Discover South India’s cultural gems on an enriching South India tour through the mesmerizing landscapes of Coromandel and Malabar. Begin your journey in the bustling city of Chennai, venture to the historical wonders of Mahabalipuram and the serene ambiance of Pondicherry. Explore the cultural heritage in Tanjore and Madurai, then immerse yourself in the wildlife of Periyar. Sail through the serene backwaters, before concluding your odyssey in the captivating city of Kochi and relaxing on its tranquil beaches. This expedition promises a seamless blend of rich history, cultural diversity, and breathtaking natural beauty, offering an unforgettable South Indian experience.
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Itinerary
1 Night – Chennai
1 Night – Mahabalipuram
1 Night – Pondicherry
1 Night – Tanjore
1 Night – Madurai
1 Night – Periyar
1 Night – Kumarakom
1 Night – Alleppey
1 Night – Kochi (Optional Beach Extension)
✈️ UK to Chennai (1 nights): You’ll arrive in Chennai, formerly known as Madras, and greeted by your private transfer who will drive you to your hotel. Chennai is a bustling city with an abundance of energy that you’re sure to fall in love with. You’ll be shown around the city by a tour guide, allowing you to explore the main sights, markets and local food. Chennai served as one of the major British settlements in India in its 200-year rule, and much of its architecture is very ‘British’ with landmarks including St. Mary’s Church, the High Court, and St. Thomas Cathedral – all built in white limestone, making them a truly striking sight.
🚗 Chennai to Mahabalipuram (1 night): After breakfast, you’ll leave Chennai and take the 1 ½ hour drive to Mahabalipuram, a coastal town renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage-listed temples and ancient monuments. Explore the breath-taking Shore Temple, Arjun’s Penance, and the Temple with five chariots, each depicting Indian mythological stories. Aside from the sightseeing, Mahabalipuram’s laid-back atmosphere invites you to enjoy its lively beaches, water activities, and the delicious local street food.
🚗 Mahabalipuram to Puducherry (1 night): Puducherry is a fascinating coastal town with a dual personality, with its old-world French charm and Indian influence. This pretty town offers French-style buildings, houses covered in bougainvillea, and tidy streets – perfect for wandering around. Nearby, you can also visit Auroville, a community designed with a focus on human unity, spiritual development, and sustainable living. Established in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa, known as ‘The Mother’ it aims to transcend nationalities and bring together people from around the world in harmony.
🚗 Puducherry to Tanjore (2 nights): En route to Tanjore from Puducherry, you’ll get the chance to visit the stunning Chola Dynasty temples of Airatesvara and Gangaikondacholapuram. Here, you can admire statues of Lord Shiva and the beautifully detailed sculptures. On arrival in Tanjore, once you’ve checked into your hotel, your exploring can begin! Tanjore owes its charm to King Rajendra Chola’s love for art during the Chola Dynasty, and as you explore the city, you’ll discover this in its landmarks, particularly at the City Palace. City Palace showcases a wide range of architectural styles from different periods and dynasties and its main highlights include the grand Durbar Hall and the Royal Museum with its huge collection of artifacts. Tanjore is also great for shopping and here you’ll find spices, silk, and much more in the city’s busy, bustling streets. On your second day in Tanjore, you’ll take a day trip to nearby Trichy, known for its sacred rock and the iconic Srirangam Temple. This temple is the largest functioning temple in the world and offers a unique perspective into India’s religious history.
🚗 Tanjore to Madurai (1 night): You’ll continue your journey as you travel from Tanjore to Madurai, one of Tamil Nadu’s oldest cultural capitals. A must-visit is the Meenakshi Amman Temple which is dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi – and is a breath-taking architectural marvel. Other highlights include a visit to the Mughal-style Tirumala Nayaka Palace, the enchanting bed chamber ceremony at Sri Meenakshi Temple and the city’s lively markets.
🚗 Madurai to Periyar (1 night): The next leg of your adventure sees you travelling from Madurai to Periyar – a nature lover’s paradise. Also known as Thekkady, Periyar has lush landscapes, a beautiful lake, an animal reserve and diverse wildlife. A great way to take in the scenery is on a small boat cruise on Periyar Lake, where you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of animals including tigers, elephants, bison, and sambar.
🚗 Periyar to Kumarakom (1 night): Your next journey allows you to experience the serene beauty of Kerala en route to Kumarakom. Kumarakom, located by Vembanad Lake in Kerala, is a peaceful place to relax, offering calm waters, green scenery, and diverse birdlife. If you’d prefer a bit of adventure rather than a laid-back pitstop, the area offers great opportunities for rafting and canoeing.
🚢 🚗 Kumarakom to Alleppey to Kochi (1 night): The next exciting stage on your journey is on a houseboat where you’ll be taken on the scenic backwaters between Kumarakom and Alleppey. On this journey, you’ll discover the beauty of Vembanad Lake, the largest lake in Kerala, with its stunning scenery of lush landscapes and swaying palm trees. On arrival in Allepey, you’ll disembark the houseboat and complete your trip by road to the city of Kochi. Kochi is a fascinating blend of Portuguese, Dutch, and British influences, which is evident in landmarks including the Dutch Palace and Chinese Fishing Nets, which are found along the seashores providing glimpse into the local fishing traditions. In Kochi, you can enjoy exploring the bustling markets, indulge in the local cuisine, and watch a Kathakali dance performance in the evening.
Optional beach extension: You can either choose to stay longer in Kochi or head to beach destination of your choice to extend your holiday.
✈️ Kochi to UK: Your wonderful journey concludes as you’re transferred to the airport for your onward flight back to the UK.
Why choose eShores?
One to One Service
Our experienced personal travel consultants will ensure you find the most suitable holiday, whilst taking care of every last detail. Everything from start to finish will be effortless.
100% Tailor Made
We can use any hotel, in any destination, so we will craft an itinerary to suit your exact needs. Also, as we can provide any itinerary, the only holiday we'll offer, is the one that's right for you.
Fully Protected
Our ATOL bonding provides you with the financial protection you need and as a member of the Travel Trust Association, you'll have 100% financial protection. Covering you for any eventuality.
Competitive Pricing
As a tour operator & travel agent, we'll search the market to ensure that we find you the best price. Also as an online business, we can ensure our prices are as competitive as possible.
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AlisonFletcher
Brilliant trip organised by Dave, included Helsinki, Tallin, Vilnius and Riga. (4 different countries) Everything ran smoothly. Dave organised hotels, flights, taxis, ferry and coach. Have used this company a few times and can't recommend highly enough they are fab 😀
Posted 2 days ago -
Sandra
As always, Chris was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. He gave me good advice on my travel plans and booked the holiday on my behalf. I've used eshores a number of times, and will continue to do so.
Posted 5 days ago -
Harrison
We haven’t been on our trip yet but based purely on the experience of booking the trip we are pleased with the result. It started with a bit of a hiccup as we spoke to a member of staff who never came back to us but when we reached back out again we were placed in the hands of Andy who has helped us book a 2 week trip to India including the golden triangle and then a few days on the beach. Andy was very patient with us with our changes to our tailor made holiday, even when we asked him to explore different areas only to revert back to the original plan. He also recommended moving the holiday back one week which created a saving of over £700 which meant we could upgrade the room for our beach stay in Goa. Andy was also available on weekends if we wanted to speak and regularly picked up the phone as opposed to keeping it to purely email dialogue. Hopefully the holiday will be amazing but based on the booking experience I would recommend eShores if you’re looking to book a tailor made holiday
Posted 5 days ago -
Wendy
I spoke to Lynette who was extremely helpful in understanding the trip that myself and my sister in law wanted from Thailand. Myself and my sister in law are both 72years young and we are really looking forward to our trip.
Posted 6 days ago -
Dawn
Excellent service from Matt at eShores. So very helpful and nothing was too much trouble. I booked Mya holiday after all his hard work finding me the perfect holiday that I wanted. Superb service and not pushy all all.
Posted 1 week ago -
Amrik
We have booked two big holidays this year for a group of 8 and a group of 10, Rachel has coordinated our holidays with the utmost excellence, during the consultation we changed countires hotels and even flights but it did not phase Rachel one bit. Exceeds customer expectations by helping advising and supporting throughout the holiday. We are off to Thailand and Dubai in August and then followed by India and Thailand in November, I have rang emailed Rachel many times during the booking and I got very prompt responses even on her days off. Rachel is a credit to EShores and EShores is setting standards regarding customer focus.
Posted 1 week ago -
IainWilliam
I can’t praise Lynette at EShores enough. She has organised my trips perfectly to the point that I wouldn’t use anyone else. She listens to what I want or to the problem I have and comes up with a solution. Nothing is too much trouble. Try them out yourselves and I bet you become a repeater too!
Posted 1 week ago -
Kevin
At short notice, I needed a quote to travel through the USA (July the 20th) I emailed eShores with an idea of what I wanted to do, within a short period of time I had a response from Matthew, After several amendments to my holiday which wasn't any trouble to Matthew, Holiday all booked, now looking forward to travelling through the USA Have to say, the service I had through eShores was fantastic, well done Matthew for working through the changes,
Posted 1 week ago -
Marcus
Dealt with Adam who was great, I went back and forth many times, nothing was a problem for him. We got there in the end and Adam arranged a 3 place holiday to Malaysia and Singapore. We go on 5th August, will if update review when we return. EShores so far brilliant hats of to Adam.
Posted 1 week ago -
Jill
We as a family used eShores last year to go to USA, and they were brilliant, my husband and 1 are going to Italy with them this September and we have just booked again to go back to USA with them next May, very efficient and Matt is lovely to deal with
Posted 1 week ago
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Your personal travel consultant will get to know your needs, ensuring they find you the most suitable holiday, at the best price!