a virgin. It is said to mark the spot where the goddess won the Lord Shiva over with her penance. Its location has given rise to the legend that the goddess protects the country by guarding the southern door to India.

The famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial is built in several architectural styles off the coast on rocks that protrude from the ocean. Built in 1970, it marks the place where Swami Vivekananda meditated and evolved his philosophy. Close to the memorial is Sripada Parai where the footprints of the virgin goddess are supposed to have fallen. Ferry services to the rocks are frequent.

The Gandhi Memorial was built over the spot where the urn containing his ashes was kept for public viewing before a part was immersed in the waters around.

The Government Museum has a collection of sundry objects like old coins, whalebones, tribal objects, bronze sculptures, and woodcarvings

Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 14 : KANYAKUMARI-KOVALAM

Morning Drive to Kovalam on arrival trnasfer to Hotel, rest of the day enjoy at Beach 
The Kovalam, 14 kms from Thiruvanthapuram, has been favoured by tourists ever since 1930. It is made of three adjacent crescent beaches - the Samudra, Eve's Beach also called Hawah and the Light House Beach. The Light House Beach is the most popular of the three. The Vizhinzam mosque can be seen further south. Beautiful colourful Coral reefs line the coast at many places adding to its charm. The Eve's Beach is used as a base by the local fisherman every morning. Samudra, the northern most beach experiences the changing times, the least. The evenings are enlightened by the colourful performances of Kathakali dancers. Kathakali is the traditional dance drama of Kerala, where dancers usually men, paint their faces in vibrant colours and depict emotions not only through actions, but also through their face. The beach is ideal for activities like swimming, water skiing, surfing and Kayaking.

Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 15 : KOVALAM-TRIVANDRUM

Morning sight seeing of Trivandrum including padmanabhapurm palace and suchindram temple

Drive Trivandrum

Sightseeing tour of Trivandrum, visiting the ancient temple of Sri Padmanabhaswamy is one of the major attractions in the city of Thiruvananthapuram. Napier Museum was built in 1880 and shows a harmonious blending of Kerala, Mughal, Chinese and Italian architectural styles. Sri Chitra Art Gallery has a good collection Tanjore, Mughal, and Rajput schools of art. The Zoo in Thiruvananthapuram has many shady and delightful walks.

Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 16 : KOVALAM

Free at Beach in Kovalam

Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 17 : KOVALAM

Free at Beach in Kovalam

Overnight stay will be at Hotel.

DAY 18 : KOVALAM-TRIVANDRUM-HOME

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