Description
On arrival in Bangalore, you will be met and transferred to Mysore. This drive will give you the opportunity to visit Sriangapatnam, the summer palace of Tipu Sultan and the site of the siege by the then young Wellington in 1799. The markets in Mysore are notorious for their colours, sandlewood and spices while a Maharajah’s Palace is beautifully furnished with antiques, intricate doors and frescoes.
Driving into northern Kerala, the central plateau gives way to the rolling hills and plantations of the Western Ghats. Tranquil is located on a 400 acre working coffee, pepper and vanilla plantation and you are encouraged to explore the beautiful estate before returning for their famed home-cooked food.
The town of Cochin has been a bustling trading port for centuries, and still a walk through the shops and markets for Fort Cochin will show that the art is still alive. Portuguese, Dutch and British influences combine to bring a colonial twist to a city that is cosmopolitan and absorbing.
A journey to the south is incomplete without some time on or near the backwaters. Two nights in your own backwaters bungalow with full service will certainly relax the senses and give you an opportunity to enjoy relative isolation.
As you climb back into the Western Ghats you will see cardemmon and spice plantations and the extraordinary views these hills afford. The town of Thekkady and its cooler air help is a relaxing antithesis to the heat of the plains. A boat journey through Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary can reveal a variety of wildlife including over 1000 wild elephants.
The city of Madurai is the home of the Meenakshi Temple, and is a vibrant example of marvellous Dravidian architecture with a the building covered from top to bottom in gods, goddesses, animals and mythical creatures. Madurai attracts pilgrims by the thousand and is full of colour and traditional Indian life.
For those wanting to spend longer, a more detailed itinerary in Tamil Nadu can be arranged visiting Trichy, Tanjore, Pondicherry and Chennai (Madras).
Guide price
£3,495 per person
£3,495 Per person for 15 nights, based on 2 people sharing including Kingfisher Airlines international and domestic flights and all transfers. Based on departures from October 2011 to 31 March 2012.
Itinerary
| Stay | Location / Route | Overnight |
|---|
| 1 night
| London / Bangalore | Nightflight |
| 2 nights
| Drive to Mysore | Metropole |
| 3 nights
| Drive to Sultan’s Battery | Tranquil |
| 2 nights
| Drive to Calicut and fly to Cochin | Malabar House |
| 2 nights
| Drive to Backwaters | Privacy |
| 2 nights
| Drive to Thekkady | Spice Village |
| 2 nights
| Drive to Madurai | Heritance Madurai |
| 0 night
| Madurai / London (via Bangalore) | Dayflight |
Location and directions
India
How to get there
10hr flight then 3hr road transfer
