Prices are "from" per person based on twin/double share accommodation and for travel in low season. Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply. Limited seat/spaces and all pricing is subject to change and availability. Rates for single or triple travellers are available on request - please inquire.
Welcome to Chennai, a cultural hub on the Bay of Bengal. You will be met on arrival and transferred to your hotel. Settle into your accommodation for the next two nights and Chennai's sole heritage hotel, Taj Connemara. Admire the refurbished grand wooden staircase decorated with southern Indian stonework in the regal lobby. This luxurious hotel offers the rich charm of its past with opulent interiors combined with modern day amenities and comforts. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure before a welcome dinner at the award-winning Raintree Restaurant to savour regional flavours.
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Dinner
Arrive Chennai
Your Accommodation
Taj Connemara, Chennai
Taj Connemara, Chennai's blends historic charm with modern luxury, offering elegantly appointed rooms and suites equipped with contemporary amenities. Located in the heart of the city near Spencer Plaza and Marina Beach, the hotel features a serene ambiance, lush courtyards, fine dining, a pool, and a spa for a refined and restful stay.
After breakfast, join your expert guide as you embark on the British Blueprint Trail. Learn about the city's colonial evolution and its renowned Indo-Saracenic architecture. Witness the vibrant tapestry of Indian, Islamic and Gothic revival of buildings that are adorned with both Hindu Gods and Muslim domes, stained glass and Greek columns. Conclude your tour at the Government Museum where a range of impressive bronze sculptures are displayed. Savour lunch at Anise in Taj Coromandel before traversing your way through the bustling lanes of Georgetown. Your guide will show you where to find fresh produce, market stalls and allow you to sample hand selected street food treats. Enjoy the majestic sunset at Marina Beach to round out your day in Chennai.
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Breakfast, Lunch
Chennai: The British Blueprint Trail
Your Accommodation
Taj Connemara, Chennai
Taj Connemara, Chennai's blends historic charm with modern luxury, offering elegantly appointed rooms and suites equipped with contemporary amenities. Located in the heart of the city near Spencer Plaza and Marina Beach, the hotel features a serene ambiance, lush courtyards, fine dining, a pool, and a spa for a refined and restful stay.
This morning, travel south to the historic Pallava capital of Mahabalipuram and see the spectacular sites of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed cave temples, bas-relief sculptures, carved pillared halls and the inspiring shore temple. Indulge in lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to Puducherry (Pondicherry), a French colonial settlement with impressive tree-lined streets, mustard-coloured villas and trendy boutiques. Wander through the shady streets of the French Quarter towards the world-famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
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Breakfast, Lunch
Mahabalipuram & Puducherry
Your Accommodation
Palais de Mahe
Palais de Mahe is an exquisite boutique hotel nestled within Pondicherry's historic French Quarter, just a block from the Bay of Bengal promenade. Housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century colonial mansion, the small property features spacious suites spread across three floors, all overlooking a serene central courtyard and lap pool. The rooms embody elegant heritage style with high beamed ceilings, arched doorways, vintage furniture, and marble-tiled bathrooms, many offering private balconies or terraces. Dining is at the rooftop Mahe de Malabar restaurant - known for its inventive French-Indian fusion fare served with sea breezes - while quieter moments can be spent in the cafe or enjoying Ayurvedic treatments in the hotel's wellness centre.
Begin the day with a visit to the 'City of Dawn', Auroville. This experimental, New Age community attracts devotees from over 45 nations who are interested in learning about the teachings of 'The Mother'. Explore the unique utopian community which boasts a vast Matrimandir hall, a huge meditation centre and many vibrant bohemian residents. Lunch will be served in the Solar Kitchen. In the afternoon, immerse yourself in the local culture with a creole cooking class. Accompany your chef to a local market in Puducherry learning how to discern fresh local product before creating your own traditional dish.
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Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Puducherry: Auroville & Creole Cooking
Your Accommodation
Palais de Mahe
Palais de Mahe is an exquisite boutique hotel nestled within Pondicherry's historic French Quarter, just a block from the Bay of Bengal promenade. Housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century colonial mansion, the small property features spacious suites spread across three floors, all overlooking a serene central courtyard and lap pool. The rooms embody elegant heritage style with high beamed ceilings, arched doorways, vintage furniture, and marble-tiled bathrooms, many offering private balconies or terraces. Dining is at the rooftop Mahe de Malabar restaurant - known for its inventive French-Indian fusion fare served with sea breezes - while quieter moments can be spent in the cafe or enjoying Ayurvedic treatments in the hotel's wellness centre.
Venture further south to discover one of India's oldest towns, Kumbakonam. Decorated with many temples, this unique town is also known for its Chola heritage, remarkable educational institutes and the colourful Mahamaham Festival, held every 12 years. The festival is celebrated at the Mahamaham Tank and the Airavatesvara Temple, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage monument. This afternoon, delight in this region's ancient crafts. Visit a bronze-caster's workshop in Swami Malai to witness the timeless 'Lost Wax' technique in real time as craftsmen create ornate bronze sculptures using wax and riverbed clay molds. Then delve into the magical process of 'Pattu' silk weaving. See the creation of intricately designed silk saris as artists weave fabric together on hand-assembled wooden machines. Mantra Koodam is your accommodation for the evening and reflects the historical, cultural and spiritual influences of the surrounding region. Purposefully designed around the Tamil Pannaiyar and Brahmin way of life, this hotel has been thoughtfully built with nature in mind. Savour dinner at the hotel.
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Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Kumbakonam: Traditional Crafts & Silk Weaving
Your Accommodation
Mantra Koodam
Mantra Koodam is a tranquil, heritage-inspired retreat nestled in Veppathur village near Kumbakonam. Each cottage is surrounded by coconut groves and is built with Athangudi-tile floors, ornate Burmese teak doors, soft earthy tones and open-air bathrooms characteristic of Tamil Brahmin. Guests enjoy authentic regional cuisine, curated cultural experiences, and the tranquil charm of temple architecture and rural life.
Today, the exploration of Kumbakonam's traditional crafts continues. Begin the day creating your own kolam, a display of rice flour, coloured chalk and herbs, often displayed outside homes as a sign of health and prosperity. After, head towards the region of Chettinad via the historic town of Thanjavur and see some of the most renowned Indian landmarks, Chola Temples. These structures are remarkably created from 130,000 tons of granite and intricately carved with detailed impressions of ancient temple life. The Bronze Museum and Brihadeeshwara Temple are also highlights of the area. Later arrive in Chettinad, a region renowned for its palatial homes and also the centre of the Chettiar banking and business community, home to many southeast Asia migrants of the 19th and 20th centuries. Tonight, be treated to a stay in a splendidly restored mansion full of heritage, Visalam.
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Breakfast, Lunch
Chola Temples & Chettinand
Your Accommodation
Visalam
Visalam, is a restored Chettinad mansion in Kanadukathan. It has been elegantly transformed into a boutique heritage retreat, preserving its original Art-Deco-inspired architecture, Burma teak woodwork, Athangudi tile floors, and open-sky courtyards. The small property has spacious rooms, features traditional cuisine, and curated local experiences like kolam art and bullock cart rides, it provides a serene and immersive heritage stay.
Spend your day discovering Chettinad with its wide streets of palatial mansions adorned with Italian marble and Burmese teak. See the Arraynar shrine of Kothadi before immersing your senses with the sights and smells of local markets. Discover craftsmen at work at the Athangudi handmade tile-making unit and admire traditional sarees at a weaving centre. In Karaikudi, visit the antiques market on Muneeswaran Koil Street and purchase some unique souvenirs. Later, explore the weekly market accompanied by your chef and handpick ingredients from a range of various vendors. Return to the hotel's kitchen to prepare tonight's meal with your findings for a local culinary experience.
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Breakfast, Dinner
Discover Chettinand & Culinary Delights
Your Accommodation
Visalam
Visalam, is a restored Chettinad mansion in Kanadukathan. It has been elegantly transformed into a boutique heritage retreat, preserving its original Art-Deco-inspired architecture, Burma teak woodwork, Athangudi tile floors, and open-sky courtyards. The small property has spacious rooms, features traditional cuisine, and curated local experiences like kolam art and bullock cart rides, it provides a serene and immersive heritage stay.
This morning, you'll continue on your journey to Madurai. Visit the awe-inspiring Meenakshi Amman Temple. This multi-tiered, work of art is decorated with an array of mythical carvings and is renowned for its pilgrimage status. The location is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and is truly a site to behold. In the afternoon, discover Madurai on a tuk tuk tour. Observe an arti Hindu prayer ceremony at Meenakshi Temple. Treat the senses with mesmerising hymns, rhythmic drumming and aromatic incense. Tonight, enjoy dinner at the hotel. You'll stay at the beautiful Gateway Hotel, crowning Pasumalai Hill. With 62-acres of landscaped gardens, the accommodation boasts a marvellous view of the city below.
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Breakfast, Dinner
Madurai: Meenaskshi Amman Temple & Tuk Tuk Exploration
Your Accommodation
The Gateway Hotel Pasuamalai
The Gateway Hotel Pasumalai, perched atop Pasumalai Hill in Madurai, is a colonial-style luxury retreat set within 62 acres of lush landscaped gardens, offering sweeping views of the temple city and the distant Kodai Hills. Its elegantly appointed rooms and suites combine period charm - from bay windows and rich wood furnishings - with modern comforts and expansive garden or city vistas. With amenities such as an Ayurvedic spa, outdoor pool, fitness and tennis courts, multiple dining venues, it's a serene sanctuary for cultural exploration and rejuvenation.
Depart Madurai and head towards the lush mountain range known as the Western Ghats to Periyar National Park in Kerala. En route, visit Batlagundu village. You'll discover the local market with its array of local fare including spices and meat. Venture through fields and learn about the water body system before visiting a 400-year-old temple to participate in prayers. At the end of the tour, savour a traditional banana leaf lunch at a village home for an unforgettable cultural experience! Then continue to Periyar and settle into your hotel for the night.
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Breakfast, Lunch
Batlagundu Village & Periyar National Park
Your Accommodation
CGH Spice Village
A tribal village set in a spice garden in the cool highlands of Periyar in Thekkady. Spice Village is modelled on the dwellings of the native Manan tribe of this region and exudes the raw spirit of unblemished nature. This CGH Earth experience is a seamless extension of the verdant landscape around and celebrates all things spice. If you need evidence that comfort is easily obtained without intruding on Nature, you don't need to look further than Spice Village's cottages. No fancy carpets. Just coir mats on bare stone floors. Modern bathrooms and interiors, but with a spartan elegance based on simple, natural materials and local woodcraft.
Early this morning join your expert tribal guide for a nature walk. Wander through lush forests and rolling grasslands. Admire vibrant birdlife, elephants and perhaps glimpse big cats. Afterwards, return to your accommodation for a leisurely breakfast and spend the morning relaxing in your idyllic surroundings. Later, embark on a jeep ride to visit a spice plantation and learn about spice cultivation. As you wander through the verdant estate, treat your senses to the tantalising aroma of harvested spices such as cinnamon, cardamon and clove. Learn how to gather your own aromatic sprigs.
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Breakfast, Dinner
Nature Walk & Spice Estate
Your Accommodation
CGH Spice Village
A tribal village set in a spice garden in the cool highlands of Periyar in Thekkady. Spice Village is modelled on the dwellings of the native Manan tribe of this region and exudes the raw spirit of unblemished nature. This CGH Earth experience is a seamless extension of the verdant landscape around and celebrates all things spice. If you need evidence that comfort is easily obtained without intruding on Nature, you don't need to look further than Spice Village's cottages. No fancy carpets. Just coir mats on bare stone floors. Modern bathrooms and interiors, but with a spartan elegance based on simple, natural materials and local woodcraft.
Head towards Kumarakom, a set of enchanting back-water islands bordering Lake Vembanad attracting many nature enthusiasts. Spend the rest of the day relaxing at Coconut Lagoon, your scenic luxury resort. Situated on the banks of the lake, it's the perfect location to bask in the wilderness or enjoy the spa and wellness activities.
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Breakfast
Kumarakom: Afternoon at Leisure
Your Accommodation
Coconut Lagoon
Coconut Lagoon in Kumarakom is a serene heritage backwater resort nestled amid lush coconut groves and tranquil canals along the eastern shore of Vembanad Lake. The property is comprised of meticulously restored 150-year-old Tharavad mansions and traditional Kerala-style cottages - each uniquely furnished with reclaimed wood and regional craftsmanship. Guests can enjoy authentic Kerala dining at the Ettukettu and lakeside restaurants, partake in Ayurveda therapies and wellness sessions, and engage in immersive activities such as canoe rides through backwater channels, butterfly-garden walks, birdwatching with a naturalist, cultural performances, and sunset cruises on Vembanad Lake.
Spend the day cruising aboard your houseboat and absorb the serene setting. Float through rice paddy fields, bright houses and vibrant riverside scenes of fishermen and local children playing. For lunch, relish a flavourful feast of local cuisine curated by your onboard chef.
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Breakfast, Lunch
Kumarakom: Backwaters by Houseboat
Your Accommodation
Coconut Lagoon
Coconut Lagoon in Kumarakom is a serene heritage backwater resort nestled amid lush coconut groves and tranquil canals along the eastern shore of Vembanad Lake. The property is comprised of meticulously restored 150-year-old Tharavad mansions and traditional Kerala-style cottages - each uniquely furnished with reclaimed wood and regional craftsmanship. Guests can enjoy authentic Kerala dining at the Ettukettu and lakeside restaurants, partake in Ayurveda therapies and wellness sessions, and engage in immersive activities such as canoe rides through backwater channels, butterfly-garden walks, birdwatching with a naturalist, cultural performances, and sunset cruises on Vembanad Lake.
Start the day with a 45-minute Ayurvedic massage to restore your balance between mind, body and soul. The rest of the day is at your leisure. Enjoy a farewell dinner at Coconut Lagoon with Kerala cuisine.
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Breakfast, Dinner
Kumarakom: Ayurvedic massage & Day at Leisure
Your Accommodation
Coconut Lagoon
Coconut Lagoon in Kumarakom is a serene heritage backwater resort nestled amid lush coconut groves and tranquil canals along the eastern shore of Vembanad Lake. The property is comprised of meticulously restored 150-year-old Tharavad mansions and traditional Kerala-style cottages - each uniquely furnished with reclaimed wood and regional craftsmanship. Guests can enjoy authentic Kerala dining at the Ettukettu and lakeside restaurants, partake in Ayurveda therapies and wellness sessions, and engage in immersive activities such as canoe rides through backwater channels, butterfly-garden walks, birdwatching with a naturalist, cultural performances, and sunset cruises on Vembanad Lake.
The time has come to bid farewell to your enriching journey through Southern India. Transfer to Kochi airport for your departure flight.
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Breakfast
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