Day 1: ARRIVE COCHIN - MUNNAR
Arrival at Airport in the morning. You will be welcomed by our tour manager and transferred by private vehicle to Munnar. Visit the Eravikulam National Park, the best place to see the Nilgiri Tahr - the mountain goat of South India. Back to hotel and leisure. Overnight stay in Munnar.
Day 02: MUNNAR SIGHTSEEING
After breakfast, Visit Munnar town from where you can procure best tea quality - Kulukkumalai tea powder - the highest grown tea, which tastes exotic when taken as black tea. Visit Matuppatty dam, take a boat ride at the lake and later visit the nearby Indo Swiss cattle breed farm and Echo Point. Visit Tea factory before 5 PM. Visit Blossom park. Overnight stay in Munnar.
Day 03: THEKKADY
After breakfast, checkout from hotel and transfer to Thekkady (110 kms /04 hrs).On arrival check in to the hotel. Evening boat ride at the wildlife sanctuary. If fortunate enough you could see plenty of wild animals at the banks of the river. In the evening, make a visit to the famed Spice Plantation where the aroma and sight of a variety of exotic plants will linger with you for a long time. Overnight stay in Thekkady.
Day 04: KUMARAKOM FOR HOUSEBOAT
After breakfast, proceed to Kumarakom which is about five hours away. On arrival, check into a traditional Kerala style Houseboat. Lunch, dinner and breakfast on the houseboat. During your trip, you will be treated to some breathtaking panoramic backwater vistas and lush paddy fields. Cruise through the backwater, see the small canals and get a peek into the lifestyle of the locals. Overnight stay in the houseboat.
Day 05 : COCHIN, QUEEN OF THE ARABIAN SEA
After breakfast, proceed to Cochin (2 hours drive), which was the erstwhile seat of Cochin Royalty and now the commercial capital of Kerala. While here, visit the Dutch Palace - built by the Portuguese in 1557 and subsequently renovated by the Dutch after 1663. The murals are perhaps the best in India. Visit the Jewish Synagogue in Mattancherry - built in 1568, which is the oldest Synagogue in the Commonwealth. Also visit the St. Francis Church - built in 1510 and the oldest European church in India and the Chinese Fishing Nets which were introduced by the court of Kublai Khan, all this and more can be seen in Fort Cochin. Overnight stay in Cochin.
Day 06 : DEPARTURE : END OF TOUR
Check out of the hotel and proceed to the Airport with fond memories of God's Own Country.
Day 1: Arrival at Cochin Airport in the morning.
You will be transferred by private vehicle to Munnar. Visit the Eravikulam National Park, the best place to see Nilgiri Tahr – the mountain goat of South India. Back to hotel and leisure. Overnight stay in Munnar.
Day 02: MUNNAR SIGHTSEEING
After breakfast, Visit Munnar town from where you can procure best tea quality - Kulukkumalai tea powder - the highest grown tea, which tastes exotic when taken as black tea. Visit Maduppatty dam, take a boat ride at the lake and later visit the nearby Indo Swiss cattle breed farm and Echo Point. Visit Tea factory before 5 PM. Visit Blossom park. Overnight stay in Munnar.
Day 03: THEKKADY
After breakfast, checkout from hotel and transfer to Thekkady (110 kms /04 hrs).On arrival check in to the hotel. Evening boatride at the wildlife sanctuary. If fortunate enough you could see plenty of wild animals at the banks of the river. In the evening, make a visit to the famed Spice Plantation where the aroma and sight of a variety of exotic plants will linger with you for a long time. Overnight stay in Thekkady.
Day 04: KUMARAKOM HOUSEBOAT
After breakfast, proceed to Kumarakom Houseboat, which is about five hours away. On arrival, check into a traditional Kerala style Houseboat. Lunch, dinner and breakfast on the houseboat. During your trip, you will be treated to some breathtaking panoramic backwater vistas and lush paddy fields. Cruise through the backwater, see the small canals and get a peek into the lifestyle of the locals. Overnight stay in the houseboat.
Day 05: COCHIN, QUEEN OF THE ARABIAN SEA
After breakfast, proceed to Cochin (6 hours drive), which was the erstwhile seat of Cochin Royalty and now the commercial capital of Kerala. While here, visit the Dutch Palace - built by the Portuguese in 1557 and subsequently renovated by the Dutch after 1663. The murals are perhaps the best in India. Visit the Jewish Synagogue in Mattancherry built in 1568, which is the oldest Synagogue in the Commonwealth. Also visit the St. Francis Church – built in 1510 and the oldest European church in India and the Chinese Fishing Nets which were introduced by the court of Kublai Khan, all this and more can be seen in Fort Cochin. Overnight stay in Cochin.
Day 06 : KOVALAM .
After breakfast, proceed to Kovalam (6 hours drive). Enroute visit Trivandrum. While at Trivandrum, not to be missed is the Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple, which is renowned for its architectural splendour, and recently as India’s wealthiest temple. After lunch, proceed to Kovalam. This internationally renowned beach has been a favorite haunt of tourists since the 1930s. Also visit the Zoo and the Naiper Museum. Check in to hotel. Watch the sunset and laze by the beautiful beach in the evening. Overnight stay in Kovalam.Day 7 : DEPARTURE - END OF TOUR
Check out of the hotel and proceed to the Airport with fond memories of God's Own Country back to your home city or to Chennai to your conference hotel.
Arrival at Cochin International Airport Proceed to Avenue Regent for check in.
Day 01 &02 : Sightseeing at Cochin and overnight stay at Cochin at the Avenue Regent. Cochin.
Day 03 : Departure to Munnar , enroute visit the Hill Palace .Sightseeing & Overnight stay at Munnar with one night at KTDC Tea county or similar .
Day 04 & 05 : Departure to Carmelia Haven near Munnar. Stay at Carmelia for two nights.
Day 06 & 07 : Departure to Thekkady with stay Aranya Nivas or similar for two nights .
Day 08 : Departure to Alleppey. .Check into Home stay at Alleppey or a Houseboat.
Day 09 : take a walk in the paddy fields / go to watch coir being made. Overnight stay at Home Stay with a Kerala family or on the Houseboat anchored on the backwaters .
Day 10 : Proceed to Anantya Resorts at Trivandrum . One of the best resorts in South India Day for rest & relaxation after your hectic tour .
Day 11 : Sightseeing of Trivandrum or a visit to Kanyakumari. Overnight at Anantya resorts.
Day : 12 Departure to Trivandrum International Airport to your own country or return to chennai to your conference hotel .
Day - 1 Morning - Arrival at Chennai International Airport.
Proceed to your Conference Hotel for overnight stay. You can leave your main luggage here for your Pre or Post Tour.
Day- 2 Morning - Departure to Pondicherry for sightseeing of the Maitri Mandir and Ashram.
Overnight stay at Hotel Aditi or similar at Pondicherry.
Day - 3 Return to (Mahapalipuram).
Sightseeing at Mamallapuram with overnight stay at Radisson Blu, Temple Bay .
Day- 4 Early Morning transfer to Airport to connect Indigo flight to COCHIN at 10 am arriving by 11.15 am.
Transfer to Fort Cochin Hotel. Sightseeing at Cochin- Jew ish Synagogue, Dutch Palace, Chinese Fishing Nets and evening Kathakali or Kalaripayattu programme. Overnight stay at the Old Lighthouse hotel (Bristow Hotel).
Day - 5 Early breakfast.
Leave for Allepey to board the premium houseboat. Lunch, dinner and next days breakfast is on board the houseboat.
Day - 6 Check out from the houseboat by 9 AM to reach Thekkady in time for lunch.
Overnight stay at Carmelia Haven.Day 7 : Check out of hotel and proceed to MUNNAR stay at KTDC Tea County in Munnar or similar.
Visit to a Tea Plantation in Munnar.
Day - 8 Proceed to Nilambur and visit the Nedungayam Forest.
Stay at Homestay in Nilambur and enroute photostop at Conollys Plot, which is the worlds oldest teak plantation. Also visit the Teak Museum.
Day - 9 Breakfast at Homestay.
Leave for Calicut & stay at the Renaissance group hotel at Kappad. Sight seeing of Calicut with a visit to Beypore to see the boat building yard.
Day -10 Leave for Bekal. Day free to relax. Walk down to the beach from the Travellers Bungalow at Bekal or similar.
Day -11 Leave for Coorg. Check into a Homestay and go for a Coffee Plantation visit and a trip to the Tibetan settlement. Overnight stay in Mysore.
Day -12 Visit the Market and Palace in Mysore.
In the afternoon, board the Shatabdi, which leaves Mysore at 2pm to reach Chennai by 9.45pm. Overnight stay in Chennai.
Day -13 Chennai day free for rest and shopping.
Day - 14 Leave by early morning Flight to your home city or back to your conference hotel .
Day - 1 Arrival Chennai.Proceed to your Conference Hotel.
Day - 2 Proceed to Pondicherry - enroute visit Mamallapuram - Shore Temple, Arjunas Penance. At Pondicherry visit Auroville - Maitri Mandir. Overnight halt at Pondicherry Ashok Beach Resort.
Day - 3 Proceeed to Chidambaram. Chidambaram is a town in the Cuddalore District 235 Km from Chennai and 78 km South of Pondicherry. Pitchavaram wetlands, the second largest mangrove forests in the world has a large presence of the ancient Tillai Trees, surrounding the temple town. Tillai ambalam literally meaning the open stage of Tillai.It is the location of the popular CHIDAMBARAM NATARAJAR temple also called as Thillai Natarajar Temple Overnight stay.
Day - 4 Proceed to Kumbakonam. At first glance Kumbakonam is just another Indian junction town, but then you notice the dozens of colourful gopurams pointing skyward from its 18 temples - a reminder that this was once a seat of medieval South Indian power. With another two magnificent World Heritage - listed Chola temples nearby, it's worth staying the night Overnight stay.
Day - 5 Proceed to Swamimalai which is located 8 kms from Kumbakonam on the banks of a tributary of river Cauvery. The temple here is one of the six holy shrines of Murugan called Arupadaiveedu. Overnight stay at Swamimalai.
Day - 6 Proceed to Thanjavur. Visit the Brihadeeswara Temple and overnight stay.
Day - 7 Proceed to Madurai. Visit the World famous, Meenakshi temple. Overnight stay
Day - 8 Proceed to Thekkady. Overnight halt at the Abad Green Forest resorts.
Day - 9 Overnight stay at Thekkady. Jungle Trek with forest guards if your fitness levels are good enough for it.
Day - 10 Proceed to Cochin Enroute halt at Keezhilath Ayurgramam Ayurvedic Wholistic rejuvenation centre at Perumbavoor for a day of rejuvenating massages. Overnight stay.
Day - 11 Proceed to Alleppey to board the Premium Houseboat. Overnight stay with all meals on board.
Day - 12 Transfer to Resort at Kumarakom. Overnight stay.
Day - 13 Return to Cochin . stay at the Presidency Hotel or similar. Sightseeing and shopping visit of Broadway - the shopping street in Cochin. Overnight stay in Cochin.
Day - 14 . Connect flight back to Chennai to check-in to your Conference hotel .
Day 01: ARRIVE COCHIN
Welcome to Cochin, Queen of the Arabian Sea. Proceed to Munnar. Travel time is approx. 5 hours. Enroute enjoy the beautiful scenic vistas of Gods Own Country. Arrive at Munnar and check into Camelot Resort. Overnight stay at the resort or similar.
Day 02: SIGHTSEEING IN MUNNAR
After breakfast at the resort, enjoy the beauty of the famed Munnar tea plantations and visit the majestic Tata Tea Museum. Not to be missed is the sight of the Niligiri Tahr at the Eravikulam National Park. Overnight stay at the resort.
Day 03: PROCEED TO THEKKADY
After breakfast at the resort, proceed to Thekkady which would take you approx. 3 hours to reach. Check into the Abad Green Forest resort. You have the afternoon free to explore and trek around Thekkady. The elephant rides and boating on the lake would be attractive options. Overnight stay at the resort.
Day 04: SIGHTSEEING AT THEKKADY
Awake early and embark on a boat cruise to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary to get a glimpse of the wild animals in their habitat. Return to the resort and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to pursue own activities of interest. Overnight stay at the resort.
Day 05: ALLEPPEY HOUSEBOAT
After an early breakfast at the resort, leave for Alleppey to reach by 12 noon. Board the premium houseboat and enjoy a breathtaking ride in the beautiful backwaters. Lunch and dinner in the houseboat . Stay overnight on the houseboat and enjoy precious moments beneath starry skies. Awake to catch a glimpse of the splendid morning view of the backwaters and shores dotted by swinging coconut trees. Enjoy a good breakfast on the boat and check out by 9am. Proceed to Kovalam near Trivandrum. Check into Resort at the Kovalam Beach Front by around 4 PM. Evening free for own activities to explore the length of the beautiful Hawwa Beach on which the Resort is located. Overnight stay at Kovalam Resort.
Day 06: PROCEED TO KANYAKUMARI
After an early breakfast at the resort, leave for Kanyakumari. Enroute visit the majestic Padmanabhapuram Palace, also known as the Wood Palace and get a glimpse of the lives of the erstwhile Royals of Travancore. Kanyakumari takes its name from the Kumari Amman or Kanyakumari Temple, situated in the town, on the sea-shore, the very confluence of the three water-bodies; the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. Return to Kovalam for overnight stay.
Day 07 KOLLAM / THENMALA ECO TOURISM
After Breakfast, leave for Kollam and check in to the Kollam Beach Hotel which is approx. 2 hours away. Post lunch visit the Thenmala Eco tourism area which is Indias first planned Eco-tourism destination. Here you can indulge in adventure activities such as Nature Trail Walks, Elevated Canopy Walkway, Lotus Pond where you can enjoy various forms of aquatic plants, Mountain Biking, Recreational Rock Climbing & Rappelling, River and Hill Thrills which include valley crossing, spider net, shot range, trust fall, pedal boating etc.
Day 08: COCHIN, the princely state & seat of Royalty .
After breakfast, arrive at the Port City of Cochin, also popularly known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea. The city of Cochin was the seat of the Cochin Royalty and traces its history back to several years up. Cochin was also at the heart of the India spice trade and had dynamic trade relations with various nations. Today, Cochin has evolved as the commercial hub of Kerala and is one of the fastest growing second-tier metros in India. Check into the Presidency Hotel at the heart of the city. After lunch, take a KTDC conducted boat Cochin Sightseeing Tour. Places covered are Dutch Palace (Friday Holiday), Synagogue (Friday & Saturday Holiday), St. Francis Church (Sunday Holiday), Chinese Fishing Nets with Spectacular view of Willington Island, Cochin Harbour and Bolgatty Island. This tour starts by 2.30 pm and gets over by 6 pm. Hence you will need to start from the Hotel by 2 pm. After the tour, do a bit of Shopping on the Marine Drive or go for a Kathakali programme at one of the many centres in the city or go for the Kalaripayattu show at the CVN Kalari at Gandhi Nagar. Overnight stay at Presidency Hotel or similar at, Cochin.
Day 09 A slice of history at Fort Cochin
After breakfast, take a tour to Fort Cochin where the real history of Cochin had begun many centuries ago. Visit the Jewish Synagogue in case it was closed when you took the KTDC boat tour. Walk down the lanes of Jew Town and relive the lives of the Jews. Here you can shop for some price-less Antiques and you may pick up a souvenir or two and perhaps an antique if you bargain hard enough! Take lunch at one of the many quaint restaurants in Fort Cochin. Return to Hotel and take a much needed rest before your flight tomorrow but only after you take a Sunset tour of the Cochin Harbour which is from 5.30 pm to 7 pm. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 10: NEW DELHI - THE CAPITAL CITY
After breakfast, proceed to the airport for your connecting flight to New Delhi. Arrive Delhi and transfer to the Taj Hotel. You will get half a day to indulge in some sight seeing of New Delhi. Overnight stay in New Delhi.
Day 11: DELHI - AGRA
After breakfast, take the Shatabdi Express to Agra for a visit to the world famous Taj Mahal, "The epitome of love - a monument of immeasurable beauty". The beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words. The thoughts that come into the mind while at the Taj Mahal are not restricted to its phenomenal beauty, but the immense love which was the reason behind its construction. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan constructed this monument in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Ironically, the very first sight of the Taj Mahal, the epitome of love and romance, also leaves visitors mesmerized and perpetually enthralled. After the visit to Taj, visit Fatehpur Sikri, 40 km from Agra, the city, which the English traveller Ralph Fitch considered in 1585 as considerably larger than London and more populous comprising a series of palaces, public buildings and mosques, living areas for the court, the army, servants of the king and for an entire population whose history has not been recorded. Return to hotel in Agra. Overnight stay at Agra.
Day 12: ARRIVE JAIPUR
After breakfast, return the next day to New Delhi by the early morning train and take the flight to Jaipur, the Capital of Rajasthan, also called Pink City and one of the most important cities in India. The city was founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727. Jaipur is a land of natural beauty and great history. It has a flourishing tourism industry. In the Conde Nast Traveller Readers Choice Survey, Jaipur was ranked the 7th best place to visit in Asia. Check into a Hotel in Jaipur and in the afternoon go for a half day city tour of the Pink City. Return to hotel for overnight stay.
Day 13: JAIPUR SIGHTSEEING
After breakfast, take a full day tour of Jaipur and revel at the marvel of this Royal city. Travel by elephant back up to Amber Fort. Also visit the Jai Mahal, Narayana Temple, Albert Hall, Hawa Mahal and the Jantar Mantar observatory. Overnight stay at the hotel in Jaipur.
Day 14: RETURN to New Delhi
Full day Sightseeing of Old & New Delhi. Overnight stay at Delhi.
Day -15
Check out of the hotel and transfer to airport to take the connecting flight back to Chennai to your conference hotel or take a flight directly to your home city.
This is the end of a unique fusion North and South tour that will give you an interesting peek into the cultures and lives of people in two different regions of India.