Glimpses of South India 10 Days

TNS Travel offering Glimpses of South India Tours in affordable price. From 2005 we are providing Package Tours in South India tour like yoga tours, ayurveda tours, kerala backwater packages, religious tours, educational tours, beach tours, treks tours in himalaya, heritage tours, pilgrimage tours, rajasthan historical tours, spiritual tours, hotels in india, agra tour packages, taj mahal packages, goa tour packages, kerala yoga tourism. with 13 Nights and 14 Days

Our 13 Nights and 14 Days tour to Kumarakom, Kovalam, Alleppey, Thekkady, Munnar and Cochin. These glimpses of the south India unravel the natural and scenic beauty of southern India including its beaches and backwater lakes, etc.

Itinerary Details

Destinations Covered : Chennai - Madurai - Periyar - Alleppey - Cochin - Ooty - Mysore - Hassan - Bangalore - Mumbai - Depart

Day 01: ARRIVAL CHENNAI
Our company Representative will meet and assist you upon your arrival at the Chennai airport. Transfer to your hotel. Check in at hotel in Chennai.

CHENNAI: The first British Warehouse came up in 1639 when the British acquired the sandy beach from the local Nayaks on lease. It was called Madraspatinam then. Later by 1654, the Fort St. George was built. Still later the neighboring villages were included in the city which came either as grants or gifts. Triplicane was rented from the Sultan of Golconda in 1676. In 1744 Robert Clive worked as a writer from the Fort, later to become a military man of British Army. The Fort House, which housed the Governor and his council, were added in the 17th Century, the Assembly Hall in 1910 and the Secretariat in 1925.

All the neighboring areas were merged into the city now known as Madras or as Chennai as it is officially known. Until Independence, Madras was the capital of what in British times was called the Madras Presidency, comprising nearly the whole of South India, including the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada speaking areas.

Overnight will be at Hotel.

Day 02: CHENNAI - MADURAI
Morning after breakfast transfer to railway station to catch train to madurai,

On arrival madurai transfer to hotel check in hotel and relax,

Madurai's Main attraction is the Famous Sri Meenakshi Amman temple a riotously baroque example of Dravidian architecture with Gopurams carved from top to bottom in a breathtaking profusion of multicolored images of Gods. Tamil & Greek documents record the existence of Madurai from the 4th Century B.C.the city was known to the Greeks via Magathenes their ambassador to the court of Chandraguptha Muriya this city was popular in trade especially in spices. It was also the site the Sangam the academy of the Tamil Poets. And Madurai is the centre of all the cities and Madurai is famous for the cotton Sungudi Saris.

Overnight will be at Madurai.

Day 03 : MADURAI - PERIYAR
Proceed for Periyar after breakfast.

The river Periyar is the longest river in Kerala. This is the only perennial river in South India with clean water. The river occupies an important place in the history of Kerala. In the Sangam age Tamil epics such as Chilapathikaram, 'Akananuru', 'Purananuru' etc much has been said about this mighty river, formerly known as the 'Choorni Nadi' or 'Thamraparni Nadi' (Sukasandesam -stanza 66). A land route existed in the Sangam age from Mussuris (present-day Kodungalloor) to Madurai, which passed near the banks of the river Periyar. The capital of the old Chera Empire presumably existed on the banks of the river Periyar. It is believed that there was a flood in the 4th century AD that severely damaged the areas along the Periyar and the people living there had to escape to safer locations, abandoning their homes and livelihoods. The flood of AD 1341 resulted in the closing of Kodungalloor port and the opening of a new port at Kochi. The huge landslide that began in the high ranges as a result of the heavy downpours sent massive flows of mud and sand which created an Island at the 'Azhimugham' of the Periyar which is now known as the Vyppin Islands.

Proceed for enjoying a Boat cruise in Periyar Lake with lunch break. The most enjoyable part of seeing the wildlife is going around the lake in a boat. From the safety of a boat you can witness herds of wild elephants coming down to water and swim. The other prominent fauna to be seen are Tiger, Sambar, Barking deer, Mouse deer, Nilgiri Tahr, Wild Pigs, Wild dogs, Porcupine, Lion-tailed macaque, Malabar Squirrel, Flying Squirrel, Sloth Bear, Gaur and Black Langur (Monkey). Tigers and Leopards seldom come to the lakeside by day. Afternoon free to enjoy the facilities at the hotel. Go for a sunset cruise followed by dinner at the restaurant or the lawns.

Relax in the evening. Overnight in Periyar

Day 04 : ALLEPPEY - COCHIN
Cruise through the villages after breakfast. Disembark the boat at Alleppey.

ALEPPEY: is one of the most important tourist centers in the state, with a large network of inland canals earning it the sobriquet "Venice of the east". These large networks of canals provide Alleppey its lifeline. Alleppey was one of the busiest centers of trade in the past with one of the best known ports along the Malabar Coast. Even today it retains its charm as the centre for Coir carpet industries and prawn farming. Alleppey the ideal headquarters for backwater tourism as well as for visits to the lovely church filled town of Kottayam, and the town of Aranmula, famous for its historic Aranmula Snake Boat Race which is an annual event.

The eventful history of this city began when a major flood in AD 1341 threw open the estuary at Kochi, till then a land locked region, turning it into one of the finest natural harbors in the world. Kochi thus became a haven for seafaring visitors from all over the world and became the first European town-ship in India when the Portuguese settled here in the 15th century.

Enjoy the boat ride in the harbour watching the dolphins playing and enjoying the city from the water.

Overnight stay at hotel,

Day 05: COCHIN - OOTY
Drive to Ooty after breakfast.

Ootacamund, Ooty or more recently Udhagamandalam, call it what you like, still translates to a little town set on the stepped slopes of the Nilgiris, the oldest mountain range in India. Located 2240 meters, above sea level, the soothing clime and rustic setting gift Ooty a charm of its own. The verdant tea gardens and the rolling hills exude a pleasantness that will calm the high-strung city dweller and soothe his senses with the fragrance of eucalyptus and sandalwood that hangs in the air. What's more, the superb 300km drive from Bangalore to the hill station takes the motorist through two dense wildlife sanctuaries. We've been there and done that and we're about to tempt you to do the same.

Relax during the day and in the evening explore the small town.

Overnight will be in Ooty.

Day 06: OOTY - MYSORE
Breakfast will be at the resort.

Drive to Mysore.

Once you enter the Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary limit, the road is almost straight, flanked on both sides by a dense forest. Seven and a half kilometres after the Bandipur reception centre, the road crosses over into Tamil Nadu and the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary.

Reach Mysore and check in at hotel.

Visit Chamundi Hills - Towering over the city, these hills are 13 km away from Mysore. Halfway-up is the Nandi Bull, a 4.8 m monolith. Right on top is the 2000-year-old Brindavan Gardens 19 km north-west of Mysore is the KRS Dam and the ornamental Brindavan Gardens. The musical fountains and colourful lights transform this palace into fairy land in the evenings.

Overnight will be in Mysore.

Day 07: MYSORE - HASSAN
Mysore-Hassan, Drive to Hassan and check-in at the hotel and relax,

HASSAN: It was under the control of great Hoysala Empire during 11th to 13th century AD. This was the period when the great temples of Belur and Halebid were constructed. The region of Hassan was also greatly influenced by Jainism and later it became a well-known center of Jain literature. The present-day Hassan is the headquarters of the district by the same name and a convenient base for the tourists visiting Belur and Halebid.

Afternoon visit Belur and Halebid Temples.

Overnight stay at hotel,

Day 08: HASSAN - BANGALORE
Hassan-Bangalore drive, 186 km Drive to Bangalore visiting en-route Sravanbelgola On arrival, check-in at the hotel. Afternoon sightseeing tour

After breakfast proceed by road to Bangalore later in the morning.

On the way visit Srirangapatnam - 16 kms before Mysore, this fort was the stronghold of Tipu Sultan, son of Haider Ali. Tipu made a last minute ditch against the British in 1799 before surrendering his kingdom. Among the many fort buildings still intact, are Tipu's airy Summer Palace and his tomb at the Darya Daulat Bagh (garden). Here, is also the celebrated Sri Ranganatha Temple.

Reach Bangalore by evening.

A major industrial and commercial center, with scientific and research activity, Bangalore is multifaceted: modern marvels, historical monuments, bustling shopping plazas, a race course and golf courses. Called the Silicon Valley of India for its growing software industry, it is also known as the city of draught beer. Bangalore is capital of Karnataka which harbours a diversity of interests such as the ruins of Vijaynagar, sculptures of Belur and Halebid, mausoleum of Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur, golden sands of Karavalli, proud hills of Kodagu, forests of Bandipur, Nagarhole and Bannerghatta, and Chikmagalur with its mountains and coffee plantations, majestic Mysore and the world's tallest freestanding monolith of Bahubali at Sravanabelagola.

Overnight will be in Bangalore.

Day 09: BANGALORE - MUMBAI
Have a leisurely breakfast and proceed for sightseeing.

Government Museum: One of the important buildings, the Government Museum is one of the oldest in India(1886). A special attraction here is "the antiquities from Mohenjodaro period". Situated nearby the museum is Visveshwaraya Industrial and Technological Museum named after the great engineer-statesman. Next to the VITM is the Visveshwaraya Industrial Trade Center, the first of its kind in India. In addition to its trade promotional activities, the Center has two exhibition floors housing a permanent display of all that is manufactured in Karnataka.

The Bangalore Palace & Fort: The Bangalore Fort was built by Kempe Gowda and expanded by Tippu Sultan. Within its walls is the well preserved 16th century Ganapathi Temple. The Bangalore Palace was built by a Wodeyar king in 1887. Inspired by the Windsor castle, this palace was built in the Tudor style, complete with Gothic windows, the foiled windows, battlements and turrets resembling the Daria Daulat Palace in Srirangapatanam, this summer palace has been constructed largely of wood and is famous for it's carving and paintings.

Evening transfer to airport to catch flight to Mumbai, on arrival in Mumbai transfers to hotel check in hotel and relax,

Its young, its lively and a confluence of varied cultural currents and cross currents have given Mumbai a unique position of the most multi-ethnic city of India. The capital city of Maharashtra State formerly known as Bombay lies in the southwestern part of India and occupies a peninsular site originally composed of seven islets lying off the KONKAN COAST of western India. Oozing with the cocksure self-confidence of a maverick moneymaker and "Bindass" (carefree) attitude, Mumbai is also country's financial and commercial hub and has a principal port on the Arabian Sea. Yet, there's another face of Mumbai too that is of the most densely populated cities in the world. Mumbai is located on a site of ancient settlement and took its name from the local Goddess "Mumba" - a form of Parvati, the consort of Shiva, one of the principal Gods of Hinduism - whose temple once stood in what is now the southeastern section of the Mumbai city.

Overnight stay at hotel,

Day 10: MUMBAI - DEPART
Breakfast will be at the hotel. Proceed for a sightseeing tour of Mumbai.

Mumbai Fort: The area north of Colaba is known as Mumbai Fort, since the old British fort was once located here. There are a lot of impressive buildings from Mumbai's golden period here. St. John's church, dedicated to the soldiers, who laid down their lives in the Sindh campaign of 1838, and the first Afghan war of 1843, is also worth a visit.

Marine Drive in Mumbai: Marine Drive located in the central Mumbai, built in the 1920s and 30s on land reclaimed from the sea, is Mumbai's most famous thoroughfare. It is also referred to as the Queen's Necklace because of the dramatic line of street lamps lit up at night.

Gateway of India: Mumbai's principal landmark, the Gateway of India is a huge archway on the water's edge at Apollo Bunder. It is the starting point for most tourists who want to explore the city. This famous monument was built to commemorate the visit of the first ever British Monarch, King George V and Queen Mary in 1911.

Chowpatty Beach: Chowpatty beach situated at the end of Marine Drive has a moderate expanse of sand and is the only beach in the central part of Mumbai. One can witnesses many Hindu religious ceremonies taking place at Chowpatty.
Proceed to airport as per time of the flight home. End tour with sweet memories of India.

TOUR END