Arrive at Chennai and transfer to hotel in Mamallapuram. A sleepy little town that is surrounded by the history all around. A few hundreds of years old rock cut caves, temples and bas-reliefs and the world’s largest ‘Penance of Arjuna’ makes it an awe inspiring place to visit. Not very far from the busy and more developed city, this quaint little village has still managed to retain the old charm of the yesteryear's. (Overnight stay in Mamallapuram)
Activities: Boat ride – Today morning enjoy boating in Mamallapuram as the sun rises up magnificently above the horizon. Take a ride on the traditional fisherman’s boat into the sea. Activities: Walk through History – After the exciting boat ride, recharge yourself with some rest and breakfast and embark on a spectacular walk through history. Each of the cave temples, monolithic chariots, sculpted reliefs and structural temples have its own story to tell. Activities: Auto Rickshaw Tour – Villages are the best place to learn about the Indian culture and tradition.This tour on an auto rickshaw, the famous hooded three-wheeler of India, covers little mud huts, outdoor kitchens, village panchayat schools where classes are sometimes conducted under the shade of a tree, little temples, potteries to listen to a tale or two as the potter spins the wheel and lush green agricultural fields to experience authentic Indian village. (Overnight stay in Mamallapuram)
Activities: Day with Sculpture Master - Today we take you to a workshop where the tradition of stone sculpting continues unbroken to this day. You get to watch the sculptors, who have mastered the art of sculpting while on the job, work on blocks of rugged rock and turn them into beautiful pieces of art. (Overnight stay in Mamallapuram)
We start early and head to the airport to fly to Bangalore. Mysore is a historical marvel complete with its magnificent palaces, well laid out and manicured lawns and gardens, broad roads made beautiful with the long line of avenue trees and age old temples. The palace here is a great attraction with its Indo-Saracenic style architecture that are exquisitely adorned and carved. Activities: Market Walk – The Devaraja Market, boasts of over 700 stalls and is a tourist’s paradise for the frenzy of activities and riot of colours that one can find here. The heaps of colour powders, colorful bangles, flower baskets and fresh fruits and vegetable make it a place for people to throng and treasurable memories to capture. The market does not believe in the concept of cold storage and so all wares are fresh off the farmlands and carted away right from here. (Overnight stay in Mysore)
Today you will be engaged in exploration walk, culinary tour and multi activities as well. Activities: History Walk - For a traveler who is looking for an experience, a memory to cherish and a city history, heritage, culture, art and more to explore, you have stopped at the right place! Join us as we take you on a tour to explore the beauty of the city through its feel, stories and its way of life. Activities: Gravity Tour - Walk, cycle and Trek. We got it all as you climb a hill through its step and cycle down letting gravity take the lead. (Overnight stay in Mysore)
Check out from the hotel and drive to Coorg. Famous for its coffee plantations and the beauty of the spice plantations that shroud this town, Coorg is at the perfect setting, right in the middle of all the greenery and yet, not too far from the busy cities en route you get to see Bylekuppe, the second largest Tibetan settlement outside Tibet. Check into your hotel. Activities: Coffee Plantation Visit – Visit a coffee plantation and join the coffee pickers as they handpick the coffee fruits that are ready to be picked and chat with them to get more insight into the techniques of their trade and listen to their stories about their life in this charming and secluded plantations. For a first time visitor there are guided tours of the spice plantations to quell your curiosity about the power packed spices. (Overnight stay in Coorg)
Activities: Tadiandamol Trek – The Tadiandamol peak is the highest in Coorg and the second highest in Karnataka. It is a preferred location for trekkers for the scenic beauty it provides along with the enthralling satisfaction of having scaled the heights (Overnight stay in Coorg)
Today we drive to Wayanad – The dramatic sceneries and fascinating beauty of this high altitude mountains never fail to capture the hearts of its onlookers. As if the beauty of the hills and valleys that surround it are not sufficient, there is a thick blanket of green that hugs the surface of the hills to encaptivate you all the more. WWS – 'Wildlife', 'Waterfall' and 'Spices', these three define Wayanad at its best. The numerous wildlife sanctuaries here offer a great trip to the visitors. In afternoon proceed for a jeep safari. Activities: Jeep Safari – Connected with the Nagarhole National Park and Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, the Tholpetty sanctuary is home to a variety of animals and birds. Set out on a jeep safari to explore the forest and catch a glimpse of the inhabitants of the wild in their own territory. (Overnight stay in Wayanad)
Activities: Edakkal Caves Exploration – One of the earliest instances of human settlement, the Edakkal caves that have been formed naturally are a paradise for historians and archaeologists alike. The caves themselves are nearly 5000 years old and showcase some fascinating prehistoric etchings. Activities: Tribal visit – Going through the Nellarachal route, we go on a half day visit to the tribal village to see and experience their daily life. A great sense of appreciation envelopes you at the end of it when we think about how much we take for granted in the face paced lives that we live. (Overnight stay in Wayanad)
Drive to Calicut. Discovered in the 14th Century by the great voyager Vasco Da Gama, this city boasts of a glorious past. As a result, we have a lot of historic sites to visit and a remarkable culture to experience. A leading centre for spice trade, Calicut has a lot to showcase. Activities: Kalaripayattu Demonstration - Today evening you could visit nearby Kalari centre. The centre provides absolute training in Kalarippayattu in an authentic and traditional manner. Kalarippayattu is the oldest form of oriental martial art encapsulating Kerala's unique cultural mytho-historical heritage. Activities: Food Tour - Calicut is the land of spices and of course it is the unofficial food capital of Kerala. Food here is more that just a need. They enjoy their food with a passion and are experts at experimenting and dishing out new delicacies. Their specialities are their banana chips, the spicy biryani and melt in the mouth halwas. (Overnight stay in Calicut)
Checkout from your hotel, drive to Calicut Railway station to board your train to Ernakulam. One of the ways to experience the varied cultures of the land of diversity is to go on a train journey. The warmth of the people and their stories are truly endearing. Kochi, as it is called now, offers you the best of history and culture anywhere in the state. A port town since early centuries Cochin attracted traders and invaders from the world over. One can see fragments of the bygone eras and their influences all over Cochin. Check into your hotel and relax for a while. Go on a short sightseeing tour of Cochin that is a testament to the colonial eras. Visit the Jewish town, St. Francis Church, the Santa Cruz Basilica built by the Portuguese, the Dutch Palaces and the Chinese fishing nets of the 15th Century. (Overnight stay in Cochin)
The Mattancherry spice godowns make for a colourful and interesting visit, where the space between the godowns that are open to sky are used to dry the spices like pepper and coriander and pack them. Activities : Cycling - Pedal through the streets of Kochi, and take in the sights and sounds of the city that was once a spice trading centre. Explore the streets and experience the touch of colonialism in every turn A four-hour bike tour, in small-groups, will be led by a local guide who will provide expert commentary on the sights as you discover the heart of this charming Indian city. In the evening, we get to watch the lively dance drama that portrays stories from the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata with its complex movements and extensive makeup. (Overnight stay in Cochin)
After all the action and adventure, now it is time to rest those muscles and relax your mind. Check into your resort at Marari a picturesque fishermen’s village of Mararikulam. Tucked away amidst quiet and lush coconut groves and set by the pristine white-sand beaches of Marari, this resort offers you unparalleled quiet in astoundingly beautiful settings. OPTIONAL Activities: - Bicycle Tour - Bicycles will be organised for you so you can go biking along the beautiful coastal back roads of Marari. With breathtaking views offered all along the way, one can bike through the beautiful fishermen’s villages right up to the Arthumkal Church which is built along the sea. While you are at it, it may not be a bad idea to visit the nearby town of Alleppey or to the interesting coin factories around the village. (Overnight stay in Marari)
Activities: Houseboat Day Cruise – Alleppey and its network of backwaters are one of the most beautiful places in Kerala. The quiet backwaters with banks lined with coconut palms, and the comfortable houseboats are a great way to enjoy the natural beauty and slow pace of the daily life of people whose lives surround these lifelines. Enjoy the tangy and spice loaded Kerala seafood Day at leisure on the beach. (Overnight stay in Marari)
Morning checkout and drive to Cochin airport for onward flight.
Booking is subject to availability.