


South India
From £5,695
We are sorry to inform you that due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it has become necessary to reschedule this tour. Your safety and wellbeing are our utmost priorities, so we do hope you understand this enforced change of travel arrangements. A new date will be confirmed shortly. For more information, please read our full statement about the Coronavirus here. If you are booked onto this tour, you can get in touch with our friendly sales team on 01722 713800, who are ready to help.
Summary
Southern India offers travellers an eclectic mix of rich cultural heritage, magnificent architecture and a long and colourful history of interwoven dynasties and empires. Covering the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka we visit some of the great historic and cultural monuments of India, from the 7th century Pallava to the rock-cut cave temples of Mahabalipuram.
Tour highlights:
- Explore sculpted panels and temples in the Elephanta and Badami caves, fine examples of Indian rock-cut architecture
- Marvel at UNESCO-listed sites such as the monuments of Mahabalipuram and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus
- Experience a traditional aarti ceremony at Virupaksha Temple among the ancient ruins of Hampi
- Discover the impressive architecture of the Chowmahalla Palace and Golconda Fort in Hyderabad
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Today's Price
£5,695
Deposit: £500 Single supplement: £895
Includes flights
Keeping you safe on your next tour
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FREE 'Travel Safe' kits for every traveller
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COVID-19 insurance
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Enhanced Health and Safety audits
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Distanced seating on coaches
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'Get me home' service and private airport transfers
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COVID protocols at our hotels, and aboard our cruise ships
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Flexible balance payment date and COVID-friendly refund conditions
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COVID-testing and medical training for tour staff
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Constant monitoring and post-tour tracing
Meet your Experts
Shagufta Siddhi
Guide Lecturer
Currently pursuing a PhD in Indian education, Shagufta previously worked at the Smithsonian Institute as an assistant to the exhibition curator. She has led several groups sharing her expertise of the archaeological sites across India.
Your itinerary
Day 1 - London - Chennai
We take an overnight flight from London to Chennai.

Day 2 - Chennai
Upon arrival in Chennai, we take time to rest at our hotel before spending the afternoon visiting the city’s historical sites. We visit the 17th century Fort St. George, including St. Mary’s, the first church consecrated on Indian soil. We also view the excellent bronzes in the National Art Gallery and the sculptures and architecture in the Government Museum.

Hotel | Taj Club House, Chennai |
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Meals included | Dinner |
Taj Club House, Chennai
Taj Club House is located in a grand neon-blue building just off Mount Road. It includes an outdoor rooftop pool, a fitness centre and a spa. It also offers two on-site restaurants, one of which offers Indian cuisine as well as International dishes and the other includes Mediterranean options.
All of the air-conditioned rooms are a contemporary mix of glass, wood and warm lights. They all include a flat-screen TV, minibar, seating area and en-suite bathrooms.
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Day 3 - Mahabalipuram
We drive south to Pondicherry today, stopping at the deserted town of Mahabalipuram. This site consists of a tiny coastal village dwarfed by an open-air museum of sculpture in living rock. We visit the world’s largest bas-relief, Arjuna’s Penance, also known as ‘Descent of the Ganges’ and the Shore Temple, which has stood by the sea for 12 centuries.

Hotel | Le Pondy Beach Resort, Pondicherry |
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Meals included | All meals included |
Le Pondy Beach Resort, Pondicherry
This 5-star resort offers accommodation with a private beach area and a garden. It has a 24-hour front desk, an on-site restaurant and a children's playground. Breakfast is available each morning and it offers a range of continental, buffet and American options.
All rooms at the resort offer a balcony, private bathroom and free WiFi.
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Day 4 - Puducherry
Today is spent in the French colonial town of Puducherry. 18th and 19th century churches can be found in the French Quarter along with European style architecture at every turn. We also have the chance to explore the Tamil Quarter, originally the native Tamil town, which was developed around a group of temples.

Hotel | Le Pondy Beach Resort, Pondicherry |
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Meals included | All meals included |
Le Pondy Beach Resort, Pondicherry
This 5-star resort offers accommodation with a private beach area and a garden. It has a 24-hour front desk, an on-site restaurant and a children's playground. Breakfast is available each morning and it offers a range of continental, buffet and American options.
All rooms at the resort offer a balcony, private bathroom and free WiFi.
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Day 5 - Puducherry – Thanjavur
En route to Thanjavur, we stop at Chidambaram, also known at Thillai, and Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple. We find the famous Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram. Dedicated to Lord Nataraja, this ancient temple of the Cholas is not only devoted to the art of Bharatanatyam, but also it is a rare temple where Shiva is represented by an idol rather than the customary lingam.

Hotel | Svatma Hotel, Tamil Nadu |
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Meals included | All meals included |
Svatma Hotel, Tamil Nadu
The beautiful interior of the hotel and rooms replicate that of a charismatic & elegant family home. Every spot of the hotel has personality, from the social terraces and lounges to the hidden away corners for a private retreat. The neutral décor is brought to life by blasts of rich bright colours and golds in a traditional style. Try something unique in this hotel and re-energise in an evening’s yoga session with traditional meditation.
Day 6 - Thanjavur
This morning we visit the Brahadeeswarar Temple. Thanjavur is well-known throughout the world for being the home of this magnificent palace, as well as Rajah Serfoji’s Saraswathi Mahal Library, Art Gallery and its exquisite handicrafts like the Art Plate, pith work, bronze icons, Thanjavur paintings, and the classical South Indian musical instruments. This afternoon will be free to visit the other sites that Thanjavur has to offer.

Hotel | Svatma Hotel, Tamil Nadu |
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Meals included | All meals included |
Svatma Hotel, Tamil Nadu
The beautiful interior of the hotel and rooms replicate that of a charismatic & elegant family home. Every spot of the hotel has personality, from the social terraces and lounges to the hidden away corners for a private retreat. The neutral décor is brought to life by blasts of rich bright colours and golds in a traditional style. Try something unique in this hotel and re-energise in an evening’s yoga session with traditional meditation.
Day 7 - Thanjavur – Madurai
Our day begins with a visit to the Rockfort Temple in Trichy, en route to Madurai. The cave temple, cut out at the pinnacle, is believed to have been built in AD 580. After stopping for a traditional Chettinad lunch at Chettinad Mansion, we continue our journey to Madurai. This evening we visit Meenakshi temple and witness the temple closing ceremony.

Hotel | Heritage Hotel, Madurai |
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Meals included | All meals included |
Heritage Hotel, Madurai
Heritage Madurai rings with historic charm that echoes in every hallway and every room. Lounge by the Olympic-sized temple tank pool, or luxuriate in a plunge pool in your own private villa. Dine under a 200 year old banyan tree, serenaded by bird calls while enjoying the perfect meal prepared by your own personal chef, perfectly tempered to your particular taste buds. Take a leisurely ‘historic’ walk through the corridors where every stone has a story to tell.
Day 8 - Madurai – Hyderabad
An early start this morning will allow us to visit the flower market in Madurai. Afterwards, we visit the Tirumala Nayak Palace, before our transfer to Madurai airport to board our afternoon flight to Hyderabad.

Hotel | Taj Deccan, Hyderabad |
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Meals included | All meals included |
Taj Deccan, Hyderabad
The Taj Deccan is located in the Banjara Hills and it includes an outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre. It also has two on-site restaurants which serve a range of recipes from South India, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan.
All rooms have free WiFi, a flat-screen TV, safety deposit box, a minibar, and tea and coffee making facilities.Â
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Day 9 - Hyderabad
We spend a full day today visiting the sites of the Nizam city of Hyderabad. Spread across 12 acres, Chowmahalla Palace is known for the grandeur of Nizams and comprises several buildings and courtyards. Next is the famous structure of Charminar, built in AD 1591 by the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty. We also visit the Qutb Shahi Tombs and Golconda Fort.

Hotel | Taj Deccan, Hyderabad |
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Meals included | All meals included |
Taj Deccan, Hyderabad
The Taj Deccan is located in the Banjara Hills and it includes an outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre. It also has two on-site restaurants which serve a range of recipes from South India, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan.
All rooms have free WiFi, a flat-screen TV, safety deposit box, a minibar, and tea and coffee making facilities.Â
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Day 10 - Hyderabad - Hampi
We fly from Hyderabad to Vidhyanagar this morning and, on arrival, we transfer to Hampi. This evening we will soak up the atmosphere at an aarti ceremony at Virupaksha Temple.

Hotel | Evolve Back, Hampi |
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Meals included | All meals included |
Evolve Back, Hampi
Offering a spa centre and hot tub, Evolve Back Hampi is located just 2.5 miles from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi. Evolve Back Hampi is inspired by the architectural splendour and magnificence of the Vijayanagara Empire. The resort features all the charms of the bygone era like the fort like entrances, stone-paved boulevards, arched hallways and regal chambers.
The rooms come with a flat-screen TV. Some rooms have a seating area for your convenience. A terrace or balcony are featured in certain rooms. Rooms are equipped with a private bathroom equipped with a bath. For your comfort, you will find bathrobes and slippers. Evolve Back Hampi features free WiFi .
The resort can arrange for heritage walks. You will find a 24-hour front desk and gift shop at the property.Â
Day 11 - Hampi
Today we explore the medieval city of Hampi, once the significant capital of the Hindu Vijayanagar Empire that ruled most of southern India from the 14th to 16th centuries. Looking out at the sea of statues, sculptures and carvings gives a feeling of a fading era as this site was largely forgotten until the mid- 19th century. We view the remnants of Virupaksha Vittala and the remarkable carvings on display in the Ramchandra Temples.

Hotel | Evolve Back, Hampi |
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Meals included | All meals included |
Evolve Back, Hampi
Offering a spa centre and hot tub, Evolve Back Hampi is located just 2.5 miles from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi. Evolve Back Hampi is inspired by the architectural splendour and magnificence of the Vijayanagara Empire. The resort features all the charms of the bygone era like the fort like entrances, stone-paved boulevards, arched hallways and regal chambers.
The rooms come with a flat-screen TV. Some rooms have a seating area for your convenience. A terrace or balcony are featured in certain rooms. Rooms are equipped with a private bathroom equipped with a bath. For your comfort, you will find bathrobes and slippers. Evolve Back Hampi features free WiFi .
The resort can arrange for heritage walks. You will find a 24-hour front desk and gift shop at the property.Â
Day 12 - Hampi - Badami
Our journey today takes us to Badami via two ancient sites. Aihole, the ancient capital of the Chalukya Dynasty, has more than 70 temples dedicated to various deities of the Hindu pantheon. Next, we visit Pattadakal, a cluster of Hindu and Jain temples that are delicately chiselled and rich in detail. This is where the Chalukyan kings were crowned.

Hotel | Hotel Badami Court, Karnataka |
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Meals included | All meals included |
Hotel Badami Court, Karnataka
This hotel is an oasis, designed around comfort, you’ll be met by a warm and friendly Indian welcome, which you would have come to know well. The restaurant is packed with explosive flavours is the social hub of the hotel. The garden lawns make a quiet retreat for the evenings, as you can watch the sunset above the spot-lit pool.
Day 13 - Badami - Mumbai
We start our day visiting the Badami caves. The temples and gateways have been carved out of the natural gorge and lead to the hill city of Badami. One of the caves holds the only Jain Temple in Badami. Later, we drive to Hubli airport, where we board our flight to Mumbai.

Hotel | Taj President, Mumbai |
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Meals included | All meals included |
Taj President, Mumbai
Located in the heart of Mumbai, the award-winning Taj President comes equipped with a swimming pool, fitness centre, business centre and a spa.
Chic and modern, the air-conditioned rooms are stylishly decorated with silk fabrics and original artwork. A 32-inch flat-screen TV, personal safe and a well-stocked minibar are included. En suite bathrooms come with a shower providing free toiletries.
Decorated like a typical home in Mangalore, Konkan Café serves specialities from the coasts of West and South India. At the 24-hour Trattoria, an open kitchen lets diners watch their pizzas being baked in a brick oven. Room service is available throughout the day.
Day 14 - Mumbai
Today we visit the island of Elephanta. The cave temples here were excavated between the 5th
and 8th centuries AD and are famous for their magnificently sculpted panels. We then visit the UNESCO World Heritage Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus this afternoon. This remarkable train station, formerly Victoria Terminus, is an ideal example of Victorian, Gothic Revival architecture. We will also see Mumbai’s beautiful Art Deco buildings.

Hotel | Taj President, Mumbai |
---|---|
Meals included | All meals included |
Taj President, Mumbai
Located in the heart of Mumbai, the award-winning Taj President comes equipped with a swimming pool, fitness centre, business centre and a spa.
Chic and modern, the air-conditioned rooms are stylishly decorated with silk fabrics and original artwork. A 32-inch flat-screen TV, personal safe and a well-stocked minibar are included. En suite bathrooms come with a shower providing free toiletries.
Decorated like a typical home in Mangalore, Konkan Café serves specialities from the coasts of West and South India. At the 24-hour Trattoria, an open kitchen lets diners watch their pizzas being baked in a brick oven. Room service is available throughout the day.
Day 15 - Mumbai - London
We depart Mumbai and catch our included return flight back to London.

Meals included | Breakfast |
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Tour dates & prices
Included in your cost:
- Expert Guide Lecturer
- Professional Tour Manager
- Local travel aboard a private air-conditioned coach
- Meals as per the itinerary, tea or coffee with dinner
- Accommodation
- Entries to all sites as per the itinerary
- All taxes & gratuities
- Field notes
- Internal flights
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