Splendours of Southern India
From the Indian Ocean to the Arabian sea visiting temples, a wildlife sanctuary, the backwaters of Kerala with a stay in historic Cochin on the Malabar Coast
14 nights from £1620
Many people, when considering a holiday to India, often forget that Southern India even exists at all. Yet its history, its varied culture, the greener landscapes and the beautiful coastline make any holiday here a rich and diverse experience.
The following itinerary, travels from the eastern city of Chennai (formerly Madras) westwards across the state of Tamil Nadu to the wildlife sanctuary of Periyar, the inland waterways of Kerala and the charming city of Cochin. En route explore the full majesty of the Southern Indian temples complex, living museums in which rituals dating back hundreds of years are performed by Brahmin priests, before continuing to Periyar, one of the largest and most visited wildlife reserves in India.
The sanctuary became part of Project Tiger in 1973 but is now better known for its elephants. One of the highlights of the trip is a night spent on a houseboat on the backwaters of Kerala, a tropical landscape of great beauty with spectacular festivals and arcane rituals, and finally an opportunity to explore historic Cochin, a delightful gateway to the relaxed lifestyle of the Malabar coast.
