Classic South India

  • Best price guaranteed
  • No booking fees
  • Booking Type Instant booking
  • duration 13 days
  • tour type Small group Request as private
  • age requirement 15-99 yrs
  • max group size 12
  • guiding method Fully guided
  • Tour Code BM-3340
  • Footprint Carbonneutral CO2 emissions resulting from all trips on Bookmundi will be offset via investments in carbon reduction projects.
  • Operated in English
map
  • Starts Chennai, India
  • Ends Kovalam, India
HIGHLIGHTS Download trip notes
  • Take a nature walk in the acclaimed Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, looking out for tiger tracks with your local village guides.
  • Explore Puducherry and discover its colonial French Quarter and colourful multi-tiered temples, and cruise along the dreamy palm-lined waterways of the Kerala backwaters.
  • See behind the scenes of local cuisine during a home-cooked meal in Periyar, an insightful ayurvedic cooking demonstration in Kochi and lovingly made Keralan favourites at a restaurant that provides training and employment to local women.
  • Discover the diversity and incredible history of Kochi through a tour of its buildings, like India’s oldest functioning synagogue and a mixture of Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial architecture.
  • Witness the dramatic beauty of Kathakali, a captivating storytelling dance that artists must study for over a decade before performing.
  • By travelling on this trip, you’ll learn about our Intrepid Foundation partner, Positive Change for Marine Life. Donations help them to nurture ocean health with community-led conservation initiatives that inspire coastal restoration, sustainable fishing practices and waste-management. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.
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The "Classic South India" tour starts from Chennai and ends in Kovalam. It is a cultural, religious and historic sites tour that takes 13 days taking you through Kumarakom, Kovalam, Madurai and 6 other destinations in India. "Classic South India" is a guided small group tour that includes accommodation, transport, meals and others.

Discover a thousand shades of green, indulge in some of the continent’s freshest food, and share moments of connection with locals on this 13-day tour. Travel down the scenic East Coast Road into the countryside and across to the west coast before finishing in India’s deep south. Experience the cultures, religions, and histories of this region through its small rural towns, fishing villages, and the scented spice plantations set in the picturesque Western Ghats mountains. This revelatory trip introduces you to an area less travelled from the comfort of a private vehicle.
ITINERARY Expand All
  • Day 1: Chennai
  • Day 2: Mamallapuram – Puducherry
  • Day 3: Puducherry
  • Day 4: Karaikudi
  • Day 5: Madurai
  • Day 6: Madurai
  • Day 7: Periyar
  • Day 8: Periyar
  • Day 9: Kochi
  • Day 10: Kochi
  • Day 11: Kerala Backwaters
  • Day 12: Kovalam
  • Day 13: Kovalam
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Accommodation
  • Hotel (10 nights), Resort (2 nights)
Meals
  • 12 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 5 Dinners
Transport
  • Private vehicle , Ferry
Guide
  • An expert tour leader
Included Activities
  • Complimentary Arrival Transfer
  • Mamallapuram - Shore Temples guided tour
  • Puducherry - Leader-led French Quarter walking tour
  • Karaikudi - Havelis
  • Karaikudi - Leader-led village walk
  • Madurai - Sri Meenakshi Temple guided tour
  • Madurai - Leader-led walking tour
  • Periyar - Spice plantation visit
  • Periyar - Guided nature walk
  • Periyar - Home-cooked meal
  • Kochi - Leader-led Fort Kochi walking tour
  • Kochi - Kathakali performance
  • Kochi - Jewish Synagogue
  • Kochi - Dutch Palace
  • Kochi - Ferry to Mattancherry
  • Kochi - Ayurvedic cooking demonstration with lunch
  • Kumarakom - Backwaters boating excursion
  • Kovalam - Leader-led walking tour
WHAT'S EXCLUDED
  • Any international flights to Chennai and from Kovalam are not included in this price. We always recommend that you arrive 1 day prior to your tour starting date.
  • Travel insurance is not included in this Classic South India tour. Travel insurance is mandatory to buy. World Nomads' travel insurance has been designed by travelers for travelers.
CUSTOMER REVIEWS
This tour has not received any customer reviews yet. However, you can expect a Premier This travel specialist is consistently delivering tours which receive customer ratings above 4.5 on average. tour and service level as the travel specialist who runs it has received 187 reviews for other tours with an average 4.6 rating.
REQUEST A PRIVATE, CUSTOMIZABLE DEPARTURE By design, this is a group tour. You can however request a private, customized version of this tour for yourself or your private group of people. Private departures are usually more expensive, but come with these benefits:
  • Personal Itinerary can be tweaked and customized.
  • Protected Travel within your own bubble.
  • Professional Access our Travel Specialists' insider knowledge.
  • Privacy Enjoy a tour focused solely on you or your travel group.
Request a private and/or personalized departure To design a private tour, we'll ask you some more information in the following steps.
Why Book with Bookmundi
What are customers saying about Bookmundi
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4.65 Average 674 Reviews
GOOD TO KNOW Download trip notes
CANCELLATION

No additional cancellation fees apply for this Classic South India tour. You can cancel the tour up to 58 days prior departure and avoid paying the full amount, but your deposit paid is non-refundable. No refund applies for cancellations within 57 days of departure.

Payment

For any tour departures within 25 May 2024, full payment is required. For tours that depart later than 25 May 2024, a deposit is required to confirm this tour, and the remaining balance will be charged 57 days before trip departure.

Travel Insurance

Classic South India tour requires that you have adequate and valid travel insurance covering medical and personal accidents, including repatriation costs and emergency evacuation. World Nomads offers travel insurance for independent travelers and intrepid families.

Visa

For this Classic South India tour getting the required visa(s) is the responsibility for each individual traveller, as visa requirements vary depending on your nationality. We recommend to check with your local embassies representing the countries that you are traveling to, as part of this itinerary.

Is this trip right for you
  • We’ll be visiting multiple temples during the trip and during these visits, you must wear clothing that covers the arms, legs, and shoulders.
  • Southern India can get very hot during the summer so remember to drink lots of water and use sun protection. Wearing light, loose layers is one of the best ways to tackle the heat.
  • As we'll be walking through varying terrain in national parks and villages, a basic level of fitness and comfortable walking shoes are essential. Leech socks will be provided for the Periyar nature walk.
COVID VACCINATION POLICY
  • Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 is no longer mandatory on departures after 1st January 2023. Nonetheless, all travellers are strongly advised to be vaccinated as a safety measure to protect themselves and others on the tour. This policy excludes all Polar trips and select adventure cruises, where testing and vaccination are required.
  • Also, proof of vaccination may still be required at specific entry points or by the airlines. Therefore, please make sure to check all the travel requirements carefully before travelling.
COVID-19 Safety Measures

This trip incorporates the following COVID-19 measures:

  • This tour has received the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safe Travels stamp, which provides travellers with assurance that COVID-19 health and hygiene global standardised protocols have been adopted.
  • Hygiene and safety guidelines will be followed to ensure your well being is looked after during travels.
NEED HELP OR HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS TOUR?
If you have any question about this tour or need help with planning a trip, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. We're ready to help.
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