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Kerala & India's Beautiful South

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To book this holiday please contact our Travel Experts directly on

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India's far south

Explore an idyllic land of ancient ports, labyrinthine backwaters and forested uplands dotted with temples and tea-plantations.

Discover the colours and scents of Kerala – known affectionately by its inhabitants as God’s Own Country – and temple-dotted Tamil Nadu, on this leisurely journey that also takes in the cool heights of the Western Ghat hill stations and the dusty Mysore Plateau, the iconic setting to EM Forster’s novel – A Passage to India. Bookended by stays in bustling Bangalore and an elegant Bay of Bengal seaside town, this is the perfect introduction to India’s spectacular south.

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What does this price include?

  • 15 nights' hotel half-board accommodation at hotels in Bangalore (1 night), Mysore (2), Ooty (1), Coimbatore (1), Kochi (2), Periyar (2), Madurai (2), Pondicherry (1), Mahabalipuram (2) and Chennai (1). 2025 dates are one night shorter and do not include the last night in Chennai.
  • One night’s full-board accommodation on a traditional Keralan houseboat
  • Return flights to India via Dubai
  • Comfortable, air-conditioned, coach travel and transfers throughout
  • Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager
  • Free wifi and bottled water is available every day on board the coach journeys
  • Tipping is included for airport and hotel porters, restaurant and monument staff, naturalists and rickshaw drivers. Tipping is at your discretion for your tour manager, driver and driver’s assistant

Your Itinerary

View a full breakdown of your holiday to help you plan your trip

  • Fly overnight to Bangalore.

  • Your tour manager will meet you as you arrive in Bangalore, and Our coach will transfer to your welcoming hotel in this thriving city where modern developments surround the colonial remnants, parks and green spaces of the what was once known as the Garden City. Enjoy the chance to rest and relax before your first dinner at the hotel.

  • After an early breakfast, you’ll head out for a sightseeing tour of Bangalore. Highlights will include the vast Vidhana Soudha state ‘capitol’ – India’s largest civic building – the 16th-century Bull Temple, with its massive, granite Nandi bull, and the Summer Palace of Tipu Sultan.

    Following the tour you’ll travel across the plain to historic, charming Mysore, pausing en route to take in the island of Srirangapatna. The island was once the stronghold of the Tiger of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, who was finally defeated by the future Duke of Wellington, here, in 1799. An important Hindu temple draws pilgrims from across the sub-continent.

  • This morning’s tour begins with a short journey to an ornate temple atop the Chamundi Hills before returning to take in Mysore’s spectacular, domed, Maharaja’s Palace. This fusion of architectural styles has a striking interior whose highlight is the magnificent royal wedding hall. You’ll also see the Jaganmohan Palace, with its collection of Indian paintings and carvings, and visit the Railway Museum.

    This afternoon, re-board the coach for another short journey, this time to Somnathpur, where the Keshava Vishnu temple is one of the finest examples of the intricate style favoured by the region’s 13th-century Hoysala rulers. Return to Mysore, to take in the extraordinary sight of the illuminated Maharaja’s Palace, this evening.

  • Board the coach for the memorably scenic journey into the foothills of the Western Ghat mountains. You’ll pass the forests of the Bandipur National Park and, by afternoon, you will have arrived in the Queen of Hill Stations, Udhagamandalam (or Ooty is it’s more often and briefly called). Spend the evening in this idyllic location, discovering the Kew-inspired Botanical Gardens, Gothic St Stephen’s Church and crumbling colonial splendour.

  • Board the historic, narrow-gauge Nilgiri Blue Mountain Railway to journey down through the spectacular hills to plantation town Coonoor for lunch. Tour a tea factory before returning to Ooty where you'll visit the quintessentially British botanical gardens and St Stephen's Church as well as the local market.

  • After a leisurely morning, perhaps making use of your hotel’s facilities, you’ll head to Coimbatore Station and board the early afternoon Ernakulam Express, which will speed you in air-conditioned comfort into Kerala. Spend the next two nights here, in Kochi, the ancient trading seaport once known as Cochin.

  • Today, you’ll enjoy an included guided tour of historic Kochi. See the exquisite murals of "Dutch" Mattancherry Palace, the ancient Jewish synagogue and Fort Cochin – home to the famous Chinese fishing nets that have become one of India’s most-photographed sights. Elsewhere in the city, historic St Francis Church overlooks a village green straight from a genteel English scene.

    This evening, see for yourself the intricate choreography, glorious costumes and colourful make-up of a traditional Kathakali dance performance.

  • Travel the short distance to Alleppey, and board a traditional, thatch-roofed Kettuvallam houseboat to lazily cruise a labyrinth of canals and waterways, lined with coconut groves, rice fields and dotted with temples. This landscape of tiny islands is home to fishermen, buffalo farmers, and coconut growers.

    This evening, enjoy a guided walk through a traditional Keralan village.

  • Bidding farewell to your floating home, you’ll journey up into a lush, rolling landscape dotted with tea- and spice-plantations, to Periyar. You’ll spend two nights here, close to the famous wildlife sanctuary. Check in to your hotel, then join your guide to explore a spice plantation and learn the mysteries and history of Indian tea and spices, which are grown in abundance on the slopes of the sanctuary. Enjoy dinner and a cooking demonstration at the hotel at the end of a fascinating day. This evening, you can also choose to go on an optional tour to Kalaripayattu in Periyar. Here, in a small venue with stadium seating, you'll be able to watch a traditional Indian martial arts performance.

  • Rest and relax in the cool surroundings of your hotel, this morning, or join our optional guided excursion into the Wildlife Sanctuary, in search of the endangered mammals (elephants, palm civets, giant squirrels and – for the lucky few – tigers and leopards) and 250-plus bird species that make it their home.

    This afternoon, complete your visit to Periyar with a boat ride on serene Periyar Lake. Sightings of elephants and colourful birds are possible here, too; though glimpses of the elusive tigers and leopards are the preserve of the very fortunate few.

  • Journey east into Tamil Nadu, heading down onto the southern plains to spend the next two nights in Madurai. One of Asia’s oldest cities, Madurai stands on the banks of the River Vaigai and is famed for its extraordinary temples. Soak up the atmosphere of this unforgettable metropolis, which is dominated by the vast, colourful Meenakshi temple.

  • Today’s guided sightseeing tour introduces Madurai’s Old City, where the ornately carved façade, colonnades, shrines and quartet of towering gopurams of the Meenakshi temple are the breath-taking highlight. Marvel at the continual ceremonies and devotions, take in the bustle of the temple markets and stroll the labyrinth of corridors and walkways.

    This evening, head back out of the hotel to discover the city’s narrow, bustling streets and colourful market by cycle-rickshaw.

  • A scenic journey through a landscape of rice-paddies and irrigated fields takes you to Pondicherry, a town of decidedly Gallic leanings that boasts an authentic Hôtel de Ville, where French is still widely spoken and where the "gendarmes" patrolling the beachfront promenade still wear kepi berets.

    Enjoy an overnight stay here, in a town that forms one of the backdrops to Yann Martel’s enchanting novel, Life of Pi.

  • This morning, pay a visit to the Pondicherry Museum, with its diverse collection of artefacts, before you join a cycle rickshaw ride through the colonial French Quarter.

    Enjoy dinner at your hotel this evening.

  • Journey north to coastal Mahabalipuram for a last night's stay. A sightseeing tour includes a visit to the extraordinary, 8th-century Shore Temple. This afternoon, rest and relax on the beach for a few hours before enjoying a farewell dinner at the hotel.

  • Bid farewell to your hosts and transfer to Chennai, where you’ll enjoy a guided tour of India’s fourth-largest city, once better known as Madras. After the tour you’ll be transferred to Chennai Airport the return overnight flight home.

  • Arrive back in the UK, at the end of a colourful, enthralling journey.

Dates & Prices

To book this holiday please contact our Travel Experts directly on

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Hotels

Kerala & India's South Touring Hotels

You'll be staying in a series of comfortable hotels that are conveniently located for your tour itinerary.

View Hotels

Further Information

  • Tour departures in 2025 will not stay overnight in Chennai on day 17. You'll depart from Chennai in the evening of day 17, flying overnight and landing in the morning of day 18. 

  • British citizens require machine-readable passports when travelling overseas. Your passport must contain two blank pages and be valid for 180 days after your return date from India.

    British CITIZENS and most other European nationals satisfying certain conditions may use the online e-Tourist Visa application process at a cost of $10 (US) per person for entry to India for arrivals in the months of April, May and June or $25 (US) per person for arrivals in other months. Fees are subject to change. Other passport holders must apply for a full visa.

    Note that all travellers of Pakistani descent, regardless of citizenship, will generally be subject to more detailed processing by the Indian authorities, which can take up to four months from application.

  • Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.

  • The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately one hour.

  • You are permitted to take one suitcase per person on the aircraft, which should not exceed 23kg.

  • If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.

  • The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made. In many developing countries access is sometimes not as easy as at home. Should you have walking difficulties, getting around monuments and attractions may be harder and, in some cases, impossible. Should you have any concerns whatsoever please do contact us prior to travel.

  • Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.

  • Should circumstances require, we reserve the right to accommodate you in alternative hotels, of a similar standard, nearby. Full details of your hotels will be sent with your Final Travel Documents.

  • In developing countries road networks are continually being improved and expanded, which can mean that, from time to time, roadworks and rough road surfaces can extend journey times. Some journeys are made on winding mountain roads and passes, which may also make for slow travelling - although the scenery is usually worth it! Many roads do not have separate pavements or safety barriers, and great care should be taken when crossing or walking alongside roads.

  • Local laws prohibit some hotels in Kerala from selling alcohol.  

Why book with us

The smallest details are what matter the most when it comes to your holiday, and we aim to elevate every experience you encounter on each one of our award-winning tours.

Complete financial protection

We offer complete financial protection through our membership of ABTA and our ATOL licence, giving you total peace of mind with regards to your money.

Dedicated tour managers and local guides

Every one of our holidays is escorted by friendly, dedicated tour managers and local guides. It's their local knowledge that will turn your wish-list holidays plans into lifelong memories.

Award-winning service

We've won more than 70 awards during our 40-year history, and best of all, you've voted us winners at the British Travel Awards 11 years in a row.

Available 24/7

Wherever you are in the world, you'll be able to contact us. There are many ways to get in touch, and we promise you'll always be speaking to a human, not a computer.

So much included

The price you pay includes all your travel, accommodation, touring itinerary, tour manager and much more. There's no need to pay for annoying extras you weren't expecting with us either.

Holding your hand

Wherever you choose to go next, our team of experts are on hand to assist you before, during and after your holiday, so you can focus on relaxing and enjoying your experience.

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