Indian Panorama - Tours to India. Personalised travel itineraries - Homestays and Heritage Hotels of the South

Home Stays and Heritage Hotels of the South

This tour focuses on quality accommodation in some of the many beautiful properties in the south; both newly constructed and restored “heritage” buildings. The locations are occasionally a little bit off the beaten track, ensuring a more tranquil environment during your holiday. The emphasis is on allowing you to experience the legendary hospitality of the local people as well as a range of different places and atmospheres.

25 Days ... Cochin Mundackal Cannamore Coast Wayanad Cherutheruthy Palakkad Alleppey Kanjirapally Periyar Dindigal Kannudakathan Tanjore Pondicherry Mahabalipuram

Day 1 Arrive Cochin. On arrival in Cochin, you’ll be met and introduced to your driver. Your first stop is at Mundackal Estate Homestay, just a short drive from Cochin airport. Overnight at Mundackal Estate.

Day 2 Mundackal- Cannanore Coast. If you have the energy and inclination for an early morning start you will be able to visit Kodanad Elephant Training Camp, a very special place where orphaned and abandoned elephant calves are trained to work in agriculture and in temples. You can join the mahouts as they give their charges a daily bath in a nearby river. Later transfer to Cochin airport and fly to Calicut, the major town of northern Kerala, then drive one hour north of a little visited strip of Kerala’s coastline, where you will stay near to a semi-private beach and begin your holiday proper with a couple of days of total relaxation. Overnight Costa Malabari near Cannanore.

Days 3 & 4 Cannanore Coast. Two days to enjoy the beautiful beaches and small fishing villages which dot the coast with a side trip to Cannanore- a fascinating city with links to the earliest European interactions with the empires of south India. This part of Kerala is also renowned for the ancient and quite mysterious ritual dance, Theyyam. Little understood but highly dramatic and compelling, Theyyam contains elements of shamanism and performances stretch for days on end. The totally uncommercial nature of the form means that you have to be lucky enough to ‘chance’ upon a performance- your host here is as close as there is to an expert on the subject and will do his utmost to seek out Theyyam for you. If you are lucky enough it is a truly unforgettable experience. Two more nights near Cannanore.

Day 5 Cannanore Coast- Wayanad. Leaving the coast, today’s drive up into the hills of the Western Ghats is picturesque in the extreme. Wayanad was the last region of Kerala to be opened to the outside world and as a result large tracts of virgin forest remain, along with the traditional tribal inhabitants of the district. Staying in the Wayanad district, you can enjoy the cool air and lush, verdant forests of the area. Overnight in Wayanad.

Day 6 Wayanad. Your time in the Wayanad Hills can be as energetic or as relaxed as you wish- you may like to take a guided trek in the hills or a jeep safari further afield to one of the local Wildlife Sanctuaries. Also in Wayanad are the famous Edakkal Caves, the site of India’s most ancient Neolithic rock-carvings, believed to be up to 6000 years old. Overnight in Wayanad.

Day 7 Wayanad- Cherutheruthy. Descend from the hills to the small town of Cherutheruthy where your hotel is situated on the banks of a large river. Explore the small town on foot. Overnight in Cherutheruthy.

Day 8 Cherutheruthy- Palakkad. In the morning visit the Kerala Kalamandalam, a major Keralan music and dance school where you can observe the students at work as they undertake the exacting and exhaustive training required to become Masters of their chosen performing art. After lunch, depart for the agricultural heartland of central Kerala and your next Homestay, Tharavad near Palakkad.

Day 9 Palakkad. A full day to enjoy the traditional comforts and hospitality of the Bhagwaldas family at Tharavad, along with optional activities including fishing, bird-watching, cooking demonstration and classes, trekking and a bullock cart ride through the nearby countryside. Overnight at Tharavad.

Day 10 Palakkad- Cochin. A relaxed morning followed by a 3 hour drive to Cochin. In the late afternoon visit Greenix Cultural Village and attend a performance of Kathakali dance- the traditional dance/drama of Kerala. Overnight in one of historic Fort Cochin’s many restored Heritage Hotels.

Day 11 Cochin. The history of Cochin is as fascinating as it is long and complex. A morning sightseeing tour with a knowledgeable local guide will give you some valuable insights into the colourful past of the port and city. Of the many trading and colonizing powers which have impacted on Cochin over the past five hundred or more years, you will see elements of the Arab, Chinese, Jewish, British, Dutch and Portuguese influences during your tour. While the historic Fort Cochin and Mattancherry precincts are relatively quiet and low on vehicle traffic, the modern city of Kochi/Ernakulam across the harbour is best viewed from a distance- to this end you can enjoy a harbour cruise at sunset. Overnight in Fort Cochin.

Day 12 Cochin - Alleppey. The backwaters of Kerala are a much-hyped tourist destination but thankfully they justify the millions of words of gushing praise written about them. Your first experience of the backwaters will be aboard a private houseboat which you will board at Alleppey, an easy 90 minute drive from Cochin. Enjoy a supremely relaxing afternoon on your boat while you crew ply you with food and refreshments, leaving you with nothing to do but watch the world go by. Overnight on the houseboat.

Day 13 Houseboat - Backwaters. A night on a houseboat is a truly unforgettable experience, but it is only part of the picture in terms of a ‘complete’ Kerala Backwaters experience. After breakfast your houseboat will moor at a backwater Homestay, where the ‘road’ in front of the house is a river, and the back door is likely to lead directly onto a stream or canal. From here you can explore the backwaters in a more intimate fashion- by foot, by bicycle, or by country boat, a small dugout canoe paddled by a local fisherman. The entire day is free for such exploration. Overnight at a backwater Homestay near Alleppey.

Days 14 Backwaters- Kanjirapally. The foothills of the Western Ghats on the Kerala side with their high rainfall and fertile soils are a perfect growing environment for a huge variety of crops. The majority of land around Kanjirapally is given over to the production of rubber- vast forests of slender rubber trees spread to the horizon on all sides- while individual estates produce smaller amounts of cardamom, vanilla and other valuable exotic crops. Your Homestay in Kanjirapally district belongs to a family which has been resident in this region for several generations- they will be only too happy to share the history and culture of the homeland with you, as well as ply you with some of the most delicious food in all of India. You will stay in a gracious bungalow overlooking the estate. Overnight at Kalaketty Estate, Kanjirapally.

Day 15 Kanjirapally - Periyar. After a final sumptuous meal at Kalaketty, depart for Periyar, one of south India’s most famous Wildlife Sanctuaries. After lunch, head out into the forest with a local guide on a gentle walk through some of the dry deciduous woodlands which fringe Periyar Lake. This is the best way to experience the beauty of this environment- animals are far more likely to be spotted by small groups on foot and common sightings include Malabar giant squirrels, hornbills, Nilgiri black-faced langur monkeys and even the occasional elephant. Overnight in Periyar.

Day 16 Periyar - Dindigul. Descend from the Western Ghats through the city of Madurai and on to Dindigul. Your ultimate destination is a secluded valley in the hills west of Dindigul and the outstanding Cardamom House. Conceived, designed and overseen by retired English physician Chris Lucas, Cardamom House is a wonderful place- one of our favourites in all of India. Chris and his team (all of them from nearby towns and villages) will make your stay here as relaxing or as invigorating as you wish. There are walks in the valley ranging from a few minutes to a full day, birdwatchers will revel in the wealth of avian life which flocks to the nearby lake, and there are genuinely interactive visits to the village of Athol just down the road as well. But Cardamom House also has a way of turning into a rejuvenation stop part way through your trip- the perfect place to relax and unwind. Overnight at Cardamom House.

Day 18 and 18 Cardamom House. Two days is probably the ideal amount of time to enjoy the ambience of Cardamom House- any longer and you may never want to leave. Two more nights at Cardamom House.

Day 19 Cardamom House - Kannudakathan. It’s not easy to top Cardamom House, but the next stop on your journey will be a pretty good alternative- the small region of Chettinad in central Tamil Nadu, reached after about 3 hours drive this morning. The people of this area are the Chettiars, a banking and merchant sub-caste who, over several centuries, made their fortunes trading with empires to the east and west and used the proceeds to build some of the most colossal and impressive homes in southern India. The intermingling of influences is dizzying - Burmese teak, Italian marble, British steel and a myriad of architectural styles are used and blended in these vast mansions (some of which are over 40,000 sq ft) and you will not only get the chance to explore some of these buildings, but to stay in one too. This is a superb place to explore a large village at a relaxed pace.
Overnight in Kannudakathan - Chettinadu Mansion.

Day 20 Kannudakathan. The Chettinad region is best explored slowly- this reflects the pace of life here too. The district headquarters of Karaikudi is a bigger town than Kannudakathan but still lends itself to exploration on foot. Nearby places of interest include hand-painted tile factories (a local specialty), small village temples and the ‘granddaddy’ of all the Chettiar homes - Chettinad Palace. You will also be able to experience a bullock cart ride and perhaps have your fortune told by the rather unusual practice of parrot astrology while you are here. Overnight in Kannudakathan - Chettinadu Mansion.

Day 21 Kannudakathan - Tanjore. Your next stop is at the fabulous temple town of Tanjore, home to one of several UNESCO World Heritage listed temples in this part of Tamil Nadu. Also known for intricate bronze casting using the ‘lost wax’ method, this part of the Cauvery Delta is the agricultural heartland of Tamil Nadu. Tour Tanjore Palace in the afternoon, before spending an hour or more at the end of the day at the thousand year old Brihadishwara temple- a spectacular place at any time but even more so when the sun is setting. Overnight in Tanjore.

Day 22 Tanjore- Pondicherry. More UNESCO World Heritage temples are on the agenda today- Airavateshwara and Gangaikondacholapuram are not quite as huge or ancient as Brihadishwara but their slightly more remote locations mean that you may well have them to yourself during your visits. Continue on through the pilgrimage city of Chidambaram and reach Pondicherry by late afternoon. This unique city was the stronghold of the French in south India for several centuries and retains an obvious Gallic feel to this day. Overnight in a restored colonial villa in the French Quarter of Pondicherry

Day 23 Pondicherry. The emphasis in Pondicherry is on history, culture and some of the best coffee in India. If shopping is a priority then Pondicherry is the place to pick up designer items from some very stylish boutiques. A self-guided walking tour of the French Quarter can easily consume half the day. Interestingly the French when they ruled here implemented a Spanish-style afternoon siesta, a habit which the modern India inhabitants seem only to happy to continue. Overnight in Pondicherry.

Day 24 Pondicherry- Mahabalipuram. Drive north along the coast to the small seaside town of Mahabalipuram, now a sleepy village with a fishing fleet, some stone carvers and a long strip of sandy beach. This relative lack of activity belies the fact that this was once the capital of the Pallava dynasty which ruled southern India over 1000 years ago. The lasting legacy of the Pallavas is in the form of some remarkable rock carvings, many of which have been afforded UNESCO World Heritage listing. Tour these monuments this afternoon, overnight in Mahabalipuram.

Day 25 Mahabalipuram - Depart. It is an easy 90 minute drive from Mahabalipuram to Chennai airport, meaning you will have most of the day to relax and enjoy the pool at your hotel prior to an afternoon departure for the airport.

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