India, From Chennai to Cochin Essential South India 4*

Arrival in Chennai, which is the capital of Tamil Nadu and was founded in the 17th century by the British Empire. You will be welcomed by our representative and transferred to your hotel (your room will be available from 2 p.m. onwards).

Free time. Overnight stay at your hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Set off by road to Mahabalipuram. En route, visit Kanchipuram, known as the Golden City with its thousands of temples. It is one of the seven sacred cities of Hinduism and was the capital of the Pallava dynasty. Visit the Ekambereshwara, Kamakshiamman and Kailasanatha temples. Enjoy a hand weaving demonstration.

Resume your journey to Mahabalipuram, a seaside resort with white sandy beaches and clear waters on the Coromandel coast, famous for its seven pagodas. Over 2,000 years ago, this city was a renowned port for trade between Phoenician, Arab and Greek merchants. On arrival, check into the hotel. Overnight stay at your hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Visit Mahabalipuram, the birthplace of the stone architecture used in South India:

• The Descent of the Ganges, carved on the western face of the rocky spur so that it could be lit by the rising sun. This panel is 27 metres by 9 metres with a huge fresco and tells the legend of how the Ganges was brought to earth, with Shiva taking it down in his hair to prevent the earth from being destroyed through such a violent impact.
• The five Ratha, temples in the form of processional chariots (ratha) which can still be seen in use in South India. These small monolithic monuments are embellished with relief sculptures of gods from the Brahmanic pantheon, such as Shiva, Durga and Indra.
• The Shore Temple, dedicated to Shiva, as evidenced by the many round statues of the bull Nandi that you will see in the courtyard.

Overnight stay at your hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Options for an additional fee:

• Trip to a fishing village with an English-speaking expert (€15 per person)
• Cycle tour of Mahabalipuram with an English-speaking expert (€15 per person)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Set off by road to Pondicherry, a former French trading post and a little slice of France in the tropics. Arrive and settle into your hotel.

Visit the Government Museum (closed on Mondays). Then, visit the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, the spiritual hermitage of one of India's greatest philosophers and spiritualists.

Enjoy a rickshaw ride. Overnight stay at your hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

After breakfast at the hotel, take the road to Tanjore.

On the way, stop at Chidambaram where the Nataraja Temple was built. Renowned for its perfect examples of Chola art, the temple was highly regarded by many dynasties. Then continue to Gangaikondacholapuram, the former capital of the Chola Empire built by King Rajendra around 1025 to commemorate his victory over the Pala of Bengal.

Stop at Kumbakonam, visit a school (Sankara mutt) where young children board and train to become priests. Apart from strict adherence to tradition, children are taught the Vedas (ancient Hindu religious text). If you inform the priest in advance, you can listen to a prayer recited by the school's pupils. You can then interact with the students as well as with the teacher who acts as interpreter.

Finally arrive at Tanjore and check into the hotel. Tanjore (or Thanjavur) was the ancient capital of the Chola, Pallava, Pandya and Chera monarchs. The city is famous for its Shiva temple and art gallery.

Overnight stay at your hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shiva's Temple, Brihadeeshwara, built by the Chola King Rajaraja between 1003 and 1010. The temple illustrated the power of the Chola dynasty and was used for royal religious ceremonies.

Take advantage of our special Discover the Veena programme:

While you are in Tanjore, ask to be taken to one of the houses where these magnificent instruments are still being produced. You can see how these traditional instruments are hand-carved and talk to the owner, whose family has been making Veena for generations.

Then set off for Trichy and visit the hill fort and its temples: discover the Vishnuite sanctuary of Sri Ranganathaswami located on an island in the heart of a religious city. Return to Tanjore.

Overnight stay at your hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure by road to Madurai. On arrival, check into the hotel. Visit Madurai and the Meenakshi Temple, one of the largest and most impressive in India. The temple is dedicated to the God Shiva and his consort the goddess Meenakshi. The Thirumalai Naikan Palace is a fine example of 18th-century Indo-Saracenic architecture. Enjoy a Tuk-Tuk ride.

In the evening, attend the Shiva retiring ceremony. Overnight stay at your hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Visit the flower market. Return to the hotel for breakfast. Take the road to Munnar, a small town surrounded by the Devan Kannan hills. It is famous for its lakes and forests but especially for its tea plantations. This town is one of the biggest tea producers in the world. On arrival, check into the hotel. Free time. Overnight stay at your hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Experience the "Make your own tea" program offered by the Lockhart Tea Factory. This gives customers a unique experience of producing tea with their own hands. The activity includes picking green leaves, rolling up dried leaves and breaking up rolled up leaves. Finally, you get to sample your own tea. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Set off by road to Alleppey which is known as the Venice of the East and is famous for its backwaters. On arrival, head to the Alleppey wharf and depart for an overnight backwaters cruise on a houseboat. The backwaters are the only natural environment of their kind in the world. They are a network of lakes, canals, estuaries and deltas of 44 rivers that flow into the Indian Ocean. They are a unique ecosystem with their own aquatic wildlife and plant life. The 900 km of waterways are navigated by small motorboats, traditional boats and houseboats.

Lunch, dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Disembark after breakfast.

Take the road to Cochin. Kochi, better known as Cochin, is a patchwork of different eras, with a history spanning centuries. The Portuguese, Dutch and British influences have left their mark architecturally, with the old palace square being the best example. Nowadays, Kochi is a major port but still has plenty of tourist attractions. The city is spread over a series of islands and headlands, amid the Arabian Sea and the Backwaters. On arrival, transfer to the hotel. Free time. In the evening enjoy a Kathakali dance performance. Overnight stay at your hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

• Available for an extra charge: walk around Kochi with an English-speaking expert (€35 per person).

Breakfast at the hotel.

City tour:

• The Dutch Palace: also called the Mattancherry Palace was built by the Portuguese and given to the Raja of Cochin in the 16th century.
• The Synagogue: was built at the end of the 16th century. Here you will find Old Testament scrolls, copper dishes engraved with the city charter, and exquisitely decorated Chinese ceramic tiles. (Closed on Friday afternoons, Saturdays and on Jewish holidays).
• The Chinese fishing nets: these stand on the seashore and are still used by local fishermen during high tide.
• St Francis Church: Built in the 15th century by the Portuguese, this is the oldest church built by Europeans in India. The great explorer Vasco da Gama was buried here before his remains were repatriated to Portugal 14 years later.

Overnight stay at your hotel.

Meals included: breakfast.

• Available for an extra charge: foot therapy (reflexology, Marma therapy, acupressure), €35 per person.

Breakfast at the hotel (your room must be vacated by 12 midday at the latest).

Depending on the flight time, transfer to Cochin International Airport and fly to the next destination.

Meals included: breakfast.

On arrival at the airport, you will be met by our representative for your transfer to the hotel. In case of emergency, please contact this number: +91 9811807976

PLEASE NOTE: Flights arriving in Chennai must land before 11.55 p.m. After this time, transfer to the hotel cannot be guaranteed.

Local guides will be available for your trips to Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram, Pondicherry, Madurai, Cochin, Chidambaram, Tanjore, Trichy and Munnar.

• Day 3: "Mahabalipuram, visiting a fishing village" with an English-speaking expert: visit the beach, attend the fish auction at the market and interact with the fishermen and their families. Price: €15 pp (duration: approx. 1h50).
• Day 3: "Mahabalipuram and its villages by bike" with an English-speaking expert: Mahabalipuram is well known for its architectural wonders and its beach but why not explore its villages? This fascinating bike ride takes you through rice fields, traditional farmer's huts, temples, and shepherds walking their cattle. You will visit a wood, stone and bronze carving centre where you can meet the craftsmen. This will give you a unique interaction with the local population. Last stop at a coconut grove where you will learn the traditional way to pick coconuts and get to taste fresh coconut water. Price: €67 pp (duration: approx. 2h).
• Day 11: "Walking in Cochin. From colonial Fort Cochin to today's Mattancherry" with an English-speaking expert: this walking tour specially created by our Cochin team opens your eyes to the minute details of the old town but also to the colourful atmosphere of Mattancherry, the other, less visited but equally worthwhile part of Fort Cochin. You start your walk by discovering Fort Cochin and its beautiful colonial buildings, its streets lined with numerous shops, its wide choice of restaurants, and its mythical Chinese tile nets (fishing nets). Then, after a rickshaw ride, you reach Mattancherry for an immersion in the different communities that make this place so attractive. You visit a local Gujarati dessert factory, then meet Greshma and her daughter Reshma who specialise in Mehandi (henna tattoos). Afterwards, immerse yourself in the Brahmins' alley, for an interaction with one of the families practising daily Kollam (daily ritual to protect the house from evil spirits). Price: €35 pp (duration: approx. 2h).
• Day 12: Appointment with Dr. Ansar in Cochin for foot therapy with a combination of reflexology and a traditional Marma therapy with a combination of acupressure. Price: €35 pp (duration: approx. 45 min.).