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
After breakfast, you will visit the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, dedicated to the god Shiva, before continuing to Fort St. George and it's museum.
Later, you will discover the splendid San Thom Cathedral. Built in the 16th century by the Portuguese, it was once a basilica. In 1893, the British, during its reconstruction, gave it the status of a church.
In the evening, you will enjoy a stroll on Marina Beach, a beautiful beach lined with local merchants and artisans.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 : 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 4 : 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 5 : 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 6 : Pondicherry / Chidambaram / Gangaikondacholapuram/ Darasuram / Tanjore (250 km /5h)
After breakfast, depart for Tanjore.
On the way, visit the Dravidian temples of Chidambaram, Gangaikondacholapuram, and Darasuram, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Arrival and check-in at the hotel.
Then, visit the Brihadesvara Temple, a marvel of 10th-century Chola architecture, and the remarkable bronze gallery.
In the evening, attend a Bharatanatyam dance performance.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 7 : Tanjore (60 km / 1h) / Trichy (90 km / 2h) /Chettinad
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 8 : Chettinad / Madurai (90 km / 2h)
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 9 : Madurai / Periyar reserve (150 km / 3h)
After breakfast, depart for Thekkady, a small village near the Periyar Reserve and many spice plantations.
Arrival and check-in at the hotel.
In the late afternoon, visit the spice plantations of Kumily, which include cardamom, pepper, ginger, and turmeric plants.
In the evening, attend a Kalaripayattu performance.
Kalaripayattu is a martial art derived from battlefield combat techniques of the 11th and 12th centuries. Performed by skilled and trained artists, this show highlights their combat skills with bare hands and weapons such as swords, spears, shields, and more.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 10 : Periyar / Munnar (120 km / 3h)
After breakfast, depart for Munnar.
Arrival and check-in at the hotel.
Later, visit the Tata Tea Museum and its magnificent tea plantations (closed on Mondays).
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 11: Munnar
After breakfast, embark on various visits in the city of Munnar, including the Eravikulam National Park, which spans 97 km² and is a UNESCO World Heritage site within the Western Ghats mountain range.
The Rajamala Hills, also part of the Western Ghats, are famous for housing the Nilgiri Tahr, a wild goat, and offer picturesque landscapes, tea plantations, and hiking trails near Munnar.
Visit the Mattupetty Dam, a concrete gravity dam constructed in the mountains of Kerala.
Next, visit Echo Point, popular for its natural echo phenomenon, located about 200 meters above sea level, offering lush green landscapes due to tea plantations.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 12 : Munnar / Alleppey (190 km / 5h)
After breakfast, depart for Alleppey.
Arrive and check into your houseboat.
Then, take a short cruise on the backwater canals to explore the surrounding villages.
Dinner and overnight on the houseboat.
Day 13 : Alleppey / Cochin (70 km / 2h)
After breakfast, enjoy a tour on the backwater canals before departing for Cochin.
Arrive and check into the hotel.
In the afternoon, visit St. Francis Church and Santa Cruz Basilica.
In the evening, explore the Fort Kochi area to see the giant Chinese fishing nets.
Next, visit Kallancherry Island in the village of Kumbalangi to see a crab farm and workshops where coconut fiber and leaves are crafted. Then, discover the organic farm where coconut, pepper, betel (climbing pepper), nutmeg, jackfruit, vanilla, and orchids are cultivated.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 14 : Cochin
After breakfast, visit Mattancherry Palace.
Also known as the "Dutch Palace," this palace was built in 1555 by the Portuguese (the first Westerners to arrive in the region) as a gift for the Raja of Cochin, Veera Kerala Varma. Its nickname comes from the restoration undertaken by the Dutch in 1663. Despite its Western origins, the palace is built in the Indo-Keralan style, with beautifully crafted wooden structures, magnificent painted coffered ceilings, and roofs reminiscent of Chinese pagodas.
In the afternoon, visit the Kochi Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth (closed on Fridays and Saturdays), and the Jewish Quarter.
In the evening, attend a Kathakali dance show.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 15 : Cochin / Flight back
After breakfast, you get transferred to Cochin’s airport to catch your flight back.