Day 1 : Chennai
You are welcomed at Chennai airport by a representative of our local agency or your French-speaking guide, who will greet you and arrange the transfer to the hotel we have reserved for you for the next two nights.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 : Chennai / Kanchipuram (70 km / 2h) / Mahabalipuram (70 km / 2h)
After breakfast, depart for Mahabalipuram.
On the way, visit the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial, the temples of Kanchipuram, the ancient capital of the Pallava dynasty, as well as the Ekambareswarar and Kailasanathar temples.
Arrival and check-in at the hotel.
In the afternoon, visit Arjuna’s Penance, a bas-relief depicting the descent of the Ganges, and Krishna’s Butterball. In the evening, explore the city of Mahabalipuram and enjoy the beach.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 : Mahabalipuram / Pondicherry (100 km / 2h)
After breakfast, depart for Pondicherry. Arrival and check-in at the hotel.
Later, visit the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Notre-Dame-des-Anges. In the late afternoon, visit the Vinayaga Temple.
In the evening, you will have free time to stroll through the French Quarter of the city and along the seafront.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 4 : Pondicherry
After breakfast, visit the Pondicherry Flower Market, also known as Goubert Market, located in the Grand Bazaar. This is a must-see place to discover the local culture. From dawn, the stalls overflow with fresh flowers of enchanting colors and scents. This market offers an authentic glimpse of daily life, with welcoming vendors. It is a paradise for taking photos. It is advisable to visit early in the morning to enjoy the freshest flowers. Then, visit Auroville, Matrimandir, and the Sri Aurobindo Ashram (Auroville is closed on Sunday afternoons).
In the late afternoon, explore the city of Pondicherry by bicycle rickshaw, the seafront, and the historic city. Afterwards, you are free to wander through the French Quarter.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 5 : Pondicherry / Chettinad(190 km / 4h30)
After breakfast, depart for the Chettinad region.
On the way, stop in Trichy to visit the Rock Fort Temple and the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple.
Arrival and check-in at the hotel, then visit the village and the Chettiar houses. Chettinad is the region of the Chettiar community, which prospers in business and banking, with many members having emigrated to South or Southeast Asia in the 20th century. Visit the Ayyanar Temple, also known as the Terracotta Horse Temple. Locals worship Ayyanar for his protection and blessings, symbolized by sacred representations of terracotta horses. Then, visit an Indian cement tile factory, where tiles are made according to a centuries-old artisanal tradition. Introduced during the British colonial period in the 19th century, this technique was adopted and adapted by the prosperous merchants of Chettinad. Today, these tiles still adorn traditional houses and local temples, blending artisanal tradition and historical influences to create colorful and intricate patterns on floors and walls.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 6 : Chettinad / Madurai (90 km / 2 heures)
After breakfast, depart for Madurai. Arrival and check-in at the hotel.
In the afternoon, visit the Gandhi Memorial Museum and the most famous temple in South India: Meenakshi Amman, dedicated to the fish-eyed goddess Meenakshi.
In the evening, attend the sunset ceremony of Shiva. Afterwards, explore the local markets of Madurai around the Meenakshi Temple.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 7 : Madurai / Mudumalai / Masinagudi / Bandipur (380 kms / 7h)
After breakfast, depart for Bandipur.
On the way, you stop at Mudumalai National Park, where you go on a safari. Arrival and check-in at the hotel.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 8 : Bandipur
After breakfast, you go on a safari. The Mudumalai Sanctuary, also considered a tiger reserve, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This reserve boasts impressive wildlife and flora: elephants, gaurs, leopards, and at least 266 species of birds reside here. You might even get the chance to spot the famous Bengal tiger! An elephant-back ride to discover the "Mowgli jungle" style is also offered.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 9 : Bandipur / Mysore (132 kms / 3h)
After breakfast, depart for Mysore. Arrive and check into the hotel, then visit the Chamundeshwari Temple and the Mysore Palace. Rebuilt in 1912 after a devastating fire in 1897, the Maharaja's palace in Mysore is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in India. The work was directed by a British architect, Henry Irwin, and several styles were blended (notably Indo-Muslim, Oriental, and Dravidian arts).
Note : On Sunday evenings, the Mysore Palace is illuminated from 7 pm to 8 pm.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 10 : Mysore / Bangalore (260 km / 5h)
After breakfast, depart for Bangalore. Arrival and check-in at the hotel.
In the afternoon, you will visit the Legislative Assembly and the city's Botanical Garden (LalBagh), which houses the largest collection of tropical plants, a public aquarium, and two lakes.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 11 : Bangalore / Hospet (330 kms / 5h30)
After breakfast, a long day of travel awaits you in Karnataka across the arid Deccan plateaus.
Arrive and check into the hotel in Hospet, located near the splendid site of Hampi, the former capital of the last Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 12 : Hospet / Hampi / Hospet
After breakfast, set out to explore the site of Hampi.
Discover the Virupaksha Temple, dedicated to the god Shiva, and the Vittala Temple with its chariot and its mandapam, a dance hall with beautifully sculpted pillars. In the royal enclosure, you will see the Lotus Palace, the Queen's Baths, and other architectural marvels. This city, which was once larger than Rome, fascinated European and Persian travelers who visited. Return to the hotel.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 13 : Hospet / Badami (180 km / 4h)
After breakfast, depart for Badami.
On the way, visit the sites of Aihole and Pattadakal, the religious capital of the Chalukya dynasty. The temples, built between the 6th and 8th centuries, are renowned for their beauty and original purity. They feature new styles for the time, experimented with by builders and sculptors.
Arrive and check into the hotel.
In the afternoon, visit rock-cut caves overlooking the magnificent Agastya Tirtha Lake before settling into the hotel upon arrival.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 14 : Badami / Hubli (110 km / 2h) / Goa (220 km / 4/5h)
After breakfast, depart for Goa.
On the way, make a stop in Hubli to visit some ruins.
In the afternoon, you arrive in Goa, a former Portuguese enclave and historical hub of the spice trade. Upon arrival, get a glimpse of Goa, a small state with an ideal climate. Here, you will find fabulous beaches, charming people, delicious food, hilltop fortresses, small whitewashed churches, and imposing cathedrals dating from the Portuguese era. Check into the hotel, then relax and enjoy the beach for the rest of the day.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 15 : Goa / Flight back
After breakfast, spend the morning visiting the old town and its churches.
You are then free until your departure to fully enjoy your last moments of relaxation on the fabulous beaches. Transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule.