South India Cultural Explorer

Welcome Arrive in Chennai where you'll be greeted with a traditional Tamil welcome - a beautiful kolam (rice flour design) at your feet and a jasmine garland. Transfer to your heritage hotel, a restored colonial mansion with a wonderful veranda perfect for watching Chennai life go by. Evening welcome dinner featuring live Carnatic music performance.

After a leisurely breakfast, drive along the Bay of Bengal to Mahabalipuram. En route, stop at DakshinaChitra, a fantastic museum showcasing South Indian architecture and lifestyles. In Mahabalipuram, explore the UNESCO-listed shore temples with an archaeologist who brings the ancient stones to life with fascinating stories. Watch the sunset from the beach, then enjoy fresh seafood at a local restaurant.

Morning visit to the mysterious Krishna's Butterball - a giant granite boulder balancing on a slope! Then drive to charming Pondicherry, where French colonial architecture meets Tamil culture. After check-in at our boutique hotel in the French Quarter, take a heritage walk through the town's yellow-and-white colonial buildings. Evening visit to Sri Aurobindo Ashram followed by dinner at a rooftop restaurant serving Franco-Tamil cuisine.

Start your day with optional sunrise yoga at the seaside promenade. After breakfast, drive through Tamil Nadu's rice bowl to Thanjavur, stopping at the spectacular Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple en route. Arrive at our palace hotel in time for afternoon high tea. Evening visit to Brihadishwara Temple to witness the sunset aarti (prayer ceremony) followed by a classical dance performance.

Immerse yourself in Thanjavur's artistic heritage today. Visit master craftsmen creating traditional Thanjavur paintings using gold leaf and precious stones. Try your hand at bronze casting, a craft unchanged since the Chola period. Afternoon visit to the magnificent Brihadishwara Temple with an art historian who'll explain its incredible sculptures. Evening cooking demonstration learning to make the perfect dosa!

Drive to Chettinad region, famous for its palatial mansions and spicy cuisine. Stay in a restored Chettiar mansion filled with antiques and Belgian chandeliers. Explore the village by cycle rickshaw, visiting tile factories and antique markets. Join the house chef to learn Chettinad cooking secrets, then feast on your creations served on banana leaves.

Morning drive to Madurai, one of India's oldest cities. Visit the spectacular Meenakshi Temple during the evening prayer ceremony when thousands of oil lamps are lit. Our guide will explain the temple rituals and mythology. Tonight, stay in a heritage hotel overlooking the temple.

Early morning walk to see flower and vegetable markets coming to life. After breakfast, drive up into the Western Ghats to Munnar, watching the landscape change from plains to tea-covered hills. Check into our plantation retreat surrounded by cardamom forests. Evening tea tasting session learning about different grades and flavours.

Wake up to misty mountain views! Visit a tea factory to learn about production processes, then try your hand at tea plucking with the local women. Afternoon visit to a spice garden where you'll discover how cardamom, pepper, and vanilla are grown. Evening cookery session using fresh spices from the garden.

Scenic drive through spice plantations to historic Cochin. Afternoon walk through Fort Kochi's charming lanes, visiting the Jewish Synagogue and Dutch Palace. Watch sunset over the harbour with its famous Chinese fishing nets. Evening Kathakali dance performance followed by dinner with a local family.

Morning cooking class in a traditional Kerala home. Then drive to Kumarakom on Vembanad Lake. Check into our lake resort, built in the style of traditional rice barges. Afternoon village walk meeting coir rope makers and toddy tappers. Evening sunset cruise on the lake.

Board your private houseboat for an overnight cruise through Kerala's backwaters. Watch village life along the shores, spot kingfishers and cormorants, and enjoy fresh Kerala cuisine cooked on board. Overnight moored in a peaceful lagoon under the stars.

Early morning bird watching at Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. Return to our lake resort for a relaxing day. Optional Ayurvedic massage or yoga session. Evening farewell dinner featuring traditional Syrian Christian cuisine.

Transfer to Cochin International Airport for your return flight to London, taking with you memories of South India's wonderful heritage and hospitality.