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Grandeur of South India
Tour Duration : 18 Nights / 20 Days
Places Covered: Cochin - Kumarakom - Alleppey - Munnar - Ooty
- Nagarhole - Mysore - Bangalore
- Mumbai
Tour Itinerary:
Day 01 - Arrive Cochin
Meeting on arrival at Cochin airport and transfer to the
hotel for check in. Rest of the afternoon is free to relax.
Evening proceed to local theater to witness Kathakali dance performance.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 02 - At Cochin
Morning after breakfast at the hotel proceed with Discovery Full Circle Tours to visit Fort Cochin, Mattancherry, Spice Markets, Antique Shopping, Jewish Synagogue, St Francis Basilica, Dutch Palace, Vasco Da Gama Square and Chinese Fishing Nets. Rest of the evening free to explore Cochin at your own pace. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 03 - Cochin to Kumarakom - by car
After breakfast at the lodge proceed to Alleppey where you will board waiting houseboat and sail through the back waters to Kumarakom.
Day 04 - Kumarakom to Alleppey
Morning after breakfast at the hotel check out from house boat and proceed to explore the bird sanctuary of Kumarakom and explore a whole new world of feathered species. For an inquisitive bird watcher it is an ideal place that echoes with the chirping of birds including a variety of migratory birds. Take a walk around the sanctuary while experiencing the sights and sounds of these birds. Kumarakom offers visitors many other leisure options. Either you are free at leisure, or enjoy the backwaters with paddleboats, canoe and Kayaks at the lagoon available at the resort.
Afternoon drive back to Alleppey and check in at the resort.
Day 05 - At Alleppey
While at Alleppey you may opt to relax at the backwaters resort. Go for Ayurveda Massage or take some trips :
Overnight at the Resort.
Day 06 - At Alleppey
Full day free to relax and enjoy the facilities available. Overnight at the resort.
Day 07 - Alleppey to Munnar - proceed by car
After breakfast proceed Discovery Full Circle Tours to reach Munnar, where sprawling tea plantations, picture book towns, winding lanes, trekking and holiday facilities make it a unique experience. This hill station was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British empire in south India.
Check into the hotel on arrival.
Later proceed for a trip to Pothamedu for an excellent view of the tea, coffee and cardamom plantations in Munnar. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 08- At Munnar
Full day free for self exploration. Car will remain at your disposal. Overnight at the resort.
Day 09 - Munnar - ooty
Morning after breakfast at the resort drive to Ooty. Popularly known as the ‘Queen of the Blue Mountains’ along with its nearby neighbors Coonoor and Kotagiri.
Overnight at the Hotel
Day 10 - Ooty
Little early in the morning drive to Coonoor to enjoy tea plantation. For return travel by Toy train back to Ooty which will take around one hours time and will pass through the highest point on its route.
Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 11 - Ooty to Nagarhole
Morning after breakfast drive to Nagarhole National Park and check in at the Jungle lodge.
Afternoon proceed to the park for game viewing.
Day 12 - At Nagarhole
Morning and evening game viewing. Meals and overnight at the lodge.
Day 13 – At Nagarhole
Morning and evening game viewing. Meals and overnight at the lodge.
Day 14 - Nagarhole - Mysore
Morning drive to Myosre by Discovery Full Circle Tours car. On arrival check into the hotel. Mysore is a charming and relaxed city surrounded almost entirely by fertile farmland and tree clad hills. Until independence Mysore was the seat of the Maharajas of Mysore, a princely state covering about a third of present day Karnataka. The city is noted for its sandalwood carvings, incense, silk weaving and for its coffee
Overnight at the hotel
Day 15- At Mysore
Tour of Mysore and the surrounding area. Places of interest include
the colourful vegetable and flower markets in Mysore, Chamundi Hill
to view the Chamundeswari Temple and the famous Nandi Bull. The
City Palace was re-built by Henry Irwin in 1897 after the original
wooden palace was destroyed in a fire. It is one of the largest
palaces in the country and is Indo-Saracenic in style with domes,
arches and colonnades of carved pillars. Drive outside of the city
to see the Sri Chamundeswari Temple at Somnathpur, built around
1260 AD by the Hoysala Kings. The walls of this temple are covered
with stone animal sculptures - it has been said that this is one
of the most beautiful and interesting buildings in India.
Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 16 - Mysore to Bangalore
Morning after breakfast at the hotel proceed to Bangalore.
Afternoon tour of Bangalore city with Discovery Full Circle Tours.
A trip around the city can be very interesting and provides a varied
sightseeing experience with Tipu’s Palace, Gandhi Smarak,
museums, temples, churches and gardens and the beautiful parks like
the Lalbagh and Cubbon Park.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 17 : Bangalore to Mumbai
Ttransfer to the airport to board flight for Mumbai.
Meeting on arrival at Mumbai airport and transfer to the hotel for
overnight stay.
Afternoon visit to Prince of Wales museum. Set among verdant gardens,
it is a huge complex with a bronze statue of George – V standing
outside. The monument designed in 1905- dominated by a huge tilted
concrete dome, comprises of three main sections, Art, Archaeology
and Natural history. The museum contains an excellent collection
of arms, works of Lawrence, Gainsborough, Poussin and Titan and
fine examples of Indian silver and brass, jade and tapestries. Also
housed in this collection is a superb 8th century ivory from Kashmir
and finely modelled figures of the infant Jesus. One can witness
the local washermen in action. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 18 - At Mumbai
After breakfast tour with Discovery Full Circle Tours to
visit the Gateway of India overlooking the harbour. This symbolic
national landmark, the Marble arch of India, designed by George
Wittet to commemorate the visit of George V and Queen Mary in 1911.
It was also the point of exit for the last British regiment to leave
India. Visit elephanta caves by motor launch (Deriving its name
from a stone elephant discovered by the Portuguese, this beautiful
green island is about one hour’s boat ride from Bombay harbour.
The celebrated Hindu cave temple on the island is excavated from
a cliff high above the water and is approached by long flight of
steps. These temples carved during the Golden age of the Guptas
have been inspired by the worship of Shiva. The sculptures are beautifully
executed and the most outstanding of these is the Maheshmurthy or
Trimurthy, a 5m (18 ft ) high, three headed bust hewn from a single
rock representing the three aspects of Shiva viz. The Creator, The
Preserver and The Destroyer).
Afternoon free for independent activities. Overnight at the
hotel.
Day 19 - Depart Mumbai
Transfer to the airport in time to board homebound flight.
End of your memorable trip !
Extension tours to other parts of the
country are available.
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