Exquisite Temples, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Tropical Landscapes

Treasures of South India

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Ancient spice ports, wild elephants, temple festivals, lavish maharajas’ palaces, tea plantations, old British hill stations—what a colorful world southern India is! We discover the south’s distinctive flavors as we roam the narrow lanes of Cochin, ancient port of entry for spice traders on the Malabar Coast, and enjoy some of Asia’s best gameviewing in two of India’s finest wildlife reserves. In enchanting tropical Kerala, we travel by private houseboat on tranquil waterways to watch the pageant of traditional riverside life, and in Tamil Nadu, we find ourselves in an outdoor museum of magnificent temple architecture as we discover the ancient city of Madurai, where a grand Shiva temple bustles with pilgrims, and Thanjavur, capital of the Chola Kingdom for four centuries.

Below is an Itinerary-in-Brief. To view a complete Detailed Itinerary, Download Full Itinerary or Email our Area Specialist

Itinerary-in-Brief

Days 1-3
Bangalore / Wildlife at Nagarhole

Exciting gameviewing awaits us in India’s “forests of the night.” We explore Nagarhole National Park, former hunting reserve of the maharajas of Mysore and home to wild elephants, sloth bears, monkeys, and the elusive Bengal tiger. Our accommodation is an 18th century hunting lodge once owned by the maharajas of Mysore.

Days 4-6
Mysore / Sravanabelgola

We head to the charming old city of Mysore, whose lavish maharajas’ palace is a fairytale edifice splendidly redolent of the era of royal excess. We visit the palace of Tipu Sultan, and at Sravanabelgola, climb the pilgrim path to see the monolithic statue of Lord Gometeshvara, a Jain saint.

Days 7-8
Cochin

Intriguing Cochin has a stunning location on a series of islands along the Arabian Sea. Our walks along the lanes of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry reveal legacies of Cochin’s European past. We also attend a performance of Kathakali, the elaborate dance-drama native to Kerala.

Days 9-10
Kerala Houseboats / Wildlife at Periyar

Cruising by private houseboat through serene waterways winding between the sea and the hills of Cochin, we see the picturesque rural life of Kerala as people work their fields with water buffalos and fish from longboats. Next we head through spectacular tea plantations to Periyar Sanctuary, set in the Cardamom Hills, to look for wild elephants and other Indian wildlife.

Days 11-12
Madurai

We discover Madurai’s lively bazaars and the fortress-like Meenakshi temple, breathtakingly baroque and full of streams of faithful worshippers making puja (prayer ceremonies) each day.

Days 13-14
Thanjavur

In the old town of Thanjavur, we explore the massive stone temples of the Chola kingdom, exquisitely carved and colonnaded. The Brihadishwara temple dominates the skyline.

Days 15-17
Madras

We explore Madras (Chennai) and Mammallapuram, a World Heritage Site of extraordinary temples by the sea. Depart late evening on Day 17.

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Tour Costs $6995 (12-16 members) $7295 (10-11 members) $7595 (6-9 members) Single supplement: $1750 Internal airfare: $325 (subject to change) *Prices are for Fall 2008 / Winter 2009 **Airfare is not included in Tour Cost unless indicated

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