13-Day South India Tour from Chennai with Kerala Backwaters

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Day 01

Arrival in Chennai

• Welcome to Chennai and your first day with us! Our representative will be at the airport to pick you up and make sure everything is as it should be on your way to the hotel. Once you've thrown your bags in one corner of your room, step out for some good old-fashioned solo exploring. Remember, however, that your Tour Leader will be giving you an overview of what the tour entails, so please be at the designated place at 6 pm.

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Day 02

Mamallapuram Temples and Onward to Pondicherry

• Leaving behind the bustling metropolis of Chennai, we drive to a quieter Mamallapuram, where we visit the classical 8th Century Shore Temple and then a cluster of older Five Rock Cut Temples, each eliciting the vision and artistry of its makers.
• Trundle up to a nearby complex to find voices carved in stone as they speak of ancient lore, and when you've covered enough ground, attend to your stomach with some local delights.
• Later in the day, we will drive to Pondicherry, our destination for the night.

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Day 03

Aurobindo Ashram, Auroville and the French Quarters

• Head for the Aurobindo Ashram after breakfast. The eponymous Ashram is the Samadhi or memorial of Sir Aurobindo Ghosh, philosopher, nationalist, poet and spiritual guru.
• Walk among the faithful, learn about his life and times, and then drive to Auroville, an experimental township based on his vision for the "progress of humanity by bringing together people of goodwill and aspiration for a better world." The centre point of Auroville is the Matri Mandir - a golden globe symbolizing the "Divine's answer to man's aspiration for perfection" - which we can view from a distance.
• Later in the evening, take a walk through the French Quarters, where a canal still divides the distinctly Indian half of Pondicherry from the European half, and recall an era when the French tried to bring their influence to bear on the minutest level, down to the names of its streets and alleys.

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Day 04

Drive to Madurai

• Gear up for a big day on the road to Madurai this morning. Make sure you've charged the batteries on your e-readers or you've downloaded that podcast you've been meaning to listen to for the past few weeks. The drive to Madurai is approximately 7 hours, interspersed with a couple of breaks.

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Day 05

Markets, Meenakshi Temple and Gandhi Museum

• Start this morning by breathing in the heady aromas that waft through the air and watching an explosion of colours light up the lanes of the flower market as the vendors and suppliers begin trading for the day.
• Take an enthralling rickshaw ride through some impossibly narrow alleys and then lift your head reverently to the awe-inspiring sculptures and architectural finesse that are the anchors of the famous Meenakshi Temple.
• Between lunch and evening, slip in a visit to a local handicrafts store and then make the best of the evening by spending some time at the Gandhi Museum.

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Day 06

Into the Hills of Kumily and Periyar

• Today, we shake off the dusty plains and wind our way up to the hill town of Kumily, Periyar (approximately 4 hours' drive).
• Before reaching your accommodation, negotiate your way around the narrow trails of a spice plantation as you identify some of the herbs and spices sprouting in abundance.
• Keep your teeth off those cardamom barks, though, because you'll be having lunch on the plantation itself, with the spices plucked fresh as the saliva builds in your mouth!

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Day 07

Periyar Nature Walk and Kalariyapattu Performance

• Test your patience and the dry twigs underfoot as you try to approach the skittish deer and other animals slinking softly under the canopy of leafy trees. Hold your breath as a bison snorts your way and delight at the leaping figures of the Giant Malabar Squirrel, a species endemic to the region, as we walk along a section of the national park today.
• Tread that forest floor over bends and slopes, and if the going gets rough, book a relaxing ayurvedic massage afterwards. To top an excellent day, witness a frenetic yet skilful display of Kalariyapattu - a martial arts form said to be one of the most ancient in the world.

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Day 08

Drive to Kochi and Evening Kathakali

• We leave the spice-laden hills of Periyar this morning and drive to Kochi, one of Kerala's most visited towns and a repository of history and culture.
• Shake off the effects of a long journey today by roaming around the streets of Fort Kochi, perhaps popping into one of the many quaint cafes that stand invitingly on its grid.
• In the evening, sit down for a hypnotic performance of Kathakali - a classical dance form that reenacts sections of two of India's greatest epics, the Ramayan and the Mahabharata.

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Day 09

Walking Tour of Fort Kochi

• We go on a walking tour of Fort Kochi today, starting with the Chinese Fishing Nets where the locals try to make the most of the morning current.
• Walk along the pier and lend them a helping hand as they wrestle with their blocks and pulleys.
• Once you've had your exercise for the day, head for the St. Francis Church, Dutch Palace, and the Jewish synagogue that spell out stories of the past and helped shape modern beliefs, commerce, and life in general in this coastal town.

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Day 10

Houseboat Cruise in Alleppy Backwaters

• Alleppy and the backwaters beckon us today. After 2 hours of driving from Kochi, we board our houseboat and make for the largest lake in Kerala. Today is a day of rest and relaxation, so take your shoes off and make yourself comfortable as you're fed lunch and dinner on the houseboat, with tea thrown in between.
• Breeze through tiny villages that spring from among the countless channels, watch the daily activities of the simple folk that inhabit them, and listen to the flock of water birds as they scatter at our approach. The houseboat docks at approximately 5 pm, and if there's still light in the sky, step on shore and go for a languid walk with no particular destination in mind.

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Day 11

Varkala Cliffs, Beaches and Kappil Lake

• Following our arrival at the hotel, we head for the cliff-facing beaches of Varkala, lined with restaurants and cafes that entice you with their fresh aroma of cooking.
• Take your pick from any of these, or else take the stairs down to the sand and meet the rush of oncoming waves of the Arabian Sea. If lying on the beach isn't your thing, jump onto an auto rickshaw to Kappil Lake, where the road bisects the sea and the backwaters in a neat divide. There's a bit of kayaking to be done as well at the lake if you please.

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Day 12

Relaxed Beach Day and Farewell Dinner

• It's time to bring out those Hawaiian shirts and straw hats again as we head for another beach today. Bury your watch where you can't hear the seconds and the minutes tick by. While your time away, listen to the soothing lap of waves on the shore or browse some souvenir shops for some last-minute bargains.
• Enjoy that downtime throughout the day, and in the evening, join your group for a last dinner.

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Day 13

Departure from Kovalam

• It's time now to bid farewell to your Tour Leader and new friends, but not without a backpack full of memories. Departure transfers are included on the day. Check-out time in most hotels is 12 pm. Please confirm with your Tour Leader or the hotel reception.