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 its 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 Brihadisvara 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 / Thrissur (90 km / 2h30) / Palakkad (70 km / 1h30)
After breakfast, depart for Thrissur, also known as the cultural capital of Kerala due to its cultural, spiritual, and religious heritage throughout history.
Continue towards Palakkad.
Arrive and check into Tharavad Heritage House, then relax.
Bird watching around the house.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 16 : Palakkad / Coonoor (120 km / 4h)/ Ooty (Toy Train) (19 km / 1h30)
After breakfast, depart for Ooty, a small hill station located in the Nilgiri mountain range, via a winding road.
The Dayney to Coonoor Ghat is one of the most scenic in South India, offering a superb view of the plains and splendid forests of palm and other trees.
Visit the town of Coonoor, then board the Toy Train to Ooty, passing through mountains and numerous tea and coffee plantations.
Arrive and check into the hotel.
Your evening is free to fully enjoy this small hill station.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 17 : Ooty
After breakfast, visit the town of Ooty, "the queen of hill stations in the south," which has long been a refuge for British officials and tea planters in South India. Located at an altitude of 2,286 meters, the winter climate is much cooler than the plains, and the evenings can be quite chilly.
Take a pleasant walk to Snowdon Peak (2,500 m) through a varied flora (eucalyptus, conifers, Shola).
Then, return to town to discover the Botanical Garden, which contains over 650 varieties of plants, shrubs, and trees (such as orchids, ferns, and other alpine plants, all gathered amid beautiful lawns) and spans 22 hectares.
In the late afternoon, stroll through the town's bazaars where you can taste the local chocolate.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 18 : Ooty / Mysore (160 km / 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 19 : Mysore / Halebid / Belur / Hassan (150 km /3h)
Early in the morning, visit the ancient temples of Somnathpur.
After breakfast, on the way to Hassan, visit Shravanabelagola, a major Jain pilgrimage site in Karnataka. Admire the colossal and monolithic statue of Bahubali, a saint in Jain mythology dating from the late 10th century.
Continue towards Halebid and Belur, famous for their temples, masterpieces of 12th-century Hoysala sculptors.
Arrive and check into the hotel.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 20 : Hassan / Hospet (315 km / 6h15)
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 21 : 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 22 : 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 23 : 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 24 : 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.