Grand South India Tour
Kochi → Munnar → Thekkady → Madurai → Mahabalipuram
Grand South India Tour
9 days / 8 nights
Price on Request
Heritage
Grand South India TourThe most complete South India route on this site — Kerala's hills and spice country, followed by Tamil Nadu's great temple cities, for travellers with the time to cover both states properly.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu are each worth a trip on their own, but together they show two genuinely different sides of South India — tropical hill country against Dravidian temple architecture — on a single, well-sequenced route.
Private airport pickup and transfer to your hotel in Fort Kochi. Evening walk past the Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront, followed (most evenings) by a Kathakali dance performance introducing the elaborate make-up and storytelling of this Kerala art form.
Drive up into Munnar's tea country, climbing steadily through the Western Ghats. Afternoon at leisure among the rolling estates, with cooler evening temperatures than the coast.
A visit to a working tea estate and factory to see processing up close, followed by time at Mattupetty Dam or, season permitting, a short walk toward Eravikulam National Park, home to the endangered Nilgiri tahr.
Drive to Thekkady, in the hills bordering Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Afternoon walk through a working spice plantation — cardamom, pepper, cinnamon and clove growing together in the same shaded plots.
Drive from Thekkady to Madurai (approx. 4–4.5 hours).
A full day at the Meenakshi Amman Temple complex by daylight, with its towering carved gopurams, followed by the Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace and Madurai's bustling flower and spice markets.
Drive or train from Madurai toward Chennai/Mahabalipuram (approx. 8 hours by road, or a short flight).
A morning covering the Five Rathas monolithic temples and Arjuna's Penance, one of the largest bas-relief carvings in the world, followed by free time on the town's quieter beach.
Morning at leisure in Mahabalipuram before a private transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
Well-located hotels in each city, twin-sharing with breakfast included; a 5-star or heritage-property upgrade is available on request.
Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver for the full itinerary, plus any internal flights specifically listed in the day-by-day plan; airport transfers included.
Daily breakfast included. Lunches and dinners are at your own choice so you can explore local restaurants, with recommendations from your guide — let us know if you'd prefer these pre-arranged instead.
October to March for the most comfortable sightseeing temperatures.
Let us know of any festival dates, mobility considerations or dietary needs in advance so we can plan around them.
Every element here — duration, hotel category, pace and stops — can be adjusted. Tell us your dates and interests via the enquiry form and we'll tailor this starting point to you.
At around ten days it's a fuller commitment, but it's the most efficient way to properly see both Kerala and Tamil Nadu on one trip rather than returning separately for each.
Fully private — your own vehicle, driver and guide, on your own schedule, not a fixed-departure group tour.
Yes. Every itinerary on this site is a starting point — tell us your available dates and we'll adjust the pace and stops accordingly.
Tell us your dates and group size and we'll tailor this itinerary to you.
Customize This Journey WhatsApp UsSend us your travel dates and we'll confirm availability and a tailored quote.