Today your tour of southern India begins with the flight to Chennai.

Namaste and welcome to southern India! Ahead of you lies an exciting journey through the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala with their varied culture, historic temple towns, tropical landscapes and the long coasts of the Indian Ocean. On arrival in Chennai you are met at the airport and taken to your accommodation. In the afternoon you explore Chennai: in the historic Mylapore district you visit the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, an important Shiva temple whose origins go back to the 7th century. You continue to St Thomas Cathedral, built over the presumed tomb of the Apostle Thomas, and to Fort St George, built by the British East India Company in 1644 and considered the oldest surviving British fortress in India. On a walk along Marina Beach, India’s longest city beach, you get a first impression of everyday life in this metropolis of millions: especially in the evening the promenade fills with families, street vendors and locals. The rest of the evening is yours. 1 night in Chennai. (Distance: approx. 15 km; driving time: approx. 30 mins)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast The Residency is located in the lively T. Nagar business and shopping district, central yet pleasantly quiet. Its 112 rooms are modern and comfortable, with air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV, minibar, safe, tea and coffee station and bathrooms, many with rain shower. There is the Chin Chin restaurant serving Indo-Chinese cuisine, a lounge bar, a café and a gym; room service is available around the clock.

After breakfast you drive along the Coromandel Coast towards Puducherry. You quickly notice that different standards apply in India: traffic is lively, roads are often very busy and even short distances take longer – but you get plenty of insights into everyday life along the way. On the way you visit Kanchipuram, one of the oldest cities in southern India. The “City of 1,000 Temples” is an important Hindu pilgrimage centre and also famous for its fine silk saris. In a silk weaving workshop you see how this traditional craft is still partly done by hand, and your tour guide explains the individual steps. You then continue to Mahabalipuram and its temple complex with the Shore Temple and the famous “Five Rathas” (UNESCO World Heritage). Carved from granite, these monuments date from the Pallava dynasty and are among the most important examples of southern Indian temple architecture. You see how such work is created at a stonemason’s workshop, where techniques passed down through generations are still used today. In the evening you reach Puducherry. 2 nights in Puducherry. (B) (Distance: approx. 230 km; driving time: approx. 5 hrs)

2 nights · Double room · With breakfast The modern Hotel Atithi is centrally located in Puducherry, just a few minutes’ walk from the beach promenade, Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the old town. The 60 rooms have air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV, minibar, safe, kettle and desk. The roof terrace with views over the town is a highlight; there is also a gym, spa treatments (for a fee), a restaurant, a café and a bar.

Today you explore the coastal town of Puducherry. In the morning you visit the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, one of India’s best-known spiritual centres. Founded in 1926, the ashram still attracts people from all over the world who study the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and “the Mother”, and you gain an insight into the special atmosphere of this place of living and meditation. On a short walking tour you notice how much the former French colony differs from other cities in southern India: grid-patterned streets, colonial buildings and small cafés recall the French past in the historic quarter. In the early afternoon you return to your accommodation; the rest of the day is yours. In the evening a walk along the beach promenade is worthwhile, where locals and visitors enjoy the cooler air – with a bit of luck you can even watch people playing pétanque. (B)

Today you continue south. Use the journey in the comfortable minibus to chat with your fellow travellers or watch the scenery. Several breaks liven up the drive – often with small shops selling spices and souvenirs, or simply with a cup of chai. In Chidambaram you visit one of the most important temple complexes in southern India: the Nataraja Temple is dedicated to Shiva as the cosmic dancer and is one of the most sacred shrines of Tamil Hinduism. Let yourself be carried by the spiritual mood while your tour guide explains the background. In the afternoon you reach Thanjavur. After check-in you have time to settle in or gather first impressions of the area. 2 nights in Thanjavur. (B) (Distance: approx. 175 km; driving time: approx. 4.5 hrs)

2 nights · Double room · With breakfast The Sangam Hotel in Thanjavur has a pool and a garden where you can end the day together. The restaurant serves Indian and international dishes, the bar drinks and snacks. The town centre is about a 15-minute walk away.

In the morning you drive to Tiruchirappalli, Trichy for short. There you climb up to the Rock Fort, perched on a striking rock – there are quite a few steps, but at the top you are rewarded with a sweeping view over the city and countryside. You then continue to Srirangam, one of southern India’s most important places of pilgrimage, and the vast Ranganathaswamy Temple, considered one of the largest active temple complexes in India. On a tour you learn more about religious traditions and typical southern Indian temple architecture. Then it’s back to Thanjavur. After a lunch break you visit the Brihadisvara Temple (UNESCO World Heritage), around 1,000 years old. Built under the Chola dynasty, it impresses with its clear proportions and monumental architecture. At the palm-leaf library you also gain an insight into a centuries-old way of preserving knowledge: carefully inscribed palm leaves long served as writing material. (B) (Distance: approx. 65 km; driving time: approx. 1.5 hrs)

In the morning you head inland to the Chettinad region, named after the merchants of the Chettiar community. Through trade and finance they once grew very wealthy, as magnificent mansions with spacious courtyards and elaborate façades still testify today. After checking in during the morning, you explore Chettinad on a walk together and get to know everyday life and typical architecture – things are much quieter here than in the big cities. You then have free time to enjoy your accommodation or explore the area on your own. Chettinad is famous for its spicy, aromatic cuisine, which you can try at dinner. With a bit of luck there is a cooking demonstration at your accommodation, presenting typical dishes and spices – and no doubt a tip or two from the cooks. 1 night in Chettinad. (B/D) (Distance: approx. 100 km; driving time: approx. 2 hrs)

Today you drive to Madurai, one of the oldest cities in southern India and still an important religious and cultural centre. The towers of the Meenakshi Temple can be seen from afar. Around midday you check into your accommodation and then explore the city: the bustling old town with its markets, small shops and countless pilgrims. The Thirumalai Nayak Palace with its spacious halls and arcades gives you an idea of the time when Madurai was an important royal residence. Afterwards you take a look at the market. In the evening you ride by cycle rickshaw through the busy streets to the Meenakshi Temple and experience the traditional evening ceremony. Among temple-goers, chants, bells and incense you gain an insight into living religious practice. 1 night in Madurai. (B) (Distance: approx. 100 km; driving time: approx. 2 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast The Hotel JC Residency in Madurai is quietly located and stylishly furnished; restaurants and cafés are within walking distance. There is an outdoor pool and a wellness area offering massages. The spacious rooms are lovingly decorated with wooden furniture.

As you cross from Tamil Nadu into Kerala, the landscape changes too: the drive leads through the foothills of the Western Ghats, past tea, spice and coffee plantations. On the way you visit a spice plantation and learn how pepper, cardamom, cinnamon and other spices are grown and processed – spices for which Kerala is famous far beyond India and which have shaped the region’s trade for centuries. In the early afternoon you reach Periyar and check in. Later you head out by boat on Periyar Lake: from the water you get a different view of the national park, and with a bit of luck you see elephants, water buffalo, deer or various birds on the shore – though wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed. The evening is yours. 1 night in Periyar. (B) (Distance: approx. 165 km; driving time: approx. 4 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast The PepperVine is set among spice plantations in the green hills of Thekkady, just a few minutes from the Periyar reserve. The spacious, bright rooms have air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV, kettle, minibar, safe and a modern bathroom with shower. An outdoor pool with pool bar, a fitness area, a restaurant with Indian, Chinese and international cuisine and a lounge bar complete the offer.

Today you return to the coast and Kochi, a historic port city where Indian, Arab and European influences have mixed over the centuries. Around midday you check into your accommodation. On a walk through Mattancherry you see, among other things, the Dutch Palace and the synagogue; Fort Kochi is also home to one of the oldest European churches in India. The famous Chinese fishing nets, still used in some places, are part of the cityscape and recall the long history of maritime trade. The rest of the afternoon is yours: stroll through the streets of Fort Kochi, stop at a café or enjoy the atmosphere of the harbour district. In the evening you meet for dinner together at your accommodation. 1 night in Kochi. (B/D) (Distance: approx. 175 km; driving time: approx. 4 hrs)

A very special experience awaits you today: after breakfast you drive to Alleppey and board a traditional houseboat, a kettuvallam, which will be your floating home for one night. Shortly after casting off, the world of the backwaters opens up: a widely branching network of canals, rivers and lagoons that still shapes the lives of many people here. Palm groves, rice fields, small villages and simple houses drift slowly by. Lunch and dinner are served in the cosy dining area of the houseboat – time to look back on the journey together. When peace settles over the waterways in the evening and the boat moors for the night, a very special atmosphere arises. 1 night on the houseboat. (B/L/D) (Distance: approx. 25 km; driving time: approx. 40 mins)

With a bit of luck the day begins with a sunrise over the backwaters. Over breakfast you enjoy a last look at the waterscape before leaving the houseboat and saying goodbye to your tour guide. After a short drive you reach Mararikulam, a small coastal village on the Arabian Sea. Here the tour programme ends, and the following days are all about relaxation: long sandy beaches, palm trees and quiet village life. Whether a beach walk or a good book in the shade – let the impressions of the tour sink in at your leisure. 4 nights in Mararikulam. (B) (Distance: approx. 15 km; driving time: approx. 30 mins)

4 nights · Double room · With breakfast The Abad Turtle Beach Resort lies right on the white sands of Marari Beach. There is a sun terrace and an infinity pool among tropical trees; the extensive grounds with cottages and hammocks invite you to stroll and relax. The spacious air-conditioned rooms have a private terrace, TV, kettle and private bathroom with shower/WC. Massages and Ayurvedic treatments can be booked.

The day is all yours. If you’d like to get to know the area, explore the village’s small streets – for example by bicycle, which you can hire at the hotel (for a fee). The region’s cuisine offers above all fresh fish and seafood, but of course also the vegetarian dishes that traditionally play an important role in Kerala. In the evening you can use the resort’s facilities – perhaps for a game of table tennis or carrom, a board game popular in India. (B)

Another relaxing day on the Arabian Sea. Perhaps you start the morning with a beach walk while temperatures are still pleasant and the fishing boats head out to sea. Afterwards the pool, the well-kept garden with palms and tropical plants or the hotel’s own fruit and vegetable garden invite you to linger – much of what grows there ends up in the hotel kitchen. If you want to treat yourself, use your free time for an Ayurvedic treatment or other wellness offers at the resort (optional, bookable locally). (B)

Your last day in Kerala offers time once more to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere – actively or at your leisure. How about a spa treatment or a yoga session (for a fee)? As the day draws to a close, a last walk by the sea is a lovely way to look back on the journey. (B)

In due course you are taken to Kochi airport and fly back home, arriving the same day. (B)