Spicy Stories of Southern India

Day 01- Arrive Chennai by flight

On arrival at Chennai airport after clearing immigration formalities, you will meet our representative in arrival hall holding paging of your name. He will further assist you to your vehicle and then hotel check-in formalities. (Standard check-in time is 1200 hours).

Chennai capital of Tamil Nadu, earlier also known as Madras. The city is very well keeping South India artistic, culinary and religious tradition. It has Asia’s second longest urban beach “Marina”. Being the metro modern city, it still has its old charm with simple people, old temples, churches, museum and Monuments.

Later in the afternoon visit Kapeeleshvar Temple, Fort St. George and Government Museum.

Kapeeleshwar Temple: Kapaleeshwarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to lord Shiva located in Mylapore, Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The form of Shiva’s consort Parvati worshipped at this temple is called Karpagambal is from Tamil. The temple was built around the 7th century CE and is an example of Dravidian architecture.

Fort St. George: Fort St. George (or historically, White Town is the first English (later British) fortress in India, founded in 1639 at the coastal city of Madras, the modern city of Chennai. The construction of the fort provided the impetus for further settlements and trading activity, in what was originally an uninhabited land.

Government Museum: The Government Museum, Chennai, or the Madras Museum, is a museum of human history and culture located in the Government Museum Complex in the neighbourhood of Egmore in Chennai, India. Started in 1851, it is the second oldest museum in India after the Indian Museum in Kolkata and is the tenth oldest Museum in the World. It is particularly rich in archaeological and numismatic collections. It has the largest collection of Roman antiquities outside Europe. Among them, the colossal Museum Theatre is one of the most impressive. The National Art Gallery is also present in the museum premises. Built in Indo-Saracenic style, it houses rare European and Asian painting of renowned artists, including that of Raja Ravi Varma. It is the third largest museum in the world, and with 0.6 million visitors in 2018. It has the richest collections of bronze idols, 500 of them dating to 1000 BCE, in Asia.

Evening welcome dinner at Taj Coromandal. (Fixed menu basis)

Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 02- Chennai – Pondicherry (approx. 180 Kms/ 4.5 hours)

Breakfast at hotel.

Post breakfast drive to Pondicherry. The city was under French rule till 1954 and has great influence of them. Still people speak French here and English with French accent. You can observe the influence

If you take a walk to French colony their building and café still has the same France architecture traces, the French rulers left the a legacy which can be seen all over the city.

On arrival check in at hotel. Later proceed for city sightseeing visiting Aurbindo Ashram and Auroville.

The Ashram is located in the eastern part of Pondicherry. Inmates live and work in a number of buildings spread throughout the area. The focus of community life is the Ashram main building, usually called simply “the Ashram”, which consists of an interconnected block of houses, including those in which Sri Aurobindo and the Mother lived for most of their lives. At its centre, in a tree-shaded courtyard, lies the Samadhi, a white marble shrine where their bodies are laid to rest.

The Ashram provides members all they need for a decent lifestyle. Members of various societies & countries take care of basic requirements of food, clothing, shelter and medical care. There are also libraries for study and facilities for a variety of cultural pursuits including music, dance, theatre, and the arts. Everyone are encouraged to participate in physical activities such as sports, strength training, and swimming etc..  The Ashram is administered by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, a public charitable trust formed by the Mother in 1955.

Evening will be sumptuous dinner at finest restaurant and luxurious boutique property Palais De Mahe.

Overnight stay at hotel

Day 03- Pondichery

Breakfast at hotel

Morning proceed for walking tour of Pondicherry explore beautiful lanes of Pondicherry with French influence colonies. In the French Quarters. Walk through the pretty lanes and treat your eyes with colorful colonial houses, stunning yellow buildings, marked with white courtyards narrate the life of the French who lived and ruled in Pondicherry. You can even rent bicycles and ride down the lanes and meet locals on the way. Also visit Baker’s street and taste French pastries, croissant, quiche, coffee and macaroons.

If you wish you can even opt for cycle tour to explore beautiful lanes of Pondicherry.

Later in the afternoon we proceed for lunch to Auroville’s Tanto Pizzeria is the most amazing place for lunch in the city. A reclaimed-wood fire oven is used to cook almost 27 varieties of pizza. The owner is Italian, and he uses ingredients grown on the Auroville farm for all pizzas served in the pizzeria. Tanto is not only a restaurant is also a social experiment.Tanto staff is almost 50 people coming mostly from the surrounding villages with no professional training. They learnt their skills here and left us to work in other restaurants as cooks and pizzaiolos all over India. Staff is mainly composed by women most of whom cannot read and write, but memorize everything and never make a mistake while serving or preparing.

Evening enjoy dinner with cooking demonstration with Indian, you can try your hand on one of the dish and later it will be served to you.

Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 04- Pondichery – Chettinad (approx. 230 Kms/ 5 hours)

Breakfast at hotel.

Post breakfast drive to Chettinad.  The Chettinad region is well known for its 19th-century mansions, whose wide courtyards and spacious rooms are embellished with marble and teak. Construction materials, decorative items, and furnishings were mostly imported from East Asian countries and Europe. The marble was brought from Italy, chandeliers and teak from Burma, crockery from Indonesia, crystals from Europe and wall-to-wall mirrors from Belgium. These mansions belongs to Chettiar the trader’s community. The place is also famous for Aathangudi handmade tiles.

On arrival check in at hotel. After lunch proceed to visit Athangudi tile making process. Athangudi tiles, named after the place of the manufacture in Chettinad, come in a myriad of colours and patterns, and are made by a unique process using local soil and glass plates. These tiles are a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the Chettiar community, who effectively adapted many influences to their own brand of local craftsmanship. The designs and colours used in Athangudi tiles are still those of a bygone era. However, of late, new designs and patterns are being incorporated.

The Athangudi tiles are hand-made. However, with a short shelf life and relatively slow manufacturing process, these tiles are not much in demand. The situation has led to the decline in the market.

After lunch proceed for an orientation tour of this beautiful small town.

Chettinad is also famous for its delicious and spicy food, guests can enjoy authentic Chettinad cuisine here. Evening cooking demonstration at hotel.

Dinner and overnight at hotel

Day 05- Chettinad– Madurai (approx. 95 Kms/ 2  hours)

Breakfast at hotel.

Post breakfast drive to Madurai It is one of the oldest city of Tamilnadu known for Meenakshi Amman Temple ranked one of the greatest temple of India in terms of amazing architecture beauty.

On arrival check in at hotel. lunch at hotel on direct payment basis.  Later proceed for walking food tour to visit like a local in order to explore local eateries and get know their food style, stalls and local eateries. Will taste soft idlis, crispy spicy dosas, Idiyappams etc.  The list is never ending.

The food tour ends at Meenakshi Amman Temple around 20:00 hrs. Visit Meenakshi Amman temple and be the witness of temple procession. Meenakshi Amman temple dedicated to female deity Goddess Parvati. This temple is very famous all over India as Goddess represents fertility and love, those couples who does not have child, come here and pray to become parents soon.

The temple celebrate divine love between Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati therefore every evening Lord is being carried to Goddess silver bedroom chamber in an elaborate procession which is worth to visit.

Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 06- Madurai

Breakfast at hotel

Post breakfast proceed for walking tour of Madurai flower market. Later lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon visit Thirumalainayak Palace: The Palace built in 1636 built by King Thirumalai Naik. It is bland of Italian, Dravidian and Islamic styles, Thirumalai Nayak Palace is a place worth admiring and exploring when on a Madurai Tour. It was built in 1635, by the King Thirumalai Nayak who had the vision of creating a masterpiece for royal stay. It was designed as a residence for the king by an Italian architect. This palace is a must visit for history lovers and those who love to explore architectural fineness of bygone eras.

Later visit Meenakshi Amaman Temple in day light and admire the beauty of this beautiful Dravidian art structure. Madurai is the soul and cultural capital of Tamilnadu. This ancient old city which never sleeps. We can find various finest Dravidian architecture temples in Tamilnadu but among all Meenakshi Sundreshwar temple always attracts our attention. It is the heartbeat of the city visited by thousands of devotees. Madurai is surrounded by natural beauty that leaves you breathless. Madurai is hub for shopping handmade products.

Evening cooking demonstration followed by dinner with Indian family. It will not only give you an insight knowledge of our cuisine but our culture as well.

Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 07- Madurai – Thekkady (approx.  140 Kms/ 4.5 hours)

Breakfast at hotel.

Post breakfast drive to Thekkady. It is located at an altitude of 700 m above sea level. Thekkady holds the nature’s beauty, wildlife Sanctuary, and famous spice plantation. The place has great opportunity

For mountain walk and trekking.

On arrival check in at hotel. Lunch at hotel or local restaurant. Afternoon enjoy boat ride at Lake Periyar.

Evening proceed to shopping famous fresh spices cardamom, black pepper etc.

Dinner will be at hotel.

Overnight stay at hotel

Day 08- Thekkady – Alleppey (approx. 95 Kms/ 2 hours)

Breakfast at hotel.

Post breakfast visit spice plantation with a naturalist. This tour gives you inside of famous spice plantation like cardamom, Pepper, turmeric etc.

Later drive to Alleppey. It is also known as Venice of East. It is home of vast waterways network. On arrival in Alleppey embark the houseboat, locally called Kettuvalam. Kettuvalam is traditional houseboat with knot, during assemble work of this traditional houseboat not a single nail is used, only coir ropes tied in knot to hold the whole structure.

On arrival at Alleppey Jetty embark the houseboat. The cruise will take you through small water canals and while cruising you can see small villages and witness village people and their daily routine.

Dinner & overnight onboard.

Day 09- Alleppey – Cochin (approx. 65 Kms/ 1.5 hours)

Breakfast at hotel.

Post breakfast drive to Cochin. This magnificent Malabar coastal city has been attracting towards its shores many traders, explorers and travelers for over 600 years. The Old Fort Cochin area quench the thirst the travelers who has historical interest with its famous Portuguese settlement Mattenchery Jewish Synagogue and the Dutch Palace, Old colonial roads with tree line avenues. Huge Chinese fishing nets and St. Francis Church are another attraction. Here one can experience the stay of some of the best Ayurveda Resorts, Traditional Kathkali Dance and Traditional Martial art Kalarpayattu.

On arrival half day sightseeing of Old Fort Cochin covering Dutch Palace, Jew Street, Jewish Synagogue, Santa Cruz Bascilica, St. Francis Church and Chinese Fishing Nets.

Evening enjoy Kathakali dance (Classical form of dance drama) describing Indian ancient Hindu mythological stories. They present the story through beautiful dance wearing beautiful traditional outfits. It shows rich tradition and culture of India.

Enjoy check out the local flavor during dinner at local restaurant in Fort Cochin.

Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 10- Cochin

Breakfast at hotel.

Post breakfast visit Kumblangi Village. Kumbalanghi, taking in the sights of rural Indian life. Also enjoy a look at weavers working on coir, observe local women weaving coconut leaves and watch the art of “groping for fish,” which involves catching fish using only the hands. These and other activities will be taking place as you explore Kumbalanghi, giving you a chance not only to peek into some of the unique traditions of India, but also to participate if you wish. Later drive back to Hotel

Please refer to below activities which you can do at Village. (Subject to availability on that specific day).

1. Boating
2. Crab farm visit and crab catching
3. Dehusking of coconut and coconut processing
4. Making coir fibre from coconut husk
5. Making yarn from coconut fibre
6. Agriculture farm visit
7. Chinese net operation

Please note above mentioned activities are just to give you an idea that we can get to see these types of activities during visit hence they are purely subject to availability of that particular day of visit.

Evening return to your hotel and later proceed for to watch Kalaripayattu martial art.

Evening proceed for cooking demonstration of authentic Kerala dish with our chef.

Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 11- Cochin – Hyderabad by flight

Breakfast at hotel.

Post breakfast in time transfer to airport to board the flight for Hyderabad.

Meeting and assistance on arrival at Hyderabad airport and transfer to hotel. Post lunch visit Golkonda Fort and Qutub Shahi Tombs.

Golkonda Fort : Golconda fort is undoubtedly one of most magnificent fortress complexes in India. It is located in the western part of Hyderabad city and is about 9 km from the Hussain Sagar Lake.It was originally known as Mankal, and built on a hilltop in the year 1143. It was originally a mud fort under the reign of Rajah of Warangal. Later it was fortified between 14th and 17th centuries by the BahmaniSultans and then the ruling Qutub Shahi dynasty.

The inner fort contains ruins of palaces, mosques and a hill top pavilion, which rises about 130 meters high and gives a bird’s eye view of other buildings.

The Qutb Shahi: Tombs are located in the Ibrahim Bagh (garden precinct), close to the famous Golconda Fort in Hyderabad, India. They contain the tombs and mosques built by the various kings of the Qutb Shahi dynasty. Evening cooking demonstration with Indian family.

Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 12- Hyderabad

Breakfast at hotel

Post breakfast proceed for half day city sightseeing visiting Salarjung Museum, Charminar and Lad Bazaar.

Salarjung Museum: The SalarJung Museum is an art museum located at Dar-ul-Shifa, on the southern bank of the Musi River in the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is one of the three National Museums of India. It has a collection of sculptures, paintings, carvings, textiles, manuscripts, ceramics, metallic artifacts, carpets, clocks, and furniture from Japan, China, Burma, Nepal, India, Persia, Egypt, Europe, and North America. The museum’s collection was sourced from the property of the Salar Jung family, after whom it is named. It is one of the largest museums in the world.

Charminar: It is principal landmark of Hyderabad City. It was built by Mohammad Quli Qutub to celebrate the end of a deadly plague in 1591 AD. The Charminar lies near the bank of the river Musi. It is close to Laad Bazaar and Makkah Masjid. Charminar is taken from two words Char and Minar which translate as Four Towers in English.

Later visit Laad Bazaar, it is located quite close to the Charminar which is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist spots of Hyderabad. Adjacent to the monument, the Laad Bazaar is stretched on four roads starting from Charminar and is spread across an area of one kilometre.

Enjoy local lunch food at local restaurant.

After lunch visit CHOWMOULLAH PALACE – The seat of the Asaf Jahi Dynasty, and once regarded as the centre of Hyderabad, the magnificent Chowmoullah Palace built over 200-years ago was the venue used by the Nizams when entertaining their official guests and royal visitors. Completed by Nizam Afzar-ud – Dawla Bahadur in 1869 but initiated by Nizam Salabhat Jung, the Palace took over 100 years to complete. Renowned for its unique style, which is a synthesis of many architectural styles and influences, this elegant Palace Complex has today been meticulously restored.

(Closed on Friday )

Overnight stay at hotel

Day 13- Depart Hyderabad by flight

Breakfast at hotel

Post breakfast in time transfer to airport to board the flight for onward destination.

We strongly recommend having travel insurance before leaving for the holiday