Southern India's Coastal Route: Tamil Nadu to Kerala

Itinerary

• Day 1
  Departure
• Day 2
  Arrival in Chennai
• Day 3
  Chennai - This morning your immersion in one of the world’s oldest cultures commences with a tour through Chennai’s bustling streets. We’ll pass a number of Victorian-era buildings and the famous Marine Beach, see the incredible fish market and multi-coloured long wooden fishing boats drawn up on the sand, before arriving at the very centre of colonial Madras, Fort St George.  This was one of the most vital outposts of the British Empire – its first in India, the home of Clive of India for many years and the military base for numerous wars against the French. We’ll tour the fort and visit St Mary’s Church – not only is it the earliest Anglican church in India but it also claims to be the first east of Suez, built in 1680.    In the afternoon, you’ll have time to relax and enjoy the hotel’s facilities or continue to explore Chennai alone with time at leisure. Signature experience (2026 only) - Enjoy a special dinner with signature dishes, prepared by famous chefs at a local restaurant in Chennai. Every curry is meticulously prepared, every grill is marinated for hours, every lentil is slow-cooked, every biryani rice is carefully layered, and every bread is handcrafted. This is authentic Indian cuisine at its finest. 
• Day 4
  Mahabalipuram & Pondicherry - This morning, we’ll make our way to Mahabalipuram a port which traded with Rome in ancient times. Its huge 7th century temples have been intricately carved from vast granite monoliths and are now UNESCO World Heritage sites. We’ll also enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Later, we’ll travel south to Pondicherry and enjoy a delicious dinner at our hotel.  
• Day 5
  Tanjore - Start the day with a walking tour of the beautiful old French colonial centre of ‘Pondy’. Both its architecture and ambience are very different from any other Indian town.  There’s a sleepy, almost Mediterranean air here, with bougainvillea-clad walls and mustard-yellow-coloured neo-classical villas. We’ll see the impressive Governor’s residence, the former site of the French fort designed by the French military architect, Vauban – there is even a Hotel de Ville!  We continue our journey south to Tanjore, with a two-night stay at the three-star superior Ideal River View Hotel with breakfast. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the tranquil surroundings and palm-shaded pool. Lunch is included today.
• Day 6
  Tanjore - Tanjore was the capital of the ancient Chola Empire and is mainly known for its extraordinary Brihadeeswara Temple, the template for all in southern India. Standing over 200ft tall, its main tower is covered with an intricately-carved ochre-coloured facade which glows in the morning light. A working temple for over a thousand years, surrounded by colonnaded halls and a fortified wall, it is a testament to the power and wealth of the Chola Empire which at sunset seems to give off a red hue. Tanjore is also noted for its fine metalwork and the nearby Royal Palace’s art gallery houses a fascinating array of bronze sculptures.
• Day 7
  Chettinad - We drive to the nearby Chettinad region, which you are sure to love. Undiscovered, it’s a revelation, the real rural India of small farming communities. Dinner is included this evening sampling some of the region’s unique cuisine, served on a banana leaf.
• Day 8
  Madurai - After breakfast we’ll explore this undiscovered region, visiting other remarkable mansions, seeing the local Maharaja’s palace, plus local handicrafts. A fascinating visit is to a tile workshop, where each piece is delicately handmade and decorated, whilst saris are still woven to age-old local designs on traditional wooden handlooms. In the afternoon we drive to Madurai for one of the tour’s real highlights: the Meenakshi Amman Temple. This is the southern India’s Taj Mahal, a complex shrine of courtyards, vast pillared halls, a sacred lake and no less than twelve gateway towers completely covered with thousands of brightly painted stucco carvings. Madurai was already an ancient city well before Chennai was even founded, trading spices with the ancient Romans. It is considered to be Tamil Nadu’s spiritual and cultural heart. This afternoon we take tuk-tuks to visit the temple at dusk, exploring its busy traditional markets full of impossibly laden stalls and tailors rattling away at their ancient Singer sewing machines!
• Day 9
  Kumily - This morning we re-visit the temple in daylight plus tour the nearby Nayak Palace, with its vast throne-room and ceremonial courtyard. Then drive west towards the distant outlines of the Western Ghats, the mountain range and border between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The road zig-zags through lush forest with fleeting glimpses of verdant valleys below then crossing the border, we arrive at Kumily, surrounded by spice plantations and the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Day 10
  Periyar wildlife reserve - Rising early, with a tropical dawn chorus ringing in our ears we enter the wildlife sanctuary for a guided nature walk through the tall stands of teak, bamboo, wild fig and beautiful jacaranda trees. The reserve has a small population of rarely seen tigers, however, as the reserve’s core surrounds a large lake, the birdlife is absolutely excellent, with over 260 species recorded, including hornbills, parakeets, kingfishers, eagles, kites and flycatchers. You may also be lucky enough to spot a Malabar giant squirrel or a lion-tailed macaque. After returning to the hotel for a late breakfast, the day is at leisure until our afternoon visit to one of the numerous local spice plantations where our guide explains the uses, medicinal and culinary, of pepper, cloves, curry leaves, cardamom, vanilla, turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon and a host of others. Signature experience (2026 only) - After your day in Periyar Wildlife Reserve, you will be welcomed back to the hotel with some light refreshments and an enriching talk by a knowledgeable local naturalist. They will talk about how the park protects the local wildlife from hunting and poaching and the steps taken to prevent some of the animals from extinction. They will also talk about some of the flora and fauna of the region, bringing to life the enchanting sights you may have encountered during your exploration of the park earlier in the day.