The south of India is exceptionally rich with its
own distinct culture, architecture and art which may take ages to be
fully understood. The tour is an attempt to introduce these distinct
aspects in a way that they never seem enough. An attempt has also been
made to involve the visitor in these aspects - to appreciate them
deeply without ever going overboard. The natural diversity of the
region has also been fully involved. The pristine tropical islands of
Andamans add a different flavor to this tour. Overall, a different
India within India
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Day 01 - Thiruvananthapuram:
Pick up and transfer to a beach resort at Somatheeram . Day at
leisure.
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Day 02: Somatheeram : Day long sightseeing
tour.
Option I: Trip to Padmanabhapuram Palace
Option II: Trivandrum city sightseeing tour.
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Day03 : Somatheeram:
Day free to relax at the wonderful tropical beach, set out for
fishing with local fishermen on traditional kattamaran or rejuvenate
yourself with the much acclaimed Ayurveda treatment.
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Day04 - Alleppey:
Drive through the green coastal belt and cashew plantations and
reach Alleppey - the central hub of the BACKWATER network. Stay in a
traditional Kerala house opening right over the Vembanad Lake and
surrounded by banana plantations. Day free to relax with the option
of a herbal oil massage. Also relish the wonderful Kerala cuisine in
ethnic way.
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Day05 - Alleppey:
Day will be used to closely watch backwaters lifestyle. Visit
coir-making factory, a temple and bathe the elephants at the
Elephant Rearing Center.
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Day06 - Kumarakom:
Sail through the backwater canals and reach Kumarakom - an
island with a beautiful bird-sanctuary and extremely serene
atmosphere. Stay at Taj Garden Retreat- a wonderful resort providing
restored tharawads as idyllic rooms.
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Day 07 - Kumarakom:
Day free to relax and explore around.
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Day08 - Periyar:
Drive through rubber plantations over forested mountains and
finally reach Periyar National Park - one of the best jungles in
India to see wild elephants. Day free to explore on your own.
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Day09 - Periyar:
Visit the National Park on boat over Periyar Lake where several
wild animals congregate at different times.
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Day10 - Madurai:
Drive out of the Kerala hills and reach the Tamil Nadu plains -
the Dravidian heartland. Visit the Thirumal Nayaka Palace and the
Dravidian masterpiece Meenakshi Sundereshwar temple which makes the
city of Madurai so famous and pulsate with festivities.
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Day11 - Thanjavur:
Driving down to the fertile rice growing plains of Cauvery,
reach Tiruchirapally. Nearby visit the enormous Srirangam temple and
then continue to the Chola citadel of Tanjore. Visit the World
heritage Brihadishvara temple- simply unparalleled!
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Day12 - Pondicherry:
Reach the erstwhile French colony Pondicherry of beautiful
boulevards, gothic structures and quiet beaches. Day free to relax
and unwind.
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Day13 - Pondicherry:
Morning head out for boat trips to see dolphins. During the day
visit Auroville (city of dawn) - the famous center for spiritual
learning and meditation named after Guru Sri Aurobindo Ghosh.
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Day14 - Mahabalipuram:
Drive through the fertile Coromondal coastline and reach
Mahabalipuram (Mammalapuram) - famous for its shore temples and
other monuments which are in a form of epic recreated on stone.
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Day15 - Chennai:
Morning walk over the seashore and explore the temples on own.
Later drive towards Chennai and en route visit Dakshinchitra - an
art and craft heritage center. Day free to move around in Chennai
for the enormous shopping opportunity it offers. Also visit one of
the many famous auditoriums for live performance of Indian classical
dances.
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Day16 - Chennai: Sightseeing trip of the city.
Also visit Kalakshetra, the world famous cultural center founded by
Rukmini Devi Arundale and Theosophical Society with its huge Banyan
tree (Theosophical Society of India was founded by Dr.Annie Besant).
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Day17 - Chennai: Assisted in check out for
onward journey.
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