Treasures of South India

Ancient spice ports, Shaivite priests with painted faces, temple elephants, coconut-infused curries, elaborate dance forms—what a colorful world southern India is! We discover the south’s distinctive flavors in the lanes of Cochin, once the port of entry for spice traders on the Malabar Coast, and aboard private houseboats in enchanting tropical Kerala, watching the pageant of riverside life. In Tamil Nadu, we explore a virtual outdoor museum of sacred architecture in tranquil villages where astounding temples and gigantic gopuras (gateway towers) soar above palm forests and paddy fields. Our visits to the French colony of Pondicherry, pilgrim town of Kanchipuram, and rock-cut seaside temples at Mamallapuram also capture the intoxicating energy and abundance of South India.

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-2
Cochin

Intriguing Cochin in tropical Kerala has a stunning location along the Arabian Sea and a long history as a trading city. Our walks around Fort Cochin and Mattancherry reveal the legacies of Cochin’s European past, from fine British mansions and Dutch cottages to a 16th century synagogue.

Days 3-4
Kerala Houseboats / Periyar

Gliding by private houseboat, we travel serene waterways between the sea and the hills of Cochin to encounter Kerala’s picturesque rural life, where locals fish from longboats and work their fields with water buffalo. We may even pass some school boats (no school buses here). The next day we journey through tea, spice, and rubber plantations to Periyar in the Cardamom Hills.

Days 5-6
Madurai

Madurai is a lively metropolis with a 2,000-year-long history. The city is dominated by the fortress-like Shri Meenakshi-Sundareshwarar temple, breathtakingly baroque with its profusion of gods, goddesses, rearing horses, and mythical figures. The temple’s towering gopuras are visible for miles around. We immerse ourselves in the temple scene, with its ongoing weddings and prostrations of devotees at innumerable shrines.

Days 7-9
Karaikudi / Kumbakonam / Thanjavur

We explore village to village across a landscape of paddy fields and coconut palms, discovering Chettinard mansions and ancient wayside temples. We visit bustling Karaikudi, known for its antique shops and hand-painted tilework, Kumbakonam, home of the 17th century Kubareshwara Temple, which towers over the town, and famed Thanjavur, a center for art and music, with its colossal shrine tower of the Brihadishwara Temple, a World Heritage Site.

Day 10
Pondicherry

We enjoy a walking tour in Pondicherry, the former capital of French India, picturesque with its seaside French Quarter promenade and richly ornamented Catholic churches.

Days 11-14
Mamallapuram / Kanchipuram / Chennai

From our beachside accommodation, we marvel at Mamallapuram, a World Heritage Site of extraordinary rock-cut temples by the sea, and visit the fascinating pilgrim town and sari-weaving center of Kanchipuram. After a visit to Chennai (Madras) on Day 13, depart on Day 14.

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What the Trip is Like

This trip is rated Level 1+, easy. It is a vehicle-based cultural and natural history adventure. Accommodations are in hotels and lodges.  Although this is not a difficult trip, please remember that overland travel in India can be an adventure. The essential requirements are flexibility, a sense of humor, curiosity, enthusiasm about new peoples and places, and an openness to the unexpected.

Explanation of Trip Levels