Premium South India

Intrepid Travel · 13 days
Premium South India
Premium South India
Premium South India
Premium South India
Premium South India
Premium South India
Premium South India
Premium South India
Premium South India
Premium South India
Premium South India
Premium South India
Premium South India
Premium South India
13 Days
From AUD $5455
Trip Type
Small Group
Activity Level
Light

Rating


(20 reviews)

Premium South India

Premium South India

Intrepid Travel · 13 days
Duration

13 days

Tour Type

Small Group

Accommodations

Unknown

Physical Rating

Light

Guide Language

English

Experience Overview

Swaying palm trees, rolling hills and calming backwaters make up southern India's lush surface and on this 13-day Premium adventure, you’ll travel off the tourist trail.

Highlights

  • Find out what makes Indian cuisine so special during Exclusive Experiences like an off-the-beaten-path food tour in Madurai, a home-cooked meal with a local family, a fragrant lunch at a spice plantation and an ayurvedic cooking demonstration in Kochi.
  • Enjoy a high-energy Exclusive Experience with a live performance of kalarippayattu in Thekkady – believed to be the oldest surviving martial art in India.
  • Witness a fusion of influences in the former French colony of Puducherry, and see touches of a Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and British past in multicultural Kochi.
  • Experience a thousand shades of green as you tour a scenic tea plantation in Munnar and track footprints in search of wild elephants in the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • Spend a night in a converted houseboat on the Kerala backwaters – your Feature Stays for this adventure – and watch the world go by as you float along the river.
  • By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. Donations help them provide local employment opportunities and tackle climate change one tree at a time as they restore forests across 10 different countries.

Trip Details

Duration

13 days

Transportation

Private vehicle,Ferry

Tour Type

Small Group

Guide Language

English

Starts

Chennai, India

Finishes

Kochi, India

Accommodations

Unknown

Travel Style

Explorer

Physical Rating

Light

Itinerary

1
Day 1: Chennai
Namaste! Welcome to India. Your adventure begins in Chennai, India’s cultural heart and fourth-largest city. You’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel when you arrive. Meet your fellow travellers and experienced leader at a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive in early, you may like to visit the market stalls of the Georgetown Bazaar. After your meeting, join your group for a welcome dinner at Chennai’s first chain restaurant, serving up an iconic array of south Indian vegetarian dishes like idly, dosa and poori.

Included Activities:

  • Complimentary Arrival Transfer
  • Chennai - Welcome dinner

Accommodation:

  • The Residency Towers or similar (Number of Nights: 1)
2
Day 2: Puducherry (Pondicherry)
This morning, you’ll leave the city behind and drive along the scenic East Coast Road to the fishing town of Mamallapuram. Visit the 8th-century Shore Temple and its mandapams (carved pillars) and watch locals pay their respects to the deity Shiva. Later in the afternoon, continue the drive to Puducherry. A French colony until 1954, the old parts of the town retain a distinctly European feel. Leafy boulevards are lined with European houses and boutiques. When you arrive, the rest of your evening is free to explore. Puducherry has a varied food scene with traditional Indian and classic French influences, so be sure to ask your leader for some tips on where to grab dinner.

Included Activities:

  • Mamallapuram - Shore Temples guided tour
3
Day 3: Puducherry (Pondicherry)
This morning is free, then you’ll head out for a walking tour with your leader to see local temples and the French Quarter. Stroll past mustard-coloured buildings draped with vibrant bougainvillea as your leader shares stories of the revolutionaries, generals and kings who once walked these streets. Stop by the pastel pink Church of Notre Dame – evidence of the French colonial period is everywhere, even in the police uniforms. Along the way, stop at a cafe in White Town to try some local snacks, then the evening is free to explore at your own pace.

Included Activities:

  • Puducherry - Leader-led French Quarter walking tour
  • Puducherry - Sri Aurobindo Ashram
  • Puducherry - snack stop at local cafe
4
Day 4: Madurai
Today, continue to the city of Madurai with plenty of chai stops along the way. Arrive in the late afternoon and head out on a short orientation walk to get acquainted with one of India’s oldest cities. When you’ve got your bearings, join your leader on a tour of the city’s Tamil cuisine. Madurai is bursting with street food stalls, family-owned restaurants and plenty of regional delicacies and your leader will show you the dishes that aren’t on the tourist menus. Have a taste of mutton dosa or some fish gravy as your leader regales you with stories of centuries-old recipes and the passionate people who make them. Round off the night with some Jigarthanda – Madurai’s most celebrated dessert is a delicious and refreshing blend of condensed milk, almond gum and ice cream.

Included Activities:

  • Madurai - Leader-led street food tour
5
Day 5: Madurai
Continue your exploration of Madurai today. Your leader will guide you through the Tailor's Market, the local bazaars and the Sri Meenakshi Temple. Still in use today, this ancient temple is a maze of lamp-lit corridors leading to shrines where traditional rituals take place. Next is the National Gandhi Museum, dedicated to the life and achievements of the 'Father of the Nation' and the leader of India's fight for independence. Stop by the extravagant Thirumalai Nayak Palace, built in the 17th century by King Tirumala Nayaka. This evening you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in Tamil culture when you join a local family for a traditional home-cooked dinner. Chat with the family about their lives and try dishes like chettinad chicken, egg paratha and vegetable korma.

Included Activities:

  • Madurai - Sri Meenakshi 1000 Pillar
  • Madurai - Sri Meenakshi Temple
  • Madurai - Gandhi Museum
  • Madurai - Leader-led walking tour
  • Madurai - Thirumalai Nayakkar Palace
  • Madurai - Local family visit and home-cooked Tamil dinner
6
Day 6: Periyar
Make your way to the countryside town of Thekkady today, driving past pineapple and rubber plantations on the way. Thekkady is the gateway to Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve, sitting high in the ranges of the Western Ghats. Stop off at a spice plantation where you’ll speak with a local expert and taste, smell and learn about the brilliant array of spices that colour and flavour India’s famed cuisine. Put your new knowledge to good use as you sit down to a flavoursome lunch made with spices from the plantation. The evening is yours to enjoy in Thekkady your own way. Maybe wander the shops selling fragrant spices and organic tea or relax in the palm-fringed pool at your resort.

Included Activities:

  • Thekkady - Expert-guided spice plantation visit and lunch
7
Day 7: Periyar - Periyar National Park
This morning, take a guided nature walk in the acclaimed Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Your expert guide will help you look for tiger tracks, spotted deer, Indian elephants and gaur – the world's largest species of buffalo. You’re most likely to encounter Bonnet macaques and the Malabar giant squirrel – a species native to India. After, the rest of your afternoon is free. You may want to unwind with an ayurvedic massage. In the evening, you’ll attend a demonstration of kalarippayattu at the Kadathanadan Kalari Centre. Originating in Kerala, kalarippayattu is believed to be the oldest surviving martial art in India and watching high-energy fighters leap several feet into the air is a thrilling sight.

Included Activities:

  • Periyar - Kalaripayattu (Indian Martial Art) performance
  • Periyar - Guided nature walk
8
Day 8: Munnar
This morning, drive north to Munnar – an old British Hill Station sitting in the surrounding valley. At 1525 m above sea level, there’s likely to be a dramatic drop in temperature here! When you arrive, take a tour of the tea plantation, where a resident expert will guide you through the steps of the tea-making process. Follow narrow pathways and visit the workers picking the best tea leaves, learn how these leaves are transformed into the world’s most popular beverage, and sample some of the different varieties. There may be an opportunity to visit the tea museum, though opening hours are irregular so this cannot be guaranteed. This evening, relax at your mountain resort.

Included Activities:

  • Munnar - Tea plantation
  • Munnar - Tea Museum

Accommodation:

  • Fragrant Nature Hotel or similar (Number of Nights: 1)
9
Day 9: Munnar
This morning, take a guided walk around the lush hills of Munnar, often shrouded in clouds. Be sure to have your camera ready as the landscape unfolds in front of you. In the afternoon, journey out to the scenic Mattupetty Dam where you’ll find a man-made lake and spectacular views of the surrounding valleys. Here, you can take an optional motorboat ride around the lake. After some time to appreciate the scenery, return to Munnar for a free evening.

Included Activities:

  • Munnar - Mattupetty Dam
  • Munnar - Leader-led town walking tour

Accommodation:

  • Fragrant Nature Hotel or similar (Number of Nights: 1)
10
Day 10: Kerala Backwaters
Drive to the backwaters of Kerala this morning and discover Alleppey’s palm-shaded waterways. Once a significant trading port, the town is now famed for the long ‘snake boat’ races that take place in August every year. Kerala’s backwaters were once busy with passing kettuvallams – large wooden boats used to transport rice and spices. Today, these traditional vessels have been transformed into houseboats, allowing you to explore the lagoons in total comfort as you will during your Feature Stay tonight. Conversions are made using traditional and natural materials – bamboo becomes roofing, coir mats are turned into flooring and beds are carefully crafted from the wood of coconut trees. These floating cottages share the comforts of a first-rate hotel, including western toilets, private bedrooms, a dining area and open deck where you can watch the world go by. Sit back for an evening floating through the dreamy waters of rural Kerala.

Accommodation:

  • Spice Route Houseboat (Feature Stay) or similar (Number of Nights: 1)
11
Day 11: Kochi
Enjoy a peaceful morning at the Kerala waters before driving to Kochi in the afternoon. Cochin, as it was formerly known, is spread over several islands and is a melting pot of Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and British influences. Join your leader on an orientation walk to learn how these influences manifest in the city’s architecture, restaurants and daily life. In the afternoon, take some time out to enjoy the city – maybe head to Princess Street and kick back with a cup of coffee. Tonight, you’ll have the opportunity to watch a Kathakali dance performance. Kathakali is a classical Indian dance with roots in Kerala, combining symbolic storytelling with physical technique. It’s one of the most vibrant and extraordinary theatre forms in the world and proficiency requires incredible commitment and rigorous training.

Included Activities:

  • Kochi - Kathakali performance
12
Day 12: Kochi
Today, you’ll do a tuk-tuk sightseeing tour of Fort Kochi. Wander antique shops and spice bazaars – your leader will show you how to haggle with the best of them. Stop by the famous Chinese fishing nets – perhaps Kochi’s most photographed sight. Visit the Mattancherry Palace, built in the 16th-century by the Portuguese and later claimed by the Dutch. Then continue to the Paradesi Synagogue – India’s oldest existing Jewish synagogue. Wrap up the tour with lunch at Shantilal S. Mithaiwala – a cafe and sweet shop open since 1953 – where you’ll get to try some of its famous sweets. In the early evening, meet with an ayurvedic doctor – a practitioner who uses ancient holistic techniques to promote a balance of body and mind, resulting in overall health and wellbeing. Learn all about Satvik Bhojan, the ayurvedic diet, and join a cooking demonstration followed by dinner using the methods and recipes discussed.

Included Activities:

  • Kochi - Jewish Synagogue
  • Kochi - Ferry to Mattancherry
  • Kochi - Dutch Palace
  • Kochi - Keralan cooking class
  • Kochi – Fort Kochi Tuk Tuk Tour
13
Day 13: Kochi
Your adventure comes to an end after breakfast. If you’d like to extend your stay in India, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation or transfers.
Exclusions
  • Flights to and from origin and destinations
  • Airport transfers (arrival and departure)
  • Anything else not explicitly listed in tour inclusions
  • Recommended gratuities/tipping
  • Optional activities/tours
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Visas, meals and beverages not stated in the list of inclusions.
Important Information
Meals

When meals are not included, your tour leader (where available) will be happy to help with restaurant recommendations, bookings, and directions. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs or preferences. We willdo our best to accommodate these, though we cannot guarantee that every request can be met.

Luggage

You are responsible for your personal belongings throughout the tour. You will need to carry your own bags between the vehicle and your hotel room. Drivers will assist with loading and unloading luggage from the vehicle.

Mobility

Travellers requiring wheelchair access should contact our sales and service team, who can make enquiries on your behalf.

Fitness Level

This tour requires an Average level of fitness. Activities are paced gently and include leisure time. You may be expected to join guided walks of up to one hour, navigate short stairways and mild inclines, and manage your own luggage. You should also be able to board and exit all transport without assistance.

Travellers are expected to be self-sufficient and capable of handling all aspects of their journey. Please discuss your circumstances and support needs with your booking agent to confirm this trip is suitable.

If you are unsure, we recommend consulting your doctor before booking or travelling. (Note: I assume each tour has a different description depending on level of fitness required).

Sightseeing

If a planned site visit is unavailable due to changes in operating hours or holiday closures, the itinerary may be altered, or a comparable activity will be substituted where possible and subject to availability.

Visas

Visa conditions can change. Once you receive your travel documents, check with the relevant embassy, consulate, or immigration office of your destination for the latest information.

  • It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct and valid travel documents and to comply with all entry requirements.
  • Non-Australian citizens must also confirm visa and identification requirements with the appropriate consulate or visa agency.
  • Certain occupations (for example, journalists, government officials, or those working in charities) may face additional restrictions when applying for visas, which could affect the type of application required.
Departure Dates & Surcharges: See checkout for live dates and availability.
AUD $5,455
(Tour only)
Per Person Twin Share

Duration: 13 days

Trip Type: Small Group

Activity Level: Light

Swaying palm trees, rolling hills and calming backwaters make up southern India's lush surface and on this 13-day Premium adventure, you’ll travel off the tourist trail.

Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 25 Jan 2026

Customer Reviews

Overall Rating
Excellent
4.5
Guide
Excellent
4.5
Itinerary
Excellent
4.5
Accommodations
Excellent
4.5
Transportation
Excellent
4.5
Tour Operator
Excellent
4.5
Food
Excellent
4.5
4.5
Fiona
Traveled, March 2024

03/15/2024

Had a wonderful time on this trip, our guide Thilip was amazing, and absolutely made the trip. His love of this land is palpable and the insights he gave so generously added so much depth to the experience.

4.5
Gillian
Traveled, February 2024

03/01/2024

Southern India was so different from the North. The people, the food and the scenery. Less frenetic. The tea Plantations, Backwaters and beaches are stunning. So glad we have seen this part of India

Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.

In Business Since 1989