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Kerala & the Southern Highlights

18 days Fully Inclusive Classic Group Tour

Kerala & the Southern Highlights

Southern India offers an intensely tropical and laid-back experience compared to the north. Travel from its stunning hill stations to the tranquil backwaters on this in-depth journey.

  • Fully Inclusive
    Touring with Guides and entrance fees
  • Included Meals
    Breakfasts: 16 , Lunches: 15 , Dinners: 16
  • Flights
    International flights and current taxes
  • Accommodation
    16 nights in 3/4 star accommodation
  • Visas
    Visa fees & processing for Australian passports
  • Group Tour
    Max Group Size: 28
  • Physical Rating 2
    A reasonable level of fitness is required, as you'll be spending time on your feet and doing a bit of walking to cover short distances during your daily sightseeing. There will also be some climbing of steps and climbing on and off of coaches and boats.
    Learn More
    Walking, some steps and extended time on your feet.
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  • Special Offer
    Your Partner will FLY FREE, or solo travellers save 50% on airfare. Selected departures. - View Offer
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Classic Group Tour
18 DAYS
From $7,080PP
Chennai (1N+1N) - Mahaballipuram(1N) - Bangalore (1N) - Mysore (1N)- Ooty (2N) - Coonoor - Coimbatore (1N) - Munnar (1N) - Thekaddy (2N) - Kochi (2N) - Houseboat (1N) - Kovalam (2N) - Trivandrum
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Tour Highlights

Our Kerala & the Southern Highlights tour will see you exploring the most iconic sites, delving into deep-rooted culture and dining on delicious cuisine and thoroughly researched to bring you a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, many of which are entirely exclusive to us.

Day by Day Itinerary

Chennai (1N+1N) - Mahaballipuram(1N) - Bangalore (1N) - Mysore (1N)- Ooty (2N) - Coonoor - Coimbatore (1N) - Munnar (1N) - Thekaddy (2N) - Kochi (2N) - Houseboat (1N) - Kovalam (2N) - Trivandrum
  • Day 1
    Fly To Chennai
    Dinner
    Day 1: Fly To Chennai

    Fly to the city of Chennai and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.

    Dinner
  • Day 2
    Discover Mamallapuram
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 2: Discover Mamallapuram

    After breakfast and a tour introduction, you will travel to Mamallapuram. On arrival you will explore this coastal temple town, seeing the fascinating 7th and 8th-century rock carvings including the magnificent Shore Temple and the impressive Varaha Cave.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 3
    Chennai City
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 3: Chennai City

    Return to Chennai, formerly known as Madras. This city was developed as a British trading post and is home to a number of colonial sights. A city tour begins at the 13-kilometre Marina Beach before a stop at Fort St. George and the British-built St. Mary's Church. The final stop is the colourful Shiva Kapaleeswarar Temple.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 4
    Train To Bangalore
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 4: Train To Bangalore

    Rise early to catch the Shatabdi Express to the garden city of Bangalore, where you will enjoy an afternoon city tour to see the Bull Temple, Tipu Sultan's Palace and Vidhana Soudha.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 5
    Mysore
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 5: Mysore

    Head to Mysore, stopping at Srirangapatna Fort en route. Visit the magnificent Maharaja's Palace and drive to Chamundi Hill to admire the 12th-century Sri Chamundeshwari Temple and Nandi Bull. Tonight, enjoy a traditional cooking demonstration hosted by a local family.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 6
    Ooty Hill Station
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 6: Ooty Hill Station

    Journey up into the cool climes of the Western Ghats to the beautiful hill station of Ooty. Relax and appreciate the peace and natural splendour of this quaint town. Visit Botanical gardens, taking an uphill walk to visit a small village, gaining an insight into the lives of the local people.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 7
    Narrow Gauge Railway
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 7: Narrow Gauge Railway

    All aboard the miniature, narrow gauge 'Toy Train' to the 2nd hill station of Coonoor. Spend time walking around and appreciating the beauty of this quieter, less famous hill station before returning to Ooty.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 8
    Travel To Coimbatore
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 8: Travel To Coimbatore

    Drive to Coimbatore and enjoy half a day of sightseeing including visits to the Sri Svetambra Vimalanthar Jain Temple, St. Michael Xavier Church at big Bazaar and Athar Jamid Mosque at Oppamalara Street.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 9
    Munnar
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 9: Munnar

    Travel to Munnar, a hill station enveloped by lush tea plantations. In the afternoon visit a tea plantation and the Tata Tea Museum.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 10
    Travel To Thekkady
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 10: Travel To Thekkady

    Today explore Eravikulam National Park and have the opportunity to spot the local wildlife (closed Feb-Apr, when an alternative light trek will be available). Continue your journey to Thekkady, home of Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 11
    Periyar Wildlife Reserve
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 11: Periyar Wildlife Reserve

    Though designated as a Tiger Reserve in 1978, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is best known for its elephants. Take a walk through the reserve, keeping an eye out for its resident elephant population, as well as wild dogs, barking deer, mouse deer and the elusive Bengal tiger. Visit a spice village before enjoying a traditional kalaripayattu (martial art) show this evening.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 12
    Drive To Kochi
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 12: Drive To Kochi

    Travel to the coastal town of Kochi. This evening enjoy an exuberant Kathakali dance performance.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 13
    Explore Kochi
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 13: Explore Kochi

    Take a full day tour of Kochi. Start at St. Francis Church, the first European church built in India, before a visit to Santa Cruz Basilica, where you will have excellent views of Chinese fishing nets. Finish the day by admiring the synagogue in the heart of the Jewish Quarter.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 14
    Backwaters Cruising
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 14: Backwaters Cruising

    Travel to Kumarakom, stopping en route at Kumbalangi, a village created to highlight the lifestyle of fisher-folk in the area. Later board a houseboat, a converted rice barge known as a kettuvallam. Sit back and watch life on the water and the surrounding, untouched wilderness while cruising unhurriedly along the canals. A delicious dinner of traditional cuisine will be served on board and spend a comfortable night on the water.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 15
    Discover Trivandrum
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 15: Discover Trivandrum

    Have breakfast onboard before disembarking and heading for the beach town of Kovalam. Stop on the way in Kerala's capital Trivandrum to see the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, the Observatory and Sri Chitra Art Gallery.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Day 16
    Relax In Kovalam
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Day 16: Relax In Kovalam

    This morning take a walking tour of the town and visit the lighthouse. The rest of the day is yours to relax or head to the beach, before a farewell dinner this evening.

    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Days 17-18
    Fly To Australia
    Breakfast
    Days 17-18: Fly To Australia

    Transfer to Trivandrum and fly to Australia, arriving home the same or following day.

    Breakfast
Kerala & the Southern Highlights map

Download Tour Dossier & Trip Notes

Accommodation

We draw from a wide range of hotels on our holidays, each one is chosen to suit the tour you are travelling on meaning your accommodation can range from a smart business hotel in one city to a family run guesthouse in a smaller town. Here are some examples of the type of hotel you can expect to find on this tour.

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When to go

The best time to visit India is from November to March when you’ll enjoy pleasant warm dry days and low humidity.

City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Chennai
  • 21
    29
    25
  • 22
  • Coimbatore
  • 18
    30
    24
  • 5
  • Kochi
  • 23
    32
    27
  • 23
  • Kovalam
  • 23
    32
    28
  • 21
  • Munnar
  • 13
    22
    18
  • 18
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Chennai
  • 22
    30
    26
  • 2
  • Coimbatore
  • 20
    33
    26
  • 13
  • Kochi
  • 24
    32
    28
  • 26
  • Kovalam
  • 23
    32
    28
  • 26
  • Munnar
  • 14
    24
    19
  • 29
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Chennai
  • 24
    32
    28
  • 4
  • Coimbatore
  • 21
    36
    29
  • 15
  • Kochi
  • 25
    32
    29
  • 31
  • Kovalam
  • 24
    33
    28
  • 40
  • Munnar
  • 15
    25
    20
  • 47
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Chennai
  • 26
    34
    30
  • 8
  • Coimbatore
  • 23
    37
    30
  • 48
  • Kochi
  • 26
    33
    29
  • 95
  • Kovalam
  • 25
    33
    29
  • 119
  • Munnar
  • 16
    26
    21
  • 129
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Chennai
  • 28
    37
    32
  • 44
  • Coimbatore
  • 24
    35
    29
  • 71
  • Kochi
  • 26
    32
    29
  • 283
  • Kovalam
  • 25
    32
    28
  • 210
  • Munnar
  • 17
    26
    21
  • 189
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Chennai
  • 28
    37
    32
  • 56
  • Coimbatore
  • 22
    32
    27
  • 27
  • Kochi
  • 24
    30
    27
  • 706
  • Kovalam
  • 24
    30
    27
  • 341
  • Munnar
  • 17
    24
    20
  • 420
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Chennai
  • 26
    35
    31
  • 100
  • Coimbatore
  • 22
    32
    27
  • 36
  • Kochi
  • 24
    29
    26
  • 594
  • Kovalam
  • 23
    30
    26
  • 239
  • Munnar
  • 16
    22
    19
  • 583
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Chennai
  • 26
    34
    30
  • 140
  • Coimbatore
  • 22
    32
    27
  • 36
  • Kochi
  • 24
    29
    27
  • 403
  • Kovalam
  • 23
    30
    26
  • 156
  • Munnar
  • 16
    23
    20
  • 364
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Chennai
  • 26
    34
    30
  • 137
  • Coimbatore
  • 22
    32
    27
  • 74
  • Kochi
  • 24
    30
    27
  • 280
  • Kovalam
  • 24
    30
    27
  • 175
  • Munnar
  • 16
    23
    20
  • 210
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Chennai
  • 24
    32
    28
  • 279
  • Coimbatore
  • 22
    32
    27
  • 123
  • Kochi
  • 24
    31
    27
  • 320
  • Kovalam
  • 24
    30
    27
  • 268
  • Munnar
  • 16
    23
    19
  • 253
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Chennai
  • 23
    30
    26
  • 407
  • Coimbatore
  • 21
    30
    25
  • 122
  • Kochi
  • 24
    31
    28
  • 175
  • Kovalam
  • 23
    31
    27
  • 192
  • Munnar
  • 15
    22
    18
  • 164
City
Min
Average Temperate(°C)
Max
Monthly Rainfall(mm)
  • Chennai
  • 22
    28
    25
  • 191
  • Coimbatore
  • 19
    29
    24
  • 46
  • Kochi
  • 23
    32
    27
  • 43
  • Kovalam
  • 23
    31
    27
  • 69
  • Munnar
  • 14
    22
    18
  • 64

Pricing & Availability

All of our tour departures include international flights and taxes in the price unless a land only option is selected

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    Additional Price Information

    • Flight Inclusive rates only: These include airline fuel surcharge and taxes. Correct as of 1 August 2023. Please note supplements may apply if lead in economy rates are not available.
    • Customary tipping amount of approximately US$100pp (AU$149pp) is paid locally in India.
    • Depending on airline schedules, you may depart and/or arrive on Day 2. Extra nights' accommodation (pre or post tour) or stopovers may be required at an additional cost.
    • Flight Inclusive rates only: Based on departures from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide & Perth. Departures from other cities and flight upgrades available on request.
    • Price listed is based on new bookings only

    Group Tour includes

    • International flights and current taxes (excluded if a land only option is selected)
    • All Meals (refer to itinerary)
    • Domestic transportation
    • Touring with guides and entrance fees
    • 3 – 4 star accommodation
    • Visa fees for Australian passport holders

    Important Information For Your Tour

    Before Booking
    Travel Protection, Booking Conditions
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    Before you go
    Passports & Visas, Travel Guides & Packing Lists, Holiday FAQ’s and more

    Extensions and Stopovers

    Extend your holiday or break up your journey with one of our extensions and stopovers. Choose from city breaks or some beach time, or spend more time in your chosen destination.

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