Premium South India














From AUD $5455
Small Group
Light
Rating
(20 reviews)

Premium South India
13 days
Small Group
Unknown
Light
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.
Swaying palm trees, rolling hills and calm backwaters make up southern India's lush landscape and on this 13-day Premium adventure, you’ll travel off the tourist trail. Head into the home of a local family and be immersed in their culture, head down the French-inspired streets of Puducherry and explore the maze of food stalls in Maduraito. Go into the wilderness of the Periyar National Park to look for local wildlife and tiger tracks, watch a live performance of kalarippayattu and visit tea plantations to learn how this popular beverage is grown and made. With heaps of local food, a night in a converted houseboat and a knowledgeable local leader to help you uncover local secrets, this will be a trip of a lifetime.
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
13 days
Private vehicle,Ferry
Small Group
English
Chennai, India
Kochi, India
Unknown
Explorer
Light
Itinerary
Included Activities:
- Complimentary Arrival Transfer
- Chennai - Welcome dinner
Accommodation:
- The Residency Towers or similar (Number of Nights: 1)
Included Activities:
- Mamallapuram - Shore Temples guided tour
Included Activities:
- Puducherry - Leader-led French Quarter walking tour
- Puducherry - Sri Aurobindo Ashram
- Puducherry - snack stop at local cafe
Included Activities:
- Madurai - Leader-led street food tour
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
Included Activities:
- Thekkady - Expert-guided spice plantation visit and lunch
Included Activities:
- Periyar - Kalaripayattu (Indian Martial Art) performance
- Periyar - Guided nature walk
Included Activities:
- Munnar - Tea plantation
- Munnar - Tea Museum
Accommodation:
- Fragrant Nature Hotel or similar (Number of Nights: 1)
Included Activities:
- Munnar - Mattupetty Dam
- Munnar - Leader-led town walking tour
Accommodation:
- Fragrant Nature Hotel or similar (Number of Nights: 1)
Accommodation:
- Spice Route Houseboat (Feature Stay) or similar (Number of Nights: 1)
Included Activities:
- Kochi - Kathakali performance
Included Activities:
- Kochi - Jewish Synagogue
- Kochi - Ferry to Mattancherry
- Kochi - Dutch Palace
- Kochi - Keralan cooking class
- Kochi – Fort Kochi Tuk Tuk Tour
- 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.
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.
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.
Travellers requiring wheelchair access should contact our sales and service team, who can make enquiries on your behalf.
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).
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
01/24/2024
People, places, religions, culture, economy, policies, politics, livelihoods and daily life: all were well interpreted by our excellent and experienced guide on this carefully designed tour. The richness and diversity of South India were revealed by the many visits to temples, reserves, other historic sites and the wayside stops on the sometimes long drives - which also enabled us to see the beauty and verdancy of the natural environment and the intensiveness which which it is often used - also significantly something of the ordinary life of the people. It goes without saying that the food was marvellous - including street food and the cooking experiences in homes.
01/05/2024
Great trip - some long drives but very interesting scenery. Such variety as you go from east to west, and unbelievable food. Parik was a great guide - learnt so much from him!
12/31/2023
What an amazing holiday. I learnt so much about this fascinating country. Usha Mary was the best guide. The activities were so varied too. I loved it, loved it, loved it. Thank you Intrepid you excelled with this one!
12/11/2023
We had a fantastic trip and would recommend this tour to explore the magic of southern India. Thilip our guide was fantastic!
02/10/2024
Great trip around Southern India with a lovely group and superb guide!
11/26/2023
My first experience in India, loved the country, nature, people, food, smells, but was a little disappointed on the activities included in this premium package
11/30/2023
I highly recommend Southern India: less hectic than the north, beautiful scenery, markets, temples, and people. We especially enjoyed the spice farm and tea plantations, old Kochi, and tropical (yes tropical) vegetation. Our guide, Thilip, gave many options above the itinerary. I left feeling very satisfied and in awe of this beautiful country.
11/17/2023
Having previously done an Intrepid tour of Rajasthan this was a great follow up. Fabulous trip. Good pace. Fabulous leader. Good to have 2 nights in most places. No way we could have done this trip on our own. Intrepid make it so easy. Not our first Intrepid and won’t be our last.
11/17/2023
"Incredible India" the country's slogan comes true with Intrepid at the helm. I wouldn't attempt this trip without their guidance and knowledge, and I have seen the world. Our guides answered every question and knew every hidden gem. Truly memorable!
11/06/2023
This trip covers the varied regions of Southern India very well. From the very busy coastal city of Chennai to the quiet hill station of Thekkady in the cool mountains & back to the island city of Kochi with an overnight stay on a houseboat. A very enjoyable trip & highly recommended.
10/25/2023
An excellent way to gain an understanding of Southern Indian history, culture and lifestyle. Quality accomodation, transport and inclusions are part of the package. Experienced leadership from both Anant and Vinit enhanced the experience.
11/18/2023
I recommend this trip to anyone interested in exploring South India. Everything was taken care of and I could simply enjoy and take it all in. Anant and Vinit were our guides and both were excellent.
02/23/2024
When combined with the Northern trip I feel that I have a much better understanding and appreciation of India and would recommend both.or either trip to anyone.
02/23/2024
This trip is an adventure that you do not want to miss
02/13/2024
Fifty words is not enough to describe fully the experience of travelling through South India with Intrepid. The variety and range of different experiences was so unexpected, the food was varied with restaurants happy to adjust the level of spiciness and most importantly our guide Aathi was friendly and very helpful.
10/13/2023
Absolutely recommend experiencing South India with Intrepid! The tour leader was absolutely amazing and we felt like we were able to experience the regions and everything it has to offer to the fullest!
10/11/2023
This was an excellent trip. Saw a lot, did a lot but also enough ‘down time’ to relax or do your own thing. Accommodation was very good, food was varied and also very good. Special shout out to tour leader Afshar who was an excellent leader, relaxed but always upbeat and knowledgeable.
10/07/2023
A trip of a lifetime with Usha as our tour leader. Usha is one of the best tour leaders I have ever come across, caring, fantastic knowledge and very passionate about her job. Well done Interpid for creating such an amazing product which offers great value for money, fantastic inclusions and a perfect itinerary. I will be back!

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