Bangalore To Backwater Of Kerala & Temples Of Madurai & Trichy 11 days

Day 1 Arrive Bangalore

On arrival at Bangalore airport, assistance & transfer to the hotel. Rest time is free to relax and for personal activities. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2 Bangalore (B)

Visit Lal Bagh Garden, which houses over 1800 species of flora, including a rare and enchanting collection of tropical plants, trees and herbs. Cubbon Park is a landmark area located within the heart of the city. The Bangalore Fort is a living testimony to the notorious struggle of the Mysore Empire against the mighty Britishers. Tippu`s Summer Palace is the magnificent accommodation of the valiant ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan. Bangalore Palace is an epitome of great architecture and beauty, a mixture of Tudor & Scottish Gothic architecture. The Bull Temple is one of the oldest temples in the city. Also drive past the Government buildings, Vidhana Soudha & the Secretariat. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3 Bangalore - Cochin (Flight) (B)

Transfer to the airport to board the flight for Cochin. On arrival, transfer to the hotel and check in. Later city tour of Cochin, the lovely seaside city flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west. You will find here a unique mix and match of traditional as well as Western architecture and lifestyle. Visit Fort Cochin, a charming seaside area known for its Dutch, Portuguese & British colonial architecture and elaborate bamboo fishing nets at Fort Kochi Beach. St. Francis Church was the original burial site of explorer Vasco da Gama. Upscale eateries and chic cafes serve Kerala specialities, and quaint shops sell cotton clothing and handmade souvenirs. Heritage buildings house contemporary art galleries. Also visit the Jewish Synagogue & the Mattancherry Dutch Palace. In the evening, enjoy Kathakali, a traditional dance form of Kerala with lavish costumes, exotic makeup, masks, etc. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4 Cochin - Alleppey (60kms) (B)

Transfer to Alleppey boat jetty to board a houseboat and sail through the tropical countryside, enchanting backwaters. While sailing, enjoying palm-fringed narrow canals winding through the vast expanse of paddy fields and the neat tiny hamlets lined up along either side of the canals, the panoramic sights one can never forget. Pass through one of the few areas in the world where farming is done below sea level. Alleppey is referred to as the Venice of the East, due to canals, backwaters, and lagoons. Boats are the main mode of transportation here; you can see Shikara boats, small motor boats, passenger boats, cargo boats, and houseboats. Evening, enjoy the sunset from the sun deck of the houseboats. The Houseboats have generated electricity, a sitting cum dining area, a separate bedroom with attached English toilets, a sun deck and a fully loaded kitchen with a chef & driver. Overnight in a houseboat.

Day 5 Alleppey - Thekkady (120kms) (B)

Disembark from the houseboat and drive to Thekkady, check in at the hotel. Evening witness martial arts & Kathakali show at a local theatre. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 6 Thekkady (B)

Explore Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary on a boat. The tropical evergreen and deciduous forests teeming with elephants, bison, sambar deer, wild dogs, jungle cats, tiger and wild boar, along with various species of snake, including cobras, vipers, kraits and many non-poisonous snakes, is a wildlife lover`s dream. A variety of birds such as grey jungle fowl, Malabar grey hornbill, woodpeckers and bulbuls also have found a home in this sanctuary. Afterwards, take a spice plantation tour to see crops of cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, tea estates etc. You could stop at the local market and pick some fragrant spices. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 7 Thekkady - Munnar (11kms) (B)

Drive to Munnar via Ramakkalmedu, one of the windiest places in Asia and being so, one can find here a wind farm generating electricity. Visit Frog Rock, Turtle Rock and the highest twin statue in Kerala called Kuravan & Kurathi. Visit Frog Rock, Turtle Rock & and twin-statue Kuravan & Kurathi. Continue driving to Munnar, and check in at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8 Munnar (B)

Visit Pothamedu, which offers an excellent view of the tea, coffee and cardamom plantations in Munnar. Mattupetty dam and its reservoir, a concrete gravity dam built between the hill ranges for water storage for hydroelectric projects. Rajamala, a hill station in Eravikulam National Park a natural habitat of the Niligiri tahr, 2695 m above sea level. Half the world`s population of the rare mountain goat or tahr, which is fast becoming extinct, is now found here. Mattupedi Dairy Farm, famous for the Indo-Swiss Farm, a highly specialised dairy farm which comes under the Indo-Swiss Livestock Project. Echo Point, go there and scream as loud as you can and wait for a minute to hear your echo back! Also, visit the Tea Museum to know more about the century-old culture, a lively glimpse of how the tea culture flourished across South India. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 9 Munnar - Madurai (160kms) (B)

Drive to Madurai, check in at the hotel. Later visit Meenakshi Temple, one of the largest temple complexes in India, built between the 16th to 18th centuries. Apart from the estimated 33 million sculptures there, the temple is absorbing with the endless rounds of ceremonies, prostration of countless devotees and glittering market stalls. The Thirumalai Nayakar Palace, built in 1636 AD by King Thirumalai Nayak, the palace depicts the perfect blend of Dravidian and Rajput styles. Also visit Alagar Koil, Tiruparankundram Murugan Temple & Palamuthirsolai Murugan Temple. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 10 Madurai - Trichy (140kms) / Bangalore (Flight) (B)

Drive to Trichy, visit Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, the largest functional temple in the world. The temple complex, along with the surrounding area, covers a total area of 156 acres. There are 22 gopurams, including India`s tallest, 72 meters, 13 storeys high. Many people have had a hand in its construction, including the Cheras, Pandyas, Cholas, Hoysalas and rulers from Vijayanagar. Rock Fort The 83m high Rock Fort is the only outcrop in the flat land of the city. The rock is one of the oldest in the world-approximately 3800 million years, which makes it as old as the rocks of Greenland and older than the Himalayas. Also visit Jambukeswarar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, which houses five concentric walls and seven gopurams. After sightseeing,g transfer to Trichy airport to board the flight for Bangalore. On arrival, transfer to the hotel, check in & overnight at the hotel.

Day 11 Bangalore - Departure (Flight) (B)

As per the flight schedule, transfer to the airport to board the flight for the onward destination.